Amritsar, Dharamshala und Dalhousie — 9 Tage

North across the Punjab plains to Amritsar, arriving in time to see the Golden Temple lit up and reflected in its holy tank.

• Morning: Pick-up in Delhi at 7 a.m.
• Drive: Delhi to Amritsar is about 460 km, 7½–8 hours on the NH44, with stops at the famous dhabas of Murthal for parathas and at Ambala.
• Evening: Check in, then walk to the Golden Temple. Night is magical: the gold glows on the water and the kirtan (sacred music) plays until late.
• Eat: Breakfast of stuffed parathas with white butter at a Murthal dhaba; dinner at the temple langar or in the old city.
• Tip: Hotels near the temple let you walk there at any hour; the old city lanes are pedestrian-only near the complex.
• Overnight: Amritsar

A full day in the spiritual home of the Sikhs, ending with the most theatrical border ceremony in the world.

• Early morning: The Golden Temple before dawn (optional, about 4:30 a.m.) for the Palki Sahib ceremony, when the holy book is carried in procession to the inner sanctum, and the sound of the kirtan over the water.
• Morning: The langar, the free community kitchen that feeds up to 100,000 people a day. Sit on the floor with everyone else and eat, or help roll chapatis in the kitchen.
• Late morning: Jallianwala Bagh, two minutes' walk away, the garden where British troops fired on a peaceful crowd in 1919. Then the Partition Museum in the old Town Hall (closed Mondays).
• 3:00 p.m.: Drive 30 km (45 minutes) to the Wagah–Attari border for the Beating Retreat flag ceremony, about an hour before sunset. Back by 7 p.m.
• Tickets: Golden Temple, langar, Jallianwala Bagh and the Wagah ceremony are all free. The Partition Museum has a small ticket.
• Eat: Amritsari kulcha at Kulcha Land or Bhai Kulwant Singh, lassi at Gian Di Lassi, and a vegetarian thali at Kesar Da Dhaba (since 1916) in the old city.
• Tip: At the temple, cover your head (scarves are given free), leave shoes at the free shoe store and wash your feet before entering. At Wagah, carry your passport and leave all bags in the car: none are allowed in.
• Overnight: Amritsar

East into the hills, to the home in exile of the Dalai Lama.

• Morning: Check-out at 9 a.m.
• Drive: Amritsar to Dharamshala is about 200 km, 5 hours via Pathankot.
• Afternoon: Up to McLeod Ganj (about 1,800 m), 10 km above the lower town. Walk the main bazaar and the kora path around the temple.
• Eat: Momos and thukpa at a Tibetan restaurant.
• Overnight: McLeod Ganj

Tibetan Buddhist culture in India, and a waterfall walk.

• Morning: Tsuglagkhang, the Dalai Lama's temple, Namgyal monastery (watch the monks debating in the courtyard in the afternoon) and the Tibet Museum (closed Mondays).
• Afternoon: The walk to Bhagsunag temple and Bhagsu waterfall (2 km, about 40 minutes).
• Evening: Dharamkot village cafés above town.
• Tickets: Temple free; Tibet Museum small ticket.
• Tip: Walk clockwise around temples and stupas. Photography inside the main temple hall is not allowed.
• Overnight: McLeod Ganj

Choose a mountain hike or a gentle day of art and tea gardens.

• Option 1: Triund: A hard but popular hike from Galu Devi (about 7 km each way, 3–4 hours up) to a ridge at 2,850 m facing the Dhauladhar. Leave by 7 a.m., back by 5 p.m.
• Option 2: Kangra valley: Norbulingka Institute for Tibetan arts, the Kangra Art Museum, and the tea gardens of Palampur (35 km), with a factory visit.
• Tip: For Triund, wear proper shoes and take water and snacks; there are small tea stalls on the way.
• Overnight: McLeod Ganj

North-west through the Kangra valley to an old hill station of cedar and pine.

• Drive: Dharamshala to Dalhousie is about 120 km, 4–5 hours on hill roads.
• On the way: Chamunda Devi temple, or Kangra Fort, one of the oldest in India.
• Evening: Gandhi Chowk and the Mall.
• Overnight: Dalhousie

Forest walks and a meadow ringed by cedars.

• Morning: St John's church, Subhash Baoli and the Garam Sadak forest walk.
• Afternoon: Khajjiar (24 km, about 1 hour): a green meadow with a small lake and the Khajji Nag temple, ringed by deodar forest.
• Overnight: Dalhousie

The long descent to the plains.

• Morning: Check-out at 7:30 a.m.
• Drive: Dalhousie to Chandigarh is about 330 km, 7½–8 hours via Pathankot.
• Evening: Sukhna Lake or the Rock Garden.
• Overnight: Chandigarh

An easy last drive back to the capital.

• Morning: Optional: the Capitol Complex, Le Corbusier's UNESCO-listed government buildings (guided tours only, carry your passport).
• Drive: Chandigarh to Delhi is about 250 km, 4½–5 hours.
• Drop: Your Delhi hotel or the airport (flights after about 7 p.m.).
• Übernachtung: Delhi oder Ihr Heimflug