In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · India
Kannauj
कन्नौज
Skip Kannauj unless you are a perfume buyer or a history buff with a car: a half-day stop from Kanpur or Lucknow is enough for the museum and a perfumery visit.
Kannauj was the capital of the Gurjar-Pratihar Empire in the 9th–10th centuries, but today it is a small market town known as India's perfume capital. The Government Archaeology Museum holds artefacts from the medieval dynasties, and the real draw is watching attar made by the traditional deg-bhapka method. Most travellers pass through on the Delhi–Kanpur rail line without stopping.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- कन्नौज
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (extreme heat), Jul–Sep (monsoon, mosquitoes)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹3,000–5,000 excl. bed · High ₹6,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire 101 · Ambulance 102
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
Get in
By air
- LKO · Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Lucknow
- About 2.5 h by road; no direct train connection
- KNU · Kanpur Airport
- About 1.5 h by road; limited domestic flights
Typical fares
- Auto-rickshaw from station to museum
- ₹50–100
- Taxi Kannauj → Kanpur
- ₹1,500–2,000
- Train Kannauj → Kanpur, general class
- ₹50–100
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
Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws cover the town; negotiate the fare before boarding. A car or taxi from Kanpur is more comfortable for the sanctuary.
See and do
Known for
- Attar (traditional perfume) distilleries
- Government Archaeology Museum
- Lakh Bahosi Bird Sanctuary
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kanpur | Train from Kannauj City station, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Kaushambi | Train via Kanpur or Lucknow, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Prayagraj | Train from Kannauj City, about 2.5 h | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Near Kannauj City railway station
- A few budget hotels; basic amenities, fine for a night if you arrive late.
- Kanpur (60 km east)
- Better choice for accommodation; day-trip to Kannauj by train or car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much? | कितना है?kitna hai |
| Too expensive | बहुत महंगाbahut mehnga |
| Where is the perfume shop? | इत्र की दुकान कहाँ है?ittar ki dukaan kahan hai |
| Please show me | कृपया मुझे दिखाएँkripya mujhe dikhayein |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Perfume shops may quote inflated prices for tourists; ask at two or three distilleries first.
- Lakh Bahosi Sanctuary is best visited early morning or late afternoon; carry water and insect repellent.
- No ATMs in the old town; withdraw cash in Kanpur or at the railway station area.
Kannauj is generally safe for day visits. Watch for touts at the railway station and in perfume shops. Avoid walking alone after dark in the old town.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kannauj yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Attar (traditional perfume) distilleries
- Government Archaeology Museum
- Lakh Bahosi Bird Sanctuary
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: Kannauj, revision 5305424 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5305424
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/kannauj). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.