Things to do in Banaras
Things to do in Banaras
Varanasi, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and Hinduism's most sacred destination, sits on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh and is believed by Hindus to be the city where dying releases one from the cycle of rebirth. The ghats of Varanasi — 84 in all — are the spiritual heartbeat of India, where the faithful bathe at dawn, priests perform elaborate fire rituals, and funeral pyres burn perpetually at the Manikarnika Ghat. The ancient temples, the labyrinthine old city lanes, the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony, and the profound sense of mortality and transcendence make Varanasi the most spiritually intense city in India.
SpiritualView full guide1 hour
Ganga Aarti
Witness the magnificent Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — Varanasi's most spectacular spiritual ceremony performed nightly by a group of priests wielding large flaming lamps in synchronised motions, accompanied by conch shells, bells, and chanting. Over 3,000 visitors attend nightly, making it one of the subcontinent's most visually overwhelming rituals.
Spiritual / CulturalView full guide2–4 hours
Ghats Walk
Walk the 84 ghats (stone-stepped riverbanks) of Varanasi stretching 6.5 km along the Ganges — each with a distinct character: Assi Ghat (yoga and chai hub), Dashashwamedh (the main aarti ghat), Manikarnika and Harishchandra (the sacred cremation ghats), Scindia Ghat (partially submerged temple), and the quieter upstream ghats.
Spiritual / SightseeingView full guide1–2 hours
Boat Ride
Glide along the Ganges at dawn in a wooden rowing boat — the most iconic Varanasi experience. From the water, you see the entire riverfront ghats panorama: terracotta-coloured palaces, temples, and cremation grounds rising from the curved western bank as the sun emerges behind you from the flat eastern bank.
SpiritualView full guide1–2 hours
Kashi Vishwanath Temple Visit
Visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple — one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva and the most important temple in Varanasi. The newly constructed temple corridor (2021) connects the ancient 1780 temple (rebuilt by Ahilyabai Holkar) to the Ganges ghats, allowing views of the river from the temple precinct.
Heritage / SpiritualView full guide3–4 hours
Sarnath Visit
Day-trip 10 km to Sarnath — where the Buddha delivered his first sermon (Dharma Chakra Pravartana) after attaining enlightenment in 528 BCE. Visit the Dhamek Stupa (44 m tall, 5th century CE), Mulagandha Kuti Vihara (modern temple with murals by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu), and the superb Sarnath Museum housing the Ashoka Lion Capital (India's national emblem).
CulinaryView full guide2–3 hours
Street Food Tour
Taste Varanasi's extraordinary street food — tamatar chaat (tomato-based chaat unique to Varanasi), kachori-sabzi from Kashi Chat Bhandar, malaiyo (morning dew sweet foam dessert made only in winter), baati chokha, and paan (betel leaf stuffed with areca nut, gulkand, and silver foil) — the famous Banaras paan with 50+ varieties.