Dawn boat and ghat walk
Go out on the Ganges at dawn, then walk back along the ghats, the stone steps down to the river. This is the one thing not to miss. In the wet season, check the river level first.
3 daysHow long to stay
Budget to luxuryRough cost
Couples, Friends, SoloWho it suits
Uttar PradeshNorth India
Is this for you?
Varanasi won't ease you in. The lanes are tight, the crowds are thick, it's loud all day, and families cremate their dead in the open on the river steps. If you want to see Hindu faith as people actually live it, nowhere else comes close. If you need calm and personal space, skip it, and don't feel bad. Older kids can handle it, but we wouldn't bring little ones.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Go in the coloured months. The black ones are best avoided.
What to do
Evening Ganga aarti
An aarti is a ceremony of fire lamps, chanting and music. At Dashashwamedh Ghat it starts around 6:00 pm in winter and 7:00 pm in summer and runs about 45 minutes. Sources disagree on exact times, so get there early.
Assi Ghat at sunrise
Assi Ghat wakes up to Subah-e-Banaras, a morning of music and prayer just before sunrise. The start time moves around, so ask your hotel the night before.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Old city lanes and the temple corridor
Wander the narrow old lanes to the wide corridor around the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Enjoy the walk and the outside, because non-Hindus may not get in. Phones and bags stay in the lockers.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Sarnath
Ten kilometres and a different world. See the Dhamek Stupa, a huge round Buddhist monument, and the Ashokan Pillar at this World Heritage site. The museum is closed on Fridays.
What to eat
Varanasi is a street food town that runs on vegetarian breakfasts, chaat and milk sweets. Close to Kashi Vishwanath temple the food is vegetarian, with limits on meat and alcohol that vary by area, so plan any meat meal well away from the temple.
Chura matar
Flattened rice with spiced green peas, a winter snack from the old city.
Vegetarian
Kachori sabzi
Fried stuffed bread with potato curry, the old city's breakfast. Have it early, with a hot jalebi after.
Vegetarian
Lassi
Thick yogurt drink, served in a clay cup. Have one in the old lanes in the heat of the day, and go for plain or fruit.
Vegetarian
Malaiyyo
Saffron milk foam, whipped up cold on winter mornings only. If you're here in the cold months, get up for it.
Vegetarian
Tamatar chaat
A hot, spiced tomato and potato mash, served in a leaf bowl. This is the snack Varanasi calls its own, so have it in the evening.
Vegetarian
Where to go
Blue LassiKachori Gali
Fruit lassi, thick and cold. It's a tight lane, so expect to wait your turn.
Cheap eats, vegetarianDeena Chat BhandarDashashwamedh Road
Tamatar chaat in a leaf bowl and palak chaat, fried spinach, near the ghats.
Cheap eats, vegetarianKashi Chat BhandarGodowlia
Tamatar chaat, spiced tomato mash, at the shop most people point you to.
Cheap eats, vegetarianRam BhandarThatheri Bazaar
Kachori sabzi for breakfast, the old city's best-known plate.
Cheap eats, vegetarian
Getting there
Take the train if you can. From Delhi, the 22436 Vande Bharat leaves at 6:00 and gets in at 14:00 (not Thursdays). From Agra, the 20176 leaves Agra Cantt at 6:00 and arrives at 13:00 (not Wednesdays). The airport (VNS) is about 25 km out. Don't arrive late at night: the old city is hard enough in daylight.
Where to stay
Assi and the southern ghats Where most first-timers should stay: guesthouses, hostels and a little more room to breathe. It's about 3 km from the main evening aarti.
Cantonment and Mall Road Pools, lifts and cars to the door, if you need a real break from it all. You give up being near the river.
Old city riverside You're right in it, from guesthouses to palace hotels on the water. It's noisy, and cars can't get in, so you carry your own bags.
Worth knowing
Rules
Don't count on getting inside Kashi Vishwanath, the main Shiva temple. Rules for non-Hindus are unclear, so never claim to be Hindu or sign a declaration of faith.
Sources differ on this, or we have only one, so check locally.
Safety
From July to September, check the river level before booking a boat. In August 2025, floods pushed the evening ceremonies up onto rooftops.
Opening
Don't go to Sarnath on a Friday. The museum is closed.
1 more to know
Safety
Leave your phone, camera and bags at the hotel before Kashi Vishwanath. They aren't allowed past the gates, though there are lockers nearby.
