Senior travel: Delhi
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 71 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Sunder NurseryStep-free: yes · about 60 minA few low steps at some pavilions.
- Jantar MantarStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 45 minSteps on the larger instruments only.
- Gurudwara Bangla SahibStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 75 minA few steps at the entrances and the sarovar edge.
- Humayun's TombStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 90 minSteps to the terrace; ramps at some points.
- Red FortStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 120 minSteps between courts; some ramps.
- Jama MasjidStep-free: poor (check before you go) · about 45 minAbout 30 wide steps up to Gate 1 and Gate 3; no ramp (check).
- Khari Baoli Spice MarketStep-free: poor (check before you go) · about 45 minRooftop and upper floors by steep stairs.
- Nizamuddin DargahStep-free: poor (check before you go) · about 90 minA few steps into the courtyard; the lane is uneven.
Getting around in Delhi
Delhi is hard going on wheels outside the metro, the newer hotels and malls. Pavements are broken or blocked, kerbs high and many old sites are stepped. Plan door-to-door car rides and choose a hotel with a lift.
- Pavements:
- Uneven, blocked by cars, stalls and open drains; wide paved paths in Lutyens' Delhi and gardens are the exception.
- Metro:
- Most stations have lifts and ramps; trains have priority seats; a separate accessibility line is on the DMRC site (check).
- Getting around:
- App cars are the step-free option: book an SUV for a folding wheelchair. Autos are hard to board.
- Hotels:
- Chain and newer hotels have lifts and accessible rooms; many old guesthouses are up stairs.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in malls, metro stations and large hotels; rare elsewhere.
- Crossings:
- Few signalled crossings; ask someone to cross with you.
Stairs at the hotel areas
- Paharganj: 1 flights up, 0 down, 120 m walk from the stop
Medicines and health on the ground
The India guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Heat:
- Apr–Jun: shade and AC every 60–90 minutes, oral rehydration salts, no midday walks. Heat exhaustion is a common visitor problem.
- Food and water:
- Bottled or filtered water only; hot cooked food from busy places; wash or sanitise hands. 'Delhi belly' is common in the first days.
- Dengue and malaria:
- Mosquito-borne; dengue peaks after the monsoon (Aug–Nov). Use repellent by day and dusk; see a doctor for a sudden high fever.
- Rabies:
- Do not pet dogs, cats or monkeys. After any bite or scratch, go the same day to a hospital for post-exposure treatment.
- Vaccinations:
- Talk to a travel clinic before you go: hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies are commonly advised (check).
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.