Qutub Minar at Night: Can You Really Visit After Sunset?

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Qutub Minar is one of the best places to visit in Delhi, no matter the season. 

Honestly, I had never visited an archaeological site after sunset in dark. For the longest time, I believed Qutub Minar also gets closed at sunset.

But recently, I came across something exciting – a night photowalk at Qutub Minar. That instantly caught my attention, and I knew I had to experience it.

The Plan

I’ve been to Qutub Minar plenty of times during the day, but never after sunset. This felt completely new. I asked a friend if he wanted to join the night photowalk, and he was thrilled, too.

I packed my camera, two lenses, and a GoPro in my bag before leaving.

On the way, my friend joined me at the interchange station, and together we continued our journey to Qutub Minar.

Qutub Minar

The meeting point was the ticket counter at 4:30 p.m., and we arrived right on time.

As we reached, we noticed a small crowd gathered there, and as expected, they were all part of the photowalk.

A Small Surprise – Bags Not Allowed

As we reached the counter, I got to know that bags were not allowed inside.

That confused me because earlier, during my morning visits, I had always carried a bag inside. But since it was a weekend with a heavy footfall, the rules were stricter.

• Only one camera and one lens were allowed.
• After thinking for a bit, I chose the 56mm f/1.4 lens—perfect for low light.
• Most of us left our bags in the car of the photowalk organizer.

Double Tickets

Another thing I learned—each person had to take two tickets:

1. Afternoon ticket
2. Evening/night ticket

Each ticket cost ₹35, and the rule was explained by the photowalk lead. If you’re planning to visit, you can take the Qutub Minar online tickets beforehand.

Since we were around 30 people, we went inside in smaller batches of 3–4 so it didn’t look unusual with all of us carrying cameras.

Searching for Frames

Once inside, I felt a bit lost on what to capture. At first, I tried different angles of Qutub Minar but didn’t feel fully satisfied. So, I shifted my focus to candid moments of people around.

Indeed, I got myself clicked as well—rare moments!

We roamed everywhere, experimenting with frames and waiting for the sunset magic.

The Blue Hour Magic

This was the moment I had been waiting for.

As the sun started setting, I realized why we needed two tickets—because this was when the experience truly transformed.

• I noticed my friend taking a low-angle shot under a tree during the blue hour. I framed him in that environment and loved the outcome.

• Soon after, I asked him to stand at a particular spot. A perfect silhouette with Qutub Minar glowing in the background.

That photo turned out to be one of my best. When I posted it on Instagram, not only did people appreciate it, but Fujifilm India even featured it on their official page. That was the highlight of the evening!

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Qutub Minar at Night

For the first time ever, I saw Qutub Minar lit up at night from inside. I had seen the monument glowing from the outside before, but being inside after dark felt surreal.

We tried capturing creative night shots, but eventually, the light faded, making photography challenging. Still, I was content with what I had captured.

By 7:30 p.m., we exited Qutub Minar. Our bags were waiting in the organizer’s car, as we were among the last ones to leave.

Final Thoughts

This photowalk turned out to be an amazing experience.

• Exploring Qutub Minar at night felt completely different from the usual day visits.
• The rule of taking two tickets was a bit confusing, but since it was as per the authorities’ instructions, we followed it.
• The highlight was definitely capturing the blue hour silhouette shot, which not only gave me satisfaction but also recognition.

If you’ve only visited Qutub Minar during the day, I’d highly recommend trying a night visit—you’ll see the monument in a whole new light.