PAHARGANJ in Delhi, India | Backpacker Heaven or Hell?
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- Walking down the bustling Paharganj main bazaar in Delhi, India to the New Delhi Railway Station.
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Music during the video (in order):
"Bollywood Trip 1" by Magnus Ringblom
&
"While My Sitar Gently Weeps" by Banaras Baba & Kolkata Kid
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Video created by Gabriel Morris, who is the owner of all video or photo content. Filmed with a DJI Osmo Action: amzn.to/3gSi8rA
Gabriel is a traveler, outdoors enthusiast and travel writer who has been adventuring around the world since his first trip to Europe in the summer of 1990 when he was 18 years old. He is author of "Following My Thumb", "Gabe's Guide to Budget Travel" and several other books.
Disclaimer: Gabriel Morris is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, Gabriel earns revenue from qualifying purchases.
First stayed in Pahaganj in 1983 as an 18 year old, slightly overwhelmed, American backpacker. Came back this year with my 20 year old son and enjoyed showing him around Old Delhi. We did fun stuff like going down to the burning ghats when it was 110 degrees out, etc. A lot has changed in 40 years, but once in the alleys of Old Delhi the years melted away and I was that amazed, puzzled, little bit lost kid again. India you are wild and awesome!
@@stephenoconnell7636 Cheers to that.
Burning ghat is an idea of "fun stuff" for you and your son. Regret to note that your parents procreated. And so did you.
burning ghats in Delhi ?
@@stephenoconnell7636 You are a weird nationality if doing fun stuff is "going to down to the burning ghats when it was 110 degrees out"........
@@aabb-up3jn We are all weird nationalities..........We have all done that stuff..........Bless.......
The videos in India are my favorite. Glad we're back. Thank you for sharing your travels.
Most toursit I saw in India didn't stay in Paharganj they stayed in 5 star hotels away from all the constant chaos and noise. Backpackers are hard to find these days, young people just want Instagram locations.Maybe times are tough at the moment and people are not travelling as much.
@@Captain._Phil i agree.thanks
I was in PG in 2012, 2012, and 2017 but even then there wasn't exactly swarms of backpackers........It's a lifetime experience walking down PG Bazaar though.......Where are the sedate places in Delhi........I have heard of the Tibetan area?.............Bless..........
@@f.dmcintyre4666paharganj is so good for travelers because it’s near railway station very convenient...the tiibetian area is called majnu ka tilla far from railway station
Such a vibrant scene! Watching you walking through Paharganj’s colorful bazaar to New Delhi Railway Station- the energy, sounds, and aromas must be unforgettable! 🌍✨ like stepping into a whole new world. 🕌💥
I've stayed in Paharganj several times. It's not for everyone, but is fascinating and convenient to train station. Hundreds of cheap hotels, many cheap and adequate. Great rooftop restaurants, amazing food. People from all over the world. I don't understand the lack of Westerners. I love Rishikesh, too and will be there in December at a Guesthouse in Laxman Jhula. I wonder if they have finished the new bridge?
Sadly the new bridge is nowhere near done, I'll show it in the next video.
May be, it's a bit early in the season.
A fellow who arranges tours out of Rishikesh told me it would open in Jan 25. Said it was "in all the papers". Sheesh, misinformation is not a way to gain trust. Can you show some pictures of how it's coming along?
@@samewalt6486 Yes, I will show it in the next video, doesn't look anywhere near completion as far as I can tell.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos Thanks.Lots of travelers would love to see the progress, if any.
Your music selection is always great. Well done.
yes, agree, perfect with the foggy train ride, atmospheric....love it.
Love watching your videos from Incredible India bro 🤗Thanks a lot for sharing and keep going 👍
same
Oh you are back. Welcome. 🎉🎉
I recently Visited India and stayed in Paharganj for a while, and then Aerocity, I also spent time in Connaught Place. I seen a decline in tourist in paharganj as well, but I seen lots of tourist in Connaught Place and Aerocity. I loved connaught place and Aerocity.
Gabriel I watch all of your India videos many times. You go to all places I go
The eagle has landed, welcome back to India. Have a good trip this time as well . whenever i go to Delhi i stay in paharganj. Bit busy but convinent with the metro & train station so close.
The constant honking is insane.
It's pleasant white noise
@@VolkerHelmich it's torture I couldn't stay longer than 24 hrs now the pollution is unbearable too.
it is better here than in many other Indian cities.
@@junglie I understand 👍
I don’t understand the honking? Do they expect people to drive faster, when it’s not possible? I don’t get it? 🤷♂️
so glad to see you back in india, hope you have loads of fun. enjoy gabe!
Hopefully he'll meet a hot Indian babe and have lots of fun 😅👍🙏
Another Great informative video as usual, sir. your internet speed, Great addition .keep up the good work
Thanks to bald&bankrupt few of his sheep want to visit 😅helps keeps the foolang down🎉
ATM Issues - Here is why - As India goes more and more digital (UPI), credit/debit card companies are loosing business. In a last ditch effort to increase profits they have increased fees charged to banks (and also merchants with point of sale, POS, registers) for all transactions including international card ATM withdrawals. Many banks have opted out.
The solution for travelers like you is to setup UPI (like Google pay and others) on your phone. It is cheaper and accepted almost anywhere in India now.
There were some glitches in setting up UPI with my Non-Indian bank account, when I was there last for a short time, so I didn't bother. But were I to be in India a week or longer I would do it.
Also, for POS machines, the payment companies have made a tier system. If a merchant wants to accept international cards he has to subscribe to a higher tier plan that costs more. Entry level plan which is cheaper and sufficient for small time shops doesn't take international cards.
Nothing and I mean nothing is ever simple in India. He's American, the meaning of simple to him is, really simple. Not Indian simple. He has tolerance but he has to be told upfront that it's India's definition of simple.
@@Dr.Mzunguhi Magumba 👋
@@Dr.Mzungu U sound entitled! U want to have all the fun but no work! 😜
Absolute heaven for me...India all round is...the sights, smells, noise, hustle, bustle, then the glorious beaches in Goa to recover..haha
You got it. What more can one ask for.😇
Sarcasm at it's best 😂😂😂
@@gogadevabe sarcasm hai wo 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@@Calibre336 Sarcasm nahi tha. Some firangis like it that way MadhraaasaChap 😅
@@Calibre336 Anpadh hai bhai tu. There's no sarcasm here 🤡
Happy travels gabe! Hope you're getting into the mountains and spiti valley this time. Enjoy!
Great trip down memory lane! First time in Main Bazaar Pahar Ganj was in 1990 and last time 2019 - it has certainly been spruced up somewhat. I have always found it a convenient location for just about all places of interest around Delhi and especially getting a train out of the city which after a few days you sure do want to be on the way out! Many Delhi locals will look at you sideways if you say you are staying in Pahar Ganj - it has a bad rap and considered an unsafe area amongst the local population. After 20+ India trips over 30 years I thought I was finally done with it, but now I am seeking out India vids on UA-cam and think another trip might be on the cards. Have visited every "mainland" state from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Kachchh to Kolkata, but never the Seven Sisters of the North East so need to have some focus in that direction and throw Bangladesh into the mix as well. Have a great journey. Cheers.
Gabriel hermano thanks for this. 🙏 Hope you had a Happy Diwali buddy and everyone that celebrates it too.
Loved the ending with the fireworks! ❤️
Hello Gabe! You look well and upbeat my friend. India in November is great; Thanks much for your-detail as always.
Yeah. Delhi especially. With an AQI at 500+ 😢😢😂 (shld I be sad...or funny...) - sorry cud resist the dig at my own city...
what can i say..gab my man is back..👍
Hi Keri 👋
What a place! Fascinating, so raw and real. You really captured what it is like walking through the traffic and crowds. Great train ride (even backwards) to Rishikesh. Looks like a nice hotel to relax in at the end. Great video. Thank you.❤️
I like when things are raw and real
Gunner is always real
what a beautiful song @ the ending!! oh, how beautiful . . .
You are Back!!!!! I stayed in Paharganj last fall and really loved it. That's what solo backpackers on a budget do. I miss the Bhola Tea Stall across from the train station. I started everyday there drinking two cups of chai!
Great walk thru and you navigated it with ease. The food looked really delicious! What a beautiful ending to fireworks! 🎉
I took a long time visiting India in 1988/1989. My first night was in a Pahar Ganj cheap hotel sharing a bed with another backpacker my age. Watching a family of rats in the middle of the night running trough my room...I have seen enough of that country then after 6 months. I never went back since. I am pretty sure even the rare places that were still OK then such as Kadjuraho or Kovalam are now totally ruined. They have a sure talent to ruin everything there.
OMG Gabriel ! I've been looking for the name of this song for years! Thanks for finally helping me getting it !!!
Mr. Gabriel:Thanks you so much for heading to New Delhi, India today’s in great joy after visiting Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the past few days in November of 2024❤❤❤
I just love love love it when you are in India. You do it so well.
Good to see you back Man
Who man?
Hi Gabriel, your travel experiences show that you did not get flustered by the huge crowds, knowing to be patient and having an idea of what to expect. To travel to much easier locations with less hustle and bustle and enjoy more without getting hassle.
Exactly.
beautiful rooftop view at the very end there... sounds like a good location for dinner :)
Welcome back. Looking forward to your adventures. Have a beer on me.
Thanks, appreciate it. Haven't had one in a while since no alcohol in Rishikesh, but I'll find one soon. Cheers. 🍺
Glad to see you're back in India. These are always must watch videos. Have a great trip! The song at 14:32 is my jam.
Nice video. Looking forward to seeing India in person in February. Your videos inspired me 😂, but actually they do. 🇮🇳🇮🇪
I'm inspired by barmaids from Ulster 😊🇮🇪🇬🇧
@DeputyDog-mh1yo 🤣🤣🥃
I hope it doesn't go backwards...
it goes backwards..
it is what it is...
😅😅😅
that made my day...
Be careful what you wish for, or is it Murphy's Law?
Just practicing a little Buddhism.
Anybody else interested in his internet/upload speed wherever he goes ?
@@GabrielTravelerVideos please go throw or just listen what vedas and upanishads teach .
Great videos Gabs, you give us a real feel of the places you go. Happy travels buddy ! 😊😊
That hotel bed is hilarious!
Love your India videos, a country with tons to see.
I love the India videos, Gabriel you n Dale were my two main folk for India coverage you guys done a lot of India then Deepak broke into the scene and i got to see a lot more cos he gos live and we can interact ask questions in real time which is really cool. I think the East India company etc are to blame for the current state India's in I don't think the country or people ever recovered from that time. Id love to visit India so much but I struggle with heat, have too many stomach problems (I'm to high risk or getting sick) cant eat anything spicy and I think the the poverty would weigh heavily on me id be givin a lot of my money away. these videos are fantastic i see places i otherwise just cant go to, and you always provide something informative and educational which is good. keep up the Great work Gabriel and most of all have fun and always be safe out there! ❤
Thank You Gabriel 🙂💙👍
Hi Gabriel, love your travels !
India , never been ! Be safe !
I recently visited Paharganj too, it was a crazy experience. Such an interesting place to vlog though, I enjoyed that aspect of it.
Excited you're back in India! We keep finding ourselves visiting again and again and always love watching your videos from there😊
I’ll be headed to India for the first time in January. Planning 3-4 months of traveling there. So excited
Gluten for punishment
@@DeputyDog-mh1yo Atleast he won't be forced to an Insect platter like in SE Asia
@@gogadev SE Asia is quite enjoyable 😀
Pro tip - don't go to the metropolitan cities. Us Indians don't like it either.
@reeshavgohain that's a silly tip
So chaotic and crazy, this honking is something so typical of India...take care of yourself! Thanks for the vids.
No it isn't.
Entire India isn't like Delhi.
Watch Gabriel's every vlog on India.
You cannot judge the entire country based on one or two places in the country same goes with homeless people living in USA
@@shreyanshrai9300 I was in India 2022 and had firsthand experience, I will not repeat going to a country notorious with the bad treatment of women...
@@annkk5037 India isn't even in the top 10 in the Grape list. Go cry somewhere else.😅
@@gogadevyes, Anna is correct 💯
Another great video Gabriel 👍♥️🇮🇳
I love when you go to India! Nice! Riveted!!
I'll be happy when he leaves
@UffeUlferts A comment best kept to yourself. No one is forcing you to watch.
@@jtkachlmeier so are you saying that only positive comments are acceptable? Freedom of speech doesn't quite work like that. 👎
@@UffeUlferts Why all that extra effort to comment though, when you don't care about India travel ?😅
Someone's really Salty.
@@gogadev it's only a little effort 😳
I went to India like 30 years ago. Stayed there 6 months, traveled around South to North. It was pretty awesome at the time.
Nice vlogging Gabriel.
By the way, have you thought about getting a DJI Pocket 3?
WELCOME ONCE AGAIN IN INDIA.
KEEP WELL.
love the music!
Gangotri would be great to see right now!! The source of the Ganges! It is quite an easy trek as well for someone with experience!! One of my favourite spots. Happy Travels
P.S. The red shirt guys at the train are porters for hire!
Hi Gabe, I follow you for years and your travels are interesting. This year I liked egyp the most, I hope you will go to South America, I think that there is great history aswel and maybe affordable. Great india trip and stay safe
glad you are visiting uttrakhand state this time in india. have a awesome time gaby
Gabby is the name of a woman 👠♀️
In about ten days I'm about to embark on my own adventure of just traveling and remote working at the same time with no return plans. That view starting at 0:30 sparks that adventure spirit like crazy lol
Welcome gr8 video....true colours of india
Fascinating ✨🌟🙏👌
Guys in red shirts are known as Coolies (British era name for porters). They take luggage of train passengers to their seats in the train on a charge.
They can be good value for travellers given the chaos of many Indian train stations. Mainly used by Indians. I'm surprised foreigners don't use them more. Would be a good video to understand the system and the usual charges
Don't call them c*olies, it's racist
Wash your mouth with soap 🧼!
honk honk ... you make it easy! keep on keeping on... 🙏
love this video. My second trip overseas after Vietnam was to Paharganj about 20 years ago. It changed a lot. Used to see elephants in the street and tons of backpackers and hippies. What happened - it looks like it lost its charm 😢
Welcome to New Delhi, India this week in great joy & peace after you visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the past few days in November of 2024❤❤❤I wish you safe journeys on your great arrival this week in peace 2024❤❤❤
Thank-you for posting this. I have stayed on the Paharganj many times, but next year i take my wife for the first time and all she has heard is how terrible India is for women, etc. It's nice to see a positive video on the Paharganj that i can show her. I know it's an amazing place but most videos talk about scams and how dangerous it is. I never once in 30 years had an issue there. Thanks. Barry, UK
Yup, Paharganj was my first time in India.....Crazy place.........Big adventure..............Blessings.........
amazing. thank you
What is amazing about it, fella?
You are still backpacking forever backpacking, I hope you settle down some day and find true happiness which is in raising children, no joy in life compares.
I hope you discover backpacking oneday….. I stopped to attend to life’s responsibilities briefly… but I can’t wait to return to my true joy. It’s the best thing ever, incomparable. God, how I miss India.
Welcome again Gabriel, if I am not wrong it's your 14th visit to India. Have a great time ahead.
You got it.
FYI, according to Google about Spiti Valley.
October to February
A good time for a winter vacation, with a frosted landscape, frozen waterfalls and lakes, and a chance to see elusive wildlife
Gabe is riding the train in style!
14th time in India, Welcome back Gabriel!!
Walking around with ease, and back to Ganges. Planning to go higher in Himalayas? Winters are coming, maybe capture an early sunrise over snowy peaks.
Seriously thinking about heading further north from here, pondering whether I'm ready for the bumpy, winding roads.
@GabrielTravelerVideos Take some rest, acclimatize, you will be good. It will snow in December, so there is time. Unless you want to go way north right now. Try Auli, while you are still in Uttarakhand.
I am sure those places are worth the winding roads. I know Sikkim was very tiring for you. Stay warm and safe.
@@GabrielTravelerVideos U gotta do it gabe! The best places in India are in the himalayas.
Amazing you caught a train and actually got a real seat lol not overcrowded
Great to see you back in India. Parhaganj has changed since last time we were there in 2000. No traveller atmosphere. Second time this trip we had to go back to Delhi we stayed in south Delhi in really lovely hostel called JHouse Bhikaji. Reminded me of Ringos Connaught circus back in the day but nicer.
You always have the most stylish intros. There are a lot of shops on that street displaying green crosses. Those businesses are all selling cannabis?
Those are pharmacies.
I saw child beggars in Delhi in 1996 crowding my taxi on my way to airport. Same thing happened in 2022.
It was more crowded, more polluted for sure and there were lot of honking vehicles. And a mounds of plastic garbage everywhere - which to my memory did not exist in 1996. Quality of life is getting worse (maybe not for the 1% who have $500 million weddings).
You are absolutely right.
Your comment made me think about my childhood.
Cities back then didn't look like cities but it was atleast clean. Nowadays, air, noise dust pollution+ trash is at unimaginable levels.
Don't get me wrong, Indians have more jobs now, we can afford luxuries like cars, eating out and tourism, have good healthcare and make our kids join good schools, but back then, the cities were definitely more liveable
@@HemanthKumar-pr4qg
The first time I went to India was in 1993,the country was much cleaner and there was almost no cars even in New Delhi, only in Old Delhi was full of rickshaws. Cars in 1993 were mostly old 1960s models, the newer cars were 1970s models at best. Garbage was rare back then because people were too poor to have garbage, but today's India is full of garbage and cars everywhere.
@@Anonymous------ so sad to hear about the golden times that we lost.
I can't comprehend why the govt is not doing anything about this.
Millions of people every year are migrating to other countries just because they can't handle the trash + corruption/scams
@@HemanthKumar-pr4qg
India's government officials only care about shoving money into their own pockets, they don't care about their country and the people.
No. There are many middle and upper middle living well 😊
1:01 $12 a night…. Wow gotta love the currency exchange
Very exciting. My favorite videos of yours are always from India.
India is so different and special. miss India and hope to get there soooon
Your true and Positive video is enough for @bald & bankrupt negative prospective video towards India ...But remember true essence of the place will never be lost by just saying of someone negative prospective or propaganda..Have a Nice Journey in India..
Is everyone on here subscribed? Let's get Gab to 1 million..he deserves it for 20 years content People ❤
That's for status, YT cares about views, duration of each view, frequency, comments, etc.
@@AaronRose69 i've been subscribed for 4 or 5 years now. He's just part of my day now
Tourism down in India?
Too crowded, too noisy, too filthy, too unorganized, too poor.
Mr Fake, you can go to Goa and drink cheap rum with the beautiful Russian girls 😊
@@JonnieSlade-fh2cgwhat? I'm going there right now! You've sold me!
Just Delhi and Veranasi. But many parts are worth the effort. India is gigantic mate.
India is a lot bigger than Delhi and up dude
Lovely bro...
Do the locals not mind the noise from everyone honking for no reason? Do they not mind the trash on the floor? Why is no one picking it up? Dont get this place at all.
Same as Egypt. Just got back total dump and the local businesses don’t even pick up the trash outside their own shops. Gab likes it though.. each to their own.
Overpopulation is the reason.
I will never go there, ever.
After a while you get used to honking and noises. Later, when you move back to a quieter place, you fear silence and notice even small noises which can be scary. It is the sudden contrast which can mess up someone. Body and mind can adjust if done gradually. Same with light and darkness.
On trash, there are services by local government but it happens like once a day, which is not sufficient.
Overpopulation is biggest cause of that
Id like to see a Jaipur video especially the most important temple Radha Govindaji
I went to India back in 2018 and we avoided this area. Not a safe place for women to stay . The hotel workers have been raping women . FYI
When did these rapes occur? Never seen a single one on the news
@kingkijij : Much like downtown NYC or Oakland or Memphis or Cleveland.
great video Gabriel !
(be careful with food / water / ice cubes over there)
Hi, I love watching your videos.
How do you try to avoid stomach diseases?I see that you eat in restaurants without fear.
Do you have any recommendations as an experienced traveler to minimize illness as much as possible? Thanks
if you are to eat street food In India only eat if it is piping hot. things to maybe avoid: Non-bottled water and uncooked foods like salads, buffet breakfast in hotels that's not fresh cooked, food at railway station.
have activated charcoal with you.
please don't eat fruits which are cut long before as you know fruits start to ferment 20 minutes after cutting.
Yeah that would be a major concern as my stomach is super sensitive and having a bad gut after eating dodgy food would be extremely unpleasant experience. Gabe has built up an immune system i think!
Welcome again brother ❤from kurnool andrapradesh,please visit gandikonda great canyon, srisailam wild life , vijayawada, godavari delta, vishakapatnam, tirumala hills if you visit andrapradesh ❤
Air BnB has changed the whole travel scene, with most younger mobile internet savvy Travellers choosing to use it to find suitable ,comfortable accommodation and live with local families in better residential areas of most places they visit..they get a more homely non touristy personal local experience and perspective .....Haus Kauz is where more Travellers stay than Paharganj these days , better coffee n cafes, cleaner ,more mod, ...Tourism is down this season all over India... Yes, These days youtube Travel vlogs do play a big part in peoples decisions to choose their next holiday destination...
India and Japan are just 5,000km apart but are many centuries apart too.
If Japan can take all the illegal kangladeshi that'll solve most of Indias problems.
Lies @@gogadev
Forget Japan, India and china are neighbours but are many centuries apart.
@abhayjay8391 hello 👋 Saheeb ji
@@VolkerHelmich What lies? Millions of kangladeshi immi grants in India. 😅
Ahh paharganj, beauty in the chaos. My parents took me when I was 14! Always wanted to go to uttarakhand too 😊
The Mountains await you.😇🏞
The Greece and India channel
I like the music !
Persons wearing Red Shirts are 'Railway Porters'. You will find them at every Indian Railway station
Hi Gabe, Yes the tourism in India has gone down in general. Also, mostly people are considering coming to south India nowadays. Goa has been impacted by this a lot as it is so much dependent on foreign tourists. I am not sure what the government is doing to fix this. After Covid pandemic the tourism has seriously gone down and also all the negative vlogs and blogs about India is also a part for this decline.
still north india consider india superpower ?
North Indians should take responsibility for their cities and neighbourhoods where they live. They cannot litter and spit and expect that cleaning up is the responsibility of only lower caste people, as they themselves have to live in these areas and will get sick in these unhygienic conditions as these will breed mosquitoes and rats which in turn cause diseases such as dengue, malaria etc as well as respiratory and stomach ailments.
I did prefefer Southern India less major poverty, people harassing you etc than the big cities.
Any field has competition, and tourism is no different. India takes foreign tourists for granted while not even offering the bare minimum.
We are besieged by scammers, touts, beggars, overpricing for foreigners, poor hygiene, massive pollution, lack of safety, endless honking.
Your government, your police pays no attention to these fundamental issues.
You started paraphrasing Gabriel after he said something. 🤦
In 2019 (pre-pandemic), India received 10.9 million foreign tourists, and in 2023, the number was 9.23 million. In 2024, the number could be similar to pre-pandemic levels or even higher.
Coming back to Goa, Russians were a major source and western sanctions against Russia had a significant impact on that. Another factor is that because domestic tourism is so strong in Goa, it raises the cost for foreign tourists, so other destinations may become more appealing to them...
Awesome, looks amazing! You film with a Gopro? I want to get that cam whatever it is
Welcome Mr. Gabriel
Amazing place Good Old India. Rishikesh is beautiful. Enjoy 🙏🕉
@8:17 The guys in the red shirts are railway porters, who help travellers with carrying luggage to the coaches.
Cool.
They are not referred to as coolies. That is from colonial times and is derogatory
@@VolkerHelmichyeah I've heard of that term but that's from a bygone era of Indias colonial past.
Gabe is back in India. When he is away we feel incomplete. All's well with the world now, even in the US post-Trump...🛌🏼🧘🏼♂️🧘🏼 (Praying for Gaza, tho'...)
Thankful your back in India