Varanasi Evening Ganga Aarti Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the River Ganges

   2 h

2. Main Ghat of Varanasi

   1 min

3. Manikarnika Ghat, the main burning ghat, is the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated. Dead bodies are handled by outcasts known as doms, and are carried through the alleyways of the old town to the holy Ganges on a bamboo stretcher, swathed in cloth.

   Passes by

4. Aarti is a Hindu ritual, in which light is offered to one or more deities. Aarti also refer to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when offering of lamps is being offered. Hindus in India worship the river Ganges as goddess. Every evening in Varanasi, aarti is performed at the Dashashwamedh ghat. We can watch it from the ghat or from the waterside in a boat. It is a beautiful, resonant, and majestic spectacle with a very precise choreography involving rituals performed by several priests with the sound of bells, drums, cymbals, and Sanskrit mantras. The river is also worshiped with flower petals.

   2 h

Cancellation

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

Reviews

Ratings come from 115 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.

• 5Great experience

  Vinit was patient and tailored the tour to our needs. We walked through a slightly dodge area to get to manikarnika ghat but felt safe with him.

  203rakeshlSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Tree pose while looking over the Ganges river

  Authentic yoga experience doing Surya Namaskar and balancing asanas while looking out over the Ganges river. Skillful instructor adjusting poses with patience and giving encouragement. Great relaxation and sevasna. Can’t imagine a more beautiful and authentic spot. Have Google maps ready to navigate the small streets leading to the yoga studio. It makes it more adventurous and fun!

  Andreas_ESeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat with Vinod

  We had a wonderful and memorable experience exploring Varanasi with our guide, Vinod. He took us through the winding streets of the city, shared fascinating insights into its history and culture, and introduced us to the delicious local specialty, tomato chaat. His knowledge, warmth, and care made the experience feel both authentic and easygoing, and he always made sure we were well taken care of and comfortable despite the intermittent rain. The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat at night was truly unforgettable. We were able to sit very close to the ceremony, making the experience incredibly immersive - we could feel the warmth of the flames, smell the flower petals as they fell around us, and hear the sounds of the ceremony up close. We learned that the Aarti continues rain or shine, and were impressed by how seamlessly everything was moved to another location when rain was anticipated and boat tours were stopped due to rising waters. Experiencing this beautiful ceremony up close on land was a highlight of our time in Varanasi, and we highly recommend Vinod for a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and memorable experience.

  Sightsee65002045987September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Great experience

  This is an excellent tour. I would recommend this to everyone visiting Varanasi.

  K7861VNAugust 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5This was an excellent...

  This was an excellent tour. I would recommend this to everyone that is visiting the city of Varanasi.

  Solo_TAugust 2026via Viator

• 5Nice experience in Varanasi

  Nice experience in Varanasi. I was there with my family, enjoy a lot of in Varanasi.

  vpooja74280August 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Varanasi

• Its from-price is 40% below the median of the 494 experiences we list in Varanasi.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 16 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