Old Delhi Walking Tour with Local Guide: Jama Masjid & Spice Market

4.53

(17 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing that hit me was the mix of smells—cardamom, frying snacks, a hint of incense drifting from a nearby temple. Our guide met us right outside Jama Masjid Gate 3, waving with a grin that made it easy to spot him in the morning crowd. He grew up just around here, so he knew every shortcut and stall owner by name. We started weaving through narrow lanes where scooters honked and shopkeepers called out their daily deals.

We ducked into a tiny alley lined with embroidered fabrics—one uncle showed us how he stitches gold thread by hand. There’s this flower market tucked behind a chai stand; I wouldn’t have found it on my own. The air was thick with marigold petals and the chatter of early shoppers. Our guide pointed out five different temples—Hindu, Sikh, Jain, even a church—standing almost side by side. It’s wild how all these faiths share the same block.

Somewhere near noon we stopped for tea and matthi at a street cart our guide swore by (he was right—the matthi was flaky and salty). The spice market buzzed with porters balancing sacks on their heads; you could taste pepper in the air just walking past. We ended up on a rooftop overlooking tangled wires and domes—Delhi’s chaos laid out below us. The view wasn’t perfect but it felt real, like you’re seeing the city’s heartbeat.