A Winter In Himachal : Delhi - Manali - Dharamshala - Kangra - Dalhousie - Amritsar

Last year during our visit to Shimla, Ketki and I decided one thing; for next 10 to 12 years we would plan all our long trips to the Northern Regions of India. Shimla was amazing. The capital town that once witnessed the rise and exit of the British Empire in India thrilled us with its natural beauty. Looking at those whitewashed Himalayan peaks from the ridge used to be our regular pass time. Hence we decided to get a closer look of those peaks and planned a trip to Manali and its nearby region.

We planned a 13 days trip to Himachal, from December 20th to January 1st. As we don't have a direct flight to Chandigarh from Pune, we opted for a Pune – Delhi flight and then travelled by a Volvo to Manali.

Hadimba Temple, Manali

Weather

Weather in Himachal is normally pretty cold towards the end of December, though the climate change is have some impact. Though the strong winds blowing from the Himalaya was causing tremendous impact on the actual feeling of the weather.

Manali - 3°C

Dharamshala – McLodganj - 5°C

Dalhousie - 5°C

Travel Itinerary

Mentioned below is our day wise itinerary.

Day	Places to visit
1	-
2	Delhi - National Railway Museum, Chandni Chauk, Fatehpuri
3	Manali - Hadimba Temple, Old Manali, The Mall
4	Manali - Solang Valley, Vasishth Temple, Gulaba
5	Manali - Manu Temple, HPTDC Town Hall, Buddhist Monastery, The Mall
6	Manali - Naggar Castle, Tripursundari Temple, Naggar, Nicholas Roerich Art Galary, Naggar
7	Dharamshala - Naddi, McLeodGanj
8	Dharamshala - War Memorial, HPCA Cricket Stadium, Kangra Fort, Kangra Art Museum
9	McLeodGanj - Dalai Lama Temple, Bhagsu Nag Temple
10	Dalhousie - The Mall, Gandhi Chauk
11	Dalhousie - Dainkund, Khajjiar
12	Amritsar - Wagah Border Beating Retreat Ceremony
13	Amritsar - Durgaina Temple, War Memorial, Shri Ram Teerth, Jalianwala Bagh, Golden Temple
14	Karol Bagh Market, Delhi

Travel Details

Day 1

We left Pune by 10PM IndiGo flight, and reach Delhi by midnight. Thanks to Uber, we were able to get an easy transport from Terminal 1 of Domestic Airport to MS Regency, our regular accommodation in Karol Bagh, New Delhi. Even if it was post midnight, the staff of MS Regency was kind enough to serve us with decent food for dinner. Tired but excited, we went to sleep for the rocking trip ahead.

Daily Expenses

Uber Cab - Home to airport (Rs.260)

Flight Ticket – Indigo Pune Delhi Return Ticket (Rs.16600 for a couple)

Uber Cab – Airport to MS Regency (Rs.85)

Dinner – Veg Meal (Rs.200)

Day 2

It was a chilled morning in Delhi, when I left for an early morning walk to the lanes of Karol Bagh. Previously known as the core residential zone of post partition days, Karol Bagh has now become the paradise for shopaholics. All the lanes get crowded around 11 am when the shops open and that continues till the midnight. It was 7 am when I went down the hotel. Had some authentic south indian breakfast at hotel Udupi. Udupi and Saravana Bhuvan are the must go restaurants in Karol Bagh, for an idli-dosa lover.

Around 10 am we left the hotel for sightseeing. We took a metro at Karol Bagh station, hardly 500m from our hotel, and went to Rajiv Chowk. At Rajiv Chowk we changed the metro line and boarded another metro for Lokseva Marg (formerly known as Race Course Road) . We then boarded a Bus No. 780 from Lokseva Marg Metro Station and alighted at National Railway Museum stop. Actual railway museum is about 1 km walk from the bus stop.

National Railway Museum:

Located at the spacious Chanakyapuri, the National Railway Museum is a tribute to the Indian Railway. The museum takes you back to the British Raj. There are several old locomotives kept for display. Each unit is accompanied by a detail information on the board nearby. To get the idea of the real life railway network, there also kept a simulated railway grid for display. You can walk for hours enjoying, understanding the locomotives or you can board a toy train and enjoy a quick ride of the entire museum. An indoor museum gives brief idea of how the railway service work in India. It also gives historical information of the railway in India. There is also a souvenir shop in the museum, in case you want to have your own railway engine.

Don't forget to enjoy the structures of different embassy buildings on the way to the museum.

Timings: Tuesday to Sunday (10AM to 5PM). Monday Closed.

Contact: 011 2688 1826

Chandani Chowk:

This was something that we missed during our last trip to the national capital as most of the shops in Chandani Chowk were closed on Sunday. This time we were able to experience the crowded and colorful market of Purani Delhi. We took a metro from Race Course and alighted at Chowri Bazaar. Do visit this station. When you came out of the Chowri Bazaar metro station you are shocked to image how the station would have been constructed under such a densely populated area having age old houses, most of them crossed the 100 years mark. Chowri Bazaar - Fatehpuri - Chandani Chowk is a crowded market journey. You can get almost anything in that area. I would recommend to hire a cycle riksha and enjoy this bumpy ride. We reached Chandani Chowk by 1.30pm. Hunger took priority over the sightseeing so we went to one of the famous food joints in this area, Gyani's Di Hatti. Next couple of hours were full of longs walks in different gullies of Chandani Chowk. It reminded me of the Diagon Alley of Harry Potter.

Giani's Di Hatti: 011 2393 6174 (Everyday 9AM to 11PM)

We returned to our hotel by 6PM and left for Kashmiri Gate ISBT by 7PM. We had to catch a volvo for our next destination, Manali. Kashmiri Gate is the largest bus depot in Delhi. We boarded the 9 PM HRTC HimaSuta Volvo for Manali. Next 12-13 hours would be spent in this bus.

Kashmiri Gate ISBT: 011 2386 8694

Daily Expenses

Stay - MS Regency, Karol Bagh (Rs.1200 per day)

Breakfast – Hotel Udupi – Idali Samber (Rs.40) Tea(Rs.15) Upama (Rs.30)

Lunch – Giyanee's Corner - Chole Bhatore (Single) (Rs.70 per plate) Extra Bhatore (Rs.30)

Dinner – Subway, Karol Bagh (Rs.140 per sub)

Railway Museum - Entry Fee (Rs.20) Still Camera (Free)

Metro – Entire Journey (Approx. 40 Per head.)

Bus – Route 780 to Railway Museum (Rs.10 per head)

Auto from Karol Bagh to Kashmiri Gate ISBT (Rs.60)

Travel – Himsuta AC Volvo (Rs.1800 per head)

Midnight meal on the way – Aalu Paratha (Rs.90)

Day 3

The day began when the volvo stopped for a tea break at around 6am. We were somewhere near Bilaspur. We had entered the state of Himachal Pradesh but the AC inside the bus did not make us feel that fact. It was still dark outside. I stepped out of the door and ran back to my seat to get the muffler and the hand gloves. It was feeling terribly cold outside and heavy wind blowing from the mountains only amplified that feeling. That early morning experience made my mind ready for the Manali weather.

We reached Manali by 11 AM. Bright and fresh sunlight welcomed us on the mall road. Our restaurant was about 2 km from the bus stop so we hired a porter and reached HPTDC Rohtang Manalsu in next 15 min. Manali is quite a commercial place so there are number of option to commute here.

HPTDC Rohtang Manalsu

Located away from the crowded part of the town, at the base of Hadimba hill, Rohtang Manalsu is a quiet property maintained by the state tourism department. Large campus of this property has ample parking space and hosts 2 building the old one has typical load bearing structure. The rooms are spacious and equipped with all the facilities. Depending on the rate the facilities vary. They also have a restaurant serving limited but decent food items. Co operative staff is yet another specialty of this resort. The manager was very kind.

Contact: 01902 252 332

Hadimba Temple

This is one of the prominent attractions in Manali. An old pagoda style wooden temple having a 3 level roof, surrounded by thick deodar forest. The temple is approximately 3 km from the mall road and is accessible by road. There are number of transport options available. If you love walking, then there is also a nice trail way that starts just behind the HPTDC Manalsu and takes you to the temple through the deodars. The daily prayer takes place every morning at 8'o clock.

You can get the detail information of the temple Here.

Dhungri Hills

Hadimba temple is surrounded by thick deodar trees reaching up to the sky. The area around the temple is known as Dhungri Hill. Roming around the hill is a quiet and beautiful experience. There are number of food stalls near the temple that offer variety of snacks; but nothing else satisfies your taste buds than Maggie. It feels amazing to enjoy the well known junk food in that chilled weather. You may get distracted by so called self made Doctors who try to sell you some stupid thing as Pure Kesar or as a Ayurvedic medicine. Just ignore them.

From there we went to Green Forest Cafe to enjoy tasty vegetarian Momos. They have variety of Momos. The chutney is amazing. Sun sets in Manali by 4pm during winter. We went to the mall road to explore the market. Manali Municipal Council has taken a great a decision to convert the mall road in to a walking plaza. The colorfully lit mall road was our night hangout destination for next couple of nights.

Him-Anchal Taxi Services offer customized tour packages. Since it was the month of November, Rohtang Pass was out of the list. For the next day we planned a half day trip to Vasishth – Solang – Gulaba.

Daily Expenses

Stay - hotel Rohtang Manalsu (Rs. 500 per day)

Breakfast - Rohtang Manalsu - (Rs. 200)

Maggie near Hadimba Temple (Rs. 50 per plate)

Lunch - Veg Momo at Green Forest Cafe (Rs. 70 per plate)

Dinner - Sher E Punjab (Rs. 700)

Day 4

The driver arrived at 10AM sharp. I had returned to the hotel from the early morning walk to the Hadimba Temple by 9am. The morning walk was amazing. Hadimba Temple is a quiet place during morning. By the time I reached the temple the prayer procession was going on.

Vasishth Temple & Hot Water Springs

Vasishth Temple is situated 6 km from Manali, on the banks of river Beas. The temple is believed to be 4000 years old. It is accessible easily by auto or taxis. By walk it takes 45 min from Manali. The temple is built in a traditional style with wood carvings. The temple is also famous for hot springs of water originating naturally. The springs are believed to have medicinal value. You can also take bath in the hot water. Separate bathrooms are available for male and female. There is also a temple of Lord Ram beside the Vasishth temple. The village is now getting some commercial importance as well, with number of shops selling woolen clothes, food cafes and hotels etc.

Solang Valley

Located at 13 km from Manali, the Solang Valley is a paradise during snowfall. Unfortunately the weather did not help us during our visit to this beautiful place, so it was totally dry. The valley is located between Solang village and Beas kund. Activities like paragliding, ropeway are available here. You can also do skiing in the snowfall. A short hike of half n hour takes you to the Anjani Mahadev temple, where a Shiv Ling is formed out of ice.
The famous Atal Bihari Baajpai Mountaineering Institute is situated in this area. The public transport is infrequent for Solang from Manali, but you can go either by private buses or taxis. Make sure you reach early in the morning if you want to avoid long walks from parking to the valley.

Gulaba

Located at 20 km from Manali on the way to Rohtang Pass, Gulaba is a small village with picturesque surrounding. Post snowfall the white washed mountains, the grasslands and the beas river look amazing. The road Rohtang is blocked by military at Gulaba and only vehicles with permits are allowed to go further. Thus we stopped at the checkpost and went to climb a small hill nearby. Though there was no snow, the trek was amazing due to the view it offered. On the way we got to see some frozen waterfalls.

We returned to our hotel by 6 PM. For dinner we chose the Johnson's Cafe. Walk able from the mall road, the restaurant offered fantastic Italian food and live music.

Daily Expenses

Breakfast - Rohtang Manalsu (Rs.200)

Travel - Him Anchal taxi (Rs.1200) A/C Alto

Parking at Vasishth – Rs.- 50

Horse Ride to Anjani Mahadev temple - Rs.700 (Rs.350 each)

Dinner -Johnson's Cafe (Rs.850)

Day 5

We checked out at HOTDC Rohang Manalsu and checked in at Mahajan Hotel, just behind this property. We went to explore the Old Manali region. Cross the Manalsu bridge and take left for Old Manali. Walk further for a couple of kilometers and you reach the oldest temple in the town, the Manu temple.

Manu Temple

Situated in old Manali at a distance of 3 km from the mall road, this temple is dedicated to the sage Manu. The sage, who wrote Manusmriti, is believed to be the creator of the world. The temple is believed to be the place where sage Manu meditated. 
The surrounding of the temple has an old flavor and thus its very crowded. The temple can be easily accessed by auto or taxi. We visited the temple by walk. On the way to there are number of food joints. Cafe 1947, The Lazy Dog Lounge or English Bakery are the must try ones.

Buddhist Monastery

Many Tibetans are now settled in Manali. The Tibetan Monastery is 10 min walk from the HPTDC bus stand on the Mall Road. It was constructed in 1969. The two floor structure hosts of a 20 ft statue of Gautam Budhha. Other attractions in the Monastery include handicrafts and handmade carpet by Tibetan folks.
Do visit the market outside the Monastery for traditional Tibetan artifacts and clothes.

We had our lunch at the famous Cafe 1947. The cafe offers really good food. The wood fired pizza and white sauce pasta were our favorites.. Its a must visit cafe located on the bank of river Manalsu. We then visited the HPTDC Club House. An initiative by the tourism department to have a platform for social activities. The place offers different fun activities, indoor games, commercial stores and food stalls. The evening was spent hanging out on the mall road, exploring the market and buying some stuff for friends and family. The market offers variety of clothers, especially the Kashmiri dress material.

Daily Expenses

Breakfast – HPTDC Rohtang Manalsu (Rs.200)

Stay – Mahajan Hotel (Rs.360 Per Day. Non AC Double Bed Room with a balcony)

Lunch – Cafe 1947 (Rs.1100)

Dinner – Sher E Punjab (Rs.640)

Day 6

This would be our last day in Manali. We would be catching a bus to Dharamshala at 6.30 in evening. We went to a half day trip Naggar town. Naggar is famous for Roerick Cultural Center and Naggar Fort. It is located in Kullu district, 20km from Manali. Apart from private transport, there are frequent buses travel between the two towns. Naggar used to be the capital of Kullu kingdom in 1460.

Tripura Sundari Temple

There is a temple called Tripura Sundri Temple. Its architectural style is inspired by the Hadimba temple. The temple stands as a massive wooden structure, exhibiting the local architecture and art of carving. It is about 1 km from the bus stop, on the way to Roerick Cultural Center.

Roerick Cultural Center

The small village, Naggar is widely recognized for its remarkable cultural heritage and unique style of architecture. One such person who contributed great value to the cultural heritage of this town is Nicholas Roerich. A Russian painter, writer, archaeologist, theosophist, who lived in Naggar for major part of his life.

His property, now converted in to a museum and an art galary, is a visual delight. Located on a hilltop, 2 km from Naggar bus stop, this is a must visit place for any art lover. Auto/taxi are available.

You can get more details Here

Timing: 12 to 5 PM (Monday Closed)

Entry Fee: Rs.50

Contact: 01902 248 590

We returned to Manali by 4PM. Boarded the bus to Dharamshala by 6PM.

Daily Expenses

Breakfast – Satyam, Mall Road. Paratha (Rs.70) Chole Bhatore(Rs.70)

Bus to Nagger – Rs.30 per head

Roerick Cultural Center – Rs.50 per head

Dinner – Adarsh Restaurant, Mall Road. Chicken Masala (Rs.200) Tandoor Roti (Rs.20)

Himsuta Volvo to Dharamshala – Rs.1200 each.

Day 7

The journey to Dharamshala was very smooth. Road is in very good condition. We reached our destination early morning at 5 AM. Hotel Kunal of HPTDC is a nice facility just a km from the bus stop. The management was co operative and allowed us an early check in. There was a heavy rainfall on that morning. We were delighted because rainfall in the town signifies a snowfall on the mountain ranges.

HPTDC hotel Kunal is located near the Civil Hospital. The rooms are spacious and equipped with all the amenities. The restaurant run by the hotel also provides decent food options.

Naddi

The Naddi village is approx 12km from Dharamshala. The village offers fantastic views of the Dhauladhar mountain range. On Dharamshala to McLeodGanj (10km) road, turn left at the Cantt bus stand (8km from Dharamshala) for Naddi. On the way to Naddi there is a man made lake called Dal Lake. The lake surrounded by thick greenery looks really beautiful and offers a nice place to hangout. You don't need to come down all the way to Cantt bus stand to go to McLeodGanj. There is a 2 km motor route from Dal lake to McLeodGanj. We chose to walk to McLeodGanj.

McLeodGanj

We reached McLeodGanj by lunch time so we went straight to the hotel Tibet. The restaurant offers authentic Tibetan food. This small town in the Kangra district, at the foot of Dhauladhar range, is mainly famous for the Tibetan Establishments in McLeode Ganj. The Govt. Of India offered help to Tibetans when China attacked their territory. The chief of Buddhist community, HH the Dalai Lama lives in the town of McLeod Ganj. This temple is considered as one of the holiest temple in Buddhism. McLodeganj is 10km from Dharamshala and easily accessible by private as well as public transports. There is a 4km long mountain trail that joins McLeod Ganj to Dharamshala.

Daily Expenses

Stay – HPTDC Hotel Kunal (Rs.1200 per day)

Breakfast – Hotel Kunal. Paratha (Rs.75) Tea (Rs.30)

Shared taxi to McLeodganj (Rs.15 per head)

Auto to Naddi (Rs.120)

Lunch – Hotel Tibet (Rs.780)

Day 8

We chose to explore the Kangra town. On the way to Kangra there are 2 famous spots.

War Memorial

The War Memorial is located just at the entrance of Dharamsala. This is a quiet place surrounded by greeneary of pine trees. At the entrance of the memorial, you can find number of boards displaying the list of different battalions that showed great courage in various wars. The actual structure, the panels of black marble, also displays the list of soldiers, from the state of Himachal, who sacrifised their lives in different operations (1947-48, 1962, 1965, and 1971) and in various peacekeeping missions. The place feels your heart with patriotism.

It is 2 km from Dharamshala bus stand, easily accessble by private and public transport and by walk.

Entry Fee - Rs.10 per head

Timings - Daily 8AM to 8PM

HPCA Cricket Sadium

This is one of the newest tourist attractions in Dharamshala. Situated in the laps of magneficient Dhauladhar range, this Internation Cricket Stadium is not only a sports complex but a place filled with scenic beauty. The stadium, opened in 2003, set against the backdrop of the dramatic snow clad mountains, in the upper reaches of Kangra valley, hosts 23,000 viewers. It is located 1 km from the War Memorial, can be easily accessed by public and private transport from Dharamshala.

You can get more information here

Entry - Free

Visit Timings - Daily 8AM to 7PM

Contact - 0189 222 3539

Kangra Fort

This Fort is located 20 kilometers from the town of Dharamsala on the outskirts of the town of Kangra, India.

Kangra is easily accessible by private and public transport from Dharamshala. The fort is situated 4 km from the Kangra bus stand. Local auto providers can take you to the fort.

The fort was built in the Katoch Dynasty by the Royal Rajputs. This is the largest fort in the Himalaya and probably the oldest dated fort in India. There are lot of things to see on the fort. It is advisable to opt for an audio tour to understand and significance of most of the spots. Adjoining the Fort is the Maharaja Sansar Chand Katoch Museum run by the Royal Family of Kangra.

We spent more than 3 hrs on the fort. 
For more details click here.

Contact - 098161 05856

Entry - Rs.50 per head. Still Camera - Rs.200

Timings - Wed to Mon 9AM to 6PM. Tuesday Closed.

State Museum of Kangra Art

The museum is situated in Kotwali Bazaar of Dharamsala. It houses an impressive collection of arts, crafts, artifacts, costumes and other treasures, which can be traced to as far back as 5th century. The variety of items on display includes woodcarvings and tribal jewellery, sculptures and pottery, anthropological items, collections of coins and manuscripts, royal tents, Shamianas and pandals, etc. The complex also hosts a library and a designated section for art works of comtemporary artists and photographers. There is also an art gallery that houses specimens of famous Kangra Kalam works or the Pahari miniature paintings, the exquisite art that is being actively promoted from the museum. This school of painting is famous for the use of seductive figures and fine colors

Entry Fee - Rs.40 per head

Timings - Tues to Sun 10AM to 5PM. Monday Closed.

Daily Expenses

War Memorial Entry – Rs. 20

Bus to Kangra – Rs.60

Auto to Kangra Fort – Rs.240

Kangra Fort – Rs. 100

Lunch at Kangra – Rs. 110

Bus to Dharamshala – Rs.60

Kangra Museum – Rs.80

Dinner at Hotel Kunal – Rs.140

Day 9

We left Dharamshala early morning for Dalhousie. Dharamshala to Dalhousie is a 6 hrs. journey by public transport. The entire day we spent in McLeodGanj. We left early post breakfast for McLeodGanj. The small Buddhist town was fully crowded by tourists. Through the narrow market lanes, we walked to the famous Dalai Lama Temple. 

Dalai Lama Temple

This holy place is the main attraction in McLeod Ganj. The temple of Dalai Lama and the residence of H.H.Dalai Lama of Tibet. From the main square of McLeod Ganj the rightmost lane takes you straight to the temple. Couple of security checks are done at the entrance of the temple. Main temple hosts a statue of Buddha. There is a meditation hall near the temple.

The campus is clean and quiet. Couple of hours must be kept aside while visiting this place, just to experience the silence. 

Photography is prohibited inside the main temple.

Bhagsu Nag Temple

Bhagsu Nag temple is located 2 km from McLeodganj in Dharamkot. There is also a waterfall 1 km ahead of the temple. Simple temple is accompanied by a freshwater spring, flowing through the temple, in which pilgrims take a holy dip. The village Bhagsu is also famous for its Israeli settlements. Number of Israeli restaurants are available here. There are number of shops, hotels and restaurants near the temple. Transportation from McLeodganj is also available.

Day 10

We left Dharamshala early morning for Dalhousie. Dharamshala to Dalhousie is a 6 hrs. journey by public transport. There are very view options of private buses for Dalhousie. You can go by private, but that becomes a costly affair. Bedi Tours operates a single bus between the 2 towns. The bus leaves by 8am and reaches Dalhousie by 2pm.

Dalhousie

Yet another beautiful hill town situated in the laps of the himalayas in the district of Chamba. The name Dalhousie is given after Lord Dalhousie, the British Governor General to India. Situated on the western ranges of Dhauladhar, Dalhousie is built on and around five hills, Kathalagh, Potreyn, Terah, Bakrota and Bhangora. The town has number of hotels and public and private transport is available for travel.

Bus stand to Gandhi chauk is 2 km of distance.

We checked in to Bhandari Resort near the small Mall Road or Gandhi Chauk and went to satisfy the hunger. We chose to relax on that day and spent most of the time roaming around the Gandhi Chauk.

Daily Expenses

Stay at Hotel Bhandari – Rs. 700 per day

Lunch at Lall's Food Junction – Rs. 370 (Chicken Masala & Rotis)

Dinner at Bon Appetit – Rs. 150

Day 11

We booked a cab and went to a day trip to some of the popular locations in Dalhousie. We were fortunate to witness some snow on the way. W had to catch a bus to Pathankot in the evening, so we checked out from the hotel and put all our baggage in the cab itself.

Dainkund

This is the highest point of Dalhousie. A hilly area mostly under control of the military. There is a temple on a hill top. It is a 2 km hike on the hill and there are stairs to reach the temple. We chose to enjoy the snow. There was a medium snowfall happened on the last night. We spent about an hour enjoying in the snow, taking photographs. As we were not able to get any snow in Manali, there was a sense of disappointment in our minds. Snow in Dainkund was a good experience or us.

Khajjiar

The so called Switzerland of India has now become one of the crowded tourist spots. Dish shape ground, with a small pond in between and thick forest around it, was looking very dry when we visited. Again the absence of snowfall has shaded the beauty of this place away. There are couple of food joints in Khajiar. It was around 2 PM when we reached Khajiar. We spent around an hour here, had some light lunch and left for Dalhousie. Our driver dropped us near Mall Road. On the way back, we halted at the famous Dalhousie Public School campus.

We reached the Mall road, Dalhousie by 5PM and walked down to the bus stand. At 6.30 PM we boarded the cab and reached Pathankot by 9.30 PM. Hotel Tourist is located exactly opposite the Railway Station.

Daily Expenses

Breakfast – Kwality Restaurant, Mall Road – Rs.150 (Paratha and Tea)

Cab for a Day Trip – Rs.1400

Lunch at Khajiar – Maggie Noodles & Cold Drinks (Rs.100)

Bus to Pathankot – Rs.500 per head

Stay at Hotel Tourist, Pathankot – Rs. 900 per day)

Dinner at Khalsa Hindu Dhaba – Rs. 350 (Butter Chicken & Rotis)

Day 12

We left Pathankot around 8 AM for Amritsar. Pathankot to Amritsar is a 3hrs journey. Traveling by train in Punjab is a beautiful experience. You call spot green fields all the way to the horizon. No doubt the state is called the warehouse of grains of India. Our train got delayed on the way and we reached by 12noon. We checked in at M.G.Residency. We had planned to visit Wagah Border on that day and we had reached Amritsar couple of hours late so we rushed to catch an auto, finalized a deal for a day trip with him and began our journey on the historic GT Road to the Indo Pak border. On the way we took a lunch break at Sarhad Restaurant.

Sarhad Restaurant

Its a must visit spot. Although there are some more food joints ahead, this restaurant is popularly called the last restaurant in India. We reached the restaurant around 1.30 PM. This restaurant not just gives you a good food, it gives you great feeling of dining at the International border. Although the actual border is couple of miles away from the restaurant this is the last restaurant on GT road before India Pakistan border at Wagah.

Lahori food is the specialty of this restaurant but they serve other North Indian meals as well. The interior is simple with decent facility for dining. The rates are quite high but you don't enjoy the feeling of dining at the border everyday. We inquired and got to know that the spices they use in the food come directly from Lahore, Pakistan.
We tried Lahori Handi Kukkad and Chicken Bannu Kebabs. Both of these items had amazing taste. The service was slow even though there was not much crowd. I would recommend this restaurant for the good food it serves and great feeling it gives.

Wagah Border

This is the place I had been dreaming to visit for many years. I think words would fall short to describe the experience this place offered us. Sitting in the crowd couple of meters before your country ends!! This thought still gives me goosebumps. No doubt the beating retreat ceremony by BSF was unforgettable. I would say one should go and experience this ceremony and feel proud to be protected by one of the strongest and bravest military forces in the world.

We reached Wagah by 2.30 PM. The crowd had already started pouring in. All the security checked happened and we joined the line to enter the pavilion. Fortunately we got a seat closed to the VIP area i.e. our view was not blocked by anything and we were able to view entire parade zone of India side as well as some part of Pakistan's side. The loud music systems were playing famous patriotic songs. There were people visiting or leaving the country through the gates. At sharp 4.30 PM, the parade began with an introduction to the BSF. There were groups or individuals performing different acts in front of the crowd. Suddenly two of the men reached near the closed gate. As the gates opened roaring sound of cheer filled the surroundings. Couple of men from our side and couple of them from their side came face to face in the No Man's Land. They performed their usual meeting gestures and went back to their positions. Then other two men came and opened the rope to bring the flag down. Flags from both the countries were brought down in a synchronous manners. Again both side paid respect to each other and the gates closed. We were thrilled to witness this event. Around 6.30 PM we found our auto and left for our hotel. Our minds were blown away on the day. We had packed some food from hotel Sarhad so we had our dinner at the hotel itself. It was a hectic day. Rocking but hectic!!

Daily Expenses

Stay at M.G.Residency – Rs.1500 per day

Auto to M.G.Residency – Rs.70

Day Trip to Wagah by auto – Rs.700

Lunch at Sarhad – Rs.1400

Day 13

We visited Bade Bhai's Brother's Dhaba for brunch. Its a famous food joint to enjoy the authentic Punjabi flavour. We then boarded a Hop On Hop Off bus. It is a new initiative by Amritsar Tourism Dept. That 5 hours journey took us to some of the famous spots in the town.

Durgaina Temple

This temple of goddess Durga is a replica of the Golden Temple. The temple is also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple Navaneeth. The temple is situated near Lohgarh gate and is easily accessible by private and public transport. Though it's not a must visit place, you can visit it to see the replica of Golden Temple.
Photography is allowed around the temple but not inside.

Punjab State War Memorial

This is an initiative by the state of Punjab. Situated on the historical Grand Trunk Road,in front of India Gate, this memorial is a tribute to the unsung heroes of Punjab who lost their lives in number of military operations and peacekeeping missions.
The memorial structure is nothing but a giant sword erected vertically. On the hands of the sword, there are lion faces created on all four sides. The property also hosts a museum of war but it was not opened to public, when we visited it. The place is located 12 km from Amritsar and accessible easily by private and public transport.

Shri Raam Teerth

This place has great significance as far as the Hindu Mythology is concerned. One of the two greatest Indian epics was written here; the Ramayan. This place was a residence of the Sage Valmiki, who wrote the Ramayan here. This place is also a birthplace of Luv and Kush, lord Ram's sons. This place has now become a major spiritual/religious site. Located around 20km from Amritsar, the place consists of a large pond and a temple of sage Valmiki at its center. An hour is more than enough to see this place

Jalianwala Bagh

This was an emotional affair. Especially for a proud Indian who has good knowledge of the history of Indian Independence. Since school days we have learnt the story of Jalianwala Bagh massacre. On one fine evening of 13th April 1919, group of non violent protesters and Baisakhi Pilgrims had gathered in the garden. The protest was being done peacefully. The civilians had assembled to participate in the annual Baisakhi celebrations, a religious and cultural festival for Punjabi people. The crowd was fired upon by troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer. The death toll was close to approximately 1000 and same was the count of those who injured. Due to a single narrow entrance to the garden, people could not get out easily and died in the fire. Some of them chose to end their lives by jumping in to a well in the garden. The place has now become a memorial of the martyrs. There is a small museum showing some historical artifacts related to Jalianwala Bagh massacre. The place is easily accessible by private or public transport and is also at a walk able distance from the Golden Temple.

Golden Temple

What can we say about this place! The holiest Gurudwaras of Sikh community. The sheer beauty of the temple, the sound of verses from Granthasahiba being played on the speakers, the welcoming attitude of each one performing Seva at the temple takes you to the whole different world.
We visited this place in December, 2016. No doubt the place was crowded. The structure of the actual golden temple is brilliant. As the night falls, the temple gets litup and it's reflection in the water becomes a visual delight. Every night around 11pm, there is a ritual where is the holy book GurugranthaSahiba is taken back in a Palki.
We spent an entire evening at the temple, visiting different sections e.g. the main temple, Akaal Takht etc. Camera is allowed inside the campus but not inside the golden temple.

Daily Expenses

Brunch at Brother's Dhaba – Rs.200 (Amritsari Kulcha, Paneer Bhurji & Lassi)

Day Trip by Hop On Hop Off bus – Rs. 500 per head.

Dinner – Rs.150 at a small food joint near Golden Temple.

Day 14

This was the last day of our trip. We left Amritsar early morning and went to Delhi by Shatabdi Express. We reached Delhi by 12.30 PM. We had to catch a return flight to Pune by midnight. We did a half day check in at M.S.Regency and chose to relax. We spent entire evening hanging out in the Karol Bagh market. We left for airport by 8 PM and boarded the flight by 12 midnight.

Bidding Adieu to the national capitol we took off for our hometown. 2 weeks of an amazing trip was over.

Daily Expenses

Shatabdi Express fare – Rs.800 per head

Stay at M.S.Regency – Rs.800 for half day

Dinner at Peshawari – Rs.300 (authentic Pakistani kebabs)

Auto to Airport – Rs.250

Cab from Pune Airport – Rs.350

Contact Details

Below is the details of accommodations and food joints we preferred during our stays. 

Accommodations

1. M.S.Regency, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 011 25736401
2. HPTDC Rohtang Manalsu, Manali - 01902 252332
3. Hotel Mahajan, Manali - 09816093842
4. HPTDC The Kunal, Dharamshala - 0189 2223163
5. Hotel Bhandari Palace, Mall Road, Dalhousie - 0189 9242427
6. M.G.Residency, Amritsar - 078377 82869

Food Joints

Delhi

1. Gyani Di Hatti, Chandani Chauk.

2. Udupi Restaurant, Karol Bagh

3. Peshawari Chicken Corner, Karol Bagh

4. Om Saravana Bhavan, Karol Bagh

Manali

1. Sher e Punjab, Mall Road

2. Johnson's Cafe, Hadimba Road

3. Cafe 1947, Manalsu Bridge

4. Green Forest, Old Manali

5. The English Bakery, Old Manali

6. HPTDC Rohtang Manalsu Restaurant

Dharamshala/McLeodGanj

1. Hotel Tibet

Dalhousie

1. Bon Appetite, Gandhi Chauk

2. Lovely Punjabi Restaurant, Gandhi Chauk

3. Kwality Restaurant, Gandhk Chauk

4. Oldest Sher e Punjab, Subhash Chauk

Pathankot

Khalsa Hindu Dhaba, Gurudaspur Road

Amritsar

1. Kesar Da Dhaba, near telephone exchange

2. Sarhad Restaurant, GT Road, Attari

3. Brother's Dhaba, near town hall