Luxury Amritsar Tour: a fascinating pre or post tour extension to the Golden Temple

Your luxury Amritsar extension is best connected to the rest of your itinerary by direct flight from Delhi, Jaipur, or Mumbai. A member of our team will meet you at Amritsar airport and accompany you to Taj Swarna. (Those who prefer cosy heritage properties would be happier at Ranjit’s Svaasa, while the Hyatt is another excellent luxury option in place of the Taj).

 

There’ll be a couple of hours free in which to rest and settle in, ahead of visiting the Golden Temple this evening for the Putting to Bed Ceremony. Not only will the sight of the Golden Temple sparkling at night blow you away, but the unique and colourful ceremony itself is also an experience not to miss on a visit to Amritsar. The temple is home to the Adi Granth or Original Holy Book, a collection of hymns of the great saints. Every evening the Holy Scripture is ritually put to bed, as devotees take it from the Harmandir Sahib (where it stays in the daytime) to the Akal Takht. The ceremony takes place every evening at about 9:15 pm in the winter months and 10:15 pm in the summer.

Today, you’ll return to the temple with your guide for a more thorough exploration. The original Sikh temple in Amritsar was built here at the end of the 16th century, some years after bathing in the pool cured a leper. The temple was rebuilt in 1764 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and 100kg of gold was added in 1830, giving rise to its name, ‘The Golden Temple’.

 

Your guide will show you around the central area of the temple and explain its rich history and layout, including the vast dining hall where visitors sit down and eat a free meal together. The most incredible part – as you’ll find out as your guide takes you behind the scenes – is the expansive kitchens where volunteers freshly prepare all this food. You will see big cauldrons full of dhal (lentils) and groups of ladies rolling out chapatti (flatbread). Meanwhile, the noise in the background is the endless washing of plates. Sweets are available too, as well as a never-ending supply of sugary chai (tea): all free for anyone who wants it. Outside of the kitchens, you’ll see people bathing in the water believed to be sacred and wash away all illness. You’ll also hear chants coming from the temple while worshippers walk round in a clockwise direction.

 

A short walk away from the Golden Temple lies Jallianwala Bagh, the site of an infamous massacre in 1919. Hundreds of unarmed demonstrators were gunned down in this enclosed garden on the orders of General Reginald Dyer, who arrived heading a platoon of infantry from Jalandhar. It was an event that helped hasten the end of British rule in India. A memorial to those killed stands at the east end.

 

Later, you’ll head out to Wagah – the last check post on the Indian border with Pakistan. Each evening, as buglers sound the last post, two splendidly uniformed guards on either side of the border goose-step across to the flagpoles to lower their respective national flags. Their steps match so perfectly that it is like watching a mirror image of the same exercise. The ceremony, which attracts spectators on both sides, is a poignant reminder of the Partition of 1947 when Punjab was divided between two nations.

Today, you’ll be chauffeured back to the airport in time for your onward flight. For most of our guests, this is generally a flight back to Delhi where they either depart internationally (if their luxury Amritsar tour extension falls at the end of the stay) or start sightseeing in the capital (if placed at the beginning). Alternatively, Qatar Airways offers international connections from Amritsar via the UAE to many destinations, including London, Los Angeles and New York.

Our journeys are inclusive of accommodation with breakfast, a private car with a driver throughout, experienced guides, entrance tickets and excursions. In other words, we offer a seamless and hassle-free experience where the only thing you need to worry about is soaking up the serenity of the Golden Temple and enjoying your fabulous hotel! This indicative cost is per person, based on a couple travelling between October 2022 and March 2023, sharing a double or twin room. The cost would reduce significantly during the low-season months of April to September, while it will be noticeably higher during the peak Christmas and New Year period. Internal flights to get you to and from Amritsar are at additional cost and will be arranged to best suit your wider itinerary.