If you are thinking is it possible to go to Amritsar for visiting Golden Temple and come back on the same day then the answer is ‘Yes’. You can plan a one day trip from Chandigarh to Amritsar to visit Golden Temple. Here is my suggestion to you to plan this trip.
If you are planning this trip on weekend then you need to start your journey quiet early say 2am and if you are planning to go on a week day then 4am is fine to start your journey from Chandigarh. I would always prefer a week day to avoid crowd in golden temple. On weekends it is too crowded that you will not be able to find a space to even stand and it will take 5-6 hours standing in the que to get a chance to go inside the golden temple.
So you can start your journey at 2am or 4am as per the day you decided. In the morning time you will hardly face any traffic on the highway. It will take you just 3 and a half hour to reach Amritsar. You may stop by in Jalandhar for breakfast. Haveli and Lucky dhaba are the famous eating points in Jalandhar. After having breakfast you can resume your journey it will take another one and a half hour from there. By 6am you will be in Amritsar. Find a good parking space for your car and go inside the Golden temple.
In this early morning time you will see good crowd inside the temple. You need to secure a space for you in the que to get inside. As soon as the que starts to move inside it will take 1-2 hours for your turn. Once you get free after darshan of Darbar Sahib, take a seat in the temple campus and feel relax for an hour or so.
When you feel refreshed, roam around for some time outside the market. This market is quiet happening with so many eating stalls, traditional garments, punjabi jutti and so on.
Near about 11am or 12pm you will be free. If you want to start your journey back to Chandigarh you can do it and by 4:30pm you will be at home. Or if you are interested in shopping for traditional dresses visit nearby market and spend a few hours and then go back to Chandigarh. This way you can plan your one day trip from Chandigarh to Amritsar – Golden temple with zero tiredness.
