Amritsar

Amritsar Raja Sansi International Airport is located approximately 11km from the city of Amritsar.

To travel to the city centre from the airport, you can get a taxi or an auto rickshaw (Tuk Tuk)  

Taxis can be found outside the Arrivals Hall of the terminal building and they take about 30 minutes to reach the city centre. 

For a slightly quicker and more exciting ride (and if you don’t have too much luggage!), you can take a Tuk Tuk to the city centre in around 20 minutes.

Amritsar is a beautiful blend of tradition, culture, history and food. Founded in 1577 by the fourth Sikh guru, Ram Das, the city is divided into two parts by the railway lines. It is now one of the Punjab’s largest cities and its Golden Temple attracts thousands of pilgrims each year. 

The main language of Amritsar is Punjabi however, Hindi, Urdu and English are also spoken by some locals.  

Amritsar experiences extreme temperatures in both winters and summers. The temperatures drop down in January and hover around 5°C while in the peak summer months of May and June, the temperature can be as high as 40°C.

The biggest attraction in Amritsar is the Golden Temple, one of India’s most spectacular and serene sights. Sitting on a rectangular platform, surrounded by a pool of water, the Golden Temple is the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion and rivals the Taj Mahal for its awe-inspiring appearance.

Whether it be socialising, prayer or festivals, everything in Amritsar revolves around food, and the rich cuisine is one of the biggest draws of the city. The rich and spicy non-vegetarian plates of Amritsar are teeming with healthy and tasty veg dishes. You will find kulcha sold all over the city; a type of mildly leavened flatbread similar to naan, which can be stuffed with fillings. Once you’ve demolished your kulcha, you should wash it down with a lassi, a traditional drink made from yogurt and water.

Due to soaring temperatures, Amritsar is usually avoided by tourists during the summer months. However, those interested in Amritsar’s culture may be intrigued by Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year Festival. One of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar, Baisakhi will keep you entertained with parades, traditional folk music, singing and dancing.