garden of five senses
ALL IN A DAY,  WHERE TO GO THIS WEEKEND?

10 Best Picnic Spots in and around Delhi

Ditch your plans to visit the mall this weekend and plan a day out with your family and friends. Sumedha Bhatia lists 10 best picnic spots in and around Delhi for you to enjoy a day full of activities and quality time with your loved ones.

  1. Pratapgarh Farms

Located near the railway station, Gwalison Road in Jhajjar, Haryana, Pratapgarh Farms promises you a rejuvenating day full of fun games and activities.

Pratapgarh Farms takes you back to the roots with a village-like setting, entertaining activities and basic food. You’ll find here cuisines from Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan to appease your taste buds. The large number of activities include: bungee jumping, sack race, lemon race, gillee danda, mud bath, tube well bath, camel ride, kabbadi, tug war etc. Remember to keep  extra pair of clothes if you want to experience mud bath or tube well bath. There’s a provision of DJ and dholki dance as well.

The entry charges are Rs. 1,050 (per person above 10 years); Rs. 600 (per person aged between 5 and 10) and a complimentary entry for anyone below 5 years. In case of a driver accompanying, Rs.150 can be paid for food. There are discount packages for school students and corporate trips too.

Tip: Since it’s a long journey, it is advisable to leave your home early morning so that you can enjoy maximum set of activities.

For more information on this unexplored picnic spot, click here.

 

  1. Hauz Khas Fort

Built in 1284 by Alauddin Khilji, Hauz Khas Fort is one of the most striking structures in Delhi. The construction was initiated due to a Royal (Khas) Water Tank (Hauz) and now it stands as a major tourist attraction and a favourite hangout spot, especially for the youth.

The fort offers the visitors a widespread area with scenic beauty. It’s amazing popular spot for photographers, a wonderful place to hangout, a splendid way to relax near the lake and a great place to  delve into glorious history of the city.

The blanket of greenery enables people to practice sport and various other activities too.

Another popular picnic spot in the area is the Deer Park, located 650 m from the fort. Home to a large number of deers and rabbits, it is an ideal spot for family picnic. .

The area is a paradise for foodies since it has a large number of restaurants and cafe; the most famous ones include: Social, Out of The Box, Matchbox, Imperfecto, to name a few.

  1. Jurasik Park

Be it your love for adventure, or enjoyment for water rides, or experiencing the thrilling go-karting sessions, Jurasik Park will serve you right. It is located in Sonipat, Haryana (G.T. Karnal Road, NH1).

Jurasik Park has the biggest water-cum-amusement park in Delhi/NCR. A number of categories like Lazy River, Wave Pool, Kids Pool, Spin and Whirl etc. co-exist and form a part of this water park. Hence, it fulfills the demands of all- children, as well as adults.

There are a number of rides for you to enjoy, like the Roller Coaster, Frisbee (Circular ride, rotating like a pendulum too, giving a frightful plus fun experience), Giant Wheel (one of the tallest ones in Delhi/NCR), Octopus Ride, Swing Chair, etc. Every ride is better than the other and one cannot afford to miss on any of them.

Other attractions include ZipLine, which is in fact North India’s longest zipline. And then, there are other adventure activities, like burma bridge, hanging tunnel, rifle shooting, zorbing ball.

Tip: A visit to Jurasik Park from Delhi will require an entire day; so plan accordingly.

  1. Connaught Place

Connaught Place (CP) is one of the major shopping hubs in Delhi and a favourite venue for various musical performances and other cultural activities.

You can spend some time in Central Park playing games and setting the mood for a day picnic. Indulge in street food from any one of the blocks in CP or dine in at a restaurant (there’s one for every budget!)

connaught place

Another famous tourist spot, Jantar Mantar, is also situated in CP. It consists of fancy architecture, which was designed by Maharaja Jai Singh II very minutely for a special purpose. In the then time, there were very small instruments to measure time, due to which Jai Singh was not satisfied with. Hence, he constructed large astronomical instruments at 5 locations, including CP. It consists of 13 unique monuments/structures which accurately measure the time.

CP is however, going to experience a drastic change from 1st February, because Venkaiah Naidu has announced CP’s inner and middle circles to be car free zones (for a trail period of 3 months for now). Only cycles and battery operated vehicles will be allowed in the area to overcome the problems of congestion. Visitors will be required to park their cars in Shivaji Stadium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Let’s wait for the implementation of this rule, and hope for the betterment for the pedestrians. This will enable the visitors to enjoy to their fullest.

  1. Garden of Five Senses

Garden of Five Senses is situated in Saidul Ajaib village, opposite Saket, near Mehrauli Heritage area. Inaugurated in 2003 and spread over 20 acres, it is one of the most splendid (and cleanest) parks in Delhi. The park caters to the entertainment needs of all age groups and thus, is one of the most beautiful picnic spots.
As the name suggests, the garden successfully stimulates our 5 senses. Visitors get a soothing view of greenery and please their sight; the chirruping of birds, waterfalls and the bells (on the bell tree) please their ears; they touch the monuments, and all the unique structures and involve touch; the fragrance of sweet flowers, which are present in enormous variety, colours and fragrances, please their nose; and last, but not the least, the food stops located in and near the garden, please their tongues.

Visitors are also amazed by the magnificent rock statues, the lily pond, stainless steel structures, the bell tree, beautifully shaped trees/shrubs, fountains, marble setups and other spectacular attractions.

The widespread park is full of such cool things, the most recent one being a new soft adventure park. It has been included in order to promote tourism and attract more tourists, which have decreased over time. It currently has 21 activities including burma bridge, sumo wrestling, zorbing etc. and the authorities are planning to have 8 more. These activities are included as a trial for now, and will be continued only if they are considered useful by the end of the period of 6 months (ending in last week of May).

Tip: Don’t forget to carry a mat, badminton rackets, and all such requirements for a perfect and a memorable day out!

  1. Murthal

 48 kms away from Delhi, Murthal is situated at NH1, in Sonipat District, Haryana. Murthal has its roots from two words- Muni and Sthal, stating that this is the place where the Munis used to meditate.

The place is known for its dhabas which offer delicious and mouth-watering paranthas. The dhabas were initially set up to serve the truck drivers and other passengers who passed through. But soon, people started cherishing the flavour of the paranthas offered so much so that, people often visit the place only to have paranthas now. Even 2 decades ago, nobody was really aware of a place called Murthal, but now, it’s not so! After all, what’s better than a road trip with family or friends to have yummy hot paranthas and other Punjabi dishes with tea/lassi?

Murthal paranthas
Paranthas at a dhaba in Murthal

Some of the most famous Dhabas include- Amrik Sukhdev, Gulshan Dhaba etc. All the dhabas and eating spots offer only vegetarian food, but this never upsets the non-vegetarians simply because of the excellence of the food available. Haveli is one of the best restaurants in Murthal. It is a Punjabi-themed restaurant with a perfect ambience. The most common outings are made early morning, and people leave Delhi between 5-6am.

There’s nothing better than a picnic which is accompanied by a road trip. And being a Delhi-ite, one must visit Murthal and enjoy the aroma of the special paranthas, atleast once in a lifetime.

  1. India Gate

 Whether you reside in Delhi/NCR or you are a tourist on a trip to Delhi, India Gate is a must place to visit. It has a huge historical significance for Indians. The construction of India Gate was completed in the year 1931. It was designed by Edward Lutyens, and the design was inspired by ‘Arc de triomphe’, which is a famous monument of Paris (which in fact, was inspired by Roman ‘Arch of Titus’!). The names of jawaans who lost their lives in the World War I are inscribed over the huge walls of India Gate. The flame, popularly known as Amar Jawan Jyoti, is flamed up during the whole day, and is considered as respect for the brave soldiers.

Historically significant, India Gate  is considered as the most visited and the favourite picnic spots in Delhi. No matter at what time you visit this place, be it early morning, or late night, it is always buzzing with people.

It is surrounded by lush green lawns all over and has beautiful fountains here and there, which look lovely when displayed with colours at night. A number of street food sellers – from ice-cream vendors, to chuski vendors, to pani-puri – add to the liveliness of the place. There are toy vendors too selling knick-knacks to keep the kids entertained.

Carry a mat to be spread over grass and plan play games like badminton, cards, tambola or simply walk and sit around with your friends and family; there is a facility of boating at India Gate.

  1. Lotus Temple

One of the most elegant architectural creation, Lotus Temple, is built in the shape of, well, a lotus flower, and is one of the ‘Baha’I House of Worship’. Like all other Baha’I’s, Lotus Temple also welcomes people from all religions, states, countries and qualifications to visit and find peace in the temple. Its design comprises of 27 marble-clad petals, which are arranged in clusters of three to nine sides, and it has 9 doors, and leaf shaped ponds outside them. Furiburz Sabha, the architect, chose Lotus as an inspiration, because he could relate it to various religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam.

The temple’s doors open to a huge hall, 40 meters high, where people can chant and worship. No disturbances are allowed inside the hall. However, from the outside, the temple is surrounded by pictursque greenery. This is what forms a picnic spot for tourists. Lotus temple is considered a favourable spot because people get internal peace and can have fun at the same time. Along with this, people can visit their Information Centre too, and gain some additional knowledge, which is another beneficial point. The school students are also taken to this picnic spot almost every year to imbibe positive vibes in them and show them the infrastructural beauty.

The symmetrical structure of the temple is commendable. 8,000 to 10,000 people visit this place every day (on an average). CNN listed Lotus Temple as the most visited place in the world, in the year 2001.


Much has been said about this wonder, now, it’s the time to visit the place. Isn’t it?

 

  1. Chokhi Dhani

You must have heard of and most probably been to Chokhi Dhani in Jaipur.  But you need not go all the way to Jaipur to experience the delights of this wonderful place. There’s a Chokhi Dhani near Delhi, in Sonipat at 64th Milestone, Ganaur.

The essence of Rajasthani culture and heritage, with all their traditional activities, makes it a wonderful place to be at. The shaahi entry welcomes the visitors with the age-old tilak ceremony. This in itself gives the vibes of perfect Indian culture. The architectural design is perfect according to the ethnic theme. As you enter the place, you will see many people wearing the traditional pagdi, or dressed up in the Rajasthani dress;it adds up to the complete the environment.

The place offers various activities that give enjoyment to the people who come for picnics. Apart from the general activities of camel rides, mehndi, pottery etc., there are some unconventional activities. These include dholki dance, magician, puppet shows, head massage etc. There are also a  number of astrologers there. You can also go for ethnic costume photography and capture memories in a unique way.

One definite thing that you will love about this place is the food. You will be made to sit on floor, as per the tradition. Food is served in leaves placed over big thaalis. Showcasing the proverbial Rajasthani hospitality, the staff will be serving you till you are full, and in fact, try to serve more than what you can eat! Every dish and beverage is purely Rajasthani and will successfully please your taste buds.

Along with these, there are rides, small games stalls, and various other happening activities. Although visiting Sonipat will eat up your time if you travel from Delhi, but then it is worth the visit. Going to this place near Delhi, is like getting a quick glimpse of Rajasthan.

  1. Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar, listed as a World Heritage Site, was constructed in 1192. It is India’s most visited monuments, and around 3.9 million people visit the monument every year. It is a 5-storeyed building.

Qutub Minar

The monument has greenery all around, which makes it a perfect picnic spot. One can visit the place in a group and have precious time spent with near and dear ones. Carry mats and food and plan various fun games to be enjoyed in a group.

Entry fee: Rs 10 per head for Indians; Rs 250 per head for others; free for children below 15 years of age

Tip: Wear comfortable shoes. A lot of walking is required while experiencing this amazing journey around the monument.

We hope that this list will prove to be useful for you. These 10 picnic spots will offer you commendable experiences and life long memories.

keep your city clean

PS: Lot of these wonderful places are spoiled because of the carelessness attitude of people in maintaining cleanliness. Despite there being ample number of garbage bins present, people discard the leftovers, packets etc. on the ground. All of us must take a step on our part and, whenever we make a visit to this wonderful picnic spot, we must dispose the garbage where it belongs.

Purva is the co-founder of Blue Sky Dreamers. A journalist with 11 years of experience, she also freelances as a content writer & editor.

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