Day 1:

Golden Temple Complex

06:00 AM – 02:00 PM

When in Amritsar, you must begin your tour by paying a visit to the Shri Harmandir Sahib aka Golden Temple

The shrine provides the soil for selflessness and humility, in addition to discipline and order. The methodical way of life inside the premise resonates powerfully with the universal energy and certainly puts things into a new perspective. Service to humanity is at the core of the daily routine which leads to attaining spiritual fulfillment and essentially fostering stronger bonds in society. Everyone is welcomed to be a volunteer and offer their services at the shrine. The world’s largest community kitchen, Guru ka Langar is a 24-hour service offering food to scores of devotees.

The entry to the Akal Takht is through the premise of Golden Temple.

To know more about Golden Temple visit www.goldentempleamritsar.org

Time duration: 3 – 4 hours

Mode of Transport: Hire an auto or take an e-rickshaw ride.

At a distance of 300 meters from the Golden Temple, you find the accessway to Jallianwala Bagh Memorial.

The incident that sends chills down our spines and that makes our blood boil each time we are reminded of it. The moment one enters the gate and walks through the historical lane, the horrendous acts of 1919 keep playing in the mind with an unanswered question in the heart – Why? The bullet marks and the bloodstains on the wall are testimony to the brutalities and inhumanities of colonial rulers.

Time duration: 2 – 3 hours

Mode of Transport: 5-min walk from Golden Temple.

Later, take a walk along Heritage Street. Heritage Street is one of the oldest streets of Amritsar. Lately, this has been converted into a no-car zone. The street is now a popular shopping spot for tourists.

For lunch, you must try Bharawan da Dhaba or Brothers Dhaba. Both the dhabas are adjacent to one another. They serve pure vegetarian dishes cooked in traditional Punjabi style.

Opposite Bharawan da Dhaba is the Partition Museum.

The museum is newly inaugurated with the purpose of educating the future generation about the tragedies of dividing a nation. The museum is the first of its kind. Its collection contains crucial information, events, authorities involved, and consequences of the partition. It also showcases the artifacts that were brought by the refugees from the other side of the border.

Time duration: 2 – 2.5 hours

Mode of Transport: 5-min walk from Golden Temple.

After this head back to your hotel and get some rest.

Golden Temple (Evening View)

07:00 PM – 09:00 PM

After sunset, the Golden Temple Complex is illuminated. The view of Shri Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara under the night sky is a sight to cherish for a lifetime. The atmosphere within the complex remains constant throughout the day.

Also read: Best Area To Book your Hotel in Amritsar

Day 2:

Historical Landmarks

09:00 AM – 02:00 PM

Your day’s sightseeing begins after having breakfast at the famous Kulcha Land at Ranjit Avenue. Try out their potato and paneer kulcha with a glass of lassi.

Post breakfast, head towards the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum at Ram Bagh, 3 km from Kulcha Land.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, famously known as Sher-E-Punjab, was the first king of the Sikh Empire. He is an icon and a role model for the people of Punjab. The museum was used to be the palace of the Maharaja. Now it is open for the public to view the belongings of the King. The museum walks you through the heroics and journey of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s life. You cannot afford to miss this when in Amritsar.

Time duration: 1.5 – 2 hours

Mode of Transport: Hire an auto or take an e-rickshaw ride from your hotel.

2 km from the museum is the Durgiana Temple.

Dedicated to Goddess Durga, the temple is also known as Laxmi Narayan Mandir. It is actually a temple complex with Hanuman temple and Sheetla Mata Mandir and Dugiana Temple in the center. What attracts the tourists here is the fact that the architecture of the temple complex is strikingly similar to that of the Golden Temple.

Time duration: 45 min – 1 hour

Mode of Transport: Hire an auto or take an e-rickshaw ride.

At a distance of 1 km from the temple, you stop at Kesar Da Dhaba for lunch. The restaurant was established in the year 1916 at a place close to Lahore. However, after partition, the dhaba has been serving its customers from the narrow lanes of Amritsar.

Light and Sound Show in the Fort

03:00 PM – 08:00 PM

Gobindgarh Fort is around 2 km from Kesar da Dhaba and an important landmark of Amritsar.

Almost 300 years old, the fort is now a museum that showcases the culture and history of Punjab. It was previously controlled by the Indian Army, but after 2017, the fort is open to the public. There are multiple sections of the museums where live shows are performed. Tickets can be bought till 04:00 PM.

For more information and tickets, visit: www.fortgobindgarh.com

Time duration: 3 – 4 hours

Mode of Transport: Hire an auto or take an e-rickshaw ride.

Also read: India-Pakistan Border Itinerary

Day 3:

Border Visit

Wagah Border is approximately 30 km from Amritsar and takes close to an hour to get there. Have your breakfast and start your journey by 9:00 AM

Mode of Transport: Book a cab for a day. This will save time and is a convenient option if traveling with family.

09:00 AM – 12:00 PM

On your way to the Wagah Border, you can stop by at any of the following two places:

1. Punjab State’s War Heroes Memorial and Museum

The newly inaugurated Punjab State’s War Heroes Memorial and Museum began its operations in 2016. It showcases the sacrifices and heroics of soldiers from the Punjab region from ancient times till Indo-Pak War in 1971. It depicts the rise of the Sikh Empire in the era of Guru Hargobind Singh and the turmoil of the Anglo-Sikh Wars.

Time duration: 1 – 2hours

2. Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal, Kaler

Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal in Kaler is the Ashram of Maharishi Valmiki. This is a sacred site where Sita of Ramayana took shelter and gave birth to Lava and Kusha, sons of Lord Rama. The battle between Lord Rama and Lava and Kusha is believed to have occurred in this region.

Time duration: 1 – 2 hours

02:00 PM – 07:00 PM

Sarhad Restaurant is a popular restaurant situated 5 km from the Border Gate on GT Road.

The Wagah Border Ceremony, also called the Beating Retreat Ceremony, begins at 05:00 PM and ends at 06:00 PM every day. The ceremony is witnessed by 10,000 visitors daily. On weekends and Independence Day that number goes up to 20,000 – 30,000.  The newly constructed stadium can accommodate 25,000 tourists at a time. The gates are opened at 03:30 PM.

Points to note:

1.If you are lucky enough to get a VIP pass, you get the best seats to watch the ceremony.

2.Make sure to reach by 2:30 PM and be at the front row of a pretty long queue. Once the gate opens, everyone present rushes to grab a seat. You have to be real quick and smart to get the seat with the best views.

3.There are separate seats for foreigners.

4.LED screens are installed at the entrance. Those who failed to get a seat for themselves can watch the ceremony on the screens behind the entrance gate.

5.Water bottles, eatables, power banks, mobile chargers, batteries are strictly prohibited.

6.Restaurants, tea stalls, packaged drinking water are available at the food plaza near the parking lot.

7.The region is under strict supervision. Only mobile phones and cameras are allowed to carry beyond the parking area. Leave your bags and other belongings in your car or book a locker.

8.The mobile network is weak for a post-paid and pre-paid network doesn’t work at the border region.

9.Armed personnel monitors every movement from the parking area to Border Gate.