Varanasi Tour Packages
Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world and the holiest place in Hinduism. Life, prayer and death happen side by side on its ghats along the Ganga, and the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is unforgettable.
Varanasi at a glance
- LocationUttar Pradesh, India
- Time zoneIndian Standard Time (UTC+5:30)
- Driving sideLeft
- Calling code+91
- CurrencyIndian rupee (INR)
- LanguagesHindi, Urdu
- Ideal stay2 days
- Getting thereLal Bahadur Shastri International Airport…
Best time to visit: October to March
Top Varanasi travel packages
A few of our Varanasi itineraries in different travel styles. Every one is private and can be changed to suit you.
Cultural holidaysDelhi · Agra · Jaipur · VaranasiGolden Triangle & Varanasi8 Days | 7 Nights
Pilgrimage toursVaranasiVaranasi Spiritual Retreat3 Days | 2 Nights
Pilgrimage toursVaranasi · AyodhyaKashi & Ayodhya Yatra4 Days | 3 Nights
Pilgrimage toursVaranasi · Bodh Gaya · Nalanda & RajgirBuddhist Circuit: Varanasi to Bodh Gaya6 Days | 5 NightsEssential tips for travelling to Varanasi
UPI and cards are widely accepted in cities and hotels; keep some cash for small shops, rural areas, hill towns and tips.
Tipping is not compulsory; around 5–10% in restaurants and a small tip for drivers and guides is appreciated.
Drink bottled or filtered water; it is cheap and easy to find.
112 (all emergencies)
Languages spoken: Hindi, Urdu.
Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow and Ayodhya have airports. The Yamuna Expressway links Delhi and Agra in about three and a half hours.
The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays; sunrise visits are the least crowded.
In Varanasi, a boat on the Ganga at dawn is the single most memorable experience; book it for your first morning.
Take the dawn boat on your first morning; the ghats are at their most atmospheric then.
General guidance. Local rules and services change; we confirm details for your dates.
Where is Varanasi?
Who should visit Varanasi?
Plan your Varanasi trip
Everything you need to know about Varanasi
Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world and the holiest place in Hinduism. Life, prayer and death happen side by side on its ghats along the Ganga, and the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is unforgettable.
Highlights include Dashashwamedh Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and corridor, Manikarnika Ghat and Sarnath. Local food worth trying: Kachori sabzi, Banarasi paan, Malaiyyo (winter) and Lassi in clay cups. Plan 2 days here; it suits spiritual travellers, photographers, culture lovers. Our Varanasi itineraries run from 3 to 8 days and every one can be changed to suit you.
When to go
October to March. Dev Deepawali (November) lights up every ghat with lamps.
How to reach Varanasi
- By air: Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), about 25 km
- By rail: Varanasi Junction and Banaras stations
- By road: About 5 hours from Prayagraj or Ayodhya region by road
View all Varanasi packages
Private, customisable itineraries with prices quoted for your dates, hotel category and group size.
8D / 7NDelhi · Agra · Jaipur · VaranasiGolden Triangle & Varanasi
Add India's spiritual heart to the classic circuit, with a dawn boat ride and the evening aarti on the Ganga.
View itinerary →
3D / 2NVaranasiVaranasi Spiritual Retreat
Dawn on the ghats by boat, Kashi Vishwanath, the evening Ganga aarti and Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught.
View itinerary →
4D / 3NVaranasi · AyodhyaKashi & Ayodhya Yatra
Two sacred cities: Varanasi's ghats and temples, then the Ram Janmabhoomi temple and Sarayu aarti at Ayodhya.
View itinerary →6D / 5NVaranasi · Bodh Gaya · Nalanda & RajgirBuddhist Circuit: Varanasi to Bodh Gaya
Sarnath, Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi Temple, Rajgir's Vulture's Peak and the ruins of Nalanda's ancient university.
View itinerary →
5D / 4NBodh Gaya · VaranasiBodh Gaya & Varanasi
Where the Buddha was enlightened and where he first taught, with Varanasi's ghats as a bonus.
View itinerary →
4D / 3NVaranasi · SarnathKashi Vishwanath & Sarnath
Darshan at Kashi Vishwanath through the new corridor, a dawn boat on the Ganga, the evening aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and a morning at Sarnath where the Buddha first taught.
View itinerary →
4D / 3NVaranasiKashi Darshan: Vishwanath, Annapurna & Kaal Bhairav
Three unhurried nights in Kashi for Vishwanath, Annapurna, Kaal Bhairav, Sankat Mochan and Durga Kund, with Ganga aarti, a sunrise boat and rudrabhishek arranged on request.
View itinerary →
5D / 4NVaranasiDev Deepawali in Kashi
Kartik Purnima in November, when every ghat of Varanasi is lit with lakhs of diyas, with a reserved boat for the evening and the Ganga Mahotsav concerts.
View itinerary →
6D / 5NPrayagraj · Varanasi · GayaKashi, Prayag & Gaya Tristhali Yatra
The three holy places for ancestral rites: a dip and shraddh at the Triveni Sangam, Kashi Vishwanath and the ghats, then pind daan at Gaya's Vishnupad Temple and the Akshayavat.
View itinerary →
7D / 6NRameswaram · Prayagraj · Varanasi · GayaRameswaram–Kashi Yatra
The traditional Tamil Kashi yatra: begin at Ramanathaswamy in Rameswaram, carry its sand to the Triveni Sangam, pray at Kashi Vishwanath and perform pind daan at Gaya, then bring Ganga water home to Rameswaram.
View itinerary →
5D / 4NPrayagraj · Varanasi · AyodhyaPrayagraj, Varanasi & Ayodhya Yatra
A holy dip at the Triveni Sangam, the Ganga aarti and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, then darshan at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
View itinerary →11 itineraries
More places in Uttar Pradesh
Top things to see in Varanasi
VaranasiGolden-spired Shiva temple
VaranasiMorning aarti and music
Uttar PradeshRiverside fort of the Maharaja of Benares
Cultural experiences in Varanasi
Heritage and landmarks
VaranasiMain ghat and site of the evening Ganga aarti
VaranasiGolden-spired Shiva temple
VaranasiThe principal cremation ghat
VaranasiMorning aarti and music
Uttar PradeshRiverside fort of the Maharaja of Benares
Experiences
- Evening Ganga aarti
- Classical music concert
On the menuFood to try
- Kachori sabzi
- Banarasi paan
- Malaiyyo (winter)
- Lassi in clay cups
Outdoor activities in Varanasi
Many activities are seasonal. Best time for Varanasi: October to March. We check operating seasons for your dates.
Varanasi travel tips
Visa and entry
Indian citizens do not need a visa; carry a government photo ID such as Aadhaar or a passport for hotels and flights.
Health and safety
Travel insurance is a good idea, especially for adventure activities. Carry prescription medicines in their original packaging with a copy of the prescription.
Currency and tipping
The currency is the Indian rupee (INR). Tipping is not compulsory; around 5–10% in restaurants and a small tip for drivers and guides is appreciated.
Best time to visit
October to March. Dev Deepawali (November) lights up every ghat with lamps.
Getting around
Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow and Ayodhya have airports. The Yamuna Expressway links Delhi and Agra in about three and a half hours.
Local etiquette
- Dress modestly at temples, churches and mosques, and remove footwear where asked.
- Ask before photographing people, and follow photography rules at religious sites and museums.
What to pack
Pack modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees for religious sites and comfortable walking shoes.
Phone and internet
Mobile data is good in towns and cities.
Budget
We don't publish fixed prices because the season, hotel category, flights and group size change the cost. Your written quote lists exactly what is included, so you can compare like for like.
Varanasi FAQs
What is Varanasi famous for?
What is the best time to visit Varanasi?
How many days are enough for Varanasi?
How do I reach Varanasi?
Is tap water safe to drink in Uttar Pradesh?
What are the emergency numbers in Uttar Pradesh?
How much does a Varanasi tour package cost?
Can Nexara Holidays plan a Varanasi trip from Chennai?
Destinations near Varanasi
BiharGaya
Gaya, on the Phalgu river in Bihar, is one of Hinduism's most important places for pind daan, the offering made for the peace of departed ancestors.
BiharBodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and became the Buddha.
Madhya PradeshChitrakoot
Chitrakoot, on the Mandakini river along the Madhya Pradesh–Uttar Pradesh border, is where Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are believed to have spent much of their exile.
BiharPatna
Patna, the ancient Pataliputra, is the capital of Bihar and home to Takht Sri Patna Sahib, birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh and one of the five takhts of Sikhism.
BiharNalanda & Rajgir
Nalanda was one of the world's first residential universities, flourishing from the 5th to 12th centuries; its excavated ruins are a UNESCO site.
Madhya PradeshBandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh has one of the highest densities of tigers in India, in a landscape of rocky hills, sal forest and an ancient hilltop fort.
Varanasi guides and articles
Travel guideVaranasi in 2 days: ghats, aarti and Sarnath
A two-day Varanasi itinerary with a dawn boat ride, the evening Ganga aarti, Kashi Vishwanath, the old city lanes and Sarnath.
Read →
Travel guideA food lover's guide to Lucknow's Awadhi cuisine
What to eat in Lucknow: galouti and kakori kebabs, Awadhi biryani, nihari, sheermal, makhan malai and street chaat, with tips for a food walk.
Read →
Travel guideThe Buddhist circuit in India and Nepal: a planning guide
How to plan a Buddhist pilgrimage to Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar, plus Rajgir, Nalanda and other sites linked to the Buddha's life.
Read →
BlogIndian crafts worth buying, and where to find them
A guide to India's best handicrafts by region, from Kanchipuram silk and Kashmiri pashmina to Jaipur block prints, and how to buy authentic pieces.
Read →
BlogDiwali holiday ideas: celebrate at home or travel away
Ideas for the Diwali holidays, from celebrating in Varanasi, Ayodhya or Jaipur to short breaks in Goa, Singapore, Dubai and Thailand.
Read →Plan your Varanasi holiday
Fill this in and WhatsApp opens with your enquiry ready to send. Nothing is stored on this website.
Sending opens WhatsApp on your device; your enquiry reaches us only when you press send there. An enquiry is not a booking.