Amritsar itinerary for 2 days to see the best of the city and eat at some of the city’s landmark restaurants. In this blog, we will share an Amritsar Travel Guide for you to make the most of your trip. Amritsar is one such place where you can visit Amritsar tourist attractions as well as famous food establishments for Amritsar Kulcha or a late-night craving like Kulad Milk.
Amritsar is well-known for the Golden Temple; however, there are other places to visit as well, including a shopping paradise. I recently visited Amritsar for the second time. This time, I spent more time exploring food and shopping places in the city.
Lets breakdown 2 day itinerary for Amritsar.
Day 1:
As you arrive in Amritsar, you will spend some time checking into your hotel and settling in. Once you are done, you can hire a cab or local rickshaw to head straight to Golden Temple. Golden Temple also known as Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara is one of the holiest site for Sikh community. Maharaja Ranjit Singh rebuilt the temple in 1809 and covered the gurudwara with gold in 1830, which led to the name “Golden Temple”.
Golden Temple is open to all communities; however, one needs to cover their head while entering the temple. The temple has four entrances, one on each side, and a man-made pool in the centre, between which is the Golden Temple. Once you enter the premises of the Golden Temple, you take pradakshina (a roundabout tour around the Golden Temple) and head inside to see the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the last guru.
Eat
Once you visit the inside of Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara, you have the option to head to the lungar for the meal. Don’t forget to leave the temple without having Karah Prasad.
Fun fact: The lungar in Golden Temple is open 24×7 and provides food to anyone and everyone who enters the temple.
The entire visit to the Golden Temple and food in the Lungar will take around 2-3 hours depending on how long you wish to sit inside the temple.
Once you are out of the Golden Temple, head straight to Jallianwala Bagh. A historic garden and memorial place, Jallianwala Bagh is a place filled with a lot of history. The memorial site is a must-see for anyone interested in learning more about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It has well-documented scenes of thousands of people jumping to their deaths, and the wall with bullet holes remains to remind us of the tragedy. There is a light and sound show that takes place in Jallianwala Bagh at 6 pm which narrates the whole incident.
Just outside the entrance to the Golden Temple is the Partition Museum. Another place to learn about the history of the India-Pakistan partition and the tragic loss of many lives and homes as a result of the partition. It tells the story of India from pre-independence to partition and life after partition. You will come across the stories of many survivors and learn about life after the largest migration of humans took place in Punjab.
Eat
After gulping through the historical movements and incidents, it is time to visit one of the historic places in Amritsar to satisfy your hunger – Kesar Da Dhaba. A place that was originally founded in Pakistan in 1916 and moved to Amritsar, Punjab post partition, Kesar Da Dhaba has maintained its taste and quality of food for 9 decades. It is one of the oldest dhabas in India. A meal full of ghee (Indian butter) and taste bringing the traditional flavour of Punjab. Their thali is a must order dish and popular among not just the locals but tourists as well.
With a stomach full of traditional food, it is time to burn those calories as you walk through the shopping streets of Amritsar at Katra Jaimal Singh market. Amritsar is known for phulkari work, and you will find many shops offering the best dress material, dupattas, and lenghas at reasonable prices. Some stores will also stitch the dress in a single day for you to take back to your hometown. Apart from dress material and dupatta, you can also explore jootis, Indian-style purses, and shawls. The street is full of shops and local hawkers offering the best deal and the bargain is the key in this place.
After shopping, once again, head back to the Golden Temple for the night view. The night view of the Golden Temple is as marvellous as the day view.
Eat
Before you leave the premises of Golden Temple to head to your hotel, try the Kulad Saffron Milk available in the shops outside to end your day on a happy note. A condensed milk made through constant steering and flavoured with saffron offered in a clay glass, aka Kulad will definitely warm your heart.
Day 2:
Eat
The second day of Amritsar Itinerary for 2 days. A day that begins with a Punjabi breakfast of Amritsar Kulcha from Kulcha Land. A place offering the best of Amritsar Kulcha, Halwa full of ghee and lassi to quench your thirst. Their traditional Amritsar Kulcha and Chole are the ideal pairing.Those looking for something unique should try Masala Kulcha. Don’t leave the place without trying their Lassi as it is sure to fill your stomach till late afternoon.
Start the day by visiting Gobindgarh Fort, a historic military fort located in the centre of Amritsar city. This fort is being developed as a museum and theme park to showcase Punjab’s history. Maharaja Ranjit Singh named the fort after the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. There are a lot of activities that keep happening in the fort courtyard to entertain guests. You can either purchase the Fort basic ticket and walk through the fort’s walls on your own. Alternatively, you can take a package tour from Punjab Tourism to learn more about the fort through a guided tour.
Next on Amritsar itinerary after Gobindgarh Fort is Shri Durgiana Mandir. It is a Hindu temple of Goddess Durga located in the centre of Amritsar city and very close to Gobindgarh Fort. Durgiana Mandir is also known as the “half golden temple” because its structure is similar to that of a golden temple.
Eat
It’s time for a lunch at Bharawan Da Dhaba, another famous place to have traditional food of Amritsar – Amritsari Kulcha. It is a very well maintained restaurant that offers various dishes to its guests. The next-door dhaba, Brother’s Da Dhaba, is a direct competitor for this dhaba. It is owned by Bharawan’s brother and has a more modern approach to food and is ideal for those looking for variety.
Finally, as we finish our lunch, it is time to end the trip on a high note by travelling to Attari to witness the lowering of the flags at the Wagha Border ceremony. It starts with hyping the crowd and slowly filling the stand with enthusiastic Indians. Then begins the parade between the two countries. It is a daily military ceremony that takes place, symbolising two countries’ rivalry as well as a display of brotherhood. This place will surely energise you as you witness patriotism in the cheers of the crowd. It is a place where every age group, every gender, every community, and every caste will cheer for our nation, India.
The ceremony begins around 5:00 p.m., depending on the season, as it begins early in the winter and late in the summer due to sunset time. You have to get there a little early if you wish to get the seats in front, as slowly and steadily the entire stadium is filled with people. The vibes of the place will end your Amritsar trip on a high note!
Often Asked Questions about Amritsar Trip:
How to reach Amritsar
Amritsar is easily accessible from any part of India. There are trains that reach Amritsar and it also has an airport for direct connectivity from Mumbai and Delhi. Flight time from Mumbai to Amritsar is around 2:30 hours and it is a direct flight. There are also trains available from Delhi and Chandigarh to Amritsar. The drive time between Chandigarh and Amritsar is around 4 hours.
How can I travel around Amritsar
Amritsar has local transportation like cabs, autorickshaws, and also electric rickshaw. All of them can be found at popular tourist attractions. The electric rickshaws are good options for short distances around the premises of Golden temple and shops outside. You can also hire cabs through popular rental apps like Uber/Ola. For ease of travel, you can hire a full day car if one wishes to cover places outside of Golden Temple. It is important to bargain with all the local transportations like auto and rickshaw as they tend to charge high especially to the tourist.
Best time to visit Amritsar
Since it lies in the Northern part of India, Amritsar has best temperature during winter season. Summers are also not very hot as much as southern part making it ideal location to visit year around. Peak Winters seasons can become colder and it doesn’t experience snow fall.
Which month is best for Amritsar
Fall and Spring season are best as weathers during that period are not extreme. For cold but not colder weather, you can travel in the month of Oct-Nov. As for the warm and not hot weather, you can look at traveling during Mar-Apr month. Dec and Jan can be peak winter season. If you are travelling during that time, ensure that you are dressed appropriate for the season.
How many days are enough
It all depends on how much of Amritsar you want to see. If it is your first visit, I would suggest 2-3 days to cover everything in a leisure time. However, you visiting only for Golden temple then 1 day is enough. If you are going for shopping for wedding season, they 2-3 days should be good. It is a place which has various things to offer so you can change your plans based on your top to-do thing in Amritsar.
Is 2 days enough for Amritsar
2 days in Amritsar are the ideal days to spend your holiday and explore best of Amritsar. In two days, you can cover pretty much everything Amritsar has to offer. The above mentioned itinerary of Amritsar is the way way to make the most of your holiday.
How much budget is required for Amritsar
Amritsar fits into every budget. Whether you are looking for a super-budget or average holiday, and Amritsar offers various levels of accommodation options to help you plan your trip within a suitable budget. It has some budget stays and even luxury hotels for those seeking comfort. With regards to food and transportation, most of the places are located very close to each other. You can actually opt for walking instead of hiring an auto.
How far is Wagha Border
Attari-Wagha Boder is around 30 min away from Amritsar City. You have to leave the city with a buffer of 45 mins -1 hour to reach Wagha border on time to see the ceremony.
Is Wagha Border free
Yes, entry to Wagha Border is free for anyone who wishes to see the ceremony. Seats in Wagha Border are on first come first basis. Hence it is advisable to reach early if you are looking for seats in front and closer to the border.
What should I wear in Golden Temple
It is advisable to wear clothes that cover your entire body and a scarf or shawl to cover your head. It is necessary for everyone entering the Golden Temple to cover their heads. Men can do with a handkerchief of their own or can take the one available at the entrance of the Golden Temple. Same goes for females as well. You have to cover your head with a dupatta or scarf throughout the time you are inside the temple. Avoid wearing shorts, short dresses, and sleeveless clothes.
Checkout my vlog on Amritsar on Eat Travel Fun Youtube Channel.
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