Walking Guide

The wealth of monuments inside the Qutub Complex can leave visitors feeling a bit overwhelmed. It's helpful to plan your walking route in advance.

For the best visiting experience, consider how deeply you want to dive into the history and how much time you have. A full exploration can take up to 3 hours, but shorter visits are just as rewarding — and there’s always something new to discover on every return trip.

Here are some suggested routes -

In Depth | 120 minutes

Allows time to appreciate architectural details and take photographs.

What you see (in order)-

1. Alai Minar

2. Iltutmish's Extension and Tomb

3. Alauddin Khilji's Tomb & Madrasa

4. Iron Pillar

5. Quwwat-ul Islam Mosque

6. Qutub Minar

7. Alai Darwaza

8. Tomb of Imam Zamin

9. Smith's Cupola

   
   

What you skip-

1. Mughal Garden & Mosque (closed for access)

2. Step pyramid (closed for access)

3. Spiral pyramid (accessible through Mehrauli Archaeological Park)

Classic Trail | 60 minutes

Offers a well-rounded exploration of the complex’s history without feeling rushed.

What you see (in order)-

1. Alai Minar

2. Quwwat-ul Islam Mosque

3. Iron Pillar

4. Qutub Minar

5. Alai Darwaza

6. Smith's Cupola

What you skip (in addition to the 120 min route) -

1. Iltutmish's Extension and Tomb

2. Alauddin Khilji's Tomb & Madrasa

3. Tomb of Imam Zamin
   

Quick Glimpse | 30 minutes

Best for visitors in a hurry but keen to witness the grandeur of the complex.

What you see (in order)-

1. Quwwat-ul Islam Mosque

2. Iron Pillar

3. Qutub Minar

What you skip (in addition to the 60 min route) -

1. Alai Minar

2. Alai Darwaza

3. Smith's Cupola

The Tomb of Imam Zamin near Alai Darwaza

Smith's attempt to add another storey to the Qutub Minar aka Smith's Folly

Quwwat-ul Islam courtyard

Khilji's Madrasa

The Kalash (urn) motif in the Indo-Islamic architecture

Intricate carvings inside Iltutmish's Tomb on the Qibla (western) wall

British-era circular stepped structure

Cenotaph inside Iltutmish's Tomb

Iltutmish's mosque extension with his tomb