Amritsar and the Golden Temple — Complete Visitor Guide 2026

Everything you need to know about visiting Amritsar and the Golden Temple. Langar, accommodation, Wagah border ceremony and more.

The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib)

Open to all faiths, 24 hours a day. The Sarovar (sacred pool) and the gold-plated sanctum are breathtaking day and night. Remove shoes and cover your head at the entrance. The langar (community kitchen) feeds 100,000 people daily — the world's largest free kitchen.

Wagah Border Ceremony

The daily flag-lowering ceremony at the India-Pakistan border, 30 km from Amritsar. Theatrical, patriotic, and genuinely moving. Arrive 2 hours early for a good position. Evening ceremony is the main event.

Jallianwala Bagh

The walled garden where 379+ civilians were killed by British troops in 1919. The bullet holes in the walls remain. One of India's most important sites of colonial history — essential context for understanding Indian independence.