Varanasi

Located on the banks of the holy Ganges River, this is India’s most sacred city for Hindus, many of whom bring the bodies of family members to be cremated here.
Take a deep breath, unpack your sense of adventure and commit to immersing yourself into the chaotic, other worldly experience of ancient Varanasi. India’s oldest living city is a full-on assault on the senses but there’s nothing else quite like it and definitely not to be missed.

Highlights

Aarti

The aarti ceremony is a must see on any visit to Varanasi. This is a form of Hindu prayer ritual performed by priests in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities. The main aarti in Varanasi takes place at Dashashwamedh Ghat at dusk every day. The ceremony can be viewed from a boat on the Ganges or on the Ghats itself where you are likely to get a closer view.

City Walk

A walk through the streets and narrow lanes of Varanasi is a photographers dream. This ancient city is buzzing with activity and you’ll find temples, markets and interesting shops to explore. Just be prepared to give way to the odd cow meandering along!

Ganges

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A dawn rowing boat ride along the Ganges is a quintessential Varanasi experience. The early-morning light is particularly beautiful, and all the colour and clamour of pilgrims bathing and performing puja unfolds before you. An hour-long trip south from Dashashwamedh Ghat to Harishchandra Ghat and back is popular, but be prepared to see a burning corpse at Harishchandra. Early evening is also a good time to be on the river, when you can light a lotus flower candle and set it adrift on the water before watching the nightly Ganga Aarti ceremony (7pm) at Dashashwamedh Ghat directly from the boat.

Ghats

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Spiritually enlightening and fantastically photogenic, Varanasi is at its brilliant best by the ghats, the long stretch of steps leading down to the water on the western bank of the Ganges. Most are used for bathing but there are also several ‘burning ghats’ where bodies are cremated in public. The main one is Manikarnika: you’ll often see funeral processions threading their way through the backstreets to this ghat. The best time to visit the ghats is at dawn when the river is bathed in a mellow light as pilgrims come to perform puja to the rising sun.

Mulagandhakuti Vihara

There are a number of twentieth century Buddhist temples in Sarnath, many of which were built and are maintained by monks from Tibet, China and Japan. The main Buddhist temple is the Mulagandhakuti Vihar. The main shrine (vihara), called the Mulagandakuti, is said to be located at the place where Buddha used to stay during his visits to Sarnath. Inside are beautiful frescoes depicting the life of Buddha.

Sarnath

One of the four important sites on the Buddhist circuit (along with Bodhgaya, Kushinagar and Lumbini in Nepal), attracting followers from around the world. Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after he achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya and gave his famous first sermon here. When Buddhism went into decline and Muslim invaders sacked the city in the late 12th century, Sarnath disappeared altogether. It was ‘rediscovered’ by British archaeologists in 1835.

Vishwanath Temple

This is the point where the brown water of the Ganga meets the green water of the Yamuna, along with the mythical Saraswati, which remains unseen but believed to run underground. It is located about 7 km from Civil Lines, overlooked by the eastern ramparts of the Akbar Fort. A dip in the Sangam water is supposed to be the holiest of the holy pilgrimages for the devout Hindu.

Shringverpur

Varanasi is well known for its silk weaving. The Banarasi sarees made by these weavers are among the finest saris in India and are known for their gold and silver brocade or zari, fine silk and opulent embroidery. They are worn by Indian women on the occasions of festivals and in a marriage party.

Hotels

Discover the wonderful variety of places to stay in India; including some of the most luxurious hotels in the world, intimate boutique hotels bursting with local character, charming homestays where you’ll have a chance to interact with local families, converted forts & palaces, fabulous lodges and heritage havelis.

Brijrama Palace

Hotel Ganges View

Suryauday Haveli

Tours

Below are a selection of our favourite sample itineraries that we have created based on our experiences of travelling extensively throughout India. As with all our tours, every aspect can be tailor-made to your individual requirements.