Dawn boat ride on the Ganges
Experience · 2 hoursThe reason to come. Leave the hotel by 05:00; agree the boat rate beforehand.
Holy city · Uttar Pradesh
Varanasi travel guide & tour packages
Varanasi is not an easy city and it is not meant to be. The ghats at dawn — pilgrims bathing, boats moving through the mist, cremations continuing as they have for centuries — are the reason people come, and the reason some find it overwhelming. Two nights is the minimum that works: one dawn boat ride, one Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh in the evening, and a morning in the lanes of the old city, which are too narrow for cars and easy to get lost in. Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, is a half day and a complete change of pace. Go with a guide who knows the etiquette around the cremation ghats — photography there is deeply resented and correctly so.
What to see
Things to do in Varanasi
Ganga Aarti, Dashashwamedh Ghat
Ceremony · 1.5 hoursEvening. Arrive an hour early or watch from a boat, which is better.
Old city lanes
Experience · 2–3 hoursToo narrow for vehicles. Take a guide — getting lost here is genuinely easy.
Sarnath
Buddhist site · Half dayWhere the Buddha first taught. Quiet, green, and a relief after the ghats.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Temple · 1.5 hoursSecurity is strict; phones not permitted. Expect queues at festival times.
Durations
Realistic trip lengths
Varanasi works well as a 2–3 night stay. Tell us your dates and party and we'll price a tailored itinerary.
Multi-city
Circuits including Varanasi
Buddhist Circuit
Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Varanasi and Sarnath — the sites of the Buddha's enlightenment and first sermon.
Price on enquiryView itinerary
Good to know
Varanasi FAQs
Is Varanasi suitable for a first trip to India?
It is intense — crowds, noise, open cremation and very little that is sanitised for visitors. Many people find it the most memorable place they go; some find it too much. We will be honest with you about which you are likely to be.
Can I photograph the cremation ghats?
No. It is a funeral, it is resented, and people will confront you. Anyone offering to arrange photographs for a fee is exploiting grieving families.
How many nights do I need?
Two. One for the dawn boat and evening aarti, one for the old city and Sarnath. A third suits anyone wanting to slow down.
Nearby
Combine with
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View guide →Plan it properly
Tell us the party and the dates.
We price the real configuration rather than an average — exact adults, children and rooms — and come back within one working day.