Since my college days, I have always been a budget traveller. For me, travel is not about luxury—it’s about exploring more while spending wisely.
In India, nothing beats the affordability and comfort of train journeys, especially when planned in advance. When it comes to stay and safety, my preferred choice has always been Railway Retiring Rooms—a reliable and economical option. I have already shared a detailed post about it on Connect, and you can check it here: 
Exploring India Through Railways: Travel & Stay Made Easy.
Now comes the most exciting part—local sightseeing.
Over the years, I have found that the best way to explore any city on a budget is through government-organized tourism tours. They are affordable, well-structured, and cover major attractions efficiently.
Delhi Sightseeing Options
In Delhi, you currently have two excellent budget-friendly options:
1. Delhi Tourism Double Decker Heritage Tour
This is a full-day guided tour (9 AM – 6 PM) conducted by Delhi Tourism. The journey begins from Dilli Haat (INA), followed by a visit to Vijay Chowk where you can enjoy photography of Rashtrapati Bhavan and the North & South Block. The tour then continues to the National Museum and the National Gallery of Modern Art.
Afterward, there is a lunch halt at the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya cafeteria, followed by a visit to the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya at Teen Murti. The next stops include the National War Memorial and India Gate, offering both historical insights and great photo opportunities. Finally, the tour concludes with a drop back at Dilli Haat (INA), where you can optionally enjoy shopping and dinner.
The cost of this tour is ₹315 (including GST). The actual fare is ₹500 + GST; however, a summer offer is currently available, allowing you to book it at a discounted rate of ₹300 + GST. Please note that entry tickets to monuments and lunch are not included in the price. As seats are limited to only 50 participants, advance booking is highly recommended. You can book your seat through the official Delhi Tourism website (a Government of India platform, identifiable by the “.gov.in” domain).
Reaching the Starting Point (Dilli Haat – INA)
From your place of stay, you can easily reach Dilli Haat (INA) by Delhi Metro, which is one of the most convenient and budget-friendly transport options in Delhi.
To check your metro route, fare, travel time, first & last train timing, platform number, and all intermediate stations, I recommend using this tool:
Delhi Metro Fare & Route Planner
Simply select your source and destination metro stations, and you will get complete journey details. If you are unsure about your source station, just open Google Maps, tap on “Ask Maps,” and ask for your nearest metro station.
2. Hop-On Hop-Off (HOHO) Delhi Darshan Bus
This is a highly flexible tour that allows you to explore Delhi at your own pace and according to your interests. Unlike fixed itinerary tours, the HoHo bus gives you the freedom to decide how much time you want to spend at each location. During the journey, the onboard guide provides useful information and insights about the upcoming points of interest, helping you plan your stops better. You can also read the HoHo bus experience shared by @Ddimitra here, which she enjoyed during the Asia One Summit[1] hosted by @deepakjhic, @AmbrishVarshney, and the team.
The bus covers major attractions across the city, including Birla Mandir, Red Fort, Raj Ghat, India Gate, and the Indira Gandhi Museum (as per the government schedule). It also includes a lunch and shopping halt, followed by visits to Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple, and finally concludes at Akshardham Temple as the drop point.
If you find a place particularly interesting, you can simply hop off at that stop, explore the attraction at your leisure, take photos, or spend time understanding its history and surroundings. Once you are ready to move ahead, you can return to the nearest designated HOHO bus stop and board the next available bus. This allows you to continue your journey seamlessly to the next destination of your choice along the route.
In addition to these stops, the tour also offers drive-pass opportunities at several iconic landmarks such as Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place, and the National War Memorial.
This hop-on hop-off facility makes the tour especially suitable for travelers who prefer flexibility over a fixed schedule, giving you complete control over your sightseeing experience while still enjoying the convenience of organized transport. You can book the tour directly here: Book HOHO Delhi Darshan Tour.
If you are already registered for the Namaste India Summit and have not booked the second-day HoHo bus option by paying the additional ₹500, you can still avail it. If interested, you may reach out to @AmbrishVarshney and get the HoHo bus experience for ₹550 instead of ₹666.
⏰ Start Destinations of HoHo Bus & Timings
- Saket Metro Station, Gate No. 2 – 7:15 AM
(Recommended for Gurgaon / South Delhi passengers) - Dilli Haat – INA Metro Station, Gate No. 5 – 7:30 AM
(Recommended for South Delhi / West Delhi passengers) - Shivaji Airport Express Metro Station, Gate No. 1 – 7:55 AM
(Recommended for Airport / Aerocity / Dwarka passengers) - Rama Krishna Ashram Metro Station, Gate No. 1 – 8:05 AM
(Recommended for Paharganj / Karol Bagh / New Delhi Railway Station / Blue Line / Rohini passengers)
🚇 Reaching the Starting Point
From your place of stay, you can easily reach Starting Point by Delhi Metro, which is one of the most convenient and budget-friendly transport options in Delhi.
To check your metro route, fare, travel time, first & last train timing, platform number, and all intermediate stations, I recommend using this tool:
Delhi Metro Fare & Route Planner
Simply select your source and destination metro stations, and you will get complete journey details. If you are unsure about your source station, just open Google Maps, tap on “Ask Maps,” and ask for your nearest metro station.
Quick Poll for Fellow Local Guides
Which budget-friendly sightseeing option in Delhi would you prefer?
- HOHO Bus (Flexible hop-on hop-off experience)
- Double Decker Heritage Tour (Fixed itinerary & guided)
- I prefer exploring on my own (Metro + walking)
- Haven’t tried any yet, but planning to!
This recap was highlighted by Googler TiffanyBnyc in her post Celebrating 10 Years of Local Guides: Mapping the World, Together, where she showcased major milestones and landmarks from the 10-year journey of the Local Guides program. ↩︎
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