About the tour
About Varanasi (Kashi / Benares)
Varanasi — the spiritual heart of India and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world (3,000+ years). Set on the western bank of the Ganga, the holy city is where pilgrims come to bathe, where saints come to die, and where every traveller comes at least once for the world’s most powerful spiritual encounter — the evening Ganga aarti.
Mark Twain wrote: “Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.“
Best Time to Visit
- October – March — ideal weather (10–25 °C). Dev Deepawali in November is unmissable.
- April – June — extreme heat (above 45 °C).
- July – September — monsoon. Ganga rises and many ghats become inaccessible.
Top Things to Do
The Ghats & Ganga
Varanasi has 88 ghats stretching along the Ganga.
Must-Visit Ghats
- Dashashwamedh Ghat — site of the daily Ganga aarti (6 PM)
- Manikarnika Ghat — main cremation ghat (24/7 funeral pyres for 3,000+ years)
- Assi Ghat — Subah-e-Banaras morning aarti at sunrise
- Harishchandra Ghat — second cremation ghat
- Munshi Ghat — beautiful 19th-century facades
Iconic Experiences
- Sunrise boat ride from Assi to Manikarnika
- Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh (6 PM, 45 min, life-changing)
- Subah-e-Banaras at Assi Ghat — sunrise classical music + aarti
- Walking tour through old galis — narrow lanes selling sarees, sweets and chai
Sacred Temples
- Kashi Vishwanath Temple — one of 12 Jyotirlingas. New Vishwanath Corridor connecting it to the Ganga is spectacular
- Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
- Durga Mandir (Monkey Temple)
- Bharat Mata Temple — unique map-as-deity
- Tulsi Manas Temple — where Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas
- Annapurna Devi Temple
Sarnath — Buddha’s First Sermon
Just 12 km from Varanasi — where Buddha gave his first sermon. UNESCO-worthy Dhamek Stupa, the original Lion Capital of Ashoka (now India’s national emblem) is in the museum here.
Banaras Hindu University (BHU)
One of Asia’s largest residential universities. Visit the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum and the New Vishwanath Temple inside the campus.
Day Trip: Chunar Fort
40 km from Varanasi — one of the oldest forts in northern India.
Banarasi Cuisine & Sweets
- Kachori Sabzi & Jalebi — the iconic Banarasi breakfast
- Tamatar Chaat & Chooda Matar — winter favourites
- Banarasi Paan — the world’s most famous betel leaf wrap
- Lassi at Blue Lassi Shop (legendary, 80+ years old)
- Kashi Chaat Bhandar — temple-side chaat
- Malaiyo — winter saffron-foam sweet (only Dec-Feb)
- Banarasi Thandai — saffron + nuts cooled milk
- Baati Chokha
How to Reach
By Air
Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), Varanasi with direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Bangkok and Kathmandu.
By Rail
Varanasi Junction (BSB) and Banaras (BSBS) — major stations with direct trains from across India.
By Road
NH-19 (Grand Trunk Road). 800 km from Delhi, 280 km from Lucknow. See our fleet — chauffeured car best for navigating the narrow lanes.
Ready for a journey to the soul of India? Use the booking card or WhatsApp Prithvi — we’ll arrange your sunrise boat ride, evening aarti, Sarnath day-trip and the perfect Varanasi hotel near the ghats.