Varanasi Landmark Evening City Tour - Aarti & Boating
4.6
(151)
🕑 2 hours
Free cancellation
Experience Varanasi’s evening prayer, or aarti ceremony, from the water during this small-group boat ride along the Ganges River. Enjoy front-row views overlooking Dasaswamedh Ghat as you watch Hindu priests pay tribute to Mother Ganga, plus other smaller aarti prayers. You’ll also pass by Manikarnika Ghat, where cremation ceremonies are performed.
Languages:
English
📍72W4+GG4, Road, Shivala Ghat, Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
🏢Operated by Sun Leisure World India
Highlights
- ✓A guided small-group aarti boat tour in Varanasi
- ✓Enjoy unobstructed views overlooking the ghats from the Ganges River
- ✓Watch the city’s biggest and most famous aarti ceremony with a guide
- ✓Tours are capped at 10 people to ensure an intimate experience
What you'll see & do
- ✓Meeting Point: Agrawal Radio Chauraha Shivala4+GG4, Road, Shivala Ghat, Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India. We welcome our travelers at Green Ganga Café, located just opposite the entrance of Assi Ghat. From here, you begin by watching the evening Ganga Aarti and then continue with a boat ride to the popular ghats (piers) of Varanasi. The Varanasi Ganga Aarti is one of the most powerful spiritual ceremonies in India. Held every evening along the banks of the sacred River Ganga, this ritual is performed by trained priests who offer fire, incense, and rhythmic prayers to the holy river. The atmosphere becomes magical as lamps glow against the dark sky, devotional chants fill the air, and hundreds of devotees gather to witness the ceremony. Watching the aarti from a boat adds a truly unforgettable perspective, allowing you to experience the devotion and energy from the heart of the river itself.
- ✓Dashashwamedh Ghat is the most vibrant and famous ghat in Varanasi. It is located close to Vishwanath Temple. According to legend, Lord Brahma performed a grand sacrifice of ten horses here, which is how the ghat got its name. Today, it is the main site of the evening Ganga Aarti and remains constantly alive with pilgrims, sadhus, street performers, and visitors from around the world. The steps leading to the river are always active with rituals, prayers, and cultural activities, making it the spiritual heart of the city.
- ✓Manikarnika Ghat is one of the oldest and most sacred cremation grounds in India. It represents the eternal cycle of life and death and holds deep spiritual significance in Hindu belief. It is said that cremation here grants liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The sacred fire at this ghat is believed to have been burning continuously for centuries. Visiting Manikarnika Ghat offers a profound and humbling experience, revealing a powerful aspect of Varanasi’s spiritual reality.
- ✓The Ghats of Varanasi are a series of stepped riverfront platforms lining the banks of the Ganga. There are more than 80 ghats, each with its own history, legend, and purpose. Some are used for daily rituals and bathing, others for meditation, yoga, ceremonies, and cremations. Together, they form the cultural and spiritual backbone of the city. A boat ride along these ghats offers a complete view of Varanasi’s living traditions, where devotion, culture, and everyday life flow seamlessly along the sacred river.
What's included
- ✓Boat Ride (Optional)
- ✓Experience operates everyday
- ✓Bottled water
- ✓Professional English speaking guide
What's not included
- ✓Hotel pickup & drop off
- ✓Personal Expenses
- ✓Meals & Beverages
Good to know
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The tour starts at 5:00 PM in winter and at 5:30 PM in summer.
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.
Free cancellation
🔒 Secure checkout
from
£ 9.00
Varanasi Landmark Evening City Tour - Aarti & Boating
4.6
(151)
🕑 2 hours
Free cancellation
Experience Varanasi’s evening prayer, or aarti ceremony, from the water during this small-group boat ride along the Ganges River. Enjoy front-row views overlooking Dasaswamedh Ghat as you watch Hindu priests pay tribute to Mother Ganga, plus other smaller aarti prayers. You’ll also pass by Manikarnika Ghat, where cremation ceremonies are performed.
Languages:
English
📍72W4+GG4, Road, Shivala Ghat, Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
🏢Operated by Sun Leisure World India
Highlights
- ✓A guided small-group aarti boat tour in Varanasi
- ✓Enjoy unobstructed views overlooking the ghats from the Ganges River
- ✓Watch the city’s biggest and most famous aarti ceremony with a guide
- ✓Tours are capped at 10 people to ensure an intimate experience
What you'll see & do
- ✓Meeting Point: Agrawal Radio Chauraha Shivala4+GG4, Road, Shivala Ghat, Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India. We welcome our travelers at Green Ganga Café, located just opposite the entrance of Assi Ghat. From here, you begin by watching the evening Ganga Aarti and then continue with a boat ride to the popular ghats (piers) of Varanasi. The Varanasi Ganga Aarti is one of the most powerful spiritual ceremonies in India. Held every evening along the banks of the sacred River Ganga, this ritual is performed by trained priests who offer fire, incense, and rhythmic prayers to the holy river. The atmosphere becomes magical as lamps glow against the dark sky, devotional chants fill the air, and hundreds of devotees gather to witness the ceremony. Watching the aarti from a boat adds a truly unforgettable perspective, allowing you to experience the devotion and energy from the heart of the river itself.
- ✓Dashashwamedh Ghat is the most vibrant and famous ghat in Varanasi. It is located close to Vishwanath Temple. According to legend, Lord Brahma performed a grand sacrifice of ten horses here, which is how the ghat got its name. Today, it is the main site of the evening Ganga Aarti and remains constantly alive with pilgrims, sadhus, street performers, and visitors from around the world. The steps leading to the river are always active with rituals, prayers, and cultural activities, making it the spiritual heart of the city.
- ✓Manikarnika Ghat is one of the oldest and most sacred cremation grounds in India. It represents the eternal cycle of life and death and holds deep spiritual significance in Hindu belief. It is said that cremation here grants liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The sacred fire at this ghat is believed to have been burning continuously for centuries. Visiting Manikarnika Ghat offers a profound and humbling experience, revealing a powerful aspect of Varanasi’s spiritual reality.
- ✓The Ghats of Varanasi are a series of stepped riverfront platforms lining the banks of the Ganga. There are more than 80 ghats, each with its own history, legend, and purpose. Some are used for daily rituals and bathing, others for meditation, yoga, ceremonies, and cremations. Together, they form the cultural and spiritual backbone of the city. A boat ride along these ghats offers a complete view of Varanasi’s living traditions, where devotion, culture, and everyday life flow seamlessly along the sacred river.
What's included
- ✓Boat Ride (Optional)
- ✓Experience operates everyday
- ✓Bottled water
- ✓Professional English speaking guide
What's not included
- ✓Hotel pickup & drop off
- ✓Personal Expenses
- ✓Meals & Beverages
Good to know
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The tour starts at 5:00 PM in winter and at 5:30 PM in summer.
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.
Free cancellation
🔒 Secure checkout
from
£ 9.00