Amritsar Dharamsala tour - Dharamsala monastery

The Sikh and the Monk

This trip combines two completely different cultures within just a few days. You’ll travel by train through a bright green landscape to Amritsar, the most sacred Sikh city in the world on this independent Amritsar tour. The old city is a maze of narrow streets jammed with steaming street stalls and bazaars packed with odd trinkets. This is India at its most iconic - full of rainbow colours and vivid smells. The Golden Temple is sure to leave you speechless, a real highlight of the Amritsar to Dharamsala tour. Glinting in the sunlight, it stands in centre of the serene Pool of Nectar, as thousands of pilgrims filter inside to lay down their offerings. A constant holy chant is broadcast over loudspeakers at the complex, and the spiritual atmosphere will send shivers down your spine. You’ll have to pinch yourself to believe that you’re really there on the Amritsar to Dharamsala tour.

In Dharamsala, you’ll find yourself in totally different spiritual climes. Known as Little Lhasa, you’ll immerse yourself in Tibetan life, crowded with Buddhist monks and fluttering prayer flags. Up here in the Himalayan foothills, you’ll find the fresh mountain air and the cool valley breeze a welcome change from the city smog and hectic traffic. During your stay, you can find out more about Tibetan culture, try some meditation and perhaps take some yoga lessons.

Duration	4 days, 3 nights	Accommodation	Comfortable hotels Comfort level 2/3 (see accommodation)
Price	£238 per person - based on 2 people sharing	Includes	3 nights of accommodation with breakfast, transport by train and private car
Transport	Express train and private car	Excludes	International flights, all other meals and excursions

Day 1: Delhi - Amritsar

Travel time - Delhi to Amritsar: approx 6 hours by train

You’ll set off early this morning on your Amritsar to Dharamsala tour, as we arrange your transfer from the hotel to the railway station. From your comfortable express train, you can watch the lush green countryside speed past the window. After about six hours, you’ll arrive in the city of Amritsar, close to the North West border between India and Pakistan. We’ll arrange a transfer to your hotel. Amritsar is the single most important city in the Sikh culture, as it is home to the magnificent Golden Temple complex. This incredible building rivals even the Taj Mahal. Your heart will leap into your mouth as you approach the gleaming Gold Temple. In the evenings, the Temple is lit romantically with dozens of tiny lights reflecting in the Pool of Nectar that surrounds the building.

In the narrow streets of the old city, you’ll find various bazaars, each with its own speciality on your Amritsar to Dharamsala tour. You can head to Guru Bazaar for gold, or follow your nose to find typical local dishes in the Katra Kathian Bazaar. Your afternoon is free, giving you time to explore the intriguing streets and alleyways on your Amritsar tour. You’ll spend the night is in a good hotel located in a quieter part of the city.

Amritsar Dharamsala tour - Golden Temple

Amritsar Dharamsala tour - Snow-capped Himalayas

Day 2: Amritsar - Dharamsala

Travel time - Amritsar to Dharamsala: approx 6-7 hours

After breakfast on day two of your Amritsar to Dharamsala tour, you’ll travel by private car up into the foothills of the Himalayas to Dharamsala (MacLeod Ganj), also known as ‘Little Tibet’. You’ll arrive here in mid afternoon and once you’ve settled in you can begin to explore. Dharamsala is known principally as the home of the exiled Dalai Lama and his banished government. There is a huge community of Tibetan refugees here, and the monks and monasteries define the atmosphere of the town. Dharamsala stands at the foot of the mighty Himalayas, and it is built on the top of a hill overlooking an awe-inspiring valley. You’ll find the cool climate refreshing after the heat and dust of Delhi and Amritsar. Surrounded by evergreen forests and fresh green tea plantations, this is an excellent place to unwind, recharge, and take a few yoga lessons. Take a walk past the temple, wander amongst stupas and prayer flags in the pine forests, and munch on some momos – delicious Tibetan dumplings. Your homely hotel stands just walking distance from the Dalai Lama's main temple, in a peaceful and quiet part of town. The snow capped mountain view is breathtaking and the birdlife is prolific.

Day 3: Dharamsala

Today, your time is your own to do as little or as much as you like. Listen to the monks chanting prayers in the monastery, or watch their lively debates at the temple. Wander up to the beautiful waterfall in the hills above the town, or visit the Norbulingka Institute, an artistic academy for young Tibetans set amongst beautiful gardens. In Dharamsala, you can also follow meditation and yoga courses to help you stock up on good karma.

You’ll spend another night in the comfortable hotel.

Amritsar Dharamsala tour - Prayer wheels, Dharamsala

Day 4: Dharamsala

This Amritsar to Dharamsala tour module finishes after breakfast this morning. You can travel back to Delhi from here if you wish, which involves a 3-hour car transfer followed by the overnight train. If you are eager for more Tibetan culture amongst snowy-peaks, you can travel further into the Himalayas via Manali to Leh (Ladakh). Take a look at our Tibetan life in India module for more details. We’ll arrange a transfer for you from Dharamsala to Manali, a journey that will take about 8 hours.

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