Amritsar & Shimla Extension Tour

Overview

Amritsar and Shimla are two places that have completely different offerings for its visitors, guaranteeing that a tour that clubs these two places together will be a memorable one. While Amritsar is a place of religious, historical, and cultural importance, Shimla is laden with places that are too beautiful for the mere mortals. Adding the unique offerings of Chandigarh makes the tour even more interesting.

On this tour, you will be visiting the splendid Golden temple, the unique Rock Gardens, and the picturesque Kufri. Also, the visit to the Wagha border and experiencing the ceremonies, there will be an experience of a lifetime. The visit to the Sukhna lake in Chandigarh will be a mouth-watering prospect for adventure lovers. Listed below are the highlights of this tour.

Trip Highlights

Experience the gate closing ceremony that involves much pomp and pageantry at the Wagha Border in Amritsar.
Admire the splendid views of the Himalayan peaks from Kufri, a gorgeous location.
Explore the most iconic Amritsar temple, which is the holiest religious shrine of the Sikh religion.
Explore the famous Rock gardens with its sculptures made of recycled material.
Take a ride back in time at the Jallianwala Bagh, an important place in India’s freedom struggle.
Go on a Shimla Sightseeing tour to experience uncensored natural beauty at Shimla.

ITINERARY - 6 Days

Day 1	Arrival at Amritsar We will receive you at the Amritsar airport or railway station and will transfer you to your hotel. You have the day at your leisure to explore the city. Amritsar is a city with a rich cultural heritage and is of immense religious significance to followers of the Sikh religion, thanks to the Golden Amritsar temple and other religious sites. Amritsar is also a shopper’s delight and a foodie’s utopia. You can explore Amritsar’s textile market, which is famous for its cotton, woolen, and silk textile and also eateries that serve aromatic and delicious Punjabi cuisine. If you want a deeper dive into the culture of the region, you can visit Amritsar’s bookstores, which have rich collections of Punjabi literature. You will be spending the night in Amritsar.
Day 2	Explore Amritsar After breakfast, you will set out on a sightseeing tour of the city. Your first stop will be one of the Marquee places of Amritsar, the Golden Temple. The original name of the famous Amritsar temple is Sri Harmandir Sahib. This splendid Amritsar temple, founded by Guru Ramdas and completed by Guru Arjan Das, is located in the old part of Amritsar and is the most important shrine of the Sikh religion. The architecture of the Golden temple is a mix of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture. While entering through the main entrance, do not miss out on the Victorian clock tower overhead. Inside the temple, you will find the original copy of Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, set on a palanquin and covered with a pink shroud. The processions that take the holy book from the Akal Takht to the Sanctorum and vice versa are also a spectacle. After the famous Amritsar temple, you will be visiting the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh which is surrounded by a picturesque garden known as the Ram Bagh. The architecturally unique ‘Darshan Deorhi’ and the museum that it houses are other popular attractions of the palace. You will be visiting the historically infamous Jallianwala Bagh, where the notorious massacre of unarmed Sikhs, who were gathered to celebrate the Baisakhi festival, took place. It is a garden encompassed by high walls and a single entrance, located four hundred meters north of the famous Amritsar temple, the Golden temple. This place is of immense importance in the Indian freedom struggle as the massacre kindled the flames of the famous Non-cooperation movement. Today, in the park, you will find the bullet holes on the walls, the well in which many people were drowned trying to escape the bullets, and a memorial built to honor the lives that were lost here. Next, you will be visiting the Wagha Border, which is an international border between India and Pakistan. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city, thanks to the pomp and pageantry that is put on a show during the Change of Guard and the Beating Retreat, all with a stone’s throw distance between the Indian and Pakistani forces. After the sightseeing tour, you may choose to go shopping in the local markets. You will be spending the night in Amritsar.
Day 3	Amritsar to Chandigarh via Ambala There will be an early morning transfer to Chandigarh via Ambala. After checking in to your hotel, you have the rest of the morning at your disposal. Chandigarh is one of those rare cities which has balanced industrial development and nature preservation. This balance between the two has made it one of the most beautiful cities in India. It has a number of tourist spots like the Sukhna Lake, the Rock garden, and the Rose garden. In the afternoon, you will be taken on a sightseeing tour of the popular tourist attractions of Chandigarh. First, you will be visiting the immaculately decorated Sukhna Lake, which was built by obstructing the flow of rainwater through the Sukhna Choe. Sukhna Lake is very popular among adventure lovers as it provides a number of recreational activities like boating and rafting. It also has eateries and a children’s park. Next is the world-famous Rock Garden. Unlike most other gardens, it does not have flowers or trees. The attractions of this garden are the unique sculptures like groups of dancing damsels, flying birds, and marching warriors, all made out of scrap and thrown away materials like broken glass, china clay, and disposed motorcycle spares. A brainchild of Nek Chand, a local government official, this garden also has musical bands entertaining the visitors. Your last stop will be the Zakir Hussain Rose garden, Asia’s largest rose garden. The garden boasts over 1600 species of roses, all planted in beautifully carved out flower beds and lawns. You will be spending the night in Chandigarh.
Day 4	Towards Shimla After breakfast, you will be transferred to Shimla via Ambala. After checking in to the hotel, you can explore Shimla’s markets or spend the day treating your eyes to the bewitching panoramic views of the picturesque mountains that Shimla is famous for. Shimla, the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh and its most important city, was the summer capital of British India. The place still retains its colonial aura and is a popular hill station in the country. Shimla has loads to offer to nature lovers. You will spend the night in Shimla.
Day 5	Explore Shimla After breakfast, you will embark on a sightseeing tour of Shimla. You will be visiting Kufri, a viewpoint that offers stunning views of the majestic Himalayan peaks with a foreshadow of lush green forests and terraced fields. The Jakhoo hill, the Chadwick falls, and the Himalayan Bird Park are some places that are a nature lover’s and bird lover’s paradise. The state museum, the Christ Church, the Tara Devi temple, and the Kiala Forest are some of the other popular attractions. You will be spending the evening at the Scandal Point, which lies at the heart of human life in Shimla. It is a bustling place with its iconic ice cream vendors, beautiful views of the Himalayas, and pony rides. Overnight will be at Shimla.
Day 6	Departure Today is the day of your departure from Shimla. We hope you will take back fond memories of the Amritsar temple, the Sukhna Lake, and the mesmerizing mountains of Shimla.