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Magic Hour Tour: Immersive Early Morning Adventure in Calcutta's Local Spots and Culture
5.0
227 Ratings
Kolkata
Experience an immersive early morning adventure in Calcutta’s local spots and culture. Watch the city wake up, try different modes of transport, and fall in love with Calcutta’s local fabric.
Experience an immersive early morning adventure in Calcutta’s local spots and culture. Watch the city wake up, try different modes of transport, and fall in love with Calcutta’s local fabric.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Calcutta Capsule - Every morning, before the sun is up; as the street lamps of Calcutta go off, we start the Magic hour tour to watch Calcutta Wake up.
We hop on to the first bus of the day from the oldest neighborhood of Calcutta as the city enters the enchanting Magic Hour. Meandering through the sleepy 300 year locality in full throttle ,the…
-
Calcutta Capsule - Every morning, before the sun is up; as the street lamps of Calcutta go off, we start the Magic hour tour to watch Calcutta Wake up.
We hop on to the first bus of the day from the oldest neighborhood of Calcutta as the city enters the enchanting Magic Hour. Meandering through the sleepy 300 year locality in full throttle ,the next few hours are spent visiting the oldest areas of Calcutta.
Before the bustling giant city wakes up we’d have used all the iconic modes of transport, had breakfast in a century old hidden spot, gossiped about Calcutta like a Local, talked about its history, anthropology and fallen desperately in Love with the city.
The \
What's Included
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- Breakfast
- DSLR photography (soft copies provided after the tour)
- TripAdvisor Experiences brokerage fee
- Tea and coffee
- Food tasting
- Local guide
- Bottled water
- Snacks
- Breakfast
- DSLR photography (soft copies provided after the tour)
- TripAdvisor Experiences brokerage fee
- Tea and coffee
- Food tasting
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on an early dawn journey to observe the city of Calcutta stirring to life. Discover Calcutta from a native’s perspective and not simply as a sightseer. Experiment with various forms of local transportation, visit local hangouts, and seamlessly integrate into the rhythm of Calcutta like a true native. This tour offers an Anthropological encounter…
Embark on an early dawn journey to observe the city of Calcutta stirring to life. Discover Calcutta from a native’s perspective and not simply as a sightseer. Experiment with various forms of local transportation, visit local hangouts, and seamlessly integrate into the rhythm of Calcutta like a true native. This tour offers an Anthropological encounter with the city and its inhabitants, rather than the typical heritage exploration. The purpose of this venture is not just for you to learn about the city, but to weave a deep bond with Calcutta and its local ethos. The expert guide of this journey is Soham, the founder of Calcutta Capsule Walking Tours. Many consider him the world’s best walking tour expert, as per the reviews. Key elements of this tour include visits to Old Calcutta, Howrah Bridge, Flower Market, Ganges/Ganga, Kumartuli - an idol production village, and a traditional local breakfast. This tour is perfect for anyone wishing to really feel the city’s pulse and establish a connection with Calcutta in a short span of time.
- Dress code is smart casual
Location
Metro INOX
Jawaharlal Nehru Road
You can reach the starting point by typing *Metro Inox* in any google maps app or inputting Destination as Metro Inox in any Cab App like Uber/Ola.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(227 Ratings)
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Kaushikdelhi677
Oct 4, 2025
Oh kuch pal - Wonderful one... Thanks to Soham for making this 4 hours valuable with sweet memories. Will surely get back with long hours. Last but not least, Kolkata wishes you to live long like a city of memory and nostalgic place.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Worldismyhome
Sep 14, 2025
A tour chock-full of nice surprises with the best tour guide - I am still reeling with excitement from this thrilling experience. The Magic Hour Tour was...magical! Soham, the guide extraordinaire, couldn't have done a better job at leaving a lasting positive impression. I have never met a guide who simultaneously manages all the operational intricacies of a complex tour while keeping his composure throughout, being very professional, polite, accommodating and pleasant. It was so heartwarming to observe him interact with people that crossed our paths during the tour.
The Magic Hour Tour began promptly at 05:30 and within minutes Soham was already pointing out unique cultural elements of Calcutta. There was never one boring moment and time flew fast! Without a single doubt this is one tour that must not be missed!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Resort60053382037
Sep 14, 2025
It was a very fulfilling tour. - It was a lot of fun. Thank you for your guide, Mr. Soham.
The four-hour tour was quick.
He told me about the transition of Kolkata from the past to the present. It was a great experience to travel in the back alleys of the market, in yellow cabs, in liqueurs, on buses and on boats, where you couldn't go alone. As the title of the tour suggests, the city gradually changed from the quiet of Kolkata in the morning, which was a lot of fun.
Mr. Soham, our guide, was very knowledgeable and explained it in a very easy way.
It was a tour that included everything I wanted to experience in Kolkata and go to. If I had the chance, I would have liked to go on another tour.
It was a very fulfilling tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Candacehoper
Aug 27, 2025
A refreshing and fun filled tour - Soham took me on an extraordinary tour of early morning Calcutta. He is so knowledgeable and accommodating, flexible to every need. I loved the tour of the street that makes idols, as well as his commentary on British period conflicts.
Be sure to ask him about the black hole of Calcutta, he is full of information, with good English. Many guides just spout memorized facts to you with no interaction. This is not the case with Solhan, and he will not take you to a gift shop! That fact alone makes him a standout.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
840shuvrad
Aug 22, 2025
Experienced the Magic - This was a fantastic experience. Soham is an awesome tour guide and conductor. Even though I am originally from this city, he surprised me many times during the tour by taking me to places that I have not been to. His narration was a perfect blend of history, story telling, and casual conversation. I was the only one on the tour today and that made it even more special since we could move at a relaxed pace, talk about a number of things and experince the city as the day broke. I particularly liked how he wove-in the key spots in the city and the experince of being on different modes of travel. And the breakfast at the iconic restaurant was a perfect icing on the cake ( or shall I say mishti on kachuri). Would love to recommend this touring company to friends and family!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pvfm
May 12, 2025
You should take this tour if you're in Kolkata, as Soham is a very knowledgeable and nice guy! - Very well-organized and curated tour. It is very beautiful when you do a tour with someone so in love with the subject, and knowledgeable about the local history, as Soham. We visited different locations, sometimes within walking distance and others at a more distant range, and Soham had all well planned to accommodate different types of local transportation so we could take an ambassador taxi, a public bus, an autorickshaw (CNG), and a ferry on the Ganga river. I wish I could come back to Kolkata soon and do the other tour options with Soham and Calcutta Capsule!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Raewyn
May 7, 2025
It's a must do! - Awesome tour. Soham was an exceptional guide, giving us just the right amount of information, while taking into areas we would never have found or ventured into by ourselves. Probably the best tour of its kind we have been on.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U6907eamichellek
Apr 20, 2025
A great introduction to the joys of Kolkata - This was an extremely enjoyable tour. It has been carefully curated to incorporate a variety of quintessential Kolkata experiences. Soham is a charming, enthusiastic and generous guide who is very proud of his home town and clearly enjoys sharing this with visitors to the city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wilde_at_hart
Apr 14, 2025
Beautiful photos capture the vibrant colours as you experience the sounds and smells of Calcutta - This tour was the highlight of our trip. Soham is knowledgeable and loves his city. Let the early hour NOT put you off. You will be grateful as it gets extremely hot in the middle of the day.
Watching Calcutta wake up with the dawn is an experience you will not forget. From the flower market, crossing the Howrah bridge, the boat and bus ride, integrating with the local people as they go about their lives from children going to school to locals jumping off the boat to swim in the river, a ritual performed everyday, gave us a rare insight into the lives of ordinary people.
Soham drops in little snippets of history and anecdotes as you navigate the city. We were rewarded with the most candid and beautiful photos as a memory of our trip which Soham took throughout the tour.
This tour gives you a depth and knowledge of the city that nothing else can. You experience a local bus ride, a yellow taxi ride, a boat trip, a tuk tuk ride, have a cup of tea at a local stall, watch the locals have their breakfast, have breakfast with the local people and feel part of the vibrancy of the city.
This tour is an absolute must do in the Calcutta especially if you only have a few days so you can see and learn as much as you can about local life, history and food. You come away feeling you have got a little bit under the skin of this complex city and its people.
The photos are an incredible bonus that gives this tour a special touch from a very humble, knowledgeable and experienced photographer, Soham, who gets great joy from crafting his art on the streets he calls home and sharing his memories of growing up in his neighbourhood. This is one tour you must have on your list.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susandv7197xx
Mar 25, 2025
Amazing - Soham is passionate about his home city which he clearly loves. Even though I have been to Kolkata many times before, I learned so much from him. It was amazing watching the city come to life in the early morning and visiting so many interesting places. I loved this tour and would be happy to do it again next time I'm here. Well worth the early start. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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