Banaras Wala Tours

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. At 5 AM, gather at Assi Ghat to witness the morning cremation rites and the first prayers of the day. The ghat comes alive with chanting priests, the glow of ritual fires, and the steady rhythm of sacred offerings to the river. Against the backdrop of dawn over the Ganges, this ceremony embodies the city’s deep cycle of worship, life, and liberation.

   30 min

2. After Assi Ghat, we walk by Tulsi Ghat to briefly watch the traditional wrestling.

   10 min

3. We now begin on the sunrise boat portion of the tour. The journey passes more than 25 ghats, where you’ll see locals bathing in the river and morning rituals unfolding. Along the way, the boat pauses at Manikarnika Ghat to witness the cremation ceremonies, a powerful and sacred part of Varanasi’s life on the Ganges. The tour ends at Dasaswamedh Ghat, home of the city’s most vibrant activity.

   1 hAdmission included

4. As we wander through the old city, we will stop and visit the Vishalakshi Temple, dedicated to the goddess and regarded as one of the sacred Shakti Peethas.

   10 min

5. Next on the old city portion of the tour is the Pashupatinath Temple near Lalita Ghat, built in the Nepali style by the King of Nepal. This shrine reflects Varanasi’s enduring role as a center of Shiva worship and its cultural ties across South Asia.

   10 min

6. We then conclude at Manikarnika Ghat, the most sacred cremation ground in Varanasi. Here, funeral pyres burn day and night, symbolizing the Hindu belief in liberation from the cycle of rebirth. It is a profound place where the spiritual heart of the city is most visible.

   30 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 353 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Exceptional, thoughtful guide in Varanasi.Vinay is absolute gold for families!

  Touring Varanasi with Vinay from Banaras Wala Tour was hands-down one of the highlights of our trip. We were a family of five, including two elderly members, and navigating the bustling ghats and alleys of Kashi could have easily become overwhelming. Vinay made the entire experience seamless, comfortable, and deeply memorable. ​He customized the itinerary entirely to our convenience, paying close attention to our family’s needs and pacing every walk so our elders never felt rushed or tired. Beyond his deep local knowledge and warm hospitality, his language skills are phenomenal—he communicates effortlessly in English, Japanese, and Spanish. ​If you are visiting Varanasi—especially if traveling with multi-generational family or seniors do yourself a favor and book with Vinay. You will be in the most caring, capable hands. Highly, highly recommended!

  Abhi_BSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Dry informative. Vinay...

  Very informative. Vinay has been very helpful. Told me a lot of great stories and good arrangement of the trip. Better than expected.

  L_LSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Varanasi Sunrise

  He was excellent guide took us in Varanasi places we thought we would never see . We were a little reappointed that the Gangs river was at high tide during this time and could not take boat ride . But our guide did the best to please us seeing another side of Varanasi. Would highly recommended

  miguelfO4920GVAugust 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Personalized and informative tour with Vinay

  I signed up to go to the morning aarti and boat ride and because of the water levels during the monsoon season Vinay was able to quickly pivot and do a walking tour instead. He made sure we had an excellent experience at the aarti and knew what was going on. I decided after I booked that I also wanted to go to Sarnath and he easily adding that to my itinerary. And when I told him I was looking for contemporary art nearby he worked quickly to find options and I found a piece I loved and am taking home! It is lovely to spend time with Vinay and he gives very good prices relative to other tours I looked at.

  avid242August 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Anybody who goes on this...

  Anybody who goes on this experience should be prepared for a lot of meaningful information and education to what is important to their religion. Vinay was an excellent tour guide and helped us so that he made the experience as immersive as possible. He was so kind and really nice to have a chat with. Would highly recommend to anyone wishing to experience the process in which they use the ghats and the meaning behind everything they do.

  Gareth_EMay 2026via Viator

• 5Wonderful……

  We had a 2 day private tour with Vinay. Met us at hotel both days. Tailored tour due to heat and ensuring we saw everything. Vinay has a wealth of knowledge which he shared with us over the 2 days. Highly recommend a private tour with Vinay. We would never have managed to see so much on our own. Thank you Vinay

  Susanne WApril 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Varanasi

• Its from-price is 63% below the median of the 494 experiences we list in Varanasi.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 2 of 494.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Varanasi

Varanasi, on the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, is one of the oldest living cities in the world, a sacred place of river steps, temples and silk looms.

Varanasi, also called Benares or Kashi, has been a place of pilgrimage for thousands of years, and Hindus come to bathe in the Ganges, to pray, and to die. Along the west bank, about eighty ghats, broad stone stairways, descend to the water, among them Dashashwamedh Ghat, where lamps and chanting mark the evening aarti ceremony. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Shiva, stands in the old city's maze of narrow lanes.

Top-ranked sights in Varanasi: Manikarnika Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Ganges River (Ganga).

See all 494 experiences in Varanasi