• Amritsar Old City Walk and Rickshaw Ride

Amritsar Old City Walk and Rickshaw Ride

Duration: 2-3hrs

This tour takes you on an exploration of the Old City's colourful bazaars and heritage architecture, partly on foot and partly by rickshaw.

Introduction: The Old City came up in the 1500s when Guru Ram Das invited trader families to settle down in the new city he was founding. Lying on the trade route connecting India with Central Asia and the Middle East, Amritsar grew prosperous. The bazaars buzzed with activity and wealthy merchants built beautiful, intricate wooden mansions. Amritsar also became the seat of the Sikh gurus, who built many religious and civic structures.

In modern times, the overland trade has declined (especially with the closing of the Pakistan border after Partition), but Amritsar now has strong textile, food processing, and software industries that generate its wealth. It remains a major pilgrimage destination for Sikhs the world ever. And the extensive bazaars remain as lively and bustling as ever.

Tour route: We begin with a walk through Bazaar Ram Bagh, where you'll see grocery shops selling food grains, pulses, jaggery, cooking oils and other local products. There is a narrow lane here where seasonal vegetables and numerous varieties of delicious pickles are available. After exploring this area on foot, we'll hail a local rickshaw and go on a ride through the scrap metal market, fish market, and Hall bazaar, past the Town Hall and the Gurudwara Saragarhi.

Leaving the rickshaw behind, we'll continue on foot to Qila Ahluwalia, the remains of a small fortress, which now contains homes of wealthy merchants. The cloth market in this area offers a dazzling range of fabrics, and the streets are busy with customers and porters loading and unloading goods. We'll stop at Jalebiwala Chowk to taste their mouth-watering jalebis.

We'll visit some akharas (resting places for spiritual ascetics) and see the Chuda Bazaar (Bangle Market), where brides come to shop for red and white bridal bangles. We will see Darshan Deori, a memorial to the spot from where the Gurus Arjun and Hargobind would view the Golden Temple, and the Bartan Bazaar (Utensils Market).

We'll walk past the Baba Bohar, a centuries-old sacred banyan tree right in the middle of the Old City's narrow streets. A small shrine has been built around the base of the tree itself, and all the surrounding houses have been built very carefully to allow for the tree. Guru Bazaar is a dazzling jewellery market, with many designs on display. We'll also see Thakurdwara Dariana Mal, with ornate carvings based on Hindu mythology, which contains shrines to Lord Krishna.

From here, we will take a rickshaw again, and exit the market area. We can drop you either at the Golden Temple, or back at the Ramada Hotel.

Start point: Hotel Ramada entrance

End point: Hotel Ramada or Golden Temple (your choice)

Start time: 11:00 AM or 4:00 PM, all days of the week

Cost:

  • Rs 750 per person for 7-10 persons
  • Rs 1000 per person for 5-6 persons
  • Rs 1500 per person for 3-4 persons
  • Rs 1750 per person for 2 persons
  • Rs 3000 for a solo traveller

Includes: Knowledgeable English-speaking guide, rickshaw ride, street food tasting (if interested) and all taxes

Excludes: Transport to and from the start and end point, tips. If you need pick-up/drop from your hotel, please let us know and we will send you the extra costs.

How to book a tour: Prior reservation is mandatory. Payment in cash on the day of the tour. To book the tour, please write to deepa@magictoursofindia.com / magictours@live.com or call Deepa at +91 98677 07414.

Tour notes: The bazaars are safe but crowded and chaotic. Please dress conservatively and ensure you have adequate sun protection. This tour is great for photography, but please be discreet if you wish to photograph people. It is better to ask permission before clicking. Street food is delicious but does not conform to recommended national or international standards of hygiene.