The city · Delhi NCR
Beyond the summit: Delhi.
You have come for the people and the ideas. Give yourself a little longer for Delhi's old streets, your first proper chaat, and one more cup of chai.
Your conference base is Gurugram, in Delhi NCR. Explore Delhi before or after the summit, or go further to Agra and Jaipur.
The weather
The best month to be here.
Delhi has two seasons people warn you about, and February is neither. Days sit around 22 to 25°C (72 to 77°F) with clear skies, evenings drop to about 10°C (50°F), and it hardly rains. It is the month Delhi itself goes out: the gardens are green, the monuments are walkable at noon, and dinner outdoors is comfortable.
Pack for a warm day and a cool night: light layers, a jacket for the evening, and shoes you can walk the old city in.
The heritage
A thousand years, one afternoon.
Delhi has been a capital for a thousand years and it shows. Suggested times are for the place itself, not the drive from Gurugram.
Qutub Minar
A 73-metre victory tower from 1193, and the closest of the big monuments to Gurugram. Stand beneath it, then take the surrounding complex slowly; it is a place to linger over stonework.
Mehrauli, Delhi · 1.5 to 2 hours · Open map
Humayun's Tomb
The garden tomb the Taj Mahal was modelled on, sixty years earlier. Follow the paths to the red sandstone tomb, then wander off the central view; the smaller details reward a slower visit. Go late afternoon for the light.
Nizamuddin, Delhi · 1.5 to 2 hours · Open map
Red Fort
The Mughal seat of power, at the head of Chandni Chowk. Pair it with the old city below and give the two together a full half day.
Old Delhi · 2 to 3 hours · Open map
The old city
Chandni Chowk, on foot.
About an hour from the hotel and four centuries from it. Go hungry, go in the morning, and let a guide or a food walk take you through the lanes. You do not need to fit everything into one outing.
Chandni Chowk
Fabric, spices, silver, sizzling pans and a great deal of noise. For a first visit, a local guide helps you find your bearings and pick the stops that suit you.
Old Delhi · 2 to 3 hours · Open map
Jama Masjid
India's largest mosque, with a minaret you can climb for the best view of the old city's rooftops. Dress respectfully and follow the instructions at the gate; visitor access pauses around prayers.
Old Delhi · 45 to 60 minutes · Open map
Paranthe Wali Gali and Karim's
Two stops that make the walk. Paranthe Wali Gali has fried stuffed flatbreads since the 1870s, and is your chaat stop too. Karim's, by the mosque gate since 1913, is Mughlai cooking: order the mutton korma and the roomali roti.
Old Delhi · Lunch · Open map
The food
Eat like the city does.
Two rules: vegetarian is the default here, not the compromise, and the best meal of your trip will probably cost less than a coffee at home. Leave space for a second order.
Start with chaat: crisp, tangy, sweet and spicy in the same mouthful. Make time for a proper thali, one plate and ten small dishes refilled until you stop them; every neighbourhood has its own good one, so ask the hotel. Finish with jalebi. And chai, sweet and milky in a glass from any corner stall, is the unofficial fuel of every conversation in this country.
You can also make food the whole plan without leaving Gurugram: book a table at CyberHub or in Sector 29, bring a few people you have met at the summit, and let dinner run long. If you have allergies or dietary needs, say so at every stop rather than assuming.
The markets
Bring something home.
Take home something you chose slowly.
Dilli Haat INA
Craftspeople from across India selling direct on one open-air site, with a food court to match. The stalls rotate, so what you find is part of the pleasure. The easiest place in Delhi to buy gifts.
INA, Delhi · 1.5 to 2 hours · Open map
Khan Market
Delhi's bookshop-and-restaurant enclave, where the city's editors and diplomats eat. Books, tea, textiles and things you will actually use, then a quieter dinner.
Central Delhi · 1 to 2 hours · Open map
After hours
Gurugram after dark.
You do not need to cross into Delhi for a good evening. The hotel sits in Sector 29, the part of Gurugram that goes out at night. Check the summit's own evening programme first; these are ideas for your free time, not BSS-hosted events.
Sector 29
Restaurants, bars and rooftops a few minutes from the lobby. Where the summit's own evenings spill over.
Gurugram · Walking distance · Open map
Kingdom of Dreams
Live musical theatre and a covered street of regional Indian food, in the same sector as the hotel.
Sector 29, Gurugram · An evening · Open map
CyberHub
An open-air strip of restaurants and bars where Gurugram's tech crowd meets after work. Useful when everyone in your group wants something different.
DLF Cyber City, Gurugram · A 15-minute drive · Open map
For a quieter evening, staying at the hotel is a perfectly good plan too.
Beyond Delhi
If you can spare the days.
If this trip has brought you a long way, stay for the places you have been meaning to see for years. Neither is a local excursion: add days, do not squeeze them into one.
Agra and the Taj Mahal
About four hours by road on the expressway. Stay the night if you can: be at the gate for sunrise, which is the only way to see it, then make room for Agra Fort instead of racing back. The Taj Mahal is closed to visitors on Fridays, so plan the day around that.
Uttar Pradesh · One night · Open map
Jaipur
About four hours by road: Amber Fort, the Hawa Mahal, and the old city's bazaars. With Agra it makes the classic triangle, and the better part of a week.
Rajasthan · Two nights · Open map
Plan your visit
The practical bit.
Arriving
Fly into Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). The summit hotel, Crowne Plaza Today Gurugram in Sector 29, is about 15 km away: 30 to 45 minutes by road, longer in evening traffic. Take a prepaid taxi from the counter in arrivals, or an Uber; the hotel can arrange a pick-up if you ask ahead. Gurgaon and Gurugram are the same city.
Getting around
Uber and Ola work everywhere and are the easiest way into Delhi. Prepaid taxis run from the airport, the Metro is clean and fast (though the hotel is not on it), and auto-rickshaws are fine for short hops if you agree the fare first or book them through the same apps. Old Delhi is about an hour; south Delhi (Qutub, Khan Market, Dilli Haat) around 45 minutes. Plan one area at a time, and save the hotel address offline.
Money
Cards work at hotels, restaurants and malls; carry some rupees for markets and street food. ATMs are everywhere. Locals pay by UPI QR code, which needs an Indian bank account; keep a card and some cash instead of counting on it.
Staying connected
Airtel and Jio have counters in the arrivals hall; bring your passport and allow time for activation. eSIM apps work too if you set them up before you fly. Hotel Wi-Fi is fast.
What to pack
Comfortable walking shoes, layers, a light jacket for evenings, sun protection, a scarf or cover for mosque visits, and a power adaptor. Drink bottled or filtered water. Historic sites mean steps and uneven paths; if you need step-free access, confirm with the site and your driver before you go.
The summit hotel
Crowne Plaza Today Gurugram, Sector 29. Ticket holders get a discounted room at the summit hotel; hotel accommodation is booked separately from your ticket. The venue →
For more places, opening times and current information, the official guide is Delhi Tourism.
A few things you might be wondering
Before you fly.
Is the summit in Delhi or Gurugram?
Gurugram, which is part of Delhi NCR. Delhi's sights are a separate journey of 45 minutes to an hour, not a walk from the lobby.
Are these experiences included with my ticket?
No. This page is inspiration for travel you arrange yourself. Sightseeing, guides, entry tickets and transport are not part of any ticket; the summit's own evenings are on the agenda page.
How much extra time should I add?
One day gives you a taste of Delhi, two lets you slow down. Agra needs a night; Agra and Jaipur together need the better part of a week. VIP ticket holders should arrive by Thursday 25 February for the speaker dinner.
Is Delhi safe for visitors?
Yes, with the same sense you would use in any big city. Sector 29 is busy and well lit at night, app cabs are the sensible way home late, and valuables stay out of sight in crowded markets.
I am vegetarian or vegan. Will that be a problem?
Vegetarian is the easy option in India; most menus are majority vegetarian by default. For vegan, say "no dairy, no ghee" and confirm at each place. Explain allergies separately.
Will I get by in English?
Yes. Hotels, restaurants, cabs and shops all work in English. "Namaste" and "dhanyavaad" (thank you) buy goodwill.
Give yourself a little longer
Leave with stories that were not on the agenda.
You may arrive with a packed agenda. Leave with a few that were not on it.