Chandni Chowk Old Delhi: Spice Market & Street Food Walk

Walking Chandni Chowk's Spice Market & 350-Year-Old Havelis

You walk through Old Delhi's heritage sites and Asia's largest spice market at Khari Baoli, visit a working langar at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, and climb a haveli rooftop for views of the spice district. The tour includes a rickshaw ride, vegetarian street food tastings, and a masala chai lesson, all in three hours with a local guide who knows the merchants and the history.

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to taste Old Delhi's food and understand how the spice market works without arranging transport or navigating the lanes alone — the guide's connections to merchants and the fixed three-hour structure mean you see and eat things a solo walk would miss.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Old Delhi and Spice Market

• Pass by Digambar Jain Lal Mandir
• Visit Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Langar
• Walk through Asia's biggest Spice Market
• Visit Gadodia Market rooftop and drink masala tea
• Explore Kinari Bazaar and 350-year-old havelis
• Pass by famous Chandni Chowk street

The Experience

You step into the narrow lanes of Shahjahanabad and the noise hits first — vendors calling out, spice dust catching the light, the smell of turmeric and cardamom layered over something frying. The Chandni Chowk Old Delhi food tour moves through these streets on foot for three hours, and the pace is deliberate because there's too much to rush past. Your guide navigates you past the Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, built in 1656 with gold-plated interiors and a functioning bird hospital on the upper floors (closed midday, so timing matters). Then you're at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, where the langar feeds over 10,000 people daily — you'll see the kitchens, understand how it works, maybe help with some service if you're willing.

Khari Baoli is where the spice market opens up. More than 1,000 shops crowd this single street, and it's the largest spice market in Asia — the kind of place where a single vendor might stock twenty varieties of chili alone. You walk through it with someone who knows the merchants, stops to talk about what's being sold, lets you smell and touch things. After that, a rickshaw ride takes you to Gadodia Market, an old haveli that's part of the spice district but also a place where people actually live and work. You climb to the rooftop for a bird's-eye view of the whole market sprawl, and that's where you sit with a cup of masala chai while your guide explains how to make it — the spices, the timing, why milk matters. On clear days you might see kites and pigeons flying between the buildings.

Kinari Bazaar comes next, a market built around weddings and decoration, full of 350-year-old havelis (called Naugharas locally) that still stand in their original form. The walk ends on one of Old Delhi's famous streets, and by then you've tasted vegetarian street food at several stops — samosas, chaat, whatever's being made that day. The rickshaw ride is included, so you're not walking the entire three hours straight, and the food and chai are part of the package. It's a lot of ground to cover, but the pace is built around stopping, talking, and actually tasting things rather than just passing them.

Top questions

How long is the Chandni Chowk food tour?

Three hours of walking, with a rickshaw ride included as part of the route.

What food is included in the tour?

Vegetarian street food tastings at various stops, plus masala chai and coffee or tea. The exact dishes depend on what vendors are preparing that day.

Is the Digambar Jain Lal Mandir open the whole time?

No, it closes from 12 to 5 PM, so timing your tour around those hours matters if you want to see the interior.

How many people shop at Khari Baoli spice market?

It's Asia's largest spice market with over 1,000 shops, though the exact number of daily visitors varies.

What happens at the Gurudwara langar?

You'll see the free kitchen that feeds over 10,000 people daily and may participate in some service if you're interested.

Will I climb stairs or do physical activity?

The tour includes climbing to a haveli rooftop and walking through narrow market streets. It's suitable for all fitness levels, though the terrain is uneven in places.

Is a rickshaw ride included?

Yes, a rickshaw ride is part of the tour itinerary.

Can I do this tour with an infant?

Specialized infant seats are available, and the tour is designed to accommodate families.

What’s included

Your three hours include a rickshaw ride through Old Delhi, entry to Digambar Jain Lal Mandir and Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, vegetarian street food tastings at multiple stops, masala chai and a lesson in how to make it, a rooftop visit to a haveli in Gadodia Market, and a walk through Khari Baoli spice market with a guide who introduces you to local merchants. Coffee or tea is also included.