Explore Delhi's Heritage During Monsoon with These Guided Tours
Delhi, the bustling capital city of India, transforms during the monsoon season, offering a unique blend of history, culture, and nature for those eager to explore. This June and July 2025, several monsoon heritage walks are scheduled across the city and its surrounding areas, providing an unforgettable urban experience.
One of the most anticipated walks is the Monsoon-Themed, Poetry-Infused Heritage Walk at Mehrauli, organised by DelhiByFoot on July 6, 2025. This walk combines classical and contemporary poetry with the backdrop of the monsoon, featuring works such as Kalidasa's Meghdoot and inspiring verses that evoke nostalgia for childhood rains. The interactive walk allows participants to recite their own lines, creating an immersive experience.
For nature lovers and bird enthusiasts, Delhibird is organising birdwatching walks during the monsoon season. These walks offer the opportunity to spot various bird species amidst the lush greenery that the rains bring. Nikhil Devasar, a bird photographer, author, and co-founder of delhibird, leads these walks, with locations such as Bhondsi Nature Park, Chandu Budhera, and Dhanauri Wetland, which is designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
Dhanauri Wetland is not the only avian haven in the region. Chandu Budhera, a lesser-known wetland on Gurgaon's outskirts, transforms into an avian haven during the rains. Bhondsi Nature Park is known for nesting Indian Pittas and Asian Paradise Flycatchers, while Dhanauri Wetland is a vital breeding ground for the Sarus Crane.
Several walk curators across Delhi-NCR are organising diverse experiences to capture the essence of the monsoon. These walks often include exploring rain-washed ruins, enjoying lush greenery, and experiencing vibrant street life, making for an unforgettable urban experience.
Delhi By Foot has partnered with WaterAid to create thematic walks centred around water heritage, including visits to the city's baolis-stepwells. Another monsoon walk takes participants to the Northern Ridge, a forested area with stories spanning centuries, including royal hunting grounds and battlegrounds of rebellion.
The monsoon in Delhi brings a host of special birds, as described by Nikhil Devasar. The monsoon walk through the Mehrauli Archaeological Park blends historical storytelling with poetry, drawing from the verses of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. Mirza Hairat Dehlavi's writings about the Phoolwalon Ki Sair festival in Mehrauli further illustrate how deeply the rains shape Delhi's cultural and social life.
Sunder Nursery, a lush heritage park in Delhi, is known for its dragonfly species like the Crimson-tailed Marsh Hawk, Scarlet Skimmer, Common Picture Wing, and the Orange-tailed Marsh Dart damselfly. Delhibird also hosts specialized walks focusing on dragonflies, with Sunder Nursery being an excellent spot for spotting various species.
The original Hauz Khas, known as Hauz-i-Alai, was revived by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who not only cleaned the silted lake but also established a university complex around it. The Hauz Khas area walk explores the ancient engineering of a reservoir, Hauz Khas, built by Alauddin Khilji, and its evolution into a bohemian urban space filled with quirky shops, cafes, and art studios.
Alexander Frater, author of Chasing the Monsoon, highlights Delhi as a key stop in his journey tracking the monsoon across the Indian subcontinent. The monsoon in Delhi brings both emotional relief and logistical challenges, as described by Frater. Yet, it is during this season that Delhi truly comes alive, offering a unique blend of history, culture, and nature that is not to be missed.
With cool weather, clean air, and lush surroundings, Mitra believes the monsoon is the perfect season to explore Delhi. So, whether you're a history buff, a nature lover, or a culture enthusiast, mark your calendars for these exciting monsoon heritage walks and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry that is Delhi during the rains.
1.For those interested in a fusion of literature and nature, the Monsoon-Themed, Poetry-Infused Heritage Walk at Mehrauli, organized by DelhiByFoot on July 6, 2025, provides an opportunity to explore the city's history and culture while enjoying the monsoon season.
- For birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts, Delhibird offers monsoon walks that cater to spotting various bird species amidst the lush greenery, led by bird photographer and co-founder of delhibird, Nikhil Devasar, at locations like Dhanauri Wetland, a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
