Karnal itinerary

Plan 01

1 day in Karnal

1. 01

   Day 1: Lake, tower and gurdwara

   Start at Karna Lake in the morning for a slow walk and a tea break, then drive back into town for the Cantonment Church Tower and its graveyards. Look for the kos minar on Minar Road on the way. After lunch and a rest, visit Gurudwara Manji Sahib in the Old Sarafa Bazaar area in the late afternoon and walk a little of the bazaar. End with dinner near your hotel.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Karna Lake (Karna Tal)	1 to 2 hours	Easy	October to March; late afternoon, when the light softens and the heat drops
   Cantonment Church Tower	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon; October to March
   Kos Minar on Minar Road	15 to 20 minutes	Easy	Daylight hours; October to March

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Plan 02

2 days in Karnal

1. 01

   Day 1: Town sights

   Karna Lake in the morning, then the Cantonment Church Tower and the kos minar. Rest after lunch and finish at Gurudwara Manji Sahib in the late afternoon.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Karna Lake (Karna Tal)	1 to 2 hours	Easy	October to March; late afternoon, when the light softens and the heat drops
   Cantonment Church Tower	30 to 45 minutes	Easy	Morning or late afternoon; October to March

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Taraori and Sitamai

   Drive north to Taraori, the town associated with the battles of Tarain, to see the fort wall and the minar. Continue to the Sita Mai Temple in Sitamai village if you want a longer excursion, and return by late afternoon.

Plan 03

3 days in Karnal

1. 01

   Day 1: Town sights

   Karna Lake, the church tower and the kos minar, with a long lunch break and an evening at Gurudwara Manji Sahib.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Karna Lake (Karna Tal)	1 to 2 hours	Easy	October to March; late afternoon, when the light softens and the heat drops

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

2. 02

   Day 2: Taraori and Sitamai

   Drive to Taraori in the morning, then to Sitamai for the Sita Mai Temple. Keep the evening free.

3. 03

   Day 3: Kurukshetra day trip

   Drive north to Kurukshetra, about an hour or so by road, for Brahma Sarovar and Jyotisar. Leave early and return in the evening, or continue north to Chandigarh.

   Stop	Time needed	Walking	Best time
   Brahma Sarovar	1 to 2 hours	Easy	Early morning or late afternoon; October to March for comfort
   Jyotisar	About 1 hour; longer with the evening show	Easy	Morning for quiet; October to March for the weather

   Pace: All the stops today are easy on the legs.

Read before you go

Guides for the stops on these routes

Pacing

Pacing a Karnal trip for parents and children

• Plan one or two sights a day and rest after lunch. Distances are short, but summer afternoons are hot and tiring.
• Karna Lake, the Cantonment Church Tower and Gurudwara Manji Sahib are the most level, comfortable stops. Taraori and Sitamai involve uneven ground and rural roads.
• Winter mornings can be foggy on the Grand Trunk Road; start later and avoid early drives if visibility is poor.
• Hire a car for the day to reach Taraori, Sitamai and Kurukshetra; village roads are not easy by autos.
• Carry water, a hat and any medication; facilities at village sites are basic.
• For gurdwaras and temples, carry a head covering and socks for hot or cold floors.

Karnal with elderly parents: the full guide →