Best of · INDIA HISTORY TOURS

Where to Start: the 15 Best India History Tours

49 tours  ·  from $10 a head

This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 15 india history tours worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.

Fontainhas Heritage Walk by Make It Happen - Walking through the colorful Latin Quarter
Goa History Tours, History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Tour Reviews

Fontainhas Heritage Walk by Make It Happen

1.Fontainhas Heritage Walk by Make It Happen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,834 reviews · from $12Our pick

Walk Panaji’s colorful Fontainhas quarter with guides such as Hinaz, Alita, Joan, or Trancy. Expect stories about Goan culture, Portuguese architecture, a stop for traditional sweets and refreshments, entry to heritage buildings, and live music from a local performer.

“Trancy was a very informative & great tour guide… so friendly and personable. My husband and I were really lucky to be in a group of 3 at 6pm on a Sunday. We walked some very pretty and historic back streets that we never knew were therRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

The Great Indian Food Tour: Old Delhi Food and Heritage Walk - Walking Through Chandni Chowk
Food, Food & Drink, Food & History Tours, History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, New Delhi History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

The Great Indian Food Tour: Old Delhi Food and Heritage Walk

2.The Great Indian Food Tour: Old Delhi Food and Heritage Walk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,698 reviews · from $43

Follow guides such as Sonali, Dolly, Parul, or Raghu through Old Delhi’s food lanes and markets. Taste roughly 10 to 15 local dishes, sip tea at Khari Baoli, visit Naughara, and ride a rickshaw. Meet at Connaught Place, and come very hungry.

“Patil was a wonderful guide. She is a local that knows all the best, tucked away spots. Food was good and a great way to see more of the real city. Traffic and tuk tuk ride was a bit overwhelming for me.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Old Goa Heritage Walk by Make It Happen - Starting at Viceroy’s Arch
Goa History Tours, History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Tour Reviews

Old Goa Heritage Walk by Make It Happen

3.Old Goa Heritage Walk by Make It Happen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 797 reviews · from $12

Meet at Viceroy’s Arch for a 2.5-hour guided walk through Old Goa. Guides such as Vimala, John, Amreen, and Mugdha explain church art, Portuguese rule, local stories, and changing history. Entry fees and a heritage map are included, but you must cover your knees and shoulders inside churches.

“Mugdha is a Goan Gem! Such a sweet, knowledgeable and patient tour guide bursting with knowledge to share. She took time to answer all our questions and deal with our silly antics. We will appreciate and cherish the memories from this tour for the rest of our lives.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Old Delhi Food, Heritage&Cultural Walk with Rickshaw ride to Masterji Kee Haveli - Entering Masterji Kee Haveli
Food, Food & Drink, History Bike, Segway & Tuk-Tuk Tours, History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Local Culture & Traditions Tours, Local Culture and Traditions Tours in India, New Delhi History Tours, Tour Reviews

Old Delhi Food, Heritage&Cultural Walk with Rickshaw ride to Masterji Kee Haveli

4.Old Delhi Food, Heritage&Cultural Walk with Rickshaw ride to Masterji Kee Haveli

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 742 reviews · from $52

Spend four hours with a small group of up to eight, following Old Delhi locals through bazaars, spice stalls, heritage lanes, and street-food stops. Guides such as Varun and Vivian share local stories before a rickshaw ride and a traditional meal inside Masterji Kee Haveli.

“An excellent guide (Varun) and tour. The entire tour was fascinating . Learned about Indian cultures and religion. Our dinner was private and gracious. Namaste²”

Check availability →Read our full review

Blue City Heritage Private Walking Tour With Pickup and Drop-Off - Starting with pickup and entering the old city
History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Private History Tours, Private History Tours in India, Tour Reviews, Tours

Blue City Heritage Private Walking Tour With Pickup and Drop-Off

5.Blue City Heritage Private Walking Tour With Pickup and Drop-Off

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 441 reviews · from $11

Walk Jodhpur’s oldest blue quarter with a local guide such as Ray, Vic, Rishi, or Ritesh. Expect narrow lanes, blue havelis, street art, old temples, Navchowkiya, and the 500-year-old Ranisar and Padamsar lakes, with hotel, station, or airport pickup available.

“Ray was a fantastic guide - it was great to leave the touristy area and see the original blue city! Walking was very easy and not too challenging but a tuktuk is available for the uphill at the end (and included)! Highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Kolkata Heritage Tram Tour - A route built around Kolkata’s many communities
History Tours, India History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Kolkata Heritage Tram Tour

6.Kolkata Heritage Tram Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 395 reviews · from $60

Start at 7:00 am for a 2 to 3 hour tram-and-walking tour through central Kolkata. Guides including Arif, Haris, and Mr. Ariff connect landmarks, local life, and tram history. Expect snacks, refreshments, pickup, and small-group touring for up to 20 people.

“Mr. Arif and Haris took me through sights and sounds of central to north Kolkata that I had never truly experienced, despite growing up here and doing my UG at Presi. It was my first purposeful Kolkata tour in 23 years since moving away. Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Private Heritage Walking Tour in Jaisalmer Fort and Old Bazaar - Inside Jaisalmer Fort: temples, lanes, and a city view
History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Markets, Private History Tours, Private History Tours in India, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Heritage Walking Tour in Jaisalmer Fort and Old Bazaar

7.Private Heritage Walking Tour in Jaisalmer Fort and Old Bazaar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 306 reviews · from $10Best value

Walk through Jaisalmer Fort and the Old Bazaar with Lalu, a local guide from a family long connected to the fort. Expect Jain temples, medieval lanes, tea with a city view, and two finely carved havelis. The private 3 to 4 hour tour runs in English or German.

“Lalu really went above and beyond to make sure we didn’t just have a grout tour, but fell In love with Jaisalmer. The tour delivered fascinating insight into the founding and history of the city which really enriched our experience and appreciatiRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

Old Delhi Food-Spice Market-Temples Tour Soon Featured on NETFLIX - The food: familiar snacks and local flavors
Food, Food & Drink, India History Tours, Markets, New Delhi History Tours, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Old Delhi Food-Spice Market-Temples Tour Soon Featured on NETFLIX

8.Old Delhi Food-Spice Market-Temples Tour Soon Featured on NETFLIX

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 304 reviews · from $49

JD leads a three-hour small-group walk through Old Delhi’s food lanes, temples, spice market, and Chandni Chowk. You’ll taste jalebi, samosa, parantha, daal, gulab jamun, lassi, and chai, visit the Sikh temple kitchen, see the Red Fort and Jama Masjid from outside, and finish with a rickshaw ride and rooftop views.

“JD was an amazing host. Very knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Extremely personable, will treat you as a friend rather than a customer. The tour is amazing, make sure you go on an empty stomach. The culture aspect of the tour is an eye opening experience about the different religions of India. Highly recommend this trip.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Panaji: Heritage Walk through Goa's Latin Quarter - Meeting at Panjim Head Post Office
Goa History Tours, History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Tour Reviews

Panaji: Heritage Walk through Goa’s Latin Quarter

9.Panaji: Heritage Walk through Goa’s Latin Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 291 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $12

Walk through Panaji’s Fontainhas quarter with an English-speaking guide, visiting heritage homes, galleries, San Sebastian Chapel, and a local bakery. Hear stories about Portuguese influence, meet a Goan musician, and finish with a live performance. Guides may include Yashasvi, Divya, Calvin, or Trancy.

“Really informative. A beautiful part of Goa, with great stories brought to life by Trancey. We would highly recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

The Cultural And Historical Walking Tour in Margao - Reading the old Goan mansions
Goa History Tours, History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Local Culture & Traditions Tours, Local Culture and Traditions Tours in India, Tour Reviews, Tours

The Cultural And Historical Walking Tour in Margao

10.The Cultural And Historical Walking Tour in Margao

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 280 reviews · from $11

Meet at Holy Spirit Church at 4:00 pm for a three-hour walking tour through Margao’s old lanes, Goan mansions, historic sites, and local neighborhoods. Your guide explains the town’s Portuguese-era past, the Margao Massacre, and local legends before ending with snacks at neighborhood food spots.

“The young guide was enthusiastic but appeared not to be very knowledgable on the Margao area, history or heritages, barring an anecdote or two for select houses.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Private Jaipur Full-Day Tour with Block Printing - Hawa Mahal and tea across the street
Full-Day, India History Tours, Private History Tours, Private History Tours in India, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Jaipur Full-Day Tour with Block Printing

11.Private Jaipur Full-Day Tour with Block Printing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 206 reviews · from $13

Spend eight hours with a private guide and AC vehicle visiting Jaipur’s flower market, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, City Palace, Jal Mahal, Amer, and Panna Meena ka Kund. Finish with hands-on block printing, tea, bottled water, and pickup from your hotel, airport, or station.

“The guide for my tour was Soni and he did a lovely job walking me through the Old City, explaining the history of the area and various significant buildings, and introducing me to new foods. He’s even an excellent photographer and got some great shots of me! 10/10 recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Old Delhi: Spices, Heritage and Bazaars Walking Tour - Jama Masjid and Meena Bazaar
History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, New Delhi History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Old Delhi: Spices, Heritage and Bazaars Walking Tour

12.Old Delhi: Spices, Heritage and Bazaars Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 173 reviews · 3 hours · from $13

Follow guide Jai Singh through Jama Masjid, Meena Bazaar, Chandni Chowk and Khari Baoli. In three hours, you’ll see Mughal-era lanes, goldsmith workshops, havelis and Asia’s largest spice market. The group is limited to seven, with English guiding, water and optional hotel pickup.

“Outstanding tour! Jai was covering such extremly wide field of everything related to the market , providing us with very deatiled information about the production stages of the spices, the working schefule of the shopkeepers, history, explaining us in detail the composition of the currys and the required spices, providing us with excellent tea, and even showing us hidden spots in the backyard of the marketstalls and so much more!! I would have never imagined that i will dive that deeply into the market life of delhi. Apart from that we also just had a very fun time and jai was also helping me a lot with the oraganization of…”

Check availability →Read our full review

Private Heritage and Spiritual Walk Tour - Varanasi Kashi - The old lanes and everyday Varanasi
History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Private History Tours, Private History Tours in India, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Heritage and Spiritual Walk Tour – Varanasi Kashi

13.Private Heritage and Spiritual Walk Tour – Varanasi Kashi

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 172 reviews · from $24

Join Manish Singh or another local guide for a private three-hour walk through Varanasi’s old lanes, ghats, temples, ashrams, and food stalls. Expect Hindu customs, morning bathing, chanting, chai, samosas, lassi, and plenty of time for questions. The tour starts and ends at Girja Ghar Chauraha.

“Good info about the religion and about people doing for the religion. Sad to see how people cremate on the bank of the river though”

Check availability →Read our full review

Blue City Heritage Walking Tour With Pick Up & Drop Off - Hotel pickup, Clock Tower meeting point, and the two-hour plan
History Tours, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Blue City Heritage Walking Tour With Pick Up & Drop Off

14.Blue City Heritage Walking Tour With Pick Up & Drop Off

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 164 reviews · from $11

Walk Jodhpur’s blue-painted lanes with guides such as Ray, Prabhat, Rishi, or Ritesh, learning about local homes, havelis, markets, and Ranisar Lake. The two-hour route includes hotel pickup and drop-off when selected, with time for photos, questions, and a taste of saffron tea.

“Ray was simply an amazing guide. He collected us at our hotel, perfectly in time, its car was clean, with a/c and furnished with fresh water. Its explanations were very precise and accurate and all the information shared with us made our visit of jodhpur unforgettable. Ps: he’s also a great photographer!!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Bengaluru Pete City Market Half-Day Walking Tour - Kote Venkataramana Temple brings religion into the route
Half-Day, History Walking Tours, History Walking Tours in India, India History Tours, Markets, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Bengaluru Pete City Market Half-Day Walking Tour

15.Bengaluru Pete City Market Half-Day Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 163 reviews · from $60

Start at Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace at 8:30 a.m. and walk Bengaluru’s old Pete district with an English-speaking local guide. Visit a temple, fort, flower and spice markets, a dosa restaurant, and small silk and jewelry workshops. Guides may include Gladys, Ajith, Midhu, or Pallavi.

“Midhu was an excellent guide. She was very knowledgable and shared interesting stories about Bengaluru as we walked. The tour was brilliant, and we saw areas we might not have otherwise experienced. We would highly recommend both Midhu and this tour!”

Check availability →Read our full review

New in India History Tours

★ 5.0Exploring Mylapore: A Cultural & Historical Walking TourFrom $2742 reviews
★ 3.5Chennai Heritage & Cultural Walk (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour)From $1332 reviews
★ 5.0The Hipster Chandigarh Architecture History TourFrom $7154 reviews
★ 5.0See Bangalore through my eyes (Cultural / Historical / Walking Tour)From $5060 reviews
★ 5.02 days Private tour of Hampi world heritage site from Bangalore by carFrom $33075 reviews
★ 5.0World heritage Somnathpur sculptures and Talakadu temple mysteryFrom $13079 reviews
★ 5.0Treasures of Mysuru – day tourFrom $15027 reviews
★ 5.0Discover Bangalore with Me (A Private Historical Walk Tour)From $2224 reviews
★ 5.0World heritage site of Belur & Halebid with temple sculpturesFrom $17024 reviews
★ 5.0Bangalore Heritage Walk – Private Walking tourFrom $6747 reviews
★ 5.0Amritsar Heritage Walking TourFrom $16112 reviews
★ 5.0World heritage Ahmedabad city tour in private car with guide and lunchFrom $13544 reviews
★ 5.0Agra Private Tour – Taj Mahal & BeyondFrom $2637 reviews
★ 5.0The Great Indian Food Tour: Old Delhi Food and Heritage WalkFrom $43106 reviews
★ 4.7Stories of Jew Town: Guided Heritage Walk in KochiFrom $1230 reviews

Keep browsing

Ancient History ToursMedieval History ToursWWII & D-Day ToursHistory Walking ToursDark History & Haunted ToursOld Town & Historic Centre Walks
Scroll to Top

Explore by period

Pick an era, or a kind of day.

The ancient world

Ancient HistoryColosseum & ForumArchaeological SitesWorld HeritageAncient Italy

The Middle Ages

Medieval HistoryOld Town WalksDark HistoryJewish HeritageColonial History

The twentieth century

WWII & D-DayCold WarVietnam WarBattlefieldsD-Day in France

How you see it

Walking ToursPrivate GuidesSmall GroupsBy Bike & Tuk-TukFood & History