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13th-century Stepwell

Gandhak ki Baoli

Also Known As · Gandhak Baoli · The Sulphur Stepwell

New Delhi, Delhi · monument

Delhi's largest medieval stepwell — five tapering tiers and 105 steps down to sulphur water, quiet and atmospheric in old Mehrauli.

Open dailyEntry Fee: Free EntryRoughly 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily (open ASI monument); access can occasionally be restricted — confirm before visiting

Gandhak ki Baoli is one of the oldest and largest surviving stepwells in Delhi — a monumental 13th-century baoli tucked into the Mehrauli heritage quarter, built during the reign of Sultan Iltutmish (1211–1236), the great consolidator of the Delhi Sultanate. Its name means the 'sulphur stepwell': the water here carried a distinct sulphur content and smell, and was long believed to have curative, medicinal properties.

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Where to Eat Nearby

Nearby Vegetarian Eats

Malik Vegetarian Rasoi, Mehrauli

0.3 km away
casual

Budget pure-vegetarian dhaba thali

Saravana Bhavan, Select Citywalk

3 km away
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Pure-vegetarian South Indian dosas and thalis

Sagar Ratna, Saket

3 km away
casual

Pure-vegetarian South Indian dosas and idlis

About

Gandhak ki Baoli is one of the oldest and largest surviving stepwells in Delhi — a monumental 13th-century baoli tucked into the Mehrauli heritage quarter, built during the reign of Sultan Iltutmish (1211–1236), the great consolidator of the Delhi Sultanate.

  • Its name means the 'sulphur stepwell': the water here carried a distinct sulphur content and smell, and was long believed to have curative, medicinal properties.
  • Structurally it is impressive — a long central stairway of about 105 steps descending through five tapering levels to the water reservoir at the base, the stairway roughly 40 metres long and 12 metres wide, flanked by ornate pillared arcades on each floor.
  • It is traditionally associated with the revered Sufi saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, who lived in Mehrauli, and is said to have been built to give his settlement a year-round water supply.
  • Often described as the largest baoli in Delhi, it silted up over the centuries until the Archaeological Survey of India desilted it around 2004–05 and recovered its water.
  • Today it is a calm, atmospheric and refreshingly uncrowded corner of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park.
  • For vegetarian travellers the budget pure-veg Malik Vegetarian Rasoi is nearby by the Mehrauli bus terminal, with Saravana Bhavan and Sagar Ratna in Saket a short ride away.

Practical notes

entry is free (an open ASI monument), and it is accessible in daylight, roughly 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM — though access is not always guaranteed, as after a past accident the well has at times been kept locked, so confirm before a special trip. The old stone steps are unrailed and can be slippery, so descend carefully and keep away from the lowest wet levels; solo visitors, especially women, should prefer daylight and company. Nearest metro: Qutub Minar. Allow about 30 minutes, easily paired with Adham Khan's Tomb (100 m away) and Rajon ki Baoli.

Timings & Entry Fee

Visiting Hours

  • • Roughly 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (daily)
  • • Open ASI monument
  • • Access can occasionally be restricted — confirm first
Days OpenOpen DailyEntry FeeFree EntryTime Needed30 minutes

Entry Fee: Free entry — an open ASI-protected monument. Access is occasionally restricted for safety; confirm before a special trip.

Verified: July 2026

Location & How to Reach

Address

Mehrauli Archaeological Park, south of Adham Khan's Tomb, Mehrauli, New Delhi, Delhi, 110030

In the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, beside Jahaz Mahal

📍 Get Directions🗺️ View on map

🚇 Nearest Metro: Qutub Minar (Yellow Line) — about 2 km, then an auto

🚶 Walking from Metro: From Qutub Minar metro take a short auto (~2 km) to Mehrauli, then a short walk into the Archaeological Park.

Distance from

  • • Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL): 15 km (~40 min)
  • • Connaught Place: 16 km (~45 min)
  • • New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS): 17 km (~48 min)

Parking

street · ₹20–₹50 (paid)

Street parking near the Mehrauli bus terminal; easier by auto from the metro.

🚕 Ride Hailing Tip: Uber and Ola drop near the Mehrauli bus terminal; walk into the Archaeological Park to the baoli.

How to Reach: Gandhak ki Baoli is in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park, south of Adham Khan's Tomb and beside Jahaz Mahal. Nearest metro: Qutub Minar (Yellow Line), about 2 km, then an auto/e-rickshaw into Mehrauli; it is a short distance from the Mehrauli bus terminus.

Things to Do

  • Descend the five-tier stairway
  • Photograph the stepped galleries
  • Learn the sulphur-water history
  • Pair with Adham Khan's Tomb and Rajon ki Baoli
  • Enjoy the calm away from the Qutub crowds

Best Time to Visit

Best SeasonOctober to MarchBest Time of DayLate morning to early afternoonTime Needed30 minutesCrowd LevelsQuiet — far less crowded than the nearby Qutub Minar

History & Significance

History

Gandhak ki Baoli is a stepwell built during the reign of Sultan Iltutmish (1211–1236) of the Delhi Sultanate.

  • Traditionally associated with the Sufi saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, who lived in Mehrauli, it is said to have been built to supply his settlement with year-round water.
  • Its name means 'sulphur' — the water carried a sulphur smell believed to be curative.
  • It silted up over the centuries until the ASI desilted it around 2004–05 and recovered its water.

🏛️ Architect: A rubble-and-stone stepwell in the early Delhi Sultanate (Mamluk-era) idiom: five descending, tapering levels reached by a long central stairway (~40 m long, ~12 m wide) of about 105 steps, flanked by ornate pillared arcades that framed the sulphur-water reservoir at the base.

Significance

Gandhak ki Baoli is one of the oldest and largest surviving stepwells in Delhi and a centrepiece of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park — an important example of Delhi Sultanate water-harvesting engineering, prized for its five-tier architecture and its unusual sulphur-rich 'curative' water.

Places to Visit Nearby

Adham Khan's Tomb

0.1 km away

A 1562 octagonal Mughal tomb known as the Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

Mehrauli Archaeological Park

0.2 km away

A 200-acre open-air museum of tombs, stepwells and follies (incl. Rajon ki Baoli).

Qutub Minar

1.5 km away

The 73-metre victory tower and the rust-free Iron Pillar.

Family & Accessibility

Kid Friendly3of 5Stroller AccessNoWheelchair AccessNoChanging RoomNoPet PolicyNo

Family Highlights

  • • Delhi's largest medieval stepwell
  • • Five tapering tiers and about 105 steps
  • • Ornate pillared arcades on each level
  • • A quiet corner of Mehrauli Archaeological Park

Photography & Drone

Drone PolicyProhibited

💰 Equipment Fees: Free, no photography charge.

📍 The Golden Spot: The full five-tier stairway and pillared galleries in soft, raking light.

🌅 Best Light Time: Late morning to early afternoon, when light reaches down the well.

Tips & Safety

💡 Insider Tips

🌅 Secret View: Rajon ki Baoli is only about 200 metres away — the two stepwells make a lovely two-baoli heritage mini-trail.

🎯 Crowd Hack: It is one of Mehrauli's quietest heritage stops — a weekday visit is often near-empty.

💎 Secret Fact: Its name means the 'sulphur stepwell' — the water carried a sulphur smell long believed to be curative, and the ASI recovered the water after desilting it around 2004–05.

⚡ Express Tour

20 minutes — the descent, the galleries and the reservoir.

🔭 Deep Dive Tour

Half day — Gandhak ki Baoli, Adham Khan's Tomb, Rajon ki Baoli and the Qutub complex.

🙏 Etiquette & Dress Code

Do's

  • Descend the five-tier stairway carefully to view the reservoir
  • Photograph the symmetry of the stepped galleries
  • Learn the sulphur-water and Sufi-settlement history
  • Pair it with Adham Khan's Tomb and Rajon ki Baoli nearby
  • Enjoy the calm away from the Qutub crowds

Don'ts

  • Do not descend to the lowest wet, slippery levels
  • Do not lean over the unrailed edges
  • Do not assume it is open — access is sometimes restricted
  • Do not visit alone in fading light

👕 Dress Code: No dress code; grippy footwear for the old, sometimes slippery steps.

📷 Photography Rules: Personal photography is free; the stepped galleries are the signature shot.

Good to Know

💳 Money & Connectivity

UPINoCardsNoCashYes

🏧 Nearest ATM: ATMs near the Mehrauli bus terminal and the Qutub complex (within 1.5 km).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Gandhak ki Baoli timings and entry fee?

Entry is free — it is an open ASI monument accessible in daylight, roughly 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Access is occasionally restricted for safety, so confirm before a special trip.

Which is the nearest metro to Gandhak ki Baoli?

Qutub Minar on the Yellow Line is about 2 km away; take an auto into Mehrauli, near the bus terminus and the Archaeological Park.

Why is it called Gandhak ki Baoli?

'Gandhak' means sulphur — the stepwell's water carried a distinct sulphur content and smell that was locally believed to have curative, medicinal properties.

How old is Gandhak ki Baoli?

It dates to the early 13th century, built during the reign of Sultan Iltutmish (1211–1236), and is often described as the largest stepwell in Delhi, with five tiers and about 105 steps.

Is Gandhak ki Baoli safe to visit?

Descend carefully — the old stone steps are unrailed and can be slippery, and the lowest levels can be wet; solo visitors, especially women, should prefer daylight and company, and confirm the well is open before visiting.

Where can I eat vegetarian food near Gandhak ki Baoli?

The budget pure-veg Malik Vegetarian Rasoi is nearby by the Mehrauli bus terminal, with Saravana Bhavan and Sagar Ratna in Saket a short ride away.

Categories

Heritage & Culture

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#stepwell#baoli#iltutmish#sulphur-water#mehrauli#free-entry
Gandhak ki Baoli, New Delhi — TasteYatra