Experience the best of 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.
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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.
Dawn boat trips pass the burning ghats at Manikarnika, where cremations have gone on for centuries, and the opposite bank is open sand. Banaras Hindu University has a large campus, a temple and a museum of art and archaeology. Sarnath, ten kilometres to the north, is where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and the Dhamek Stupa and a museum mark the site. Ramnagar Fort stands across the river.
Breakfast is kachori with spiced potato, followed by a lassi in a clay cup, then tamatar chaat, a tangy spiced tomato snack, and paan, a betel-leaf parcel the city is known for. Banarasi silk saris, woven with gold thread, come from the looms of the old quarters. Mist often lies over the river at dawn in winter, and in the monsoon the water rises over the lower steps.
- 8 skip-the-line tickets
- Free cancellation on 88% of experiences
- 4.8 across the top 24
Guided tours in Varanasi
337
Free cancellation
Walking and bike tours in Varanasi
65
Free cancellation
Signature experiences in Varanasi
![INDIVIDUAL YOGA CLASS - BEGINNER / ADVANCED Sunrise Yoga with Ayush in Varanasi]()
Free cancellation![GROUP YOGA CLASS - BEGINNER / ADVANCED - Sunrise Yoga with Ayush in Varanasi]()
Free cancellation
![Varanasi Morning Boat Tour [RowBoat]](/img/s/720/480/09/c3/3c/2d.jpg)
Go beyond Varanasi
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Allahabad · 114 kmAllahabad Fort
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Allahabad · 114 kmAnand Bhavan
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Bodh Gaya · 212 kmMahabodhi Temple
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Bodh Gaya · 212 kmGreat Buddha Statue
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Gaya · 214 kmVishnupad Temple
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Gaya · 214 kmMangla Gauri Temple
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Lucknow · 264 kmBara Imambara
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Lucknow · 264 kmBritish Residency Lucknow
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Sauraha · 294 kmChitwan National Park
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Sauraha · 294 kmChitwan Tharu Village
Questions about Varanasi
- What is there to do in Varanasi?
- We list 494 experiences in Varanasi. The largest groups are city tours (100), day trips (68).
- What are the top attractions in Varanasi?
- Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in Varanasi are Manikarnika Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Ganges River (Ganga), Varanasi Ghats.
- What is the most popular experience in Varanasi?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "Hidden Secrets of Varanasi: Vibrant Tradition (Guided Tour)", rated 5.0 out of 5 from 474 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Varanasi take?
- The typical experience in Varanasi lasts about 7.5 hours; the middle half run between 3 hours and 13 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Varanasi?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 89% of the 494 experiences we hold for Varanasi. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
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