Delhi in December: a seasonal travel plan

Weather at a glance

Daytime high

23.5 °C

Nighttime low

8.5 °C

Monthly precipitation

6.9 mm

Days with at least 1 mm

0.8

Daylight

10.4 h

2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.

Early, middle and late month

What this month is like

Delhi, India. In december, the average daytime high is 23.5 °C and the night-time low is 8.5 °C. Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.

There are 0.8 wet days on average, with about 6.9 mm of precipitation. There are relatively few wet days, so build the plan around walks and keep one indoor option.

How to plan the day

Daytime suits a longer city route; keep a break and some flexible time around midday.

Average daylight is 10.4 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.

What to pack

Pack light clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for the evening. There are relatively few wet days, so build the plan around walks and keep one indoor option.

Precipitation and an alternative plan

There are relatively few days with precipitation. Build your plans around walks and keep an indoor activity for a wet-weather day.

What to pack

Bring light daytime clothes, comfortable shoes and an extra layer for cooler hours. The day-to-night temperature difference is noticeable, so dressing in layers is practical.

Compared with neighbouring months

Average daytime high: previous month — 28.0 °C, December — 23.5 °C, next month — 21.7 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 0.7, 0.8 and 3.5.

Things to do

Delhi joins two very different fabrics: the packed bazaars of Shahjahanabad below the Red Fort and the broad avenues of New Delhi with their government buildings. The districts sit kilometres apart, so plan each day around one part of the city and rely on the metro.

Old Delhi

Walk from the Red Fort to Jama Masjid through Chandni Chowk, where stalls sell spices, cloth and sweets. A cycle rickshaw saves energy in the crush, and an early start leaves the lanes almost empty.

Humayun's Tomb

Humayun's Tomb stands in gardens near Nizamuddin, its red sandstone and white marble explaining Mughal architecture without the crowds of the Taj Mahal. The Nizamuddin quarter next door holds a Sufi shrine and street kitchens.

Qutub Minar

The Qutub Minar rises above the ruins of the first sultanate buildings in Mehrauli, with old columns and tombs scattered around. South Delhi lies far from the centre, so pair the visit with a walk in Hauz Khas.

Where to stay

Paharganj

Paharganj hugs New Delhi station: cheap rooms, traveller cafes and shops along the main street. It is noisy and cramped, but the metro and the trains are five minutes away on foot.

Connaught Place

Connaught Place works through its geometry: a ring of colonial arcades with banks, shops and restaurants, from which every direction is easy. The area wakes up in the evening, though rooms are few and pricey.

Hauz Khas

Hauz Khas draws people for cafes, small boutiques and more quiet than downtown. The reservoir and the madrasa ruins are close, the metro is ten minutes off, while Old Delhi needs a change of trains.

Getting to and around Delhi

The Airport Express runs from Indira Gandhi airport to New Delhi station in about twenty minutes, while a taxi costs more and depends on traffic. The metro is the main way around: cheap, clean and linking Old Delhi, Connaught Place and the southern districts. Take a rickshaw for short hops and allow extra time at rush hour.

Three days in Delhi

Shahjahanabad

Start at the Red Fort when it opens, then follow Chandni Chowk to Jama Masjid. Eat lunch at a street stall and return to your hotel before the evening crush.

New Delhi and Nizamuddin

Drive along Kartavya Path past India Gate and the president's house, then visit Humayun's Tomb in the afternoon. Finish at the Nizamuddin shrine, where qawwali singing begins after dusk.

South Delhi

Take the metro to Qutub Minar and walk the ruins and old columns, then spend the evening in Hauz Khas with cafes by the water, the madrasa ruins and small galleries showing local artists.

Weather throughout the year

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