City of Pearls Walking Tour: Historic Charminar Views & Chowmahalla Palace Visit
5.0
37 Ratings
Hyderabad
Experience the rich history and vibrant culture of Hyderabad on a 4-hour walking tour. Explore the iconic Charminar, stroll through the bustling Chudi Bazaar, and visit the majestic Chowmahalla Palace. Optional add-ons available.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Charminar - Walk around the Charminar and explore the architectural features that make it unique. Then, explore the Charminar with your guide and climb to the first floor for an up-close and personal encounter with the most iconic of Hyderabad’s monuments. The excellent views from the Charminar allow you to get amazing photographs of the city of Hyderabad - on a clear day you can see the Golconda fort and the Falaknuma palace.
- Minar Bangles - Walk with your guide through the Chudi Bazaar, where craftsmen are busy making the shiny colorful bangles Hyderabad is famous for. Watch as they handcraft each bangle, placing every single shining stone in place with nimble fingers. Try your hand at bargaining for a good price to get an unforgettable souvenir.
- Mecca Masjid - Peep into the Mecca Mosque, where the Nizams of Hyderabad are buried.
- Chowmahalla Palace - At Chowmahalla Palace, see the seat of power of the Nizams of Hyderabad. One of the best-preserved palaces of the Nizams, you get a taste of how the royals lived and ruled. Walk among the palace buildings, see paintings, photographs, household items, weapons and the cars used by the royals of Hyderabad.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option not selected)
- Any personal expenses
- Shopping for bangles, clothes or other souvenirs
Additional Information
Enjoy sweeping views of Old Hyderabad from the Charminar and walk through history at the Chowmahalla Palace. This 4-hour, small group tour takes you up one of the best preserved monuments from the time Hyderabad was built in 1591 CE
- the Charminar. Take a walk through the picturesque Chudi Bazaar, filled with hundreds of shops selling the shiny and colorful Hyderabadi lac bangles and clothes. Visit the Chowmahalla Palace from which the Nizams ruled Hyderabad for over 200 years. Additional options include transportation, entry fees to monuments, and meals.
- Dress comfortably and conservatively - covered knees and shoulders for both men and women is recommended
- Wear comfortable walking footwear
- If you have opted for the Hotel Pickup & Drop-off you will be picked up at your place of stay at 8:00 AM in an airconditioned car and driven to the starting point of the walking tour. At the end of the walking tour, your air-conditioned car will drop you off at your place of stay.
Location
Chairminar JUNCTION POINT
Gulzar Houz Circle
We will be waiting just in front of Nimrah Cafe and Bakery
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(37 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Carolinemaggie
May 28, 2023
Fantastic Tour of Hyderabad with a Wonderful Guide - I was in Hyderabad on a work trip and had some free time on the weekend to explore the city and decided to book this tour. I was very glad I did - Navin was an exceptional guide and super friendly!
His knowledge and passion for Hyderabad history is unmatched and I learned so much in such a short period of time. He also provided some wonderful local recommendations and tips. I will recommend this tour to my colleagues who will visit Hyderabad in the future and to anyone who wants to learn more about this city, culture and history! Thank you again, Navin!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fonzhero
Oct 10, 2022
Time well spent. - Currently in Hyderabad for two weeks with work from the UK but really only had Sunday to do something of my choosing so it had to be good. I wanted to see old Hyderabad, learn some history and experience a less corporate part of the city. This tour ticked all my boxes and exceeded my expectations. Navin really knows his stuff and it is super interesting. Explains it all really well. He knows all the good spots/angles for the best photos. Nice friendly guy. I opted for hotel pick and drop off and that all went smoothly. Driver was a nice chap also. Wish I had more time to do another one of his tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scottsa9229fv
Aug 22, 2022
Awesome experience - One of the Best! - Hyderabad is a beautiful melting pot of different cultures and Navin is an expert in navigating the beautiful city. He is truly a gifted tour guide. Highly reccomended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chris
Jul 31, 2022
Definitely Recommend - Madhu was a great guide and I really enjoyed myself on this tour! My tour took place in the morning before things got too crowded, so it was not too crowded at all. Madhu was knowledgeable, friendly, and fun to tour with. Highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Hyderabad!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shamsseattle
Jul 3, 2022
Definitely a Must Do: Navin is a very informed guide - Navin is an excellent tour guide. His knowledge of the history of this city is amazing. He can seperate the facts, the folklore and the religious connotation. Which makes it really interesting.
He curated a tour to fit my asks. He talked at length about the culture, the significance of the region, the historic implications for the buildings. I would recommend a half day set aside for this experience at least. Also, the food choices: Yum!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Foodiepilgrim
May 23, 2022
Navin's knowledge makes this tour uniquely valuable! - Navin is full of the kind of deep knowledge of history and the locale that immeasurably enriches the already incomparable experience of exploring the Old City, and he delivers it in an engaging way. Importantly, he's very easy to understand even in a crowded marketplace.
My friend and I had an extra day after a business meeting so we decided to see the old city in the morning before it got too hot. That was a good plan: I expect I will long remember sitting on a wall in the shade of a venerable banyan tree in the courtyard of the Chowmahala Palace with tired feet and an exquisite breeze!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Suchi
Apr 16, 2022
Great way to discover Hyderabad's secrets - Absolutely loved the City of Pearls walking tour we did with Navin. Hyderabad offers up a rich array of history and culture and food, but a lot of it is lost to the chaos of a modern Indian city. With the Hyderabad Walking Company, you can come a little closer to discovering the city's secrets, whether that's a street-cart breakfast when the roads are quiet, or the many rollicking stories about the rulers. Navin's itinerary was chalked out well, ensuring we had enough breaks for rest and beverages and even photos. Navin's enthusiasm for history is infectious, and he brings to the tour a good mix of knowledge and fun. We came away enamoured by the city, and also felt satiated thanks to the lovely food and chai. Need to go back for the other tours!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caring_boi
Apr 15, 2022
A good introductory tour to the city of Hyderabad - I went on “The City of Pearls Tour” walk with Navin and found that the overall experience was very pleasant and cordial. It was a very good introductory tour to the city of Hyderabad; a simple and insightful walk with someone who is very passionate about the city. I enjoyed my walk and tour with him.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kyedlin
Feb 11, 2020
Open your eyes to the City of Hyderabad - Hyderabad is an amazing place with a very interesting history. Our guide, John Wilson, successfully shared not only a history lesson, but cultural lessons as well. The tour includes a little bit of eating (along with a kitchen tour), and little bit of shopping (with great deals), and a chance to experience two really cool palaces in Hyderabad. I learned a lot that day, and it really opened my eyes to what a great place Hyderabad truly is. Thanks John.
Review provided by Viator
Danlassen
Jan 25, 2020
Amazing first trip to India! - I had a lovely Day Tour around Hyderabad! Really enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere and all it’s interesting history! I also want to thank my amazing guide which was friendly and which had a lot of knowledge to the city’s history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
