Punjabi Experience

Airport welcome and check in at the hotel in the center of Delhi. Night in hotel.

Early morning breakfast and travel by road to Patiala. On arrival, check in to the heritage hotel, Baradari Palace. Built in 1876, this white, colonnaded building, set in a sprawling garden, was once the residence of the royal family of Patiala. Rest of the day is free to relax.

Day will start at easy pace. Morning sightseeing, beginning at Qila Mubarak.  Built in 1763 as a mud fortress by Baba Ala Singh, the founder of the Patiala dynasty, it continued to expand well into the 19th century and remained the official residence of the Maharajas until 1862. Continue to Moti Bagh Palace.  The principal seat of the Patiala royal family, it was begun in the mid 19th century and completed in the early 20th century. End your tour at the Kali Devi Temple. Dedicated to the goddess Kali, it is held sacred by both Hindus and Sikhs; thousands of devotees visit the temple, particularly on Saturdays. Another temple within the complex, dedicated to Shiva, is also very popular, especially on Mondays.

After the mood-refreshing morning breakfast, leave for Kapurthala. On arrival pay a visit to the famous Jagjit Palace. the entire palace is built on the concept of French architecture. After that visit Durbar hall, Moorish mosque. Check in at hotel for overnight.

After the mood-refreshing morning breakfast. Transfer to Amritsar, Amritsar, literally meaning “holy pool of nectar”, was founded by Guru Ram Das in 1574. It is now home to the majority of India’s Sikhs and a major pilgrimage centre for Sikhs the world over.On arrival, check in to the heritage hotel. Afternoon free. In the evening Visit the Golden Temple to observe the Palki Sahib ceremony, an incredibly spiritual event. Visit a community kitchen at the Golden Temple, where it is considered a privilege to assist in cooking the food and serving a simple meal to pilgrims and visitors.

This morning visit to sacred Golden Temple. An harmonious synthesis of Islamic and Hindu styles of architecture, it is a breathtaking sight. During afternoon a walking tour through the colorful City of Amritsar, popularly known as Hall Bazaar. Its narrow streets and lanes, with their colorful and vibrant street hawkers, shopkeepers, traders, rickshaws and wayside eateries. Late this afternoon a one-hour drive to Wagah, an army outpost on the India-Pakistan border between Amritsar and Lahore, where you can witness the border closing display – ‘Beating the Retreat’.

After a leisurely breakfast, depart Amritsar for the 1½ hour drive to the Gurdaspur region and your accommodation here, Punjabiyat Lodge, a farm set amidst vast green fields, crisscrossed by canals. A highlight of a stay at Punjabiyat is the opportunity to enjoy Punjabi food. The tandoori cuisine and open-air barbecue dinners, where an array of kebabs are cooked over glowing coals, are very popular.

Spend a day relaxing and enjoying some of the activities on offer in this quiet rural environment. You may like to observe or participate in various farming activities, including a visit to a nearby dairy farm where you can learn about traditional dairy farming and – if you like – participate in milking the cows. There are also many opportunities for walking and cycling with a good network of trails; take a stroll through the local village, or call in to the Sikh History Museum – one of the three being built by the Punjab government to encourage young people to take pride in their culture and history. Visit the Sikh temple, Ghallughara Saheb – religious ceremonies are held here early in the mornings and on weekends. Tractor and tonga (traditional horse-driven carriage) rides can be arranged.

After breakfast, transfer to Chandigarh. The creation of Le Corbusier, the father of modernism, Chandigarh is an entirely planned city. Afternoon sightseeing.  A drive around the broad boulevards, large parks and quadrants of neighbourhoods will give you a sense of the scope of Le Corbusier’s project. Visit the Architecture Museum which contains archive materials that tell the story of the creation of the city. Also explore Nek Chand’s Rock Garden. Commenced in the early 1960s, on a small patch of jungle, today it spreads over 8 hectares.  It comprises several thousand sculptures created from rocks, concrete and urban rubbish, set in large mosaic courtyards, linked by walled paths, bridges and tunnels and includes a series of interlinking waterfalls.

After breakfast transfer to Delhi. In the evening, we will reserve a room in a hotel so you can leave your belongings or take a shower before your evening transfer to the airport.