Sikh Heritage Sites in Pakistan: A Pilgrim's Guide

The four most important Sikh heritage sites in Pakistan are Gurdwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib, where Guru Nanak was born; Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur, where he spent his last years; Gurdwara Panja Sahib at Hasan Abdal; and Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore. Pilgrims from India come on group visas through Wagah for the main festivals, because the visa-free Kartarpur Corridor has been closed since May 2025. Pilgrims from the UK, Canada, the US and elsewhere travel on an ordinary Pakistan visa.

This guide covers what each gurdwara marks, when the big gatherings happen, how the different routes in work, and what Pakistani visitors of other faiths should expect at the gate.

Nankana Sahib: Guru Nanak's birthplace

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born in 1469 in the town then called Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib, roughly 80 km west of Lahore. Gurdwara Janam Asthan marks the spot, and the town holds several other gurdwaras linked to his childhood, including Gurdwara Bal Lila and Gurdwara Tambu Sahib.

The largest gathering is for Guru Nanak's birth anniversary in November. In 2025 the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued more than 2,100 visas to Indian pilgrims for celebrations from 4 to 13 November, the first large crossing after the May 2025 conflict, with the main ceremony at Janam Asthan on 5 November (Arab News). Pilgrims from Pakistan, Europe and North America join them. Our Nankana Sahib guide covers the town and the gurdwaras in detail.

Kartarpur: Gurdwara Darbar Sahib

Guru Nanak founded Kartarpur on the Ravi and lived, farmed and taught there until his death in about 1539. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib stands a few kilometres from the border in Narowal district, and the white complex around it was greatly expanded for the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor on 9 November 2019.

Is the Kartarpur Corridor open?

No. India closed its side of the corridor in May 2025 after the conflict between the two countries, and Dawn reported in April 2026 that it still remained closed. The bilateral agreement has been extended to October 2029, but that does not mean crossings have resumed. When the corridor was open, Indian passport holders and OCI cardholders could visit for the day without a visa, registering in advance on the Indian government's portal and paying a USD 20 service fee to Pakistan. Check the current position before planning around it.

While the corridor is shut, Indian pilgrims reach Kartarpur as part of their Wagah visa itineraries, and pilgrims from elsewhere visit on their Pakistan visa.

Visiting Kartarpur from inside Pakistan

Kartarpur is the one major gurdwara set up for visitors of every faith. Pakistanis register at the entrance with their CNIC and pay an entry fee; foreign nationals show a passport and visa. Entry has generally closed by mid-afternoon, so leave Lahore by mid-morning. It is about two hours' drive. Our guide to visiting Kartarpur from Pakistan has the process step by step.

Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal

Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal holds a rock bearing what is venerated as the handprint of Guru Nanak, with a spring flowing from beneath it. It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism and the centre of the Baisakhi gathering every April, which marks the founding of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

For Baisakhi 2026, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued visas to 2,800 Indian pilgrims for the festival from 10 to 19 April, with the main ceremony at Panja Sahib on 14 April; organisers expected over 26,000 pilgrims from around the world (Dawn). Hasan Abdal is off the GT Road, under an hour from Islamabad, and is usually combined with Taxila. Our Panja Sahib guide covers the legend and the festival.

Dera Sahib and Sikh Lahore

Gurdwara Dera Sahib, beside the Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque, marks the place where Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru, was martyred in 1606. His martyrdom day in June brings Indian and international pilgrims. Next to it is the Samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who ruled the Sikh Empire from Lahore in the early 19th century.

Both are restricted to Sikh pilgrims; other visitors need permission from the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), and most see them from Hazuri Bagh. Our guide to Sikh heritage sites in Lahore explains what can and can't be visited.

Other gurdwaras pilgrims visit

• Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Eminabad (near Gujranwala), linked to Guru Nanak's stay in the town.
• Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Farooqabad (Sheikhupura district), where the young Guru Nanak is said to have spent money given for trade on feeding holy men.
• Gurdwara Babe di Ber, Sialkot, named after the ber tree under which Guru Nanak is said to have rested.
• Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh, Peshawar, which serves the city's Sikh community. Peshawar is on the UK government's list of places it advises against all travel to (September 2026), so check local news and police advice first.

How do pilgrims get visas?

From India. Group pilgrimages run under the 1974 bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines. Sikh bodies in India put together the groups (jathas), Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi issues the visas, and pilgrims cross on foot at Wagah, where the ETPB receives them and runs transport, security and lodging at the gurdwaras. Visas are for set festival dates and set sites. In 2025 travel was frozen for months after the May conflict, so watch the news before each festival.

From the UK, Canada, the US and elsewhere. Sikh pilgrims with these passports apply for an ordinary Pakistan visa online and can travel independently, though many join organised groups for Baisakhi and Gurpurab. Our Pakistan tourist visa guide covers the application. Overseas visitors should also read their own government's travel advice; Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur and Hasan Abdal are not on the UK's list of places to avoid.

Pakistani Sikhs travel freely with a CNIC.

Can non-Sikh Pakistanis visit these gurdwaras?

At Kartarpur, yes, with a CNIC and an entry fee. At Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and Dera Sahib, access for non-Sikh visitors, and for Muslim visitors in particular, is often limited, with police at the gates, and it is enforced most strictly during festivals. Reports differ on how firmly this is applied on ordinary days, so if you are not Sikh, ask the ETPB or the gurdwara management in advance rather than turning up and hoping.

Inside any gurdwara:

• Cover your head; men and women alike. Scarves are usually available at the door.
• Remove shoes and wash your feet and hands where shown.
• No tobacco, alcohol or intoxicants anywhere on the premises.
• Sit on the floor in the darbar hall, and don't turn your back on the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Langar, the free communal kitchen, is open to all who are admitted. Eat what you take.
• Ask before photographing people at prayer.

Is a Sikh heritage trip in Pakistan worth it?

For Sikh pilgrims it is the journey of a lifetime, and Pakistan's arrangements during the main festivals are well practised. For Pakistani visitors of other faiths, Kartarpur is well worth a day trip from Lahore; the other gurdwaras are better approached with permission, or seen from outside as part of a wider heritage itinerary.

If you can choose your dates, the festivals are moving but crowded and tightly organised; an ordinary week gives more time at each site.

Frequently asked questions