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Voykit pocket guide · Pakistan
Badoki Saikhwan
Skip unless you have a specific interest in Sikh-era architecture or rural Punjabi life: half a day is enough to see the old houses and mosques.
Badoki Saikhwan is a small village in Gujranwala District with a handful of Sikh Empire-era buildings, five mosques and a church. It has no tourist infrastructure, no hotels and no restaurants aimed at visitors. Most travellers will find little to do beyond a short walk past the old houses and orchards.
- Country
- Pakistan
- Best months
- Oct–Mar (cool and dry)
- Avoid
- May–Aug (extreme heat, up to 45°C (113°F))May–Aug (extreme heat, up to 113°F (45°C))
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PKR
- Money
- Pakistani rupee (PKR, Rs) in cash for almost everything outside big-city hotels and malls; carry US dollars as backup.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 2,000–4,000 (day trip from Gujranwala) · Mid Rs 4,000–8,000 (day trip with driver) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone sell SIMs with passport and biometric registration at franchise shops (not usually at the airport).
- Emergency
- Police 15 · Rescue 1122 · Edhi ambulance 115
- Plugs
- Types C, D · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two- and three-pin sockets; power cuts (load-shedding) are common, especially in the north.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 5–10%.; Driver / guide: Rs 1,000–3,000 a day.; Hotel staff: Rs 200–500.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug or hose elsewhere.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Rickshaw from Gujranwala (one way) | Rs 500–800 |
| Private car from Gujranwala (half day) | Rs 2,000–5,000 |
| Bottled water (1.5 L) | Rs 50–80 |
| Tea at a local stall | Rs 20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LHE · Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore
- About 2 h 30 min by car; the nearest major airport.
- GWD · Sialkot International Airport
- About 1 h 15 min by car; check
Typical fares
- Gujranwala → Badoki Saikhwan, rickshaw
- Rs 500–800, about 30 min (check)
- Sialkot → Badoki Saikhwan, private car
- Rs 1,500–2,500, about 1 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable. To reach the outlying orchards or nearby villages you need a private car or rickshaw hired from Gujranwala or Sialkot.
See and do
Known for
- Sikh Empire-era buildings and old houses
- Five mosques and one church
- Guava orchards and paddy fields
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gujranwala | Private car or rickshaw, about 30 min | 30 min |
| Sialkot | Private car, about 1 h | 1 h |
| Lahore | Private car via GT Road, about 2 h 30 min | 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Gujranwala city
- About 30 min drive; the nearest place with hotels and restaurants.
- Sialkot
- About 1 h drive; more options for mid-range and business hotels.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام علیکمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شکریہshukriya |
| How much? | کتنا ہے؟kitna hai? |
| Where is the mosque? | مسجد کہاں ہے؟masjid kahan hai? |
| I need a rickshaw | مجھے رکشہ چاہیےmujhe rickshaw chahiye |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Assalam o alaikum', right hand on heart; handshakes between men; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first
- Hospitality: Accept tea; let hosts pay the first time; avoid: Refusing all offers
- Dress: Shalwar kameez is comfortable and appreciated; avoid: Shorts and sleeveless tops
- Shrines: Cover heads, shoes off, sit quietly at qawwali; avoid: Filming without permission
- Conversation: Cricket, food and family are safe topics; avoid: Religion, India and the army with strangers
Scams and watch-outs
- No hotels, restaurants or ATMs in the village: bring cash and plan meals in Gujranwala or Sialkot.
- The old Sikh-era buildings are unmarked and some are in poor condition: ask locals for directions.
- Friday midday prayers close most shops and streets are quiet.
Badoki Saikhwan is a quiet village with low crime. The main risks are heat in summer and stray dogs after dark. Women travellers should dress conservatively (shalwar kameez recommended) and avoid walking alone after sunset.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Badoki Saikhwan yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sikh Empire-era buildings and old houses
- Five mosques and one church
- Guava orchards and paddy fields
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Badoki Saikhwan, revision 5338440 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5338440
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/badoki-saikhwan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.