“India is the cradle of the human race,
the birthplace of human speech,
the mother of history,
the grandmother of legend and
the great grandmother of tradition”
-Mark Twain
Traveling to India can be intimidating, especially as a female. As this blog was born 10 years ago due to my first trip to India, I love sharing with you advices on traveling through this beautiful country as a solo female traveler. I’ve been all over India and have felt safe with common sense precautions, but it wasn’t until my 4th trip to India (early this year) that I finally went to Delhi. I am glad I finally visited Delhi because there is so much more than the negative media hype the news puts on. And so many of our traveling experiences depends on the people who we experience it with. So on your trip to Northern India, I highly recommend hiring Delhi by Locals, the best tour company in Delhi for female travelers for safety and to shed insider knowledge to this historical, bustling city.
Best Tour Company in Delhi for Female Travelers
Delhi by Locals is a travel company which provides unique tours to travelers from around the world. The tour guides grew up in the area and are passionate about sharing their home to visitors. They know the ins & outs of the country like nobody else. What makes them even more special is that 50% of profits go back to “Learning by Locals“, an NGO supporting youth empowerment and underprivileged communities near by.
The reason I mention that they are specifically great for female travelers is because I personally know and trust the core team running it. I trust their work ethic, punctuality, knowledge and mission. Most importantly, they provide a safe environment for female travelers, which is a particular concern for many traveling in India (especially the north).
Disclaimer: I will admit that I am typically not a fan of large organized tour groups (the way I began traveling with my family in high school), especially when hired expensively from abroad. But I do often hire local tour guides once I arrive in a destination (such as the case with Delhi by Locals) to learn first hand about the area on the first day. Oftentimes, the tour guides have turned out to be somewhat of bodyguards and new friends!
In this post, I also introduce you to my friend Pradeep Kumar, the inspiration and founder behind this well-trusted tour company, Delhi by Locals.
What Inspired Pradeep to Start Delhi by Locals
Pradeep completed his 12th grade education from India’s government school and did not know how to speak any English. While he tried joining some classes, most of them were too expensive or not available. Pradeep had heard of a local NGO called Manzil which he contacted and initially started by taking their computer class taught by local volunteers. Manzil is an NGO which I have personally visited and support, started by a family who opened up their home to neighborhood kids as a way to expand their learning over 2 decades ago.
Deep Passion for Learning English and Computers
lead him to Teaching..
and then becoming a Tour Guide.
As Pradeep got more familiar with using the computer, he also began to teach it. Manzil’s approach is to educate students in special skills. Once familiar with it, they empower them by having them teach the subject to newer students. Pradeep also feels that ‘teaching is the best way to learn‘ hence his journey to opening a Tour Company.
In those days, he worked hard to continue his education and make a living. In the morning, he would teach English at Manzil and in the afternoon, attend Moti Lal Nehru College. For extra money, he worked as a student tour guide. Meeting people from all over the world bettered his English and gave him a curiosity to see more of the world.
Pradeep’s deep interest lead him to the field of tourism. He joined ‘Delhi Magic’ full time and got a Fulbright scholarship to study in the US. That is where he studied Tourism and Hospitality Management from Whatcom Community College. When he came back from the US, he completed a master’s degree in tourism and hospitality management and continued to work with different travel companies.
‘Learning by Locals’ NGO
Two years ago, Pradeeep started Delhi by Locals. As his business grew, he felt the desire to give back. A way to thank those that helped him along the way (such as Manzil) and other helpful organizations and mentors.
A year ago, this gratitude lead to him to finding the NGO arm of the business, Learning by Locals.
50% of proceeds from Delhi by Locals goes to Learning by Locals.
In the classroom, students continue to learn practical knowledge after school. It is also a safe space for children and teens to stay out of trouble. Outside of the classroom, Learning by Locals organizes educational field trips for students.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/learningbylocals
Website: www.learningbylocals.org
Interested in Volunteering? Contact Pradeep directly for opportunities!
Delhi by Locals Offers Creative Tours
Personalized tours are available for single or group travelers through Delhi by Locals. Airport pickup can also be arranged. Don’t want to think too much? Don’t worry, Delhi by Locals has already an awesome set of tours that you can hire for as many hours or days as you wish!
- Old Delhi Tour
- Real Life in a Delhi Slum
- Night Tour
- Old Delhi Evening & Food Tour
- Old Delhi & Sightseeing Tour
- Agra Tour
- Motor Bike Tour
- Golden Triangle Tour (very popular!)
- Morning Tour
- Shopping Tour
- Festival Tour
So Much to See & Explore Just in Delhi!
Spend a day exploring the posh “New Delhi” after enriching yourself in the history behind “Old Delhi”. Compare and contrast the vast difference between the two worlds. One can easily get lost in Delhi for 3 days, to visit historical sites, museums, forts and tombs:
- The Red Fort
- Jama Masjid Mosque
- Humayun Tomb
- Qutb Minar
- Jawaharlal Nehru’s Museum
- Gandhi’s National Museum
- Raj Ghat (the place where Gandhi was cremated)
- Africa Rose Garden
Delhi’s neighboring areas are even more hypnotizing and magical to visit. Heck, Northern India and all of India are all so fascinating! Hence why I go back time and time again. The most common tour people take out of Delhi is “The Golden Triangle” which includes Delhi, Jaipur and Agra.
Within a 4-5 hour drive southwest from Delhi, you enter the state of Rajasthan. This state is my favorite in all of India where you can reach Jaipur “Pink City”, Udaipur “City of Lakes” and Jodhpur “Blue City”. The famous Taj Mahal is in Agra (and the Red Fort) is 3.5 hours southeast of Delhi, where one can’t help but be mesmerized by the intricacy of the design and lured into the passion behind the historical ivory-white marble mausoleum.
Contact Delhi by Locals
Website: http://www.DelhibyLocals.com
Email: info@delhibylocals.com
Phone: +91 95996 79235 (iPhone/Call/Text/WhatsApp)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/delhibylocals / Instagram: @DelhibyLocals
In the News: Times of India “Here, tourists slum it by choice” / “Magic on the Rooftop of Delhi”
