Amritsar Tours & Experiences

Things to do in Amritsar

See the Golden Temple at dawn

The sanctum doors open at about 2 to 3 am, depending on the season, and the Palki Sahib procession carries the Guru Granth Sahib from the Akal Takht at about 5 am in winter, earlier in summer. The district administration notes that the complex is less crowded early in the morning. Our Golden Temple, Amritsar tour briefs you on dress and etiquette before you arrive.

Eat in the langar, and lend a hand

Free vegetarian meals are served to everyone, day and night, with diners seated in rows on the floor; Punjab Tourism counts tens of thousands of people a day. Our Golden Temple tour builds in time for the meal.

Learn the history inside the complex

The Central Sikh Museum displays paintings, artefacts and manuscripts on the Gurus and Sikh history. Underground, the Interpretation Centre, open from 9 am to 4 pm, runs 15-minute films in four galleries, with free English headsets.

Walk Heritage Street and the old lanes

The kilometre from the Town Hall to the temple is lined with pink-toned façades, fountains and a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and is lit up in the evening, the best way to arrive for the temple at night. Punjab Tourism's 45-minute heritage walk also starts there, through narrow lanes of old havelis and bazaars to the temple; go in the morning or early evening.

Visit Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum

Near the temple, Jallianwala Bagh keeps the bullet-marked walls and the well from the massacre of 13 April 1919, with a Martyrs' Gallery. The Partition Museum in the Town Hall, the first in the world devoted to 1947, has 14 galleries and is closed on Mondays. Both fill day eight of our ten-day tour.

Watch the flag-lowering at Attari

Every evening before sunset, India's Border Security Force and Pakistan's Rangers lower their flags at the Attari–Wagah crossing, about 30 km west of the city. Entry is free; reach the gallery at least 45 minutes early, and check the time for your date, as it moves with the seasons. Our ten-day tour goes on the evening of its temple day.

See Gobindgarh Fort's evening shows

A few kilometres from the temple, Gobindgarh Fort holds the Tosha Khana coin museum, live Spirit of Punjab performances, a 7D film and, after dark, a projection-mapping show in Punjabi and English.

Eat Amritsari food

Have an Amritsari kulcha with chhole, then peda and lassi; meat eaters should try Amritsari fish and tandoori chicken.

Shop for phulkari, juttis and brassware

Hall Bazaar and Lawrence Road sell phulkari embroidery, Punjabi juttis and textiles, as well as papad, wadiyan and spices to take home. At Jandiala Guru, in the same district, visitors can watch the thatheras hammer brass and copper utensils by hand, a craft on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, and buy from them.

Visit Durgiana Temple and Ram Tirath

Durgiana Temple, about 1.5 km from the Golden Temple, was rebuilt in 1921 in its style. Ram Tirath, 11 km out, is honoured as Valmiki's ashram and the birthplace of Luv and Kush, and holds a four-day fair at the full moon in November.

Choosing between our tours and experiences

You can choose between two private tour packages, the same two shown on our Amritsar tour packages page. Take the Golden Temple tour if you are already in North India or adding Amritsar to your own plans: a private guide and vehicle for the temple, the Akal Takht and the langar, with an etiquette briefing first. Take the 10 Days Delhi Agra Jaipur with Golden Temple Tour for a first trip to India: the Golden Triangle, then return flights from Delhi to Amritsar, with a full day at the temple, the Attari ceremony, Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum.

When to go for these

October to March is the comfortable season. IMD's Amritsar station has passed 46°C in recent summers, and the monsoon peaks across Punjab in July and August. In December and January, expect near-freezing nights and fog thick enough to hold up planes and trains. The temple and old city are lit for Diwali, Vaisakhi on 13 or 14 April brings large gatherings, and Lohri's bonfires, songs and bhangra mark the end of winter.

Planning tips

Cover your head and hand in your shoes before entering the Golden Temple; scarves are provided. Dress modestly, carry little, and keep Mondays for places other than the Partition Museum. The city's sights and history are in our Amritsar travel guide, and the rest of the state is on our Punjab page.