Varanasi and Sarnath Private Full-Day Guided Tour, Boat Ride
5.0
(48)
Free cancellation
There’s so much to see in Varanasi that it can be hard knowing where to begin. This private tour covers the best of the city and nearby Sarnath with a private guide. Highlights include a walking tour of the old town so you don’t get lost, boat rides on the Ganges River, and visiting Sarnath, a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Also watch the famous evening Ganga Aarti ceremony—a rich cultural experience.
Languages:
English
📍Lallapura Muslim School Rd, Badshahbag Colony, Ramakanth Nagar, Chetganj, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002, India
🏢Operated by Experience Varanasi Private Guided Tours
Highlights
- ✓Gey personalized attention on a private full-day tour for your group
- ✓Visit where Buddha is believed to have preached his first sermon
- ✓Hotel transfers simplify the start and end of the tour
- ✓Experience more in a day than you could fit in if traveling alone
What you'll see & do
- ✓Our accredited guide will meet you at your hotel and accompany you to the old city explaining you what you will see during the day. You will walk down to the ghats (banks of the River Ganga). Your guide will explain you the morning activities happening along the way, pilgrims walking down to the river, vendors selling flowers, priests standing along the lane to the temple, etc.
- ✓Morning Boat ride: A boat ride at dawn along the Ganges is a quintessential Varanasi experience. The early-morning light is particularly inspiring, and all the colour and clamour of pilgrims bathing and performing puja unfolds before you. An hour-long trip south from Dashashwamedh Ghat to Harishchandra Ghat and to Manikarnika Ghat and back is popular and be prepared to see a burning corpse at Harishchandra and Manikarnika Ghat. People talking bath, performing rituals, practicing yoga and meditation, worshiping the rising Sun, … it all happens.
- ✓After the boat ride, go for a walking tour in the old city walking through the alley ways that leads to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. One of the most important Siva temples with more than 850 kilograms of real gold on the top. Your tour guide will explain the significance and share stories about heritage of the temple. You can always ask your guide to take you at a popular street food joint where you can explore traditional local breakfast along with a cup of masala chai (tea). Return back to your hotel for freshen up, some rest and breakfast.
- ✓Return back to your hotel for freshen up, some rest and breakfast before you proceed for the other tours during the day. Time to recharge and may be upload & share some beautiful pictures from the sunrise boat ride experience with friends & family.
- ✓Drive to Sarnath after breakfast. Lord Buddha preached his first sermon here after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Walk around the beautiful garden and see the ruins of different monasteries and temples. Visit the main temple, excavated ruins & the archaeological museum (museum remains closed on Fridays).
- ✓The Dhamek Stupa is a massive and prominent Buddhist monument located at the Deer Park in Sarnath. It is a highly sacred site for Buddhists worldwide, as it marks the precise spot where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. The stupa is a solid cylindrical structure, approximately 43.6 meters (141 feet) in height and 28 meters (92 feet) in diameter at its base. The lower stone portion of the stupa is adorned with exquisitely carved floral designs, geometric patterns, and figures of humans and birds, which are characteristic of the Gupta architectural style.
- ✓The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath is originally a 3rd century BCE polished sandstone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka, its most famous feature is the Lion Capital, which now serves as the official emblem of India. The top portion of the pillar, known as the Lion Capital, is made up of four lions standing back-to-back, representing strength, courage, and unity. Drive to a good local restaurant for lunch after the visit to Sarnath
- ✓Walk through the weavers district of Varanasi and learn about the life of the weavers and the process of hand weaving of the famous silk brocades and Banarasi sari. Banaras’s handloom weaving traditions have found mention in Vedic and Buddhist literature.
- ✓Banaras Hindu University is an internationally reputed temple of learning known for its academic history and cultural significance. BHU is one of the top ranking universities in India and the largest residential universities in Asia. Drive through the lush green campus. You may visit the new Vishwanath temple inside the campus.
- ✓After the drive through the university, visit the famous Durga Temple. A beautiful temple painted in red. It was constructed in 18th century by a queen from Bengal. It is particularly significant for worship of Goddess Durga and is considered one of the most powerful and mystical temples in Kashi.
- ✓Finally walk down to Dashashwamedh ghat to watch the famous Ganga Aarti ceremony from the shore. The Aarti is performed by a group of young priests facing towards the river. The Aarti or offering of lamps is observed at prescribed hours of the day and night to invoke the Gods. The lamps are revolved before the idols in a clockwise manner along with the chanting of hymns. This recitation is accompanied by drums, blowing of conch-shell and tolling of temple bells. After the experience, you'll be dropped back at your hotel, concluding the day’s tour.
What's included
- ✓Professional guide including recommendations for eating, drinking, museums, attractions, festivals and more!
- ✓Entrance fees
- ✓Hotel pickup and drop-off
- ✓Private tour
- ✓One private boat ride.
What's not included
- ✓Food and drinks
- ✓Gratuities
- ✓Airport transfers (pick up & drop from the airport/train station to the hotel).
- ✓Entrance tickets for Kashi Vishwanath temple. This is an optional visit
Good to know
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Your guide will meet at the hotel reception at the beginning of the tour and drop you back to the hotel after the tour. However for the captioned hotels (1)Tree of Life (2) Ramada at Katesar, Ramnagar we will send the car & driver to the hotel. Your guide will meet you at a decided point in the city since both the hotels are outside the city.
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
£ 105.00
Varanasi and Sarnath Private Full-Day Guided Tour, Boat Ride
5.0
(48)
Free cancellation
There’s so much to see in Varanasi that it can be hard knowing where to begin. This private tour covers the best of the city and nearby Sarnath with a private guide. Highlights include a walking tour of the old town so you don’t get lost, boat rides on the Ganges River, and visiting Sarnath, a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Also watch the famous evening Ganga Aarti ceremony—a rich cultural experience.
Languages:
English
📍Lallapura Muslim School Rd, Badshahbag Colony, Ramakanth Nagar, Chetganj, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002, India
🏢Operated by Experience Varanasi Private Guided Tours
Highlights
- ✓Gey personalized attention on a private full-day tour for your group
- ✓Visit where Buddha is believed to have preached his first sermon
- ✓Hotel transfers simplify the start and end of the tour
- ✓Experience more in a day than you could fit in if traveling alone
What you'll see & do
- ✓Our accredited guide will meet you at your hotel and accompany you to the old city explaining you what you will see during the day. You will walk down to the ghats (banks of the River Ganga). Your guide will explain you the morning activities happening along the way, pilgrims walking down to the river, vendors selling flowers, priests standing along the lane to the temple, etc.
- ✓Morning Boat ride: A boat ride at dawn along the Ganges is a quintessential Varanasi experience. The early-morning light is particularly inspiring, and all the colour and clamour of pilgrims bathing and performing puja unfolds before you. An hour-long trip south from Dashashwamedh Ghat to Harishchandra Ghat and to Manikarnika Ghat and back is popular and be prepared to see a burning corpse at Harishchandra and Manikarnika Ghat. People talking bath, performing rituals, practicing yoga and meditation, worshiping the rising Sun, … it all happens.
- ✓After the boat ride, go for a walking tour in the old city walking through the alley ways that leads to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. One of the most important Siva temples with more than 850 kilograms of real gold on the top. Your tour guide will explain the significance and share stories about heritage of the temple. You can always ask your guide to take you at a popular street food joint where you can explore traditional local breakfast along with a cup of masala chai (tea). Return back to your hotel for freshen up, some rest and breakfast.
- ✓Return back to your hotel for freshen up, some rest and breakfast before you proceed for the other tours during the day. Time to recharge and may be upload & share some beautiful pictures from the sunrise boat ride experience with friends & family.
- ✓Drive to Sarnath after breakfast. Lord Buddha preached his first sermon here after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Walk around the beautiful garden and see the ruins of different monasteries and temples. Visit the main temple, excavated ruins & the archaeological museum (museum remains closed on Fridays).
- ✓The Dhamek Stupa is a massive and prominent Buddhist monument located at the Deer Park in Sarnath. It is a highly sacred site for Buddhists worldwide, as it marks the precise spot where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. The stupa is a solid cylindrical structure, approximately 43.6 meters (141 feet) in height and 28 meters (92 feet) in diameter at its base. The lower stone portion of the stupa is adorned with exquisitely carved floral designs, geometric patterns, and figures of humans and birds, which are characteristic of the Gupta architectural style.
- ✓The Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath is originally a 3rd century BCE polished sandstone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka, its most famous feature is the Lion Capital, which now serves as the official emblem of India. The top portion of the pillar, known as the Lion Capital, is made up of four lions standing back-to-back, representing strength, courage, and unity. Drive to a good local restaurant for lunch after the visit to Sarnath
- ✓Walk through the weavers district of Varanasi and learn about the life of the weavers and the process of hand weaving of the famous silk brocades and Banarasi sari. Banaras’s handloom weaving traditions have found mention in Vedic and Buddhist literature.
- ✓Banaras Hindu University is an internationally reputed temple of learning known for its academic history and cultural significance. BHU is one of the top ranking universities in India and the largest residential universities in Asia. Drive through the lush green campus. You may visit the new Vishwanath temple inside the campus.
- ✓After the drive through the university, visit the famous Durga Temple. A beautiful temple painted in red. It was constructed in 18th century by a queen from Bengal. It is particularly significant for worship of Goddess Durga and is considered one of the most powerful and mystical temples in Kashi.
- ✓Finally walk down to Dashashwamedh ghat to watch the famous Ganga Aarti ceremony from the shore. The Aarti is performed by a group of young priests facing towards the river. The Aarti or offering of lamps is observed at prescribed hours of the day and night to invoke the Gods. The lamps are revolved before the idols in a clockwise manner along with the chanting of hymns. This recitation is accompanied by drums, blowing of conch-shell and tolling of temple bells. After the experience, you'll be dropped back at your hotel, concluding the day’s tour.
What's included
- ✓Professional guide including recommendations for eating, drinking, museums, attractions, festivals and more!
- ✓Entrance fees
- ✓Hotel pickup and drop-off
- ✓Private tour
- ✓One private boat ride.
What's not included
- ✓Food and drinks
- ✓Gratuities
- ✓Airport transfers (pick up & drop from the airport/train station to the hotel).
- ✓Entrance tickets for Kashi Vishwanath temple. This is an optional visit
Good to know
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Your guide will meet at the hotel reception at the beginning of the tour and drop you back to the hotel after the tour. However for the captioned hotels (1)Tree of Life (2) Ramada at Katesar, Ramnagar we will send the car & driver to the hotel. Your guide will meet you at a decided point in the city since both the hotels are outside the city.
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
£ 105.00