Amritsar Travel Guide
About Amritsar
The spiritual capital for Sikhs and home to the magnificent Golden Temple, Amritsar (literal meaning –pool of nectar) attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with over 100,000 visitors per day! The city is reached from Delhi by road on the main Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) and is situated right next to Lahore at just 50km away.
What to See / Do
The most obvious and first thing to do when visiting Amritsar is to pay homage to the Golden Temple. Situated in the middle of a waterbody, the Temple with its domed gilt roof is a breath-taking sight to behold. The whole structure is reflected in the shimmering pool of water upon which it sits. Open 24 hours all year round, the Temple houses the sacred scripture of the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth Sahib. Not only is the Golden Temple the most pious holy shrine we've ever visited but also the cleanest. Its white marble floors are actually spotless and glistening. Volunteers, young and old, are constantly seen sweeping, cleaning, polishing or helping in the kitchen which serves free meals (langar) twice a day to anyone who requests it. There is even free lodging for anyone who needs it.
The second must-do on your list of attractions in Amritsar is to visit the Wagah Border which divides India from Pakistan. Make it on time just before sunset for the daily 'lowering of the flags' or the 'Beating Retreat' ceremonies and you're in for a treat! These are a display of deliberately contemptuous yet entertaining military practices that the security forces of India and Pakistan have jointly followed since 1959...most of it for show...at least they're united on this front
The Jallianwala Bagh, site of the 1919 massacre, involved the senseless killing of hundreds of unarmed Indian civilians including men, women and children trapped in a locked public garden by a senior British army office, General Dyer. He ordered Indian army soldiers and Gurkhas to shoot to kill the defenceless innocents on a day most sacred to them as the birthday of the Khalsa – 13th April (also known as Baisakhi). This site is open today for anyone wishing to pay their respects and take a moment to reflect on the city's past, painful history.
Climate
The best time to visit Amritsar is between October to March. Temperatures can be blistering at times reaching 40C in the summer months and as low as 4C in winter. It tends to be quite hot and dry from April to August. Monsoon is generally from June to September and pretty humid.
Language
Punjabi, Hindi, English
Where to Stay
There are plenty of places to stay in this spiritual city from budget to luxury accommodation featuring all the usual international chains such as the Hyatt, Radisson Blu and Ramada. For those on a pilgrimage or a shoestring budget, you may wish to request the Golden Temple itself for free lodgings . As long as they have availability, you will be accommodated along with free, delicious, freshly cooked meals...as long as you lend a helping hand with the housework!
How to Get Here
Amritsar'sinternational airport has around160 domestic & international flights with daily connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Dubai, London, Doha and more.
The city is also well connected by rail links to any major city in India. It's pretty straightforward to drive to Amritsar from Delhi with access via the famous GT road.
Book your flight to Amritsar with Tickets to India and ask about our generous luggage allowances in all classes. Ask our reservations staff for further details now.
Book your hotel in Amritsar at the same time as your flights and take advantage of our fantastic flight+hotel deals. We can also arrange your airport transfers and excursions.