A practical New Delhi itinerary for one day links Humayun’s Tomb with India Gate and the National War Memorial. Start at the tomb, then spend the later part of the day around India Gate and Central Vista; metro stations serve both areas.
- Starting point: Kailash Colony is about a 5-minute walk from Hotel Atithi, a hotel in Kailash Colony.
- Historic stop: Humayun’s Tomb, open daily from sunrise to sunset.
- Central stop: India Gate, a 42-metre war memorial.
- Metro connections: Jangpura for Humayun’s Tomb; Central Secretariat for India Gate.
Choose a realistic order for central Delhi
A workable one-day route is Humayun’s Tomb first, followed by India Gate and the National War Memorial.
Start at the tomb, then head to India Gate for the memorial and the surrounding Central Vista area. Jangpura on the Violet Line is the nearest metro station to Humayun’s Tomb, while Central Secretariat serves India Gate and other central sights.
Use the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s journey planner and fare calculator to choose a route and check its fare; its official site also has train-time information and an interactive map.
Kailash Colony is on the Violet Line, so it provides a straightforward station to begin and end a metro-based day. For station access and connections from the hotel’s area, the Kailash Colony Metro guide covers the local station.
Start with a major historic sight
Humayun’s Tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built for the Mughal emperor Humayun in 1570. It is the subcontinent’s first grand dynastic garden mausoleum.
Give this stop the first part of your day. The complex covers 30 acres, with a Char Bagh garden, intersecting water channels and an octagonal tomb.
Opening hours are given as sunrise to sunset or sunrise to 7:30 PM; adult admission is ₹35–₹40 for Indian visitors and ₹550–₹600 for foreign visitors. Jangpura and JLN Stadium are both identified as metro stations serving the tomb. Check the official site before you go.
If you want a more focused guide to the site’s practical details, the Humayun’s Tomb visitor guide discusses hours, tickets and a visit from South Delhi.
Continue to India Gate and Central Vista
India Gate and the National War Memorial make a natural central-Delhi pairing, with Central Secretariat serving as a useful metro stop for the area.
Designed by Edwin Lutyens, India Gate is a 42-metre war memorial commemorating 70,000 soldiers who died in various battles. The memorial is open around the clock, though some areas are inaccessible after dark. Central Secretariat, served by the Yellow and Violet lines, is the nearest metro station.
The National War Memorial stands at C Hexagon, India Gate. Entry is free. Its opening hours follow a seasonal pattern: 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM from November to March, and 9:00 AM to 8:30 PM from April to October, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Ceremonial functions can restrict entry at certain times or on certain days.
Central Secretariat also serves nearby sights including Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, Lodhi Garden, the National Gallery of Modern Art and the National Museum. These make the area a possible extension if your timing allows, but the route’s core stops are the two memorial areas.
Plan a meal and a final stop
Keep your final stop close to the central route rather than adding a distant landmark: Central Secretariat also serves several major sights, while Pragati Maidan station serves the National Science Centre, Crafts Museum and Humayun’s Tomb.
Those options are in different directions, so choose one area for the time you have rather than trying to fit them all into a single day. Plan a meal around the stops you choose, and use the metro planner to check the connections between stations.
Travel back to Kailash Colony
To return to Kailash Colony, use the Violet Line, which serves both Kailash Colony and Central Secretariat. Check the DMRC map and train-time service for your planned journey, especially if you finish at a different stop such as Pragati Maidan.
For a day built around the central memorials, returning by metro keeps the route anchored to the same line used for the morning departure. Station-to-station fares and train times depend on the journey you select, so use DMRC’s official tools to plan them.
FAQs
Can you visit Humayun’s Tomb and India Gate in one day?
Yes. A practical order is to visit Humayun’s Tomb first, then continue to India Gate and the National War Memorial.
Which metro station serves India Gate?
Central Secretariat, on the Yellow and Violet lines, is the nearest station to India Gate.
Is entry to the National War Memorial free?
Yes, entry is free.
What should you check before taking the metro?
Use the DMRC journey planner and fare calculator for station routes and fares, and consult its train-time service for first and last trains.