Essential Guide to Walking Tours in India

Walking Tours in Delhi

The best Delhi walks will take you through the labyrinth of streets of the Old City, and immerse you in Delhi's rich heritage. Many focus on the fabulous food that Delhi is known for. These Delhi walking tours are just a selection of what's available. Explore each tour company's website for even more options.

Street Life of Delhi City Walk

• Company: Salaam Baalak Trust
• Description: Not only will you be learning about Delhi street life on this tour, you'll be helping a good cause. The tour, through the streets of the inner city of Paharganj and the area around New Delhi railway station, is led by underprivileged children who have trained as guides. The aim is to make the story of the children of the street heard, a give a view of their world through their eyes.
• More Information: Salaam Baalak Trust Website

Old Delhi Bazaar & Food Walk

• Company: Masterji Kee Haveli
• Description: This tour will take you on a walk through the lanes of local bazaar, where you'll learn about the ingredients and essentials of Indian cooking. Then, you'll visit a restored haveli (old mansion with a central courtyard) in Old Delhi where a meal will be demonstrated to you. It's a chance to visit a home and get a glimpse of daily life. The haveli has a terrace offing fabulous views of the tangle of Old Delhi. You can even fly a kite there! This tour is highly recommended and very popular.
• More Information: Masterji Kee Haveli Website

Old Delhi Food Walk

• Company: Delhi Food Walks
• Description: Another popular food related walking tour, this one will take you on a culinary voyage through fascinating Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi. The area is renowned for Delhi street food and chaat. Apart from the food, it's just a fascinating place to explore!
• More Information: Delhi Food Walks Website

Old Delhi Bazaar Walk

• Company: Delhi Magic
• Description: This tour will lead you through Dariba Kalan (the silver market), Kinari Bazaar (wedding market) and Paranthewali Galli (Lane of Parathas). You'll also see Gurdwara Sees Ganj Sahib, Jama Masjid (Delhi’s famous mosque), Hindu temples, and Jain derasars and churches, all mingled in together.
• More Information: Delhi Magic Website

Mehrauli Village Walk

• Company: Delhi Heritage Walks
• Description: You may be familiar with the famous Qutab Minar complex, but what about the area behind the it? The historic village of Mehrauli is built around a Sufi shrine. Each monument in the area has a story to tell. Your imagination will come alive!
• More Information: Delhi Heritage Walks Website 
• View Delhi Heritage Walks Monthly Walking Tour Schedule

The Trail of Nizam Piya

• Company: 1100 Walks
• Description: This tour is subtitled Stories of sufis, emperors & poets in one of Delhi’s oldest village. The bustling village named after Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (1236-1325), one of the most popular Sufi saints of North India, is a treasure trove of stories and history. It has a medieval ambiance, narrow alleys, and bazaars. At its center is Dargah of Nizamuddin. You'll visit this area and nearby monuments, including Humayun’s Tomb.
• More Information: 1100 Walks Website

Walking Tours in Mumbai

Taking a Mumbai walking tour is an excellent way to explore the city's old colonial architecture and bustling bazaars. You'll be able to get a glimpse of how the city was way back in the days of the British Raj. These Mumbai walks cover a range of attractions, including the eye-opening Dharavi slum which will expose you to another side of "Maximum City".

Dharavi Slum Tour

• Company: Reality Tours & Travels
• Description: This tour will take you on a walk through of Mumbai's (and possibly Asia's) largest slum. However, it's far from the shallow poverty tourism that you might expect. The tour aims to show the sense of community that exists there, and the productive small scale industry that residents are involved in. It's an inspiring tour that changes the way people view the slum. Think determination instead of devastation. Read about why you should go on a Dharavi slum tour.
• More Information: Reality Tours & Travels Website

Matharpacady Walk

• Company: No Footprints
• Description: Matharpacady heritage village, a 400 year-old neighborhood in the lanes of Mazagaon, is Mumbai’s hidden secret and home to the East Indian community. You'll get to explore it and its heritage structures on this tour, which ends at an old East Indian home. There you'll be able to discuss the challenges faced by the community, particularly in relation to destructive real estate development.
• More Information: No Footprints Website

Architectural Heritage Tour

• Company: Bombay Heritage Walks
• Description: Mumbai has remarkable architecture and you can really discover the Bombay of old on one of these tours, created by two architects. Various itineraries are offered during the year, except for the monsoon season. Places visited include the Kala Ghoda Art District, sleepy lanes of old Colaba, the historic Dockyard Road, and arcades and bazaars along Victorian style D.N. Road. If you have anything in particular you want to see, it's possible to arrange custom tour. It's really worth taking a walk around the old Portuguese style homes in Khotachiwadi.
• More Information: Bombay Heritage Walks Website

Themed Walking Tours

• Company: Raconteur Walks
• Description: This young company, which encourages students to be tour guides, offers three different walking tours that also focus on the city's heritage. The Apollo Gate and Front Bay Walk covers the northern part of the Fort, where Bombay was first inhabited. It starts at the Ballard Estate business district and ends at the Gateway of India. The Churchgate and Heritage Mile tour goes into the heart of the Fort and ends at Marine Drive. The Bazzargate Walk, named after one of the three main entry gates to the Fort, begins at the Town Hall and covers areas from the original British defense establishment.
• More Information: Raconteur Walks Website

Mumbai Bazaar Walk

• Company: Mumbai Magic
• Description: Explore Mumbai's maze of markets on this tour, which starts out from Crawford Market. You'll visit Mirchi Galli (spices market), Mangaldas Cloth Market, Zaveri Bazaar (where everyone's crazy about gold), Phool Galli (Flower Street), Mumbadevi Temple (where the city gets its name from), and the quaint Madhav Baug.
• More Information: Mumbai Magic Website

Worli Fishing Village

• Company: No Footprints and Mumbai Magic.
• Description: Get a peek into the daily lives and rituals of the koli fishing community, Mumbai's original inhabitants, on this walking tour. The fishing village is located on what was one of Mumbai's seven islands. It was recently given a colorful makeover, when a group of young city residents painted its buildings as part of an ongoing slum beautification project. Another significant but little-known attraction there is the remains of historical Worli fort.
• More Information: No Footprints Website and Mumbai Magic Website

Khaki Walks

• Company: Khaki Tours
• Description: Step back in time as Khaki Tours brings Mumbai's past back to life with untold stories. Their walks are immersive experiences that recreate the magic of bygone eras of many historical districts of Mumbai.
• More Information: Khaki Tours Website

Bandra, from Village to Metro

• Company: Mumbai Magic
• Description: One of Mumbai's cool neighborhoods and "Queen of the Suburbs", Bandra was originally a Portuguese settlement that continued to exist after the British gained possession of the Bombay islands further south. The neighborhood's liberal attitudes have made it a firm favorite with the city's hipsters and celebrities. Portuguese-style heritage bungalows, modern street art, historical churches, fort remains, and groovy cafes are some of the eclectic attractions.
• More Information: Mumbai Magic Website

Mumbai Walking Food Tour

• Company: Amaze Tours.
• Description: Mumbai has some distinctive street food that's different to the rest of India, and you'll get to learn about it and try it on this tour. The tour will explore some of Mumbai's renowned street food destinations and khao gallis (food lanes) around Fort, Churchgate and Marine Drive Chowpatty (beach).
• More Information: Amaze Tours Website

Other Self-Guided Mumbai Walking Tours

• Walking Tour of Kala Ghoda Arts Precinct
• Walking Tour of Chor Bazaar
• Walking Tour of Shopping on Linking Road, Bandra

Other Mumbai Tours

• 15 Best Mumbai Tours to Really Get to Know the City

Walking Tours in Kolkata

Kolkata has a diverse and fascinating history, which you'll really be able to immerse yourself in on one of these Kolkata walks. Alternatively, there are also walking tours in Kolkata that will give you a modern day look inside the city.

Mesmerizing Markets

• Company: Calcutta Photo Tours
• Description: Kolkata's largest wholesale vegetable market is a photographer's delight, and a complete assault on the senses. There are so many experiences beyond your imagination just waiting to be captured.
• More Information: Calcutta Photo Tours Website

Culture Kaleidoscope

• Company: Calcutta Photo Tours
• Description: Especially for those with an interested in photography, this tour focuses on the various communities that have made the city their home. It visits rare religious places, and also provides an opportunity to taste local food and witness life as it unfolds in front of you.
• More Information: Calcutta Photo Tours Website or Read About the Tour Experience

College Street Bengal Renaissance Walk

• Company: Kolkata Magic
• Description: A visit to College Street provides an interesting insight into the social and intellectual concerns that shaped India, culminating in the struggle for independence from British rule. The area around College Street was the heart of an intense social reform movement called the The Bengal Renaissance. It questioned existing orthodoxies, particularly with respect to women, marriage, the dowry system, the caste system, and religion.
• More Information: Kolkata Magic Website

Bringing the Goddess to Earth at Kumartulli

• Company: Calcutta Walks
• Description: Kumartulli is the place where artisans delicately craft the statues of Goddess Durga for the hugely popular Durga Puja festival. This walk will take you along the riverside, where you'll be able to see how the statues are crafted, the conditions in which the artisans live and work, where their material is sourced from, and which industries depend on their creations for their survival.
• More Information: Calcutta Walks Website

The Star Still Shines at Sovabazaar

• Company: Calcutta Walks
• Description: If you're interested in Bengali culture and cuisine, this tour is for you! Wander though Sovabazaar, where the natives of Kolkata have long resided, and see the cosmopolitan blend of architectural that made up the old world dwellings of the city’s wealthier Bengalis.
• More Information: Calcutta Walks Website

Chowringhee & Beyond: An Architecture Trail

• Company: Heritage Walk Calcutta
• Description: This deeply researched walk explores the city's central Chowringhee neighborhood, which grew from a village on the outskirts into an entertainment and recreational hub of the city. The walk traces the history of the area and beyond through its planning, architecture, establishments, and people.
• More Information: Heritage Walk Calcutta Website

India's Oldest Chinatown Walk

• Company: Heritage Walk Calcutta
• Description: Kolkata's Chinatown dates back to the late 1770s, and is the oldest in the world outside the sphere of Chinese cultural influence in Southeast Asia. This walk explores the district, including visits to five Chinese temples and a delicious Chinese lunch.
• More Information: Heritage Walk Calcutta Website

South Park Cemetery Tour

• Company: Heritage Walk Calcutta
• Description: South Park Cemetary is a must-visit place in Kolkata, especially if you're interested in India's colonial history. Established in 1767, this poignant grand old British cemetery was used up until 1830 and is now a protected heritage site. Overgrown and disheveled, its tombs are an elaborate mix of Gothic and Indo-Saracenic design and contain the bodies of many remarkable men and women from the Raj era.
• More Information: Heritage Walk Calcutta Website

Walking Tours in Bangalore

The number of companies conducting walking tours in Bangalore has grown in recent years, giving rise to some diverse offerings. Some of the companies also run regular scheduled group walks that you can join in.

Bangalore Heritage Walk

• Company: Yours Truly India
• Description: Get acquainted with the history of Bangalore, dating back to the 15th century, as you explore a palace, fort, temple and a secret dungeon. The tour also visits Bangalore's wholesale flower market.
• More Information: Yours Truly Website

Unusual Bangalore

• Company: Yours Truly India
• Description: This offbeat walking tour showcases strange practices and rituals. You'll get a glimpse into traditional Colonial style homes, a century old temple, and a Sikh place of worship.
• More Information: Yours Truly Website

Bangalore Food Walks

• Company: Bengaluru By Foot
• Description: Love food? You can't miss one of these specialty walking tours! Choose from a Muslim dining experience, vegetarian delights in the Old City, evening snacks, breakfast food walk, spare parts for hardcore meat eaters, and the best biryani.
• More Information: Bengaluru By Foot Website
• View Bengaluru By Foot's Monthly Walking Tour Schedule

Bangalore "Pete" (Market) Heritage Walk

• Company: Unhurried
• Description: This walking tour focuses on the original area of Bangalore, complete with its oldest markets and ancient temples. 
• More Information: Unhurried Website

Green Heritage Walk

• Company: Bangalore Walks
• Description: For nature lovers! This weekend group walking tour departs Saturdays and Sunays at 7 a.m. It meanders through the Lalbagh botanical gardens. You'll be able to learn a great deal of surprising information about trees and nature.
• More Information: Bangalore Walks Website

Military Heritage Walk

• Company: Bangalore Walks
• Description: Even if you're not a military buff, you'll find this group walking tour interesting. The walk takes place inside the premises of the Madras Engineering Group (MEG) and uncovers the rich history of the military, in which the Madras Sappers won wars from China to Egypt. Note that only Indian citizens can go on this walk, after getting special military clearance, due to security reasons. Cameras are not allowed.
• More Information: Bangalore Walks Website

Walking Tours in Varanasi

Taking a walking tour in Varanasi is highly recommended to immerse yourself in the city's hidden temples, lanes, ghats, bazaars, and unusual attractions such as the flower market and Ayurvedic herb market. You can also visit artisans, a community of boatmen, and Juna Akhara where an unusual sect of naked sadhus live.

Death and Rebirth in Banaras

• Company: Varanasi Walks
• Description: This extremely insightful and fascinating walking tour begins at a fertility temple and ends at Mahashamstana, the great cremation ground. The tour includes a visit to an ashram of a path of tantric non-dualism, renowned for its renunciants who meditate in the cremation grounds. 
• More Information: Varanasi Walks Website

Morning Heritage Walk

• Company: Uttar Pradesh Tourism
• Description: This popular and inexpensive early morning walking tour covers the ghats and famous temples in Varanasi.
• More Information: Uttar Pradesh Tourism Website

Evening Bazaar Walk and Ganga Aarti

• Company: Varanasi Magic
• Description: This walk will guide you through Varanasi's maze of busy markets, selling everthing from snacks to bangles. It ends at Dasashwamedh ghat.
• More Information: Varanasi Magic Website

Bengali Tola Walk

• Company: Experience Varanasi
• Description: The Bengali Tola walk is a cultural walk through the heart of the residential area in the Old City where the Bengali community has been living for generations. It gives you an opportunity to meet the locals, discover their culture and understand how they've been living in Varanasi for thousands of years.
• More Information: Experience Varanasi Website

In addition, Manjeet is an outstanding personal guide who provides customized heritage walks of Varanasi.

Walking Tours in Goa

There's a lot more to Goa than its beaches! These walking tours will help you discover the state's cultural attractions and heritage.

Old Goa Hertiage Walk

• Company: Goa Magic
• Description: Go on a stroll through the abandoned city of Old Goa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In its 16th century heyday, the Portuguese had their debaucherous headquarters there. However, poor sanitation and a series of epidemics wreaked havoc, causing them to relocate their capital to Panjim in 1843.
• More Information: Goa Magic Website

Fontainhas Heritage Walk

• Company: Make It Happen Tours
• Description: This immersive Fontainhas Heritage Walk provides information about the architecture of Goa's Latin Quarter, entry to two heritage homes, a meeting with a renowned Goan musician to understand the Portuguese influence on Goan music, and visit to a maker of handcrafted ceramic souvenirs.
• More Information: Make It Happen Tours Website

Feni and Tapas Food Trail

• Company: Make It Happen Tours
• Description: Visit old-school taverns, a vintage Goan club where Portuguese nobility socialized, and dinner at an Indo-Portuguese cafe in Panjim on this walking tour.
• More Information: Make It Happen Tours Website

Chandor Heritage Walk

• Company: Make It Happen Tours
• Description: Discover Goa's pre-Portuguese history, when Chandor was called Chandrapura—an ancient capital of Hindu kings and reputed port of international trade on the Kushavati River. The tour covers historical sites and ruins from as far back as the 4th-century Mauryan Empire, and includes a visit to a pre-Portuguese era house that has interesting artifacts associated with the Mauryan and Kadamba eras.
• More Information: Make It Happen Tours Website

Rachol Village Walk

• Company: Soul Travelling
• Description: Walk through the pretty village of Rachol, surrounded by fields alongside the Zuari River. You'll get to explore the remains of a fort, visit the Rachol Seminary, and find out about baking delicious Goan bread.
• More Information: Soul Travelling Website