Darbar Sahib is the most holy temple in Sikh religion. Thousands of people go daily on a pilgrimage and combined with the volume of tourists it defies belief how serene and peaceful a visit here is. 

I highly recommend seeing the Golden Temple for the first time at night.  The temple is reflected in the water which surrounds it and the sight of it blew me away. Photos do not do it justice, nor do they depict the sheer volume of people who visit. The Palki Sahib ceremony drew everyone together for putting the holy book to bed and was also a wonderful tradition to witness.

A trip back the next day allowed us to experience the amazing community kitchens or Langars on site.  They are staffed purely by volunteers and feed over 100,000 people a day for free. Anyone is welcome here regardless of religion or caste.  We got to try our hand at making chapattis but proved too slow and with a big line forming we were politely moved along.  Heading back into the sun we continued our tour of this outstanding complex of temples and marvelled at the sheer beauty of it all.  Many people bathe in the water surrounding the temple as it is believed to have healing powers.

Our morning was concluded with a visit to nearby Jallianwala Bagh which houses the memorial to those killed in the massacre in 1919 and has now been made into public gardens of remembrance.

Another wonderful and entirely different experience is the Wagah Border Ceremony. The military of India and Pakistan compete against each other with very elaborate drills before the flags are lowered and the winner declared. The Indian side outweighed the Pakistan side about 1000 to 1 in noise and numbers.  Crowd participation is encouraged by an exceptionally enthusiastic compere and you couldn't help but get involved in cheering and applauding the displays from both sides.

Incredible Dharamshala is set high on the edge of Himalayas.  This area is undeniably beautiful and jaw dropping scenery awaits. 

This is where the Tibetan Goverment sits in exile and also home to the Dalai Lama so the majority of the sights are centred around the Tibetan people and how they strive to keep their traditions alive. There are many wonderful temples and museums to visit beginning with the Tsuglagkhang Complex.  This is the private residence of the Dalai Lama, home to largest Tibetan temples outside of Tibet and gives an in-depth insight into their history. 

The next stop was the Namgyal Monastery which is home to around 200 Tibetan Monks and a wonderful, peaceful complex to visit.  We followed this with a stop at The Norbulingka Institute which is dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan Culture and set in beautiful and serene gardens. The Tibetan Museum, although harrowing at times, is also very informative and definitely worth the visit. 

Walking enthusiasts will be able to "fill their boots" with an abundance of treks into the incredible mountains beyond and we also managed to fit in some yoga and meditation.  All the fresh air makes the Momos taste even more delicious and we probably had a few plates more than were needed, promising to walk it off the next day!

Disembarking from the Toy Train in the foothills of the Himalayas the first thing you notice apart from the amazing views beyond, is that it is a good few degrees cooler than when you boarded the train. 

Shimla is the former summer capital of British India and our first stop was the Vice Regal Lodge which was originally the Summer residence of the Viceroy of India and has hosted many important events and heads of state. It is now part of the Institute of Advanced Study but is still home to a museum giving an insight into the history and architecture of the lodge.  An informative city walking tour of Shimla (be prepared for many steps and hills) included stops at the The Gaiety Theatre (where Rudyard Kipling once played) the Christ Church, Mall Road and the Lakkar Wood Bazaar.  The Jakhoo Hill Temple, Kamna Devi Temple and Tara Devi Temple are all worth a visit and not far outside of Shimla.

With good air connections and an express train from Delhi - a trip to Amritsar can easily be added to almost any India holiday. Take a look at our Amritsar Extension for an idea of how it might work. If you'd like to really get to know this spectacular region our Temples, Mountains and Monasteries tour would be absolutely perfect.

For more inspiration, take a look at our India Holidays pages.