Exploring Delhi Alone: Unguided Adventure

Our first stop of the day was coffee at Savorworks Coffee & Chocolate. I was anxious to experience specialty coffee from India, because I had not tried it before. Right off the bat, we knew it would be good, with a beautiful interior showcasing their amazing coffee and chocolate processing and roasting facilities. This shop is not just a specialty coffee shop, but a boutique chocolatier and restaurant, with a wide variety of lunch and dinner foods. The smell of sweet chocolate filled the air as we sat down and ordered our drinks.

I got a pour over of course, and Yemisi got something we’ve never seen before, a chocolate pour over. My coffee was absolutely amazing, roasted light and incredibly acidic and fruity. I’ve never had Indian beans, but it was a great introduction. They even provided several tasting cups to emphasize the body, aroma, and flavor of the coffee. Truly a top-tier coffee experience. Yemisi’s chocolate pour over was prepared at the table by pouring hot milk over a “filter” made of chocolate, producing a seriously rich and sweet hot chocolate.

If you read our Delhi day trip article, you will know we had some issues with our tour. They didn’t take us everywhere that was listed on the Get You Guide page, and they took us to some sketchy stores we didn’t ask to go to. We decided to make up for the slightly lacking tour by visiting everywhere ourselves on our last day. Agrasen ki Boali is the first on our list. This is an ancient step well in the heart of New Delhi. Honestly, it’s quite shocking to come across, since it’s nestled in a completely unassuming neighborhood out of sight.

As soon as we rolled up, it started pouring rain. At first, we were bummed, but it was actually a really cool experience. The rain made it a total vibe, and thankfully, there are pockets on the side of the steps to take cover. Step wells are an important part of Indian architectural history, with this one dating back to the 10th century. They work by digging down to the water table and by collecting rainwater, so it’s nice we got to see it in action. It’s a very peaceful place, and since we came so early, we had it all to ourselves. It was great to get our redemption and see this beautiful historical architecture ourselves.

Next, we stopped at Safdarjung Tomb. This wasn’t supposed to be on our tour, and Yemisi just chose it on a whim. On our first day, we visited Humayun’s Tomb, the most famous tomb in Delhi. This is a similar tomb, where Safdar Jang is buried, one of the Mughal Empire’s highest-ranking politicians. Although it is not as extravagant as Humayun’s Tomb, it is still one of the largest attractions in Delhi. Sadly, it is not maintained quite as well as other sites, with missing tiles and minor damage on stonework. However, it’s still very beautiful and well worth the visit, especially since the crowds here are much lighter.

Like other Mughal tombs, this is a garden-style tomb with four-way symmetry and beautiful sprawling lawns. We really enjoyed walking around the quiet grounds and seeing the peacocks and nature. This tomb seemed more popular with the locals, and they weren’t afraid to sit on the lawn with a picnic or play around in the square. This beautiful structure is made out of yellow sandstone, with red sandstone and marble inlay. The tomb itself is a bit on the smaller side, but with carving and details just as beautiful as any other. Honestly, we liked our experience here more than Humayun’s tomb due to the slow pace and chill atmosphere, though I recommend you visit both.

The next destination to make up for our tour was Qutb Minar. I didn’t have any idea what this was, so I was shocked when we arrived to find a massive sea of people. Unlike Safdarjung Tomb, this attraction was packed with tourists and locals alike. It turns out, this is one of the oldest sites in Delhi, located just by the oldest known settlement site in the area. The Qutb complex was initially constructed by the first sultan of Delhi in 1199, making this much older than the Mughal sites we had been seeing before.

The minar is not the only interesting thing here. As time went on, the complex was added to over hundreds of years by politicians and leaders. The site includes various ornate entrances, ancient mosques, madrasas, and tombs, as well as a partially constructed minar meant to outshine the original. The Alai Darwaza was a particularly beautiful spot, with incredibly intricate carving of red sandstone and marble, and a truly stunning view of the minaret behind it. If you’re really into history, you could spend hours here observing the clash of Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim architecture and culture over the centuries. 

After exploring all day, we were starting to drag and needed a break. Another specialty shop I found was Quick Brown Fox. If you know anything about design, with a name like that, you know they care about quality. I loved the interior as soon as we walked in. With light natural wood, plenty of windows and a soft interior, we felt right at home. This is a very western-style cafe, with lots of specialty coffee and breakfast/brunch options. My coffee was not quite as good as Savorworks, but I think it was more of a brewing issue than a roasting issue. We also got a broccoli bowl, which was absolutely amazing and easy to eat after a week of spicy and intense food.

As for the architecture, we spent some time exploring the various tombs. It was a bit sad to see ancient structures in such a rough state. Most of them were missing tiles or carvings, with names and tags inscribed on the walls. I’m not sure of the importance of these tombs, but it’s clear that maintaining them is not a huge priority for the government. Regardless, it’s a much more chill environment, and we were able to set up our tripod and take pictures together for the first time. It was very hot and humid that day, so we didn’t stay for too long, but you can easily burn a few hours exploring the beautiful grounds and getting some peace from the bustling city.

Right before we went to the airport, we stopped at the ITC Maurya to eat at Bukhara. This hotel is one of Delhi’s most premium hotels, surrounded by embassies, consulates, and gated communities. Due to its location and status, the Mayura has hosted world leaders and celebrities. The likes of Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, and Sting have eaten at Bukhara, among many others. Needless to say, this is one of the most famous restaurants in Delhi. Thankfully, when we got to the hotel, we were able to leave our bags at the front as we dined.