Varanasi Travel Guide: How to Plan a Trip to India's Holiest City
The Eternal City
Where time stands still and divinity flows with the Ganges
- One of the World's oldest living Cities
- Spiritual Capital of India
- Sacred Ghats & Timeless Traditions
- A City of culture, soul of Moksha
ABOUT VARANASI
A City of Temples
and Spirituality
Varanasi, also called Kashi or Banaras, is India's holiest city, an ancient place on the Ganges where life and death play out on the riverside ghats. Experience My India suggests two to three days around a sunrise boat ride and the evening Ganga Aarti, ideally October to March, with a trusted local guide.
Varanasi, known to Hindus as Kashi and historically as Banaras, is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and a cornerstone of India's spiritual tourism, on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh. For Hindus it is the holiest city of all, the city of Shiva, where pilgrims come to bathe in the sacred river and where many hope to be cremated so the soul is released from the cycle of rebirth. For travellers it is India at its most intense and most profound: a labyrinth of lanes, temples and riverside ghats where the rituals of life and death happen in the open. This guide covers how to experience it well, and respectfully.
Destinations
Most Visited Places
What is Varanasi
famous for?
Varanasi is famous for the Ganges and its ghats, the long flights of stone steps where the whole life of the city meets the river: pilgrims bathing at dawn, the nightly fire ceremony of the Ganga Aarti, and the open-air cremations that make this the place Hindus most wish to die. It is the city of the golden Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the holiest Shiva shrines in India, and one of the world's oldest living cities.
Spiritual Capital of India
Considered the holiest city in Hinduism and one of the world's oldest living cities.
Timeless Rituals & Traditions
From the Ganga Aarti to daily prayers and ancient traditions that continue for thousands of years.
Centre of Wisdom & Learning
A land of ancient knowledge: Sanskrit, the Vedas, music, yoga and philosophy.
Land of Music & Art
The birthplace of Banarasi classical music and dance, fine weaves and handicrafts.
Famous Culture & Food
Known for Banarasi sarees, weaving and delightful local delicacies.
Moksha Salvation Destination
The place Hindus most wish to die, where cremation on the Ganges is believed to release the soul from the cycle of rebirth.
Experiences You
Must Not Miss
Almost everything in Varanasi orbits the river, and two experiences define a visit. The first is the sunrise boat ride: setting out on the Ganges in the dark and watching the city wake as the sun comes up behind the ghats, pilgrims bathing and praying along the water. The second is the Ganga Aarti, the ceremony of fire and light performed each evening at Dashashwamedh Ghat, when priests move great lamps in unison to bells and chanting before a crowd of thousands. Do the Aarti on your first evening and the boat ride the next dawn, and you have the heart of Varanasi.
See our guides to the Ganga Aarti and the sunrise boat ride.
Where to go?
The Ghats & Temples
Varanasi is measured in ghats, the stone steps that line the river, each with its own character. The row below is the fast way to orient yourself; a local guide is what turns the labyrinth between them into sense.
Dashashwamedh Ghat
The main ghat; the nightly Ganga Aarti
The evening fire ceremony
Assi Ghat
The southern ghat; quieter, with a morning aarti and yoga
A calmer sunrise start
Manikarnika Ghat
The main cremation ghat, burning day and night
Witnessing the rituals of death, respectfully
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The golden Shiva temple, a major Jyotirlinga shrine
The spiritual heart of the city
Sarnath
Where the Buddha gave his first sermon, about 10km away
A half-day Buddhist side trip
A note on the cremation ghats
At Manikarnika, the main burning ghat, cremations take place around the clock. Visitors may watch quietly from a distance, but photography of the pyres and families is not permitted and is deeply disrespectful.
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
Kashi Vishwanath, the golden temple at the heart of the old city, is one of India's twelve Jyotirlinga shrines and its holiest Shiva temple. The recent Kashi Vishwanath Corridor opened a broad walkway between the temple and the river, easing the once-cramped approach through the lanes.
Beyond these essentials, Varanasi is a city to get lost in — endless lanes, temples, markets and river life. For the full list see our things to do in Varanasi guide
Sarnath:
the Buddhist side trip
About 10 kilometres from the ghats, Sarnath is where the Buddha gave his first sermon after enlightenment, one of the four great pilgrimage sites of Buddhism. Its quiet stupas and museum are a calm counterpoint to the intensity of the river, and make an easy half-day trip.
Famous Banarasi Sweets
Malaiyyo 
Kashi ka lal peda 
Banarasi Laddoo 
Tamatar Chaat 
Jalebi
What is Varanasi's food like, and what should you buy?
Varanasi is a vegetarian holy city, so no meat or alcohol, but the street food is legendary: kachori sabzi for breakfast, tamatar chaat, and a thick lassi in a clay cup at one of the old lassi houses. The city is equally famous for Banarasi silk, the gold-woven saree that is a craft in its own right and the classic thing to carry home.
How we plan Varanasi trips
More than anywhere in India, Varanasi is made or broken by your guide. The difference between a bewildering, tout-heavy first evening and a profound one is a person beside you who knows the lanes, reads the rituals, times the boat to the light and the Aarti to the crowd, and handles the etiquette of the cremation ghats with respect. That is exactly what Experience My India provides: local guides who grew up with these rituals. It is fitting ground for us. Our founder began his career as a guide in the temple town of Vrindavan, in Uttar Pradesh's spiritual heartland, which is where our guide-first way of working began.
Experience My India was founded in 2018 and has hosted more than 50,000 guests from over 35 countries, with in-house specialists, a private transport fleet and a network of local guides across India. Founder Gurudutt Kaushal (IIT Jodhpur; Outlook India 40 Under 40) began as a local guide in Vrindavan before building the company, which is where the on-ground, guide-first way of planning comes from.
Best Time to visit
When is the best time to visit Varanasi?
October to March is the season, with cool, clear mornings ideal for the sunrise boat ride. Two occasions are extraordinary if you can time them: Dev Deepawali, when the ghats are lit with thousands of oil lamps, and Maha Shivratri, the great night of Shiva. April to June is punishing, and during the monsoon the Ganges can rise high enough to submerge the lower ghats and suspend the boat rides.
Where should you stay in Varanasi?
The choice is between the ghats and the city. A ghat-side heritage hotel or guesthouse puts you steps from the river, so you can walk to the evening Aarti, step straight into your dawn boat, and wake to the Ganges from your window; for a short stay this atmospheric choice is worth it. The cantonment area, nearer the station and airport, is quieter and greener but a drive from the river. For a first visit, stay by the ghats.
How many days do you need
in Varanasi?
Two days and two nights is the classic length: the Ganga Aarti on your first evening, the sunrise boat ride and a walking tour of the ghats and old lanes the next day, with Kashi Vishwanath Temple in between. A third day lets you add Sarnath and slow down. Even a single overnight, if that is all you have, captures the Aarti and one dawn on the river.
One overnight
The Aarti on the evening you arrive and one dawn on the river. Enough, if it is all you have.
2 Days & 2 Nights
The classic length: the Aarti, the sunrise boat ride, the ghats and old lanes, and Kashi Vishwanath in between.
3 Days
Adds Sarnath and the room to slow down, which is what the city rewards.
What does a Varanasi itinerary look like?
A classic Varanasi visit follows the river's rhythm. Arrive in the afternoon and settle into a ghat-side hotel, then join the crowd for the evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. The next morning, set out before dawn for the sunrise boat ride, then walk the ghats and lose yourself, with a guide, in the old lanes toward Kashi Vishwanath Temple. With a third day, take the short trip out to Sarnath. Experience My India builds the timing around the light and the ceremonies, which is most of the art of Varanasi.
What does a Varanasi trip cost?
As a short, guided city stay, a Varanasi visit comes down to a few levers: the standard of your ghat-side hotel, whether you add a private car and a dedicated local guide (which we recommend here more than almost anywhere), the boat hire, and how you arrive, a short flight or an overnight train from Delhi or Agra. Because it is usually one leg of a longer India trip, Experience My India quotes it as part of the whole route rather than in isolation.
How do you get to Varanasi?
Varanasi sits east of the Golden Triangle, and most travellers add it by a short flight or an overnight train. The classic inbound route is Delhi to Agra to Varanasi, pairing the Taj with the Ganges.
By air
Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) has frequent flights from Delhi and other major cities, a short drive from the ghats.
By rail
Varanasi Junction and the nearby Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction connect to Delhi and Agra, often as a comfortable overnight sleeper.
As part of the route
The classic inbound run is Delhi to Agra to Varanasi, pairing the Taj Mahal with the Ganges.
- Delhi, Agra and Varanasi tour
pairs the Taj with the Ganges
- Agra travel guide
covers that leg of the journey
Is Varanasi safe, and how do you
handle the intensity?
Varanasi is safe for visitors, but it is the most intense city in India and it helps to arrive prepared. The old lanes are a close, dark labyrinth shared with cows, bulls, dogs and motorbikes, and first-timers often find the first evening overwhelming. Around the cremation ghats, never photograph the pyres or the families, and be aware of the well-known scams, people asking for money for funeral wood or for a hospice for the dying. Dress modestly, as befits a holy city. The single best thing you can do is walk with a knowledgeable local guide, who turns the chaos into meaning and keeps the touts at bay.
Varanasi travel FAQ
How many days do you need in Varanasi?
Two days and two nights is the classic length: the Ganga Aarti on the first evening, the sunrise boat ride and a walk through the ghats and old lanes the next day, with Kashi Vishwanath Temple in between. A third day lets you add Sarnath.
What is the best time to visit Varanasi?
October to March, with cool mornings ideal for the sunrise boat ride. If you can time it, Dev Deepawali lights the ghats with thousands of lamps. Avoid the intense heat of April to June and the monsoon, when the river can submerge the lower ghats.
Is Varanasi safe for tourists?
Yes, Varanasi is safe, though it is the most intense city in India. Dress modestly, keep to well-used lanes after dark, and be aware of the funeral-wood and hospice scams near the cremation ghats. A local guide makes the whole city easier and safer to navigate.
What are the must-do experiences in Varanasi?
The sunrise boat ride on the Ganges and the evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Between them, a walking tour of the ghats and the old lanes, and a visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Can you photograph the cremation ghats?
No. Photography of the pyres and the grieving families at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats is not permitted and is deeply disrespectful. Watch quietly from a distance, ideally with a guide who can explain what you are seeing.
Is Varanasi worth visiting?
Yes. It is one of the most profound places in India, unlike anywhere else on earth. It can feel overwhelming at first, but with a good guide and an open mind it becomes the most memorable stop of many India trips.
Tell Experience My India your dates and we will plan Varanasi around the sunrise boat ride and the evening Ganga Aarti, with a trusted local guide.
Send an enquiry from the Varanasi tour packages page and we will reply with a plan and a live quote.Pairing it with the Taj? See our Delhi, Agra and Varanasi tour