Private Varanasi City Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The center of action in Varanasi can be found at the Banaras ghats — a series of giant steps leading to the Ganges River. In the morning, the devout descend the stairs to wash away their sins in the holy water, and at night, they return for fire-fueled prayer ceremonies.

   3 h

2. The lively atmosphere of the Dasaswamedh Ghat makes it one of the best places to visit in Varanasi. This tourist attraction is a swirling hodgepodge of flower sellers touting bright blossoms, boat operators hawking rides along the Ganges River, and sadhus (holy men) with face paint. You can spend hours people watching in this area during the day.

   4 h

3. When it comes to famous places in Varanasi, the city's southernmost main ghat regularly tops the list. Assi Ghat's star attraction is a Shiva lingam (phallic representation of the Hindu deity) beneath a sacred fig tree. It draws hundreds of pilgrims every day, who come to worship Lord Shiva after rinsing in the Ganges River.

   2 h

4. Hindu pilgrims and tourists alike travel for thousands of miles to reach the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The impressive structure, dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva, has earned the nickname "The Golden Temple" for its striking spire — plated in some 800 kilograms of pure gold. The distinctive design of this temple has gone on to inspire the architecture of hundreds of other temples across India.

   2 h

5. There are few destinations in India without a fort, and Varanasi is no exception. About 14 kilometers from the city center, you'll find Ramnagar Fort. The 18th-century sandstone fort and palace is no longer used as a defensive structure, but instead houses a quirky museum brimming with vintage automobiles, elaborate hookahs, antique weapons, sedan chairs decked out in jewels, and a one-of-a-kind astronomical clock that's more than 150 years old. After enjoying an archeological treasure hunt at the museum, check out the fort's temples, one of which honors Veda Vyasa, author of the Mahabharata and other important Hindu epics.

   5 h

Cancellation

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

Reviews

Ratings come from 2 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

How it compares in Varanasi

• Its from-price is 104% above the median of the 100 city tours we list in Varanasi.
• It is longer than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 18 of 100.
• 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