Hyderabad Old City Tour: Charminar, Markets & Hussain Sagar

The Char Kaman arches stand where four roads split toward Charminar, and you walk all of them.

A 4-hour guided tour of Hyderabad's Old City starting at Hussain Sagar Lake and ending at the Paigah Tombs, with stops at the Badshahi Ashurkhana, spice and pearl markets, Charminar, Mecca Masjid, and a tuk-tuk ride through the streets. The tour includes a government-licensed guide in English, mehndi decoration on your palms, Irani chai at Bangle Street, and hotel pickup and drop within Hyderabad city. Climbing Charminar's stairs costs extra and is optional.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Hussain Sagar Lake10m
2. Mecca Masjid30m
3. Charminar1h
4. Laad Bazaar30m

Explore Hyderabad's Old City highlights

• Visit Hussain Sagar Lake
• See the monolithic Buddha statue
• Walk through Lumbini Park
• Pass Birla Mandir temple
• Pass Telangana Legislative Assembly
• View Hyderabad Deccan (Nampally) railway station
• Pass Mozamjahi Market
• Pass High Court of Telangana
• Visit Badshahi Ashurkhana
• Explore spice, pearl, and cloth markets
• Pass Char Kaman arches
• Visit Charminar monument
• Visit Mecca Masjid mosque
• Enjoy Irani chai at Bangle Street
• Visit Paigah Tombs

The experience

The tour starts at Hussain Sagar Lake, where a monolithic Buddha statue stands on Gibraltar Rock in the middle of the water: 58 feet tall and carved from a single piece of granite. From there you pass Lumbini Park and Birla Temple Hills before entering the Old City proper, moving through the Nampalli railway station (built in 1907 by the last Nizam) and the Badshahi Ashurkhana, a Shia Muslim mourning place near Charminar constructed in memory of Imam Hussain's martyrdom.

The walk takes you through three markets (spice, pearl, and cloth), where the stalls crowd the narrow lanes. You pass the Char Kaman, four historical arches built in 1592 that branch out toward Charminar itself. The landmark sits nearly 400 years old at the center of the Old City. Climbing its minarets to see the full view of the surrounding streets is optional and requires a separate ticket. Mecca Masjid comes next, one of India's largest mosques with a 20,000-person capacity, built in the 17th century with bricks made from soil brought from Mecca. At Bangle Street you stop for Irani chai, the tea served in Irani cafés opened by Zoroastrian immigrants in the 20th century, often paired with Nizamia biscuits. The tour ends at the Paigah Tombs, where the nobility of the Paigah family (statespeople and generals under the Nizams) are buried.

A tuk-tuk ride is built into the experience, and your guide applies mehndi decoration to your palms during the tour. Hotel pickup and drop happen within Hyderabad city, and water is provided in the vehicle. The guide speaks English and holds a government license.

What’s included

• A government-licensed English-speaking guide.
• mehndi decoration applied to your palms.
• hotel pickup and drop within Hyderabad city.
• a tuk-tuk ride through the Old City streets.
• Irani chai at Bangle Street.
• water in the vehicle.
• fuel and parking.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 14:00 and 18:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 44 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Hyderabad Garuda Tourism

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guided walk through Old City markets and monuments in a single morning or afternoon, rather than piecing together multiple stops on your own.

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Top questions

What is the Hussain Sagar Lake Buddha statue made of?

The Buddha statue is carved from a single monolithic piece of granite, stands 58 feet tall, and weighs 350 tons. It was erected on Gibraltar Rock in the middle of the lake in 1992 and can be reached by boat in 15 minutes.

Can I climb to the top of Charminar?

Yes, you can climb the steps to the minarets of Charminar to see the full view of the Old City, but this requires a separate admission ticket paid directly at the site. The steps are closed every Friday.

What markets will I walk through on this tour?

You walk through spice, pearl, and cloth markets on the way to Charminar. Laad Bazaar, a 1-kilometer shopping strip famous for bangles with artificial diamonds studded on lacquered bangles, branches out from Charminar and is part of the route.

What is Irani chai and where do I have it?

Irani chai is a tea served in Irani cafés, originally opened by Zoroastrian immigrants fleeing persecution in West Asia during the 20th century. On this tour you enjoy it at Bangle Street, often paired with Nizamia biscuits, a Hyderabad specialty.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes, pickup and drop from your place of stay within Hyderabad city are included. The tour runs 4 hours total, and fuel and parking are covered.