New Delhi is the ideal departure for Paro in Bhutan.
A stopover at India's capital ought to be used for a cultural tour through this historical area.
Overnight Stay:
Delhi offers a wide variety of possibilities, from luxury hotels to simple lodgings. The well known hotels such as Taj, Oberoi, Ashok, Sheraton, Imperial, Ambassador etc. however are quite expensive. Browse the Internet quotations, for instance at:
http://catalogue.horse21.de/india+hotels
www.mytravelguide.com
www.kayak.com/Hotels/IN/--/New_Delhi.ksp
Recommendations for centrally located clean rooms (US$ 70.- to 100.-/night):
The Residence (Delhi) reservations.del@residences.co.in
Hotel Clark International www.hotelclarkindia.com
Bajaj Indian Home Stay www.indianhomestay.com
Usually hotels offer organised tours. However if you prefer your own speed and preferences it is better to rent an AC-taxi (appr. $ 30.- bis 40.-/6-8 hours, prenegotiated!!) and instruct the driver about your route.
To get a first impression, we advise the following tour:
Red Fort > Jami Masjid > Chandi Chowk > Connaught Place > Jantar Mantar > Rajpath/India Gate > Purana Quila >
Humayun's Tomb > Qutb Minar
The route may be adapted to your needs and wants. Check opening hours locally.
Red Fort: 1638-48 built by Shah Jahan. His son Aurangzeb reigned from here. Reception Halls, Pearl Mosque,
royal bath, pleasure grounds.
Jama Masjid: 1644-58 also built by Shah Jahan. India's largest mosque with an extensive courtyard.
Chandni Chowk: old Bazaar, narrow, mostly clogged but interesting atmosphere.
Connaught Place: large traffic roundabout in Delhi's heart, with arcades housing stores, hotels,
restaurants, airline and travel offices.
Jantar Mantar: Observatory of Maharaja Jai Singh II (1725) with old astronomical buildings to observe constellations.
Rajpath: wide promenade (kingsway) for parades. At the eastern end towers the imposing India Gate, memorial to the
85.000 indian soldiers killed in action during world war one. The western counterpoint is the presidential
residence Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Purana Quila: old Fort, Sher Shar (1538-45) reigned here after his victory over Humayun until Humayun recaptured it.
Humayun's Tomb: errected by his main wife Haji Begum in the middle of 16th century. Wonderful Mogul-Architecture.
Qutb Minar: 15km south of Connaught Place. A 73m high victory tower, built after the downfallof the last Hindu-
kingdom in 1193. Firoz Shah completed the tower with a dome in 1368, which, however, fell victim to an
earthquake in 1803.
Projecting skywards in the courtyard of the annexed oldest mosque of India is a 7m high iron pillar from
the 4th century (!). The cast iron is of such purity it survived the more than 1.600 years without rust, a
phenomen thanks to a secret ancient technology.
