Amritsar and the Himalayas

Detailed Itinerary

10 March Fly Arrive Amritsar

11 March Amritsar and Pakistan Border and Village visit

Morning visit the Partition Museum in Amritsar and Village visit

Experience the authentic current culture and village life of Punjab in the Amritsar Village tour on outskirts of Amritsar city. The experience include visit to local school, community health centre, marriage palace, floor mill, wood maker and other skilled craftsmen. In the village you will also see milking of cows/buffaloes, turban tying, Gatka demonstration, cart ride, tractor ride. Meet a local village family at their home and enjoy traditional lunch with them

Afternoon half day excursion to Wagah border, 32 Kms from Amritsar to witness the ‘Change of Guard’ on both sides of the Indo-Pakistan border. It is a spectacle comparable to ‘Changing of the Guards’ in London but with a slightly bazar Bollywood twist! The atmosphere is charged on both sides of the fence during the ceremony.

12 March Amritsar and the Golden Temple

Morning sightseeing takes you to the Golden Temple – the sacred Sikh sanctuary spread out in a vast complex around a huge water tank in the midst of which stands a marble sanctum where the holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth is reverently placed. The roof of the sanctum is gold-leafed. The community kitchen provides free meals to up to 100,000 pilgrims or visitors in a day and is a fascinating place to visit. Walk by the busy bazaars of the city, visit the historic Jallianwalah Bagh Gardens.

Later enjoy a second visit the Golden Temple to see the it shimmering in the night and palki ceremony in which the holy book of Sikh “Shri Guru Granth Sahib” is taken to bed for the night in a procession.

13 March Drive to Dharamshalla and check in to the Chonor House – part of the Dalia Lama’s residence

Home to the Dalai Lama Dharamshala is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Surrounded by cedar forests on the edge of the Himalayas, this hillside city is home to the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile. The colossal snow dressed peaks of Dhauladhar Range overlook Dharamsala at all times.

14 March Dharamshalla

A full day to explore Dharamshalla. There are two parts of the city. One is known as Lower Dharamshala, which is its commercial center and dotted with markets, courts and the famous Kotwali Bazaar, where you come across items of everyday use.

Upper Dharamshala is home to Mcloedganj where the much talked about Tibetan Buddhist culture can be seen. It is dominated largely by the Tibetan community and situated at an impressive height of 2,082 meters. Here, the main street is dotted with shops selling Tibetan arts & crafts, along with eateries that serve a variety of Tibetan dishes, from Thenthu to momos. Most of the market centres around the Tsuglagkhang Complex, which is the official home of the 14th Dalai Lama and the nerve center of the town. The temple is said to be a replica of the original Tsuglakhang, the main temple in Lhasa. Naturally, it is a pilgrimage site for Tibetan exiles as well, you see fluttering prayer flags, monasteries at regular intervals and monks attired in bright saffron robes.

15 March Dharamshalla

Enjoy the lakes, waterfalls and temples surrounding Dharamshalla. Visit the cricket stadium or take a walk on one of the many trails.

16 March Drive to Pragpur and check in to the Judges Court Hotel

Enjoy a scenic drive to he village of Pragpur with its age-old and well preserved architecture and cobbled streets. It has been declared India’s very first ‘Heritage village’

Experience the local toy train.

17 March Drive to Shimla

18 March Heritage Walk Shimla

Heritage Walk Shimla Experience a morning guided heritage walk of Shimla. Situated at 2,205m and set
amidst cool pine-clad hills, this charming hill station was discovered by the British in
1819 and used as their summer capital.
Afternoon enjoy a nature walk with a picnic.