Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
North India: Rishikesh, Dharamshala and the Golden Temple
10 days from Delhi: three nights on the Ganga in Rishikesh, three in McLeod Ganj above Dharamshala and two in Amritsar for the Golden Temple at dawn.
10 days · Round trip from Delhi · up to 12 guests
Sunset on the ghats of the Ganga in Rishikesh Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:India_-_Rishikesh_-_018_-_evening_on_the_ghats_(2090623627).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Delhi
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly easy walking of 2 to 4 hours a day, with temple steps and hilly lanes in McLeod Ganj at about 2,000 m. Day 7 is the active one: the Triund trail climbs about 700 m to the ridge at about 2,850 m, but you can turn round at an hour's walk or skip it. The dawn temple visit means a 4:30 am start, which you can also sit out.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 350 (estimated price)
- Season
- October to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- The Ganga aarti at sunset on a Rishikesh ghat, lamps, bells and leaf boats of flowers on the river
- A morning yoga class by the river with a certified teacher, pitched for beginners
- An open-jeep safari at first light in Rajaji National Park, home of wild Asian elephants
- The Tsuglagkhang complex in McLeod Ganj, the Dalai Lama's temple, and the Tibetan workshops of Norbulingka
- The Triund trail above McLeod Ganj, to a viewpoint or all the way to the ridge facing the Dhauladhar
- The Golden Temple at dusk and again for the dawn ceremony, then the langar kitchen that feeds everyone who comes
- The Attari-Wagah border ceremony at sunset and the Partition Museum in Amritsar
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 350 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Delhi
Indira Gandhi International Airport to your hotel in Delhi
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Delhi
- Drive about 1 h
Fly into Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL), where a driver meets you in arrivals for the drive to the hotel, 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.
Morning
Delhi is the gateway on this trip, not the subject, and the real start is tomorrow's morning train north.
Afternoon
If you land by about midday, your See Sight Tours guide takes early arrivals to the Red Fort in the middle of the afternoon: the 17th-century Mughal palace whose white marble Khas Mahal held the emperor's private rooms. The fort is closed on Mondays, when we visit Humayun's Tomb instead.
Evening
In the evening the whole group meets for a short briefing on the days ahead: what to wear at temples and gurdwaras, how the train and flight days work, and what to pack for cold mornings in the hills. Then we sit down to a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Bed early: the train leaves at about 6:45 am.
Included
- Pick-up at Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
- The Red Fort with your guide for guests who land by about midday (Humayun's Tomb on Mondays)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about midday for the Red Fort and by about 5 pm for the briefing; the exact times come with your final itinerary.
Train to Haridwar, the Ganga aarti in Rishikesh
Delhi by train to Haridwar, then by road to Rishikesh
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Rishikesh
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
A packed breakfast goes with us to New Delhi station for the morning Shatabdi Express to Haridwar, about four and a half hours in reserved air-conditioned seats, with tea served on board. The train skips the slow road out of Delhi and keeps today's driving under an hour. From Haridwar it is about 25 km up the Ganga to Rishikesh, where the river leaves the hills, and where we stay three nights so nobody repacks a bag until day 5.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down vegetarian thali near the hotel: Rishikesh is a pilgrim town, and most of it serves no meat or alcohol.
Evening
After a rest we walk to a riverside ghat for the evening Ganga aarti. As the light goes, priests swing brass lamps of fire, bells and chanting fill the steps, and pilgrims set leaf boats of marigolds and a small flame on the current. Come early for a step to sit on.
Included
- Shatabdi Express from New Delhi to Haridwar, reserved air-conditioned seats
- Transfer from Haridwar to Rishikesh
- Sit-down thali lunch in Rishikesh
- The evening Ganga aarti on a Rishikesh ghat with your guide
Free time: Afternoon rest before the aarti
Activity: Train times are confirmed when we book your seats.
Yoga on the Ganga and the Beatles Ashram
Rishikesh: Ram Jhula, Swarg Ashram and Chaurasi Kutia
- Breakfast
- Stay in Rishikesh
Morning
The morning starts at 7 am with a 90-minute yoga class with a certified teacher at a yoga school near the river. It is pitched for beginners, with changes for stiff backs and knees, and ends with a short breathing and meditation session. After breakfast your guide leads a walk on the east bank: across Ram Jhula, the suspension footbridge over the Ganga, through the lanes of Swarg Ashram with its temples and bookstalls, and along the river to Chaurasi Kutia, the ashram where the Beatles stayed in 1968. It lies inside the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and is now a quiet ruin of domed meditation huts and murals, a good place to sit in the shade.
Afternoon
Lunch is yours, in one of the cafes above the water, and the afternoon is free: an ayurvedic massage, a nap, a second aarti, or the view from the High Bank above town as the sun drops behind the hills.
Included
- Morning yoga and meditation class with a certified teacher
- Guided walk over Ram Jhula and through Swarg Ashram
- Chaurasi Kutia (the Beatles Ashram), entry included
Optional experiences
- Ayurvedic massage
- A second yoga class
Easier option: Take a rickshaw to Chaurasi Kutia instead of walking along the river, or skip it and rest at the hotel.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 3 hours on foot on flat riverside paths and steps. Chaurasi Kutia has been under renovation; we confirm it is open for your dates.
A jeep safari in Rajaji, then a free afternoon
Rishikesh to the Chilla range of Rajaji National Park and back
- Breakfast
- Stay in Rishikesh
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We leave at first light with tea and biscuits for the Chilla range of Rajaji National Park, about 40 minutes down the river. An open jeep with a forest-department naturalist takes us through sal forest, riverbeds and grassland for about three hours, while the animals are still moving in the cool. Rajaji is known for its wild Asian elephants; spotted deer, sambar, peafowl and hornbills are common, and leopards and tigers live here but are rarely seen, so we go for the forest rather than a checklist. We are back in Rishikesh for a late breakfast, and the rest of the day is yours.
Afternoon
You could take a second yoga class, book a white-water rafting run on the Ganga from Shivpuri, which is back by lunch, or sit over chai by the river. The safari zones open from about mid-November; on October departures the naturalist leads a forest walk instead.
Included
- Open-jeep safari in the Chilla range of Rajaji National Park with a forest-department naturalist (a guided forest walk on October departures)
- Park entry and jeep fees
Optional experiences
- White-water rafting on the Ganga from Shivpuri
- A second yoga class
More active option: Rafting from Shivpuri back towards Rishikesh, a half day on the river with a licensed operator.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: An early start, about 6 am, and bumpy tracks in an open vehicle. Bring a warm layer; mornings are cold from December to February.
Fly to the Dhauladhar: McLeod Ganj
Rishikesh to Dehradun airport, fly via Delhi to Dharamshala (Gaggal), then up to McLeod Ganj
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in McLeod Ganj
- Drive about 1.5 h
Rishikesh to Dharamshala is more than 400 km of hill roads, a ten- to twelve-hour drive, so we fly.
Morning
A transfer of about 45 minutes takes us to Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport for a morning flight to Delhi and a connection to Gaggal airport below Dharamshala, about an hour and a quarter in a small aircraft, with the Dhauladhar range rising out of the window on the approach. From Gaggal it is about 45 minutes up the hill to McLeod Ganj, at about 2,000 m, the Tibetan town above Dharamshala where we stay three nights.
Afternoon
A late lunch of momos and thukpa at a Tibetan restaurant comes first. Then, as the light softens, your guide walks the group about 2 km out to the Bhagsu Nag temple, an old shrine with a stepped bathing pool, and back through the prayer flags and market lanes.
Evening
The evening is free and cold enough for a jacket.
Included
- Transfer to Dehradun (Jolly Grant) airport
- Flights from Dehradun to Dharamshala (Gaggal) via Delhi, economy, with a checked bag
- Transfer from Gaggal to McLeod Ganj
- Tibetan lunch in McLeod Ganj
- Orientation walk to the Bhagsu Nag temple with your guide
Free time: Evening free
Activity: Flights are booked for you; the connection and the checked-bag limit on the small Gaggal aircraft are confirmed at booking. Bad weather occasionally cancels Gaggal flights, and then we drive from Chandigarh.
The Dalai Lama's temple and Norbulingka
McLeod Ganj: the Tsuglagkhang complex, then Norbulingka Institute in Sidhpur
- Breakfast
- Stay in McLeod Ganj
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We walk down to the Tsuglagkhang complex in the morning, while monks and Tibetan families are arriving to pray. This is the main temple of the Tibetan community in exile, beside the Dalai Lama's residence, which has been in McLeod Ganj since 1960. Your guide explains the shrines, then we walk the kora, the circuit path around the hill, past prayer wheels and long strings of flags with views down the Kangra Valley. The Tibet Museum in the complex tells the story of the 1959 exile and life since.
Afternoon
Lunch is yours in town. In the afternoon we drive about 40 minutes down to Norbulingka Institute, set up in 1988 to keep Tibetan arts alive. In its workshops thangka painters, woodcarvers and metalworkers work at their benches, and the gardens and temple are quiet.
Evening
Back in McLeod Ganj by late afternoon, the evening is free. If the Dalai Lama gives a public teaching during your stay, we tell you how to register.
Included
- The Tsuglagkhang complex and the kora path with your guide
- The Tibet Museum
- Norbulingka Institute: the workshops, gardens and temple
Free time: Lunch and evening free
Activity: About 2 to 3 hours on foot, with steep lanes and steps in McLeod Ganj. Public teachings are scheduled by the Dalai Lama's office, not by us, and need registration with a passport.
The Triund trail, as far as you like
McLeod Ganj to the Galu Devi temple and up the Triund trail
- Breakfast
- Stay in McLeod Ganj
- Drive about 30 min
A short taxi ride takes us above Dharamkot to the Galu Devi temple, where the trail to Triund begins, and we set off early, before cloud builds on the peaks. The path climbs through oak and rhododendron forest with tea stalls along the way, and the views open over the Kangra Valley within the first hour. Everyone walks together to a viewpoint about an hour up, then chooses.
Afternoon
The easy option turns back there, for a slow walk down through Dharamkot village and a free afternoon. The active option carries on to the Triund ridge at about 2,850 m, about 6 km from the temple and about 700 m of climbing in all, where the Dhauladhar range stands as a wall of rock and snow straight across the valley. Your guide stays with the walkers going up; a local trail guide brings the others down. Lunch is a simple meal at a tea stall or back in town, at your own cost.
Included
- Guided walk on the Triund trail from the Galu Devi temple, with a local trail guide
- Taxi to and from the trailhead
Easier option: Walk about an hour up the trail to a viewpoint over the Kangra Valley, then back down through Dharamkot village (about 2 to 3 hours, about 250 m of climbing).
More active option: Carry on to the Triund ridge at about 2,850 m: about 12 km round trip from the temple, about 700 m of climbing, 5 to 6 hours.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: From December to February snow and ice can close the upper trail; then we walk as far as is safe. Good shoes with grip, warm layers and water.
Down to the Punjab plain: Amritsar
McLeod Ganj down the Kangra Valley to Pathankot, then across Punjab to Amritsar
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Amritsar
- Drive about 5 h
Today is the trip's one long road day: about 205 km and five hours of driving from McLeod Ganj to Amritsar, down the Kangra Valley to Pathankot and across the flat wheat fields of Punjab. No flight or train does it faster, so we break it up.
Afternoon
We leave at about 8:30 am, stop for tea after the descent and sit down to a Punjabi lunch near Pathankot, about halfway, then arrive in the middle of the afternoon.
Evening
The hotel is within walking distance of the Golden Temple, which matters tonight and tomorrow. After a rest we walk over at dusk. Everyone covers their head, leaves shoes at the gate and washes their feet before stepping onto the marble around the sacred pool. The gilded temple sits in the middle of the water, lit and reflected, with hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib sung inside all day. Late in the evening the holy book is carried to its resting place; stay for it, or walk back with your guide earlier.
Included
- Drive from McLeod Ganj to Amritsar with your guide
- Sit-down Punjabi lunch on the way
- First visit to the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) at dusk
Free time: Late afternoon rest before the temple
Activity: The longest drive of the trip, over the 4-hour cap because there is no faster way down. The road is being rebuilt in places, so some stretches are bumpy.
The Golden Temple at dawn, the langar and the border
Amritsar: the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum, then the Attari-Wagah border
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Amritsar
- Drive about 1.5 h
We walk back in the dark, at about 4:30 am (the time shifts with the season), for the opening ceremony, when the Guru Granth Sahib is carried in a palanquin across the causeway into the sanctum and the gold turns from lamplight to sunlight as the day comes up.
Morning
Breakfast and a rest at the hotel follow. Mid-morning we visit Jallianwala Bagh, next to the temple, where British troops fired on an unarmed crowd on 13 April 1919, then the Partition Museum in the old Town Hall, which tells the story of 1947 through the voices of the people who crossed.
Afternoon
At noon we go behind the scenes at the langar, the free community kitchen run by volunteers, and sit on the floor in long rows for lunch with the pilgrims.
Evening
After a free afternoon we drive about 30 km to the Attari-Wagah border for the flag ceremony at sunset, then share a farewell dinner back in town.
Included
- The Golden Temple's dawn opening ceremony with your guide
- Jallianwala Bagh
- The Partition Museum (on Mondays, when it is closed, we visit the Durgiana Temple)
- The langar kitchen and lunch with the pilgrims
- The Attari-Wagah border ceremony
- Farewell dinner
Easier option: Skip the 4:30 am start and visit the temple with your guide after breakfast, when it is busier but just as calm inside.
Free time: Afternoon free
Activity: A long day with a rest in the middle. Bags and cameras are restricted at the border; bring only a phone, a passport copy and water.
Train to Delhi and home
Amritsar by train to Delhi, then Indira Gandhi International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
For anyone who wants one last look, the temple is a short walk away at first light; the rest can sleep in until we leave.
Afternoon
We take the morning Vande Bharat Express to Delhi, leaving at about 8:20 am and arriving in the early afternoon after about five and a half hours, in reserved air-conditioned seats with breakfast served on board. Out of the window, Punjab's wheat and mustard fields run flat to the horizon, a long way from the foothills of the last week. At the Delhi station your guide says goodbye and hands you to a driver for the transfer to Indira Gandhi International Airport, about an hour. Book a flight leaving after about 7 pm.
Evening
If you would rather fly home from Amritsar, or stay longer in Delhi, tell us when you book and we arrange the transfer or an extra hotel night.
Included
- Vande Bharat Express from Amritsar to Delhi, reserved air-conditioned seats
- Transfer to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
Activity: Book a flight leaving Delhi after about 7 pm. Train times are confirmed when we book your seats; fog in December and January can delay trains.
- Delhi1 night
- Rishikesh3 nights
- McLeod Ganj3 nights
- Amritsar2 nights
- Delhiend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: October, November, March and April are mild and clear. December to February bring cold nights in the hills, possible snow on the upper Triund trail and fog on the Punjab plain. Rajaji's safari zones open from about mid-November; in October we walk the forest edge with a naturalist instead.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who have seen the Taj Mahal and want a different, quieter India
- Anyone curious about yoga, Tibetan Buddhism or Sikhism, without signing up for a retreat
- Walkers who want one real hill day, with an easy way out
- Solo travellers who want company and a fair single price
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want the Taj Mahal and Rajasthan: see our Golden Triangle trip
- A full yoga retreat with several classes a day
- Step-free access: hill towns mean steep lanes and steps
- Anyone who wants meat and a bar every night in Rishikesh
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Delhi1 night
- Rishikesh3 nights
- McLeod Ganj3 nights
- Amritsar2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 9 nights: 1 in Delhi, 3 in Rishikesh near the river, 3 in McLeod Ganj within walking distance of the Tsuglagkhang, 2 in Amritsar within walking distance of the Golden Temple
- Central hotels of at least 3-star-plus standard, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Delhi airport (DEL) on day 1 and drop-off there on day 10
- Shatabdi Express from Delhi to Haridwar, reserved air-conditioned seats
- Flights from Dehradun to Dharamshala (Gaggal) via Delhi, economy, with a checked bag
- Vande Bharat Express from Amritsar to Delhi, reserved air-conditioned seats
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver for every road transfer
- Open jeep for the Rajaji safari
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip
- Local specialists where needed: a forest-department naturalist in Rajaji, a certified yoga teacher in Rishikesh and a trail guide on the Triund walk
Activities
- Red Fort, Delhi, for early arrivals (Humayun's Tomb on Mondays)
- The Ganga aarti, Rishikesh
- Morning yoga and meditation class, Rishikesh
- Ram Jhula, Swarg Ashram and Chaurasi Kutia (the Beatles Ashram), Rishikesh
- Open-jeep safari in Rajaji National Park
- Bhagsu Nag temple walk, McLeod Ganj
- The Tsuglagkhang complex, the kora path and the Tibet Museum, McLeod Ganj
- Norbulingka Institute, Sidhpur
- The Triund trail walk, McLeod Ganj
- The Golden Temple at dusk and for the dawn ceremony, Amritsar
- The langar kitchen, Amritsar
- Jallianwala Bagh and the Partition Museum, Amritsar
- The Attari-Wagah border ceremony
Meals
- Breakfast daily (9)
- 4 lunches: a thali in Rishikesh, a Tibetan lunch in McLeod Ganj, a Punjabi lunch on the road to Amritsar and the langar at the Golden Temple
- 2 dinners: welcome dinner in Delhi and farewell dinner in Amritsar
Not included
- International flights to and from Delhi
- India visa or e-Visa fee
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities such as rafting, ayurvedic treatments and extra yoga classes
- Camera fees at some sites
- Excess baggage on the Dharamshala flight
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 350 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Nine nights in central hotels, breakfast daily, four lunches and two dinners, the flights from Dehradun to Dharamshala, both day trains, airport transfers in Delhi, our own vehicle and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan, including the Rajaji safari, a yoga class, the Beatles Ashram, Norbulingka, the Partition Museum and the border ceremony.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That is small enough to sit together on one ghat step at the aarti, fit in two jeeps in Rajaji and move through the Golden Temple at dawn without losing anyone.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the first evening in Delhi to the train back from Amritsar. Local specialists join where they add something: a forest-department naturalist in Rajaji, a certified yoga teacher in Rishikesh and a trail guide on the Triund walk. We name your guide when your departure is confirmed.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderate. Most days are 2 to 4 hours of easy walking, with steep lanes and steps in McLeod Ganj at about 2,000 m. Day 7 can be a 5 to 6 hour hike to the Triund ridge with about 700 m of climbing, but you can turn back after an hour or skip it entirely.
I am travelling solo. What is the single supplement?
A room of your own costs from CAD 350 more, shown up front, about 18 percent of the price. Solo travellers join the same group, the same table and the same jeep as everyone else. If you would rather share, ask when you book and we will try to pair you with another solo guest of the same gender.
When is the best time to go?
October to April. October, November, March and April are mild and clear, with long views of the Dhauladhar. December to February bring cold nights in McLeod Ganj, possible snow on the upper Triund trail and fog on the Punjab plain that can delay trains, but fewer visitors in the hills.
How does booking work?
Pick a departure date and send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes: the small group starts from CAD 1,990, and private trips from CAD 3,580.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, with your own guide and vehicle, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates without a guide, ask us from the dates section and we will send a separate quote.
Do I need a visa for India?
Yes, almost every visitor needs one. Canadian, US, UK and Australian citizens can currently apply for an e-Visa online, usually a few weeks before travel. Rules change, so check the official Indian e-Visa site for your passport when you book. The visa fee is not included.
Why fly from Rishikesh to Dharamshala instead of driving?
By road it is more than 400 km of hill roads, a ten- to twelve-hour day that other trips split with a night in Shimla or Chandigarh. Flying via Delhi gets us to McLeod Ganj by mid-afternoon with a proper lunch and a walk, and keeps three full nights in each base.
What should I wear at the Golden Temple?
Cover your head, shoulders and knees. Everyone goes barefoot inside the complex and washes their feet at the entrance; shoes are left free at the gate. Scarves are handed out if you do not bring one. Alcohol and tobacco are not allowed. Your guide briefs the group before the first visit.
Will we see the Dalai Lama?
Probably not in person. The Dalai Lama travels and gives public teachings only on dates his office announces. If one falls during your stay in McLeod Ganj, we tell you how to register with your passport. You visit his temple, the Tsuglagkhang, on day 6 either way.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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