Chandni Chowk at a glance
Chandni Chowk is the old main road of Shahjahanabad, the walled city that Shah Jahan built around the Red Fort. Today the name covers the street itself and the dense bazaar lanes that branch off it, so a visit to Chandni Chowk usually means a mix of shopping, street food, a mosque and a lot of walking. It sits in Old Delhi, a different world from the wide avenues of the government district, and it is best taken slowly.
Most visitors combine three things: the Jama Masjid, a stroll through the market lanes and a ride by rickshaw or tuk-tuk. The Red Fort lies at the eastern end, so the two sights fit together on one outing. Our Red Fort page covers tickets and closed areas, and the things to do page shows how Old Delhi relates to the rest of the city.
Our picks: Old Delhi tours
Our take: The food and heritage walk is for eating your way through the lanes, and the tuk-tuk tour suits a first look at the spice market area. The private tour with hotel pickup is a guided ride rather than a tasting.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private Chandni Chowk tour with tuk-tuk
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Private air-conditioned transport
- Private guide
This is a guided ride through Old Delhi with a tuk-tuk or rickshaw, not a tasting tour. Entrance fees are paid separately.
Check availability →
Old Delhi food and heritage walk
- Food and drinks
- Rickshaw or tuk-tuk ride
- Entry tickets and fees
A local guide combines tastings with heritage stops in Old Delhi, and snacks and water are covered too.
Check availability →
Old Delhi tour by tuk-tuk with masala tea
- Professional tour guide
- Tuk-tuk ride in Old Delhi
- Masala tea and water
A private car and monument entry fees are added only with the matching option. The meeting point is at the Jama Masjid.
Check availability →Old Delhi tours and food walks
Private Old Delhi tours, tuk-tuk rides and food walks through Chandni Chowk, with live prices and availability.
Jama Masjid: entry, hours and what to wear
The big mosque at the edge of the bazaar.
Entry and photos
Delhi Tourism lists 400 INR for foreign tourists, while Indian tourists enter free. Photography is free on the current listing, so do not budget for a separate camera fee.
Opening hours
Foreign tourists can enter from 08:00 and Indian tourists from 11:00, in both cases until sunset. After sunset the mosque is for worshippers at the evening prayer, and the early morning prayer is not a general visiting window either. Check the time on the day, because prayer times shift through the year.
Fridays
An official page describes a closure for non-Muslim visitors of about two hours around the midday prayer on Fridays. If Friday is your only day, plan the mosque for another time and leave the market for later.
Dress code
You walk barefoot inside and need to be modestly dressed, with shoulders and knees covered. Loan garments are mentioned at the north gate. Carry small change in case a fee applies for shoe storage or loan clothes.
The nearest metro stop for the mosque is Chawri Bazaar, while the Chandni Chowk station is the usual stop for the Red Fort and the main street. See the Delhi metro page for fares and how the lines connect.
Old Delhi food tours: what the products include
A food tour is the easiest way into the lanes if you do not know what to order. The products differ a lot, so read what each one lists before you book.
The after dark food tour has a storyteller guide, local food, chai, a tuk-tuk ride and entrance fees, and it starts at 1 Chandni Chowk Road. It has no hotel pickup and no water bottle. A walk called Food and Heritage meets at Gate 7 of the Rajiv Chowk metro station and lists food and drinks, snacks, a rickshaw or tuk-tuk ride and entry tickets. Another street food tour meets at Gate 1 of the same station and lists metro and rickshaw rides, a local guide and food and soft drinks.
Be careful with tours that only have food in the title. The private Old Delhi tour with a tuk-tuk ride includes hotel pickup, a private car, a guide, the ride and water, but it does not include entrance fees, meals or drinks. For a private walk that starts at the Jama Masjid, the car and the entry fees come only with the matching option.
Rickshaw and tuk-tuk rides
How to move through the narrow lanes.
Cycle rickshaws and tuk-tuks are the usual way to cover the lanes without walking the whole distance. Motor vehicles are restricted on the main Chandni Chowk road from 09:00 to 21:00, but that is a rule for that road and not a ban on every vehicle in Old Delhi. Agree the route and the price before you sit down, and keep your bag in front of you in crowds.
Several tours bundle a rickshaw or tuk-tuk ride, which saves you from negotiating. A private half-day Old and New Delhi tour can add a rickshaw ride in Old Delhi as an option. A cycling tour through Old Delhi starts near the Delhi Gate metro station and lists a bicycle, a helmet, a guide, breakfast and tea or coffee. A walking tour with a rickshaw ride lists metro tickets and, with the private option only, a hotel pickup.
Market hours
The tourism board gives roughly 10:30 to 21:00 for the market, and some shops stay shut on Sunday. Not every lane or food stall keeps the same hours, so go in the late morning or the afternoon if you want most things open.
Good to know before you go
Four points for a smoother visit.
Combine with the Red Fort
The fort is a short ride away. Check the open days and closed areas first on the Red Fort page.
Watch your belongings
Official travel advice warns about pickpockets in crowds. Keep wallets and phones in a closed bag and carry copies of your passport separately.
Heat and timing
The lanes are open to the sun and busy by midday. Our best time to visit page explains the cooler months.
Plan the history
For how this walled city came to be, read the Delhi history page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Jama Masjid cost?
Delhi Tourism lists 400 INR for foreign tourists and free entry for Indian tourists, with photography free. Visiting hours for foreign tourists start at 08:00 and run until sunset.
Can I visit the Jama Masjid on Friday?
An official page describes a closure of about two hours for non-Muslim visitors around the midday prayer. Plan your visit for another part of the day and check the time on the spot.
Do the food tours include meals?
It depends on the product. Some list food and drinks, while the private tuk-tuk tour that has food in its title lists no meals, drinks or entrance fees. Read the included list of each tour.
Which metro station should I use?
Chandni Chowk station serves the Red Fort and the old city, and Chawri Bazaar is named for the Jama Masjid. Both are access options, not measured walking routes.
Is this the official site of Chandni Chowk or Delhi Tourism?
No. New-delhi.org is an independent guide and is not run by Delhi Tourism, the Archaeological Survey of India or any tour operator.