Old Delhi is the 300-year-old walled city built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jehan in 1648 as his capital. The focus of the city is the magnificent Red Fort and the Jama Mosque built of red sandstone. Drive past the Red Fort from where the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on India’s Independence Day. Visit Jama Masjid, the most elegant mosque in India that stands high on a hillock. In between and around these two focal points of the 17th century city is a thriving modern city in a medieval setting. This area once had a tree-lined broad central avenue, with a canal dividing the thoroughfare. On our way back, we visit Raj Ghat, Mahatama Gandhi’s shrine and then drive past Kotla Firoze Shah, ruins of a yet another 14th century fort.

New Delhi is the early 20th century British capital designed by Sir Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Drive past the President’s House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the two flanking Secretariat buildings – the nerve centre of government activity. Driving down this hillock is the India Gate, the great memorial arch built to commemorate the slain heroes of World War-I and Indo-Afghan War. Around India Gate are palaces of some of the erstwhile Indian princely states that are now public offices and museums. Visit the precursor to the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb built in 1565 AD by the widow of the second Mughal emperor Haji Begum. In the vicinity of Humayun’s Tomb is the grave of Delhi’s most revered Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin. Humayun’s Tomb is a garden tomb and stands as a high point of early Mughal architecture and technology. The gardens of the Humayun’s Tomb have recently been restored and revitalized to their former glory by the Aga Khan Foundation for Culture. Later drive to Delhi’s most recognized symbol, the 12th century Qutub Minar, standing 72 metres high and Delhi’s first mosque Quwat-ul-Islam (Light of Islam) Mosque. Also standing in this complex are buildings that were built by successive Islamic rulers and British. We end the day by visiting the Hindu heritage of the city, Lakshmi Narayan temple built by one of India’s premier industrial families, the Birlas.