Love the crunch of pebbles under your shoes, the chirping of birds around you, and the cool breeze on your face as you run? We’re giving you the lowdown on running trails in the city you can head out to for a run without worrying (too much) about your safety. Let’s go.
#LBBPicks: 6 Running Trails For Women In Delhi & Gurgaon
Sanjay Van
One of the city’s most well-maintained running trails, Sanjay Van is a huge forest area that’s spread over about 10 square kms. If you love running in completely natural surroundings, Sanjay Van’s got quite a bit of greenery, a few water bodies, and even a bit of wildlife here and there. You’ll find plenty of people running, walking, cycling, and doing yoga here.
#LBBTip: 2.3 kms of the track are marked, and seven kms are unmarked; we suggest you stick to the 2.3 km route. It’s closed after sunset, so make sure you time your run accordingly.
Leisure Valley Park
Although at one point this used to be a lot lusher and beautifully maintained, Leisure Valley Park is still one of the safer options for women runners in G-Town. With a running trail that covers about two kms, there are three major entrances to this park, and no matter which one you take, we suggest you stop by Roots Café inside for a quick bite of poha and chai after your run.
Lodi Gardens
Located in central Delhi, Lodi Gardens is the preferred spot for many top city bureaucrats and ministers, so you know it is one of the safer places for running. The designated jogging path is approximately two kilometres, so you can take a couple of laps to get a good sweat going.
The good news? Khan Market’s right around the corner, so you can meet up with your girlfriends for a post-run breakfast meet over the weekend.
Aravalli Bio Diversity Park
More commonly known as ‘Bio D Park’, the Aravalli Bio-Diversity is a popular pick among many women runners in Gurgaon. The park’s got wetlands, ponds, bio-reserves, a cycling track, and a walking/running track (2.5 kms), among other things.
#LBBTip: The ground here is fairly bumpy, and has quite a few inclines; this makes the run a bit more challenging.
Rose Garden
With beautiful flowers, tall trees, and a red sand jogging path, Rose Garden makes a scenic backdrop for runners who love nature. Although it is only open for the public in the months of February and March as that is the time when the flowers are in full bloom. During these months, you should visit either in the morning or evening. Plus, HKV is just a stone’s throw away, so you can grab a cup of coffee after your early morning run, and then head out to work. Or, if you are in a mood to explore more, Red Fort and Mughal Garden are also closeby.
Lutyens' Delhi
With smooth, clean roads and lush green lawns, Lutyens’ is possibly one of the best and safest localities in Delhi to go for a run (and otherwise as well). Whether you’re running down South Avenue towards Rashtrapati Bhawan, or down Rajpath towards India Gate (the most popular running route here; it covers about 2.4 kms), you’ll find plenty of interesting sights to keep you entertained.
(These picks are based on our research and inputs from women runners across Delhi NCR. However, we recommend that you exercise caution at all times by staying in well-lit areas during evenings or venturing out in groups).