Varanasi

Our most recommended things to do in Varanasi

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  1. Varanasi: Evening Dinner with Private Transfer

  Between 7:00PM and 7:30 PM, your chauffeur along with a representative will pick you up from the hotel lobby in a private air-conditioned vehicle for your evening dinner in local restaurant. Upon arrival, you will be received with a pleasing welcome by the restaurant staff. You will receive some soft drinks as per your taste, partnered with appetizing starters. In between, you will have the opportunity to ask questions about Varanasi City, about its culture & tradition, about Hinduism, and any curious questions which you might want to know the answers to. After your authentic three course dining experience is over, you will be dropped back at your nearby accommodation in your air-conditioned vehicle.

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  2. Varanasi: Night Tour with Aarti Ceremony and Street Food

  Try the deliciously varied street food that characterizes Varanasi, and see the famous aarti light ceremony on this magical evening tour of the city. The tour starts at 5:00 PM, with pickup from your hotel or residence. Travel through the winding streets towards the city center to witness the ritual of aarti. During the ceremony a group of priests clad in saffron and white robes will perform a ritual of Hindu worship with oil lamps, all synced to beautiful music. It’s a spectacular vision and one not to be missed. After witnessing the aarti, enjoy a street food tour led by an expert local guide. Try mishrambhu, a local milk product. Then visit multiple locations to sample a variety of delicious savory southern and northern Indian flavors. Stop at a sweet shop and see how these products are made, then sample some to satisfy your sweet tooth. At the end of the evening, you will ...

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  3. Varanasi: Temples, Ganges Aarti, and Classical Dance Tour

  Start with an afternoon pickup from your hotel at 3:00 PM. First make your way to the most famous and important temples of Varanasi, the Goddess Durga temple. Learn of the many interesting stories and myths attached to this temple from your guide. Visit the Bharat Mata temple or the Mother India temple. This temple is one of a kind in the entire country where rather than idol worship, there is an undivided map of India, symbolizing the worship for one’s motherland. Visit the Monkey temple, which is dedicated to the monkey god, and the Tulsi Manas temple which has the one of the two greatest epic Ramayana engraved on its wall. See the Shri Vishwanath temple in Banaras Hindu University which is reputed to be one of the tallest in the entire country. After exploring the temples, head towards the Assighat for the evening aarti. An experience which is claimed to be magical by people from al...

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  4. Delhi: 6-Day Golden Triangle & Varanasi Private Tour

  Begin the first day of your trip with a pickup from your hotel or other desired place in Delhi, Noida or Gurugram. Start with a half-day city tour of Delhi. Visit Qutub Minar, Lotus Temple, and India Gate. Drive by Parliament House and the President's Palace. After that, proceed to Agra via a 4-hour drive. Upon arrival in Agra, check in to your hotel.  On day 2, you will get up before sunrise, and head to the Taj Mahal to watch the sun come up over this world-famous monument. You will spend two hours exploring the site. After that, return to your hotel for breakfast and to check out, and then spend an hour visiting the Agra Fort. You will then start the 5-hour drive to Jaipur. After breakfast the following day, you will enjoy a guided tour of the Amber Fort. Next, visit the Jal Mahal, a palace located in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake, followed by the Maharaja’s City Palace. Drive pa...

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  5. Varanasi: Private Evening Rooftop Dinner

  At around 6:30PM, your chauffeur will pick you up from your hotel lobby and drive you to the Ganga View Roof Top Restaurant, situated near Chausatti Ghat and Dashaswmedh Road. It is a relatively low costing restaurant that prominently serves North Indian Cuisine. From this open terrace restaurant, you can enjoy the light breeze coming in from the river, as well as an enchanting view of the Ganga river. The panoramic glances will take your breath away, and you can take photographs from here to catalogue your memories. After having a mouth-watering dinner in one of the most famous restaurants in Varanasi your chauffeur will drop you back to your nearby accommodation.

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  6. From Varasani: Private Half Day Tour to Sarnath

  Your half day tour of Sarnath will begin at 11.00am, where you will be picked up from your hotel in Varanasi. You will relax in your private chauffeur-driven and air-conditioned car as you head to Sarnath, just 10km outside the town.  Your knowledgeable English-speaking guide will teach you the history of this pilgrimage site, one of the four supreme sites of Buddhism. You will explore the rustic ruins of Buddhist monuments which are deeply associated with important Buddhist teachings. You will witness the incredible 'Dhameka Stupa' where Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. You will also visit 'Chaukhandi Stupa' another major site, before continuing to Sarnath Archeological Museum that displays many fascinating artefacts. This visit would not be complete without seeing the 'Lion Capital of Ashoka', the national emblem of India. Lastly, you will stop by the 'Mula...

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  7. From Varanasi: Temple Hopping with Transfers

  First make your way to the most famous and important temples of Varanasi, the Goddess Durga temple. This is one of the most revered temples of the region, built in a striking red color. Learn of the many interesting stories and myths attached to this temple from your guide.  Next up is the famous Monkey temple or the Sankat Mochan temple, which is dedicated to the Monkey God. Known to relieve people from every sort of pain and trouble, see pilgrims in large numbers paying their respects here. Also, see the many curious monkeys roaming about the streets. Visit the Tulsi Manas temple, another famous and revered temple in the region. Dedicated to Saint Tulsi Daas, the writer of the Sanskrit epic Ramayana, the walls of this temple have the entire Ramayana craved on them. Visited by people from all over the world, be amazed to see how the walls of this two-storey temple depict the epic poem...

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  8. Varanasi: Evening Arti Boat Tour with Dinner

  At around 5:30PM, your chauffeur along with your tour representative will pick you up from the hotel lobby to drive you toward the Dashashwamedh Ghat to experienc the mesmerizing Ganga Aarti. On arrival, you will board the royal boat to enjoy a 1-hour cruise and Aarti experience in a more comfortable manner. This royal boat has red carpet flooring and is decorated with flowers. You will receive a warm welcome on board to the boat with a welcome drink, with the boat also having snacks and soft drinks to make this evening more relaxed and comfortable. You can easily catch a glimpse of Ganga Aarti from the boat, with many vantage points being provided to enhance your evening aboard the vessel. The Aarti will start from 6:45PM after sunset, with a croon of mantra. This will be followed by melodious hymns dedicated to Lord Shiva, Surya (The Sun), Mata Ganga (Ganga river) and Agni (Lord of F...

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  9. Indian Village Tour

  Your village tour will begin with a pickup at 12:00 PM from your hotel lobby. Board the air-conditioned car and get ready to see the raw beauty of India, living strong in its villages. You will be driven to the secluded villages of Lamahi and Dashrathpuri, situated near Varanasi. This city is well known for its Hindu spiritual and religious traditions, as well as for its serenity with numerous ghats. A short drive from Varanasi takes you to the bygone golden period, living on in its nearby villages. This is the chance to see the true India in its golden period. Take a peek at the slow rural life of India, far away from the chaotic city. See farmers, artisans, and local people at work. Chat, try your hand at pottery, and spend time with skilled artisans. Get to know in detail about daily life in India over a hot cup of tea. After the tour, you will be safely dropped back at your booked...

  This is a trip that every visitor to Varanasi must do? Manoj was great ! I would suggest that you guys advise more of the hotels about this trip !

  Reviewed by Rojie, 25/03/2019
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  10. Morning Aarti and Private Varanasi City Tour

  Begin your tour bright and early at 5:00 AM. You will be picked up from the lobby of your hotel to proceed towards Assi Ghat where the Morning Aarti (Subh e Banaras) takes place. The vibrant sound of the mantras, recited by the pundits during Aarti, will leave you spellbound. After that, proceed back to the hotel for morning breakfast. Later, leave for a city tour of Varanasi. During this part of the tour you will visit Banaras Hindu University, Asia's largest residential university, Birla Temple (Vishwanath Temple), the Bharat Kala Bhawan museum, Monkey Temple, Durga Temple and Bharat Mata Temple.  Hotel drop-off at the end of the tour.