Varanasi Full Day Tour With Sarnath

A comprehensive guided day tour of Varanasi's most significant attractions and Sarnath's epic past. Soak in the Hindu culture and traditions which can be very vibrant and astonishing to some. A private tour with an English speaking guide.

Highlights

• Take a sunrise boat ride on the holy Ganges.
• Visit the Kashi Vishwanath, Vishwanath Temple (Birla Temple), Mother India Temple and the famous Banaras Hindu University.
• Learn about the silk weaving traditions of Varanasi.
• Take a tour of the Dhamekh Stupa in Sarnath.
• Witness the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony.

Detailed overview

Most visitors agree Varanasi is magical but not for the faint-hearted. Intimate rituals of life and death take place in public, and the sights, sounds and smells of the maze-like old town, not to mention almost constant attention from touts can be intense. Still, the so-called City of Light is one of the most colourful and fascinating places on earth. Strolling the ghats or watching sunrise from a boat on the Ganges are a highlight, and confronting the reality and ritual of death can be a powerful experience.

Itinerary

• After an early morning pickup at 5:30 AM from your hotel in Varanasi, take a sunrise boat ride on the sacred Ganges River. Witness morning rituals performed at the riverside.
• Post the boat ride follow your guide on a short walking tour of the old city's alleyways and catch sight of the Kashi Vishwanath, one of the holiest Hindu temples.
• Stop for breakfast (own expense), then head to Banaras Hindu University (BHU) at 10:00 AM.
• Established in 1916, BHU has the largest university campus in Asia. Tour the campus and see the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum and the new Vishwanath Temple (Birla Temple), which is an exact replica of the original Vishwanath Temple.
• Continue to Mother India Temple, built in the year of 1918 and housing an unusual marble relief map of the Indian subcontinent.
• At 12:30 PM, learn about the silk weaving traditions of Varanasi, then take a break for lunch (own expense).
• Post lunch, you would be driven about eight miles (13 KM) to Sarnath to visit the Dhamekh Stupa, known as the place where Buddha gave his first sermon.
• You'll also visit the Archaeological Museum, which features treasures that date back to the 3rd-century BC (closed Fridays).
• After the Sarnath tour, a short period of relaxation at your hotel in Varanasi would follow.
• At 5:00 PM, take another boat ride on the Ganges to view the cremation grounds, then return to Dashashwamedh Ghat to watch the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony.
• Your tour ends with a drop back to your hotel around 8:00 PM.