Varanasi Travel Guide: Ghats, Temples, Ganga Aarti and Sarnath

Welcome to our Varanasi travel guide. Varanasi, also called Kashi and Banaras, sits on the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh. It is the holiest city for Hindus and one of the oldest living cities in the world. Pilgrims come to bathe in the river, pray at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and watch the Ganga Aarti, and Buddhists come to nearby Sarnath. This guide covers the ghats, temples, rituals, food, shopping, the best time to visit and how to get there.

Varanasi at a Glance

Here are the key facts in our Varanasi travel guide.

• Other names: Kashi, Banaras (Benares)
• State: Uttar Pradesh, North India
• Known for: the ghats, the Ganga Aarti, the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Sarnath and Banarasi silk
• Days needed: two to three
• Best time: October to March
• Nearest airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, about 25 km from the city

How to Reach Varanasi

This part of our Varanasi travel guide explains the three main ways to arrive.

By Air

Varanasi airport has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and other cities. The drive to the ghats takes about an hour.

By Train

Varanasi Junction (Cantt), Banaras station and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction have trains from all over India, including the fast Vande Bharat Express from Delhi.

By Road

Good roads link Varanasi with Prayagraj (about three hours), Ayodhya (four to five hours) and Bodh Gaya (about six hours).

Ghats of Varanasi

There are more than 80 ghats, stone steps that lead down to the river. These are the most important ones in any Varanasi travel guide.

• Dashashwamedh Ghat: the main ghat and home of the evening Ganga Aarti.
• Assi Ghat: at the south end, with a calm morning aarti, yoga and music.
• Manikarnika Ghat: the main cremation ghat, where the fires never go out. Watch quietly and do not take photos.
• Harishchandra Ghat: another old cremation ghat, linked to the legend of King Harishchandra.
• Panchganga Ghat: where five holy rivers are said to meet, near the Alamgir mosque.

Ganga Aarti in Varanasi

No Varanasi travel guide is complete without the Ganga Aarti. It is held every evening at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Young priests in silk robes wave large brass lamps, ring bells and chant to the river for about 45 minutes. Come early for a seat on the steps, or watch from a boat. A quieter aarti is held at Assi Ghat at dawn.

Shamrock travel tip: keep your bags close in the crowd, and agree the price of a boat before you get in. For more advice, read our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Sunrise Boat Ride on the Ganga

Every Varanasi travel guide agrees that a boat ride at sunrise is the best way to see the city. Pilgrims bathe and pray, priests chant and the old palaces and temples glow in the morning light. Most rides go from Dashashwamedh or Assi Ghat and last about an hour.

Temples of Varanasi

Our Varanasi travel guide lists the five temples most visitors see.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

The Golden Temple of Lord Shiva is the first stop in any Varanasi travel guide. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor now links it to the river. Phones and bags are not allowed inside, so use the lockers.

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple

A much-loved temple to Lord Hanuman, said to have been founded by the poet-saint Tulsidas.

Durga Temple

A red temple with a large pond, also called the Monkey Temple.

Tulsi Manas Temple

A white marble temple where Tulsidas is said to have written the Ramcharitmanas, whose verses cover its walls.

Bharat Mata Temple

A temple to Mother India, with a large relief map of India carved in marble.

Sarnath: Where the Buddha Taught

No Varanasi travel guide is complete without Sarnath. About 10 km from Varanasi, it is where the Buddha gave his first sermon after he found enlightenment in Bodh Gaya.

• Dhamek Stupa: a large stone stupa about 1,500 years old, at the place of the first sermon.
• Sarnath Museum: home of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, the national emblem of India. Check the opening days before you go.
• Mulagandha Kuti Vihar: a modern temple with wall paintings of the life of the Buddha.
• Chaukhandi Stupa: an old brick stupa with a Mughal tower added in the time of Akbar.

Suggested Varanasi Itineraries

Use these plans from our Varanasi travel guide to set your days.

Varanasi in Two Days

Day 1: arrive, walk the old lanes and watch the evening Ganga Aarti. Day 2: sunrise boat ride, Kashi Vishwanath, then Sarnath in the afternoon.

Varanasi in Three or Four Days

Add the Banaras Hindu University and its Bharat Kala Bhavan museum, Ramnagar Fort across the river, a silk weavers’ village and a cooking or music class.

Varanasi, Prayagraj, Ayodhya and Bodh Gaya

Add the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, the Ram temple in Ayodhya or the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya for a full Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage of five to seven days.

Food in Varanasi

Our Varanasi travel guide would not be complete without food. Try kachori and sabzi for breakfast, hot jalebi, thick lassi in clay cups, malaiyyo (a milk foam sweet sold only in winter), tamatar chaat and the famous Banarasi paan. Most food in the old city is vegetarian.

Shopping in Varanasi

These are the best buys in our Varanasi travel guide.

• Banarasi silk saris: rich silk with gold and silver thread, woven by hand. Buy from a trusted shop or a weavers’ cooperative.
• Musical instruments: sitars, tablas and flutes.
• Brass and copper: lamps, pots for Ganga water and small idols.
• Other finds: wooden toys and lacquerware, rudraksha beads and Banarasi stoles.

Best Time to Visit Varanasi

Our Varanasi travel guide suggests October to March as the best time to visit, with cool mornings and clear skies. Dev Deepawali, fifteen days after Diwali, lights the ghats with lamps, and Maha Shivratri fills the Shiva temples. April to June is very hot, and July to September is the monsoon, when the river rises over the lower ghats.

Varanasi Travel Tips

Before you go, read these tips from our Varanasi travel guide.

• Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, and take off your shoes at temples.
• Ask before you take photos of people, and never at the cremation ghats.
• The old city is best on foot or by cycle rickshaw; cars cannot reach the ghats.
• Drink bottled or filtered water and eat at busy, clean places.

Shamrock travel tip: book a licensed guide for your first walk in the old city. The lanes are a maze, and a guide shows you hidden temples and tells you the stories. See our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Varanasi Travel Guide FAQs

How many days do I need in Varanasi?

Two to three days are enough for the ghats, the Ganga Aarti, the temples and Sarnath.

Is Varanasi safe for solo women travellers?

Yes, with normal care. Stay near the main ghats, dress modestly and avoid empty lanes late at night.

Can I take part in the Ganga Aarti?

You can watch from the steps or a boat, and you can float a small leaf lamp (diya) on the river afterwards.

Is there a dress code for the temples?

Yes. Wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes before you enter.

Is Varanasi easy to explore on foot?

Yes. The ghats are joined by a long riverside path, and the old lanes are best on foot.

Ready-Made Varanasi Tours

If you want us to plan everything, these private tours include Varanasi. See all our Varanasi tour packages.

• 3-day Spiritual Varanasi tour: the Ganga Aarti, a sunrise boat ride, the old lanes of Kashi and Sarnath.
• 5-day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour: Kashi, the Triveni Sangam and the Mahabodhi Temple.
• 6-day Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour: a slower Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage tour with a night at the Sangam.
• 6-day Varanasi Khajuraho tour: the Ganga and the UNESCO temples of Khajuraho.
• 7-day Varanasi Taj Mahal tour: Varanasi and the Taj Mahal, with Old Delhi and Fatehpur Sikri.
• 12-day Varanasi Khajuraho Agra Delhi tour: the great North and Central India circuit.

Plan Your Varanasi Trip

We hope this Varanasi travel guide helps you plan. Read about the cultural heritage of India, see our spiritual tours of India and our cultural tours of India, and the best North India tours. Request your free quote

Plan Your India Holiday with Shamrock Journeys

Shamrock Journeys is a trusted India tour operator and holiday planner. Since 2002 we have designed private India tour packages, family tour packages, honeymoon tours and cultural tours for travellers from around the world.

Recognised and trusted: Recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Member of PATA, TAAI, IATO and ADTOI.

Popular tours: India Tour Packages | Golden Triangle Tour | Rajasthan Tours | Kerala Tours | Kashmir Tour Packages | Honeymoon Tours | Cultural Tours of India | Spiritual Tours of India

Tell us your travel dates and we will send you a personal itinerary. Request your free quote