Amritsar Tour Packages

SGPC's published routine opens the sanctum doors between 2 and 3 am, depending on the season. The Palki Sahib procession then carries the Guru Granth Sahib from the Akal Takht to the sanctum, at about 5 am from mid-October to mid-February and up to an hour earlier in summer; at night it returns between about 9.45 and 10.45 pm. The langar runs day and night. Early morning is usually the calmest time to join the queue for the sanctum.

Hand in your shoes and socks at the shoe counters and cover your head before you enter: the rule applies to everyone, men and women alike, and scarves are provided if you have none. Dress modestly, and keep to the queue for the sanctum, which crosses the causeway over the pool. On our Golden Temple, Amritsar tour, your guide briefs you on the etiquette before you arrive, including where photographs are not appropriate.

Everyone is welcome, whatever their faith, caste or background. The langar serves free vegetarian meals through the day and night, eaten sitting together in rows on the floor, a practice called pangat. Punjab Tourism puts the numbers in the tens of thousands every day, and the district administration says they reach 100,000 on special occasions. On the Golden Temple tour, a meal in the langar hall is built into the visit.

The Border Security Force lowers the flags at the Attari–Wagah border every evening, late each afternoon, before sunset, at a time that moves with the seasons, so we confirm it for your date. Entry is free, and Punjab Tourism advises reaching the gallery at least 45 minutes early. BSF can also close it to the public at short notice, so check a day ahead.

Yes, and it is a short walk from the Golden Temple. On 13 April 1919, Baisakhi Day, British troops under Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer fired on a peaceful gathering here; the walls still carry bullet marks, the well into which people jumped to escape is preserved, and a Martyrs' Gallery tells the story. Entry is free, and it is open daily from early morning into the evening. The ten-day tour visits it on its last full day in Amritsar.

Inside the complex, the Central Sikh Museum and an underground Interpretation Centre, with free English headsets, explain Sikh history. In the city, the Partition Museum in the Town Hall (closed on Mondays) tells the story of 1947; Gobindgarh Fort, a few kilometres away, is best in the evening for its shows; the Durgiana Temple, about 1.5 km away, is built in the Golden Temple's style; and Heritage Street runs for about a kilometre from the Town Hall to the temple.

SGPC, which manages the Golden Temple, runs pilgrim rest houses (sarais) around the complex, with reception counters open round the clock and a few rooms set aside for foreign visitors; rooms are allotted first come, first served, subject to availability. The Golden Temple, Amritsar tour does not include accommodation, so the specialist can add a hotel near the temple to your written quote instead.