The city of Amritsar, which has the Golden Temple, is on most tours of the north. But have you ever wondered where else you could go if you already live in this beautiful Punjabi city? There are, of course, many choices, from the hill stations in Himachal in the north to the historical cities in the east, like Delhi, Agra, etc. But what places are closed, and what places are further away? How long will it take to get there? Is it easy for you to take a weekend trip? Well, if you’ve been thinking about that and looking for the best places to go near Amritsar for a weekend trip, here’s our list in which you Explore Himachal Pradesh with some beautiful destinations like Shimla and Manali.
(Click here to know: the best time to visit manali )
Ferozepur
Ferozepur is a town on the banks of the Sutlej. It is known for its Punjabi history and its ties to the Tuqhlaq Dynasty. This town, which is 130 km from Amritsar, is a great place to spend a short weekend trip, especially if you like to visit historical sites and monuments like Pothimala, Gurudwara Gurusar, Jain Mandir, etc., as well as war memorials and museums like the National Martyrs Memorial, the Anglo-Sikh War Memorial, the Saragarhi Memorial, and the Barki Memorial. The best time to go is in the winter.
Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi is a place of worship north of Punjab in the Jammu region of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir. It is named for the goddess who lives in one of the caves there. Many Hindus go on this revered and highly sought-after pilgrimage by hiking up the mountain to the god’s cave. From Amritsar, it takes about 5 hours to get to Vaishno Devi, which is 268 kilometers away.
But the time spent hiking and going to see the goddess is worth every second. It’s all worth it when devotees chant loudly and colorful flags and scarves fly. You can also check out Jammu City or nearby temples like the Bhairavnath temple, the Shiv Khori caves, or the Ardh Kumari cave after the trip.
Palampur
Palampur is a town in the Dhaulandhar Ranges that is surrounded by green pastures and peace. It is a great place to just relax and recharge. The best tea plantations are here, and their sweet smell fills the mountain air. Another thing that works in Palampur’s favor is that there aren’t too many tourists there. This gives you space to just be yourself. And since it’s only 229 km from Amritsar, you can take a trip there without making any plans ahead of time. The summer and winter are great times to get away for the weekend.
Dharamsala
Dharamsala is one of the most beautiful mountain towns in Himachal. It is the crown jewel of Kangra Valley. Dharamsala is another town in the Dhaulandhar Ranges. It is split into two parts: upper and lower Dharamsala. The southern part is where hospitals, schools, and government offices are located, while the northern part is mostly homes.
The upper part is called McLeod Ganj because it is where the spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, lives. You can enjoy some of the best cafes, hilly hikes with snow on the ground, tattoo shops, indie bands, and an amazing number of young people. Dharamsala, about 208 kilometers from Amritsar, is best seen in the summer.
Dalhousie
In Dalhousie, you can go hiking and backpacking by yourself, see sights, and drink hot chocolate. The British built homes in the Victorian style all over the five beautiful hills that make up the hill station. Dalhousie is a great place to go for a weekend trip in the summer, from April to November. Since it is only 204 km from Amritsar, it is easy to plan a trip and get away from the hot city in the summer.
Khajjiar
Many people call Khajjiar “the Switzerland of India.” This hill station, like many others, is at an elevation of 6500 feet and is surrounded by lush green meadows, deodar and pine forests, icy peaks, and scenes that look like paradise. Khajjiar is 225 km from Amritsar and has many temples from the 12th century. Some of the fun things to do here are trekking, having a picnic, and zorbing. So Khajjiar is the place to go if you want to get away from the hot weather in Amritsar.
Jammu
Dogri and Punjabi people live in the Jammu area, which is half of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu is a great place to spend a long weekend away from Amritsar. It is home to the Vaishno Devi and Raghunath temples, the excavation sites of Akhnoor, the Bagh-e-Bahu garden, and the Dogra Art Museum. About 217 km from the city of Golden Temple, Jammu is on most winter travel plans because the winter and spring months there are nice.
Jalandhar (Amritsar for a weekend trip)
This is a unique city named after the king of the demons, Jalandhar. In addition, the city is named Jalandhar because it is located between the rivers Sutlej and Beas (the latter of which is underwater). Jalandhar is a great place to visit if you like history and legends.
It has forts, museums, temples, and gurudwaras. It’s only about 90 kilometers from Amritsar. Trains are another good way to get from one city to the next. Since summers are just as hot here as they are in the Amritsar weekend trip, you should visit Jalandhar between October and March. To get more informational topics, stay with Online Idea.
Faridkot
Faridkot, which was named after a Sufi saint, has some of the most beautiful gurudwaras. Besides these gurudwaras, you can also go to the Qila Mubarak, the Fairy Cottage, and the Raj Mahal. Farid Mela is held in this town from September 15th to September 23rd. It is a great place to learn about Faridkot’s culture and history. From Amritsar, Faridkot is 128 km away, so it’s likely that you’ll go on a weekend trip every so often. If you want to go to the Farid Mela, the best time to go is September, but the weather is better from October to January.
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