Three-Day Company Get-Together in New Delhi

Evening at India Gate

Since it’s already late afternoon, meet at India Gate around 5:15 PM for an easy start to the company evening. Allow about 45 minutes for team photos and a relaxed walk around the lawns; the monument grounds are generally accessible throughout the day and there is no entry fee. September evenings can still feel warm and humid, so carry water and use the shaded paths where possible. For a group, app-based cabs are simplest, though parking near the monument is limited and traffic builds around sunset.

From India Gate, take a cab to the National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy in Pragati Maidan—roughly 10–20 minutes depending on traffic. Spend about an hour exploring its traditional homes, textiles, folk art, and craft displays; it’s a quieter, more atmospheric stop than a standard museum visit. Check the day’s opening status before leaving, as museum hours and weekly closures can change; budget approximately ₹20–₹50 per person, excluding any special exhibitions. Keep the group together in the galleries, and allow a few extra minutes for the security check at the entrance.

Dinner and Browsing at Khan Market

Finish at Khan Market, around 15–25 minutes by cab from Pragati Maidan. The compact lanes are ideal for a little unstructured browsing—bookshops, design stores, cafés, and boutiques are all close together—before settling into a casual group dinner at one of the market’s well-reviewed restaurants. Plan for about 1½ hours and ₹800–₹1,500 per person, with higher costs for drinks or premium menus. Most shops and restaurants remain lively into the evening, but reservations are sensible for a larger team, especially on a Thursday; use the market’s main entrance and avoid blocking the narrow lanes while waiting for cabs.

Morning in Mehrauli

Start early at Qutub Minar, ideally arriving around 8:00 AM before the September heat builds and tour groups arrive. Allow about 1½ hours for the minaret, Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, and the surrounding ruins; the complex typically opens from sunrise until evening, with Indian visitors paying roughly ₹40 and foreign visitors around ₹600, subject to current ASI rates. From central New Delhi, a cab takes about 35–50 minutes depending on traffic; the nearest metro is Qutub Minar on the Yellow Line, followed by an auto or short cab ride. Wear comfortable shoes and carry water—the stone paths offer limited shade.

Walk or take a very short auto ride to Mehrauli Archaeological Park for a quieter hour among tombs, stepwells, and old village lanes. Focus on Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb, Rajon Ki Baoli, and Balban’s Tomb rather than trying to cover every corner. Entry is generally free, though some monuments may have restricted access, and the park is best treated as a relaxed heritage walk rather than a formal museum visit. Keep the group together, especially around uneven paths, and allow 25–35 minutes by cab to reach INA afterward.

Afternoon at Dilli Haat INA

Spend around two hours at Dilli Haat INA, a lively open-air market where each stall represents a different region of India. The market usually runs from about 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM, with a modest entry fee—commonly around ₹30 for adults—and food, crafts, and textiles priced separately. Set a meeting point near the entrance before everyone disperses, then browse block-printed fabrics, bamboo work, pottery, jewelry, and handwoven textiles; bargaining is polite but not always expected at fixed artisan stalls. Plan approximately ₹400–₹800 per person for snacks and a casual regional tasting session. The INA Metro station is directly nearby, while a cab to The Lodhi on Lodhi Road usually takes 15–25 minutes.

Evening dinner at Indian Accent

Finish at Indian Accent inside The Lodhi, one of Delhi’s most polished settings for a company dinner. Reserve well ahead and confirm the booking time, dress expectations, dietary requirements, and whether the group is choosing the tasting menu or à la carte; dinner can easily reach ₹3,000–₹5,000 per person before drinks and service. Allow roughly two hours, and ask for a quieter table if you want the meal to double as an easy closing conversation. From Dilli Haat INA, use Lodhi Road via Aurobindo Marg and Prithviraj Road; the drive is short but can slow considerably around evening office traffic, so book cars rather than relying on last-minute autos.

Morning: Mughal Delhi and Garden Walks

Start at Humayun’s Tomb around 8:00 AM, when the sandstone is softer in the morning light and the garden paths are still relatively quiet. Allow about 1½ hours for the tomb, its charbagh gardens, and nearby monuments such as Isa Khan’s Tomb. The complex generally opens from sunrise to sunset; Indian visitors should budget roughly ₹35–₹50, while foreign visitors typically pay more. From central Delhi, take a cab or the JLN Stadium Metro station followed by a short auto-rickshaw ride. Afterward, walk or take a 5–10-minute auto to Sunder Nursery, where landscaped lawns, water features, cafés, and restored Mughal-era structures make for an easy team stroll. Allow another 1½ hours; entry is usually around ₹50 on weekdays and ₹100 on weekends, with opening generally from the early morning until evening. September can still be hot, so carry water and keep the pace relaxed.

Late Morning and Lunch

Continue by auto-rickshaw or cab—about 10 minutes, depending on the narrow lanes—to Nizamuddin Dargah in Nizamuddin West. This is an active religious neighborhood rather than a conventional sightseeing site: dress modestly, remove shoes where requested, and use a local guide if your group wants context. The lanes are busiest around Thursday evening qawwali, but a daytime visit is calmer; allow about an hour and avoid accepting unsolicited “guides” or flower offerings without agreeing on a price. From there, drive to Saravana Bhavan in Connaught Place, usually 20–30 minutes in light traffic and longer around lunchtime. Settle in for dosas, idlis, thalis, and filter coffee; budget approximately ₹300–₹600 per person, and consider calling ahead for a large company group.

Afternoon: Connaught Place Farewell

Leave the afternoon deliberately open in Connaught Place for an easy team walk rather than another formal attraction. Browse the shops around the Inner and Middle Circles, pick up small gifts, and pause at one of the cafés along Janpath or Baba Kharak Singh Marg. The white colonnades are best explored after the harshest midday heat, and most shops operate roughly from late morning until 8:00–9:00 PM, though individual timings vary. Use the Rajiv Chowk Metro station for onward travel, or arrange cabs from the outer circle; traffic around the central circle can be slow, so allow 15–20 minutes for a pickup and keep the group’s meeting point specific.