Sacred City on the Ganges

3-Day Train & City Tour to Varanasi - India

  • local man rowing boat on ganges river
  • Standard Accommodation

  • Standard Accommodation

  • Standard Accommodation

  • View from balcony of Hotel rooms
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  • Hotel room with view through window of sea
    Upgrade to Our In Style Accommodation

  • Upgrade to Our In Style Accommodation

Prices from £198 pp

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Duration3 days / 2 nights (flexible)

LocationVaranasi

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Overview

Listen to pilgrims singing softly as you drift along the Ganges at sunrise. Explore Varanasi, one of the oldest and holiest cities in India, a spiritual city of constant chaos, colour and wandering cows. Watch kids play cricket next to funeral pyres, set flower candles afloat in twilight ceremonies and stumble upon a surprise at every turn. It’s an overwhelming yet beautiful jumble that can be a shock to the senses. Get ready to be knocked off your feet.

What's included

  • Accommodation – price based on 2 people sharing
  • Breakfast
  • River Ganges boat trip
  • Heritage walk

Create your own holiday itinerary 1. Add at least 3 chosen trips to your travel plan 2. Send it our way 3. Our travel specialists will get planning and send you a quote

Location map

Your day-by-day itinerary

Arrival in Varanasi

You’ll arrive in Varanasi by train or plane and you’ll be transferred to your quirky and comfortable heritage hotel on the banks of the Ganges. The hotel has small roof top restaurant serving tasty local dishes, with great views over the riverside Ghats below. In the evening, take a stroll down to the Ghats and watch the boat lights twinkle at sundown.

Arrival in Varanasi

Varanasi - Ganges Boat Trip

At dawn, you’ll set off on an atmospheric boat trip down the Ganges, where you’ll see ritual bathing in the sacred waters and hear the soft chants of pilgrims. The Ganges is flanked by a series of Ghats – broad stone staircases leading down to the water – that stretch for many miles along the Ganges. You can attend the evening prayer ceremony on the main Ghat where flower candles are set afloat on the river.

Lady sitting on a boat floating down the Ganges River in India

Following your dawn boat trip, you’ll take a short guided walk through the old part of Varanasi. The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. Next to the cremation Ghats, you’ll find kids playing cricket, holy men smoking, cows nosing through rubbish and women beating laundry on the rocks.
Alternatively, you can go on excursion to Sarnath, the city where Buddha taught his first doctrine, in the afternoon.

Your Varanasi trip finishes the next morning, and you’ll continue your adventure through India.

Travel specialist Kate at Taj Mahal, India

Speak to our India specialist, Kate

“After three unforgettable trips, I can’t wait to plan my next India holiday- there’s always somewhere new and exciting to explore! For me, nothing beats the delicious food and the colourful festivals.”

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Where to next? This trip goes together perfectly with these:

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