Around Delhi, Hire N Ride has self-drive cars in five bases: Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Rohtak and Meerut. Each one opens a different day out: the Taj by moonlight and Vrindavan from Noida, Sultanpur's birds and Sariska's tigers from Gurugram, Kurukshetra and Narnaul from Delhi, Rakhigarhi and Bhindawas from Rohtak, and Sardhana and Hastinapur from Meerut. This guide links every Delhi NCR and Haryana drive we have published, grouped by base, with distances, timing and where to book.
The National Capital Region sits at the hub of fast expressways and old trunk roads, so a full day out is easy if you leave before the traffic. Most of our plans have you out of the city by dawn and back by dark. Every distance and date below comes from the linked guide, which has the full route and the sources we checked.
From Noida: the Yamuna Expressway trips
The Taj by moonlight is one of the most unusual drives in India. For most of the month the Taj Mahal closes 30 minutes before sunset, but for five nights around each full moon it opens again after dark for about 400 people a night in small batches, and never on a Friday, when the monument is shut. Our guide explains how to book a night slot, drive the Yamuna Expressway and why you should stay over in Agra rather than drive back late.
Vrindavan before the Kartik crowds uses the same expressway: Noida to the Mathura exit, then about 12 to 15 km on local roads into Vrindavan. Travel guides quote about 138 km and two hours in light traffic, and round trips easily pass 300 km once you add temple hops and an optional Mathura loop, so check your rental's kilometre limit. In 2026 the Kartik month runs from 27 October to 24 November, with Diwali on 8 November, when Vrindavan's lanes are at their busiest.
From Gurugram: birds and tigers
Sultanpur National Park is one of the easiest nature mornings in the region. Map routing puts it about 16.5 km from central Gurugram, around 20 minutes in light traffic. The park reopened on 1 October 2026 after its June to September closure, according to the Times of India, and the migratory season runs roughly from October to March. Birds are most active in the first hours after sunrise, and Farrukhnagar's stepwell is close by.
Sariska by car is the region's most accessible tiger reserve. Gurugram to Alwar via Sohna Road is roughly 130 to 150 km, and Sariska's main gate is about 35 km beyond Alwar; allow 3.5 to 4.5 hours each way with a breakfast stop. Sariska reopened for safaris on 1 October after its monsoon break, and our guide covers the Wednesday closure, safari slots and Siliserh Lake.
From Delhi: Kurukshetra and Narnaul
Kurukshetra deserves a full day. The district administration puts it about 160 km from Delhi via NH44, the old Grand Trunk Road, and a round trip with local driving comes to about 320 to 350 km. The town packs two great sacred tanks, the traditional site of the Bhagavad Gita at Jyotisar, Sheikh Chilli's Tomb and a row of museums into a few kilometres. The 2026 International Gita Mahotsav is due to run from 5 to 25 December, so October and November are quieter.
Narnaul's Jal Mahal stands in water again. In August 2026 the Hindustan Times and The Tribune reported that its reservoir had been refilled after about ten years dry, with roughly 170 million litres of water to a depth of about five feet, so the 1591 pavilion once more appears to float. Narnaul is about 150 km from central Delhi, and our loop via Rewari's steam loco shed comes to roughly 300 km in total.
From Rohtak: Harappan mounds and Haryana's largest wetland
Hansi and Rakhigarhi make an archaeology day. Rohtak to Hansi's Asigarh Fort on NH9 is about 78 km, Rakhigarhi is about 32 km more, and the drive back is roughly 85 km. The Archaeological Survey of India describes Rakhigarhi as the largest known Harappan settlement, and ASI officials told The Indian Express that the next round of digging was expected to start after Diwali, so autumn is a quiet window.
The Bhindawas loop links the Beri temple, Haryana's largest wetland and Jhajjar's Mughal-era tombs in roughly 105 km: Rohtak to Beri about 25 km, Beri to Bhindawas about 26 km, Bhindawas to Jhajjar about 20 km and back to Rohtak about 35 km. The district administration says a 12 km vehicle track runs right around the lake, and the Ramsar listing gives the wetland's area as 412 hectares.
From Meerut: 1857 and two very different faiths
Meerut's 1857 sites and Hastinapur fit into one day. On 10 May 1857 sepoys of the Meerut garrison broke into revolt, an evening widely treated as the start of the Indian Rebellion. The three 1857 stops in the city sit close together, and Hastinapur, named in the Mahabharata as the capital of the Kurus and revered by Jains as the birthplace of three Tirthankaras, is about 38 km away, roughly 50 minutes by road.
Sardhana's basilica is 22 km from Meerut, according to the basilica's own website. It was built by Begum Samru, who started life as a dancer in Delhi, ruled the territory for more than half a century, led her own troops and became a Catholic in 1781. She is buried inside under an 18-foot marble monument carved in Italy, and Shahpeer's unfinished Mughal tomb is nearby; the whole morning is about 50 km of driving.
Distances at a glance
| From | To | Approx. distance | Suggested trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gurugram | Sultanpur | About 16.5 km | Dawn half day |
| Meerut | Sardhana | About 22 km | Morning |
| Meerut | Hastinapur | About 38 km | Day with city sites |
| Rohtak | Bhindawas loop | About 105 km round trip | Day |
| Noida | Vrindavan | About 138 km | Day |
| Gurugram | Sariska | About 165 to 185 km | Long day |
| Delhi | Narnaul | About 150 km | Day loop of about 300 km |
| Delhi | Kurukshetra | About 160 km | Full day |
| Rohtak | Hansi and Rakhigarhi loop | About 195 km | Day |
Which base for which trip?
Noida is the natural start for anything down the Yamuna Expressway: Vrindavan, Mathura and Agra. Gurugram sits on the south-western side, closest to Sultanpur and the Sohna Road towards Alwar and Sariska. Delhi is best for the long trunk-road days north to Kurukshetra and south-west to Rewari and Narnaul. Rohtak puts you in the middle of Haryana's heritage and wetland country, and Meerut is the base for western Uttar Pradesh, with Sardhana and Hastinapur close by. Choosing the base nearest your destination can save an hour of city traffic at each end of the day.
Seasons
October to March is the comfortable season for these drives. Sultanpur's migratory birds arrive from October and stay until about March, and Sariska and Sultanpur both reopen on 1 October after their monsoon breaks. Late October and November also bring big festival dates, including Diwali on 8 November 2026 and the Kartik month in Vrindavan, so plan temple visits for the quieter weeks before. Winter mornings can be foggy on the expressways, so allow extra time and drive with headlights on in low visibility.
Planning tips
Check the kilometre cap. Several of these days pass 300 km, so compare your route with the listing's daily allowance before booking.
Keep FASTag topped up. The expressways and NH44 are tolled throughout.
Watch weekly closures. The Taj is shut on Fridays and Sariska on Wednesdays, as our guides note, and many museums close one day a week.
Mind the air. In autumn and winter Delhi NCR can come under GRAP pollution restrictions; our Kurukshetra guide suggests checking them before you set out.
A sample long weekend
Spend the first morning at Sultanpur from Gurugram and the afternoon at Farrukhnagar. On day two, drive from Delhi to Kurukshetra for the full day. On day three, take the Narnaul loop via Rewari, and if the dates line up with the full moon, finish with a Taj night from Noida and an overnight in Agra.
Questions travellers ask
Can I see the Taj at night on a day trip from Noida?
Night viewing ends late, so our guide recommends staying over in Agra rather than driving back on the expressway after midnight.
What is the closest wildlife trip to Gurugram?
Sultanpur National Park, about 16.5 km away, for winter birds. For tigers, Sariska is a long day or an overnight.
Is Kurukshetra worth a full day from Delhi?
Yes. The sacred tanks, Jyotisar and the museums sit a few kilometres apart and take a full day at a relaxed pace.
Practical tips
- Carry your original driving licence and a government photo ID for pickup and monument entry.
- Leave before 7 am to clear city traffic on weekdays and long weekends.
- Compare vehicles and reviews on Hire N Ride and Zoomcar before festival weekends.
Where to book
Book from the city pages: self-drive car rental in Delhi, self-drive car rental in Noida, self-drive car rental in Gurugram, self-drive car rental in Rohtak and self-drive car rental in Meerut.
