New Delhi, with a population of about 14 million, is the capital of India. It is well connected globally by all major international airlines. The adjacent "Old" Delhi, the capital of India during the Mughal and British rule, has many monuments and forts and is a lively area of colorful bazaars and narrow streets. In contrast, New Delhi, the imperial city created by the British Raj, is composed of spacious, tree-lined avenues and imposing government building. In August light to moderate rains are expected. New Delhi is very well connected by road, rail, and airlines with the rest of India. It is an excellent base for visiting Agra and the Taj Mahal (about 2 hours by train), and the colorful State of Rajasthan and its "pink city" Jaipur, less than five hours by train or one hour by air.

Climate

Delhi features an atypical version of the humid subtropical climate. Summers are long and extremely hot, from early April to mid-October, with the monsoon season in between. Early March sees a reversal in the direction of wind, from the north-western direction, to the south-western. These bring the hot waves from Rajasthan, carrying sand and are a characteristic of the Delhi summer. These are called loo. The months of March to May see a time of hot prickling heat. Monsoon arrives at the end of June, bringing some respite from the heat, but increasing humidity at the same time. The brief, mild winter starts in late November and peaks in January and is notorious for its heavy fog.

Extreme temperatures range from −0.6 °C (30.9 °F) to 46.7 °C (116.1 °F) The annual mean temperature is 25 °C (77 °F); monthly mean temperatures range from 13 °C to 32 °C (56 °F to 90 °F). The average annual rainfall is approximately 714 mm (28.1 inches), most of which is during the monsoons in July and August. The average date of the advent of monsoon winds in Delhi is 29 June