Delhi India
Things to do in Delhi in December 2026
December in Delhi averages 22°C / 72°F highs, 10°C / 50°F nights, and about 2 rainy days. Start with Red Fort, Qutb Minar, and Hauz Khas Complex. Your dates are set below — see the plan.
By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
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Delhi in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
72°F / 50°F
22.3°C / 9.9°C
RainPrecipitation
2d
0.2in · 5.6mm
LightDaylight
10.5h
December is cool with fog delays at New Delhi station and IGI Airport; pad early train and flight transfers.
Public holidays & long weekends
Banks and government offices close; museums, restaurants and shops may have limited hours.
- Dec 25Christmas Day
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
Planning checklist
- 1Use the Delhi weather, seasonal timing, and top sights as the spine before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 1 public holiday in India; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Delhi day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate saved places against your dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
About Delhi
City overview
Delhi is a Yamuna River metropolis where Old Delhi's Shahjahanabad lanes, British-planned New Delhi, and South Delhi's older sultanate sites sit in one National Capital Territory. The Red Fort, Connaught Place, Mehrauli, Nizamuddin, and Akshardham form a city map built by at least eight historic settlements.
Food & drink
Delhi is a street-food and north-Indian restaurant city: parathas in Paranthe Wali Gali, chaat around Bengali Market and Chawri Bazaar, kebabs near Jama Masjid, chole bhature in Karol Bagh, and butter chicken or dal makhani across New Delhi menus. Prices can stay low if you eat in markets rather than hotel restaurants, although Connaught Place and Khan Market push costs toward Mumbai levels. The regional fact is that Punjabi, Mughlai, Bengali CR Park, and Old Delhi Muslim cooking all operate as distinct food maps inside the same Metro system.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Red Fort
- 2Qutb Minar
- 3Hauz Khas Complex
- 4India Gate and Kartavya Path
- 5Akshardham Temple
- 6Jama Masjid
- 7Lotus Temple
- 8Purana Qila
- 9Connaught Place and Rajiv Chowk
1Red Fort
4.5★ · 179,429outdoorThe 17th-century Mughal palace-fort in Old Delhi, built for Shah Jahan's Shahjahanabad. It sits by Chandni Chowk and pairs naturally with Jama Masjid on foot.
WikipediaSecurity lines are longest on holidays and around Independence Day ceremonies on 15 August.
2Qutb Minar
4.5★ · 159,829outdoor73m tower in Mehrauli, begun under Qutb-ud-din Aibak and completed in 1220. The surrounding complex includes early Delhi Sultanate tombs, arches, and carved stonework.
Wikipedia
3Hauz Khas Complex
4.4★ · 941outdoorOpen dailyRuined madrasa, reservoir, and traces of Siri, the fortified city established in 1303. The nearby village adds cafes and galleries to a South Delhi historical walk.
Wikipedia
Show 7 more sights
- 4India Gate and Kartavya Path
- 5Akshardham Temple
- 6Jama Masjid
- 7Lotus Temple
- 8Purana Qila
- 9Connaught Place and Rajiv Chowk
- 10Humayun's Tomb
Neighborhoods
1Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk
Shahjahanabad core with Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazaar, and Daryaganj. It is dense, loud, food-heavy, and best handled by Metro plus short cycle-rickshaw hops.
2New Delhi and Connaught Place
Lutyens Delhi around Connaught Place, Janpath, Kartavya Path, India Gate, and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Wide avenues and colonial blocks replace Old Delhi lanes.
3Paharganj and Karol Bagh
Central Delhi hotel-and-market belt near New Delhi station, RK Ashram Marg, and Karol Bagh. It is convenient for trains and budget stays, with heavy street traffic and constant touting.
4South Delhi, Mehrauli, and Hauz Khas
Qutb Minar, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Hauz Khas, Saket, and Vasant Kunj spread along the Yellow and Magenta lines. This is the upscale restaurant and medieval-ruins side of Delhi.
5Nizamuddin and South East Delhi
Humayun's Tomb, Sunder Nursery, CR Park, Kalkaji, Lotus Temple, and Tughlakabad sit in this broad district. It mixes Mughal garden tombs, Bengali food streets, and temple traffic.
6East Delhi and the Yamuna side
Akshardham, Shahdara, and neighborhoods east of the Yamuna give Delhi a different edge from the New Delhi axis. The Blue Line makes this side practical for one targeted temple visit.
Show 24 more neighborhoods
- 7ADARASH NAGAR
- 8Adhchini
- 9Akshardam
- 10Alipur
- 11Amer
- 12Anand Lok
- 13ANAND VIHAR
- 14Andrews Ganj
- 15ASHOK NAGAR
- 16ASHOK VIHAR
- 17Ashoka Enclave Part 3
- 18Ashoka Road
- 19Badosra
- 20Bakhtawar Pur Village
- 21BALLIMARAN
- 22Bamnoli
- 23Bangla Sahib Gurudwara
- 24Bankoli
- 25Bapa Nagar
- 26Baprola
- 27Bapu Dham
- 28Baradari
- 29Barwala
- 30Bawana
Day trips
230km / 2-5h by train from New Delhi or 3h by Yamuna Expressway
Agra and the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Mughal riverfront gardens make the strongest single day outside Delhi. The Taj Mahal is closed on Friday, so do not plan the trip then.
280km / about 4h by the fastest trains from Delhi
Jaipur
Rajasthan capital with Amber Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, and bazaars. It is possible as a long day by early train, but easier as an overnight.
160km / 2-3h by train to Mathura plus rickshaw
Vrindavan and Mathura
Krishna pilgrimage towns south of Delhi. Festival dates such as Holi change the crowd level dramatically, so check train availability before committing.
Getting around
The Delhi Metro is the practical backbone, with Yellow Line useful for Chandni Chowk, New Delhi station, Hauz Khas, and Qutb Minar, and Blue Line useful for Akshardham. Fares run about Rs10-60, a Smart Card costs Rs200 with Rs150 value and Rs50 deposit, and the Airport Express has special fares from Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Check this shortlist against your dates
TripSapien starts with the sights on this page or places you paste, then checks hours, closures, booking pressure, and neighborhoods for your exact December dates.
Common questions about Delhi in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Delhi in December?
- TripSapien checks each place against the exact dates you're in Delhi and flags closures before the trip.
- How do I plan Delhi days without crossing the city twice?
- TripSapien groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags places that sell out, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- What to pack for Delhi in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Delhi checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 22°C / 72°F.
- A light evening layer because nights average 10°C / 50°F.
- Sun protection and comfortable walking shoes; rain is usually limited this month.
- How many days do you need in Delhi
- 4 days covers the main Delhi highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Delhi worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in Delhi averages 22°C / 72°F highs, 10°C / 50°F nights, and about 2 rainy days.