Varanasi Tours

Tourist information about Varanasi

When planning to trip to a place of religious importance, you can look for Varanasi.

It’s the oldest city in the world which is continuously inhabited

The city offers plenty of reasons to visit from ancient temples, River ghats, Benarasi paan, chaat, and other delicacies of street food.

Make sure that you choose the right time to experience the best temperature at the place.

Location of Varanasi

Varanasi is located at the center of the Ganges valley over an elevation of almost 80.71 meters. To be more specific, it is on the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, ranging from 15 meters to 21 meters above the river Ganga.

Best time to visit Varanasi

Visit Varanasi during the winter months from November to February to experience the perfect beauty of the place and make memories of a lifetime.

How to reach Varanasi?

• By air –You can reach the city via Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport that is easily linked to big Indian cities. With easy availability of regular flights, you can reach other cities from this place.
• By road –Varanasi offers easy connectivity to other big cities through its road connectivity. The private and state bus service easily connects different parts of the city.
• By railways –The Varanasi railway junction along with Kashi railway station is the main railhead of the city. You can easily travel to different parts of the city via railways.

Things to do in Varanasi

1. Witness evening Aarti ceremony– Do not miss out on the grandeur of the evening Aarti from the Dasawamedh Ghat.

The beautiful rituals include chanting of mantras with the large crowd waiting to pray.

Be part of this 45 minutes ritual and the beautiful surrounding in the place.

2. Indulge in a morning boat ride in the Ganges– Opt for a boat ride in the Ganges during dawn for the quintessential experience.

Try to take the ride from 5:30 AM to 8 AM to witness the peace and beauty of the place at its best.

Extending from Dasawamedh Ghat to Harishchandra Ghat, the aarti ceremony is worth witnessing.

3. Walking along the Ghats– Never miss out walking along the Ghats when traveling to Varanasi.

Get a panoramic view when experiencing a private boat ride in the Ganges.

The Dashashwamedh Ghat is close to the Vishwanath Temple that is significant in Hindu mythology.

Amidst the Ghats, the Lalita Ghat built by King of Nepal is a worth visiting one for the number of festivals that take place.

4. Visit random rooftop café– The road signs are painted on the walls at Varanasi and you can follow one if you wish to visit any of the rooftop cafes.

Grab a drink and watch the excellent view from the top of the café for great experiences.

5. Taste Chai tea– If you happen to be a tea lover, do not miss out on tasting the chai tea at Varanasi.

The chai lovers should not miss out sipping out tea from a clay cup. Get the taste of the freshly brewed tea in the morning for a great start of the day.

6. Take a bath in the Ganges– The water of Ganges are spiritual, and you can take a bath in the river.

With more than 84 Ghats in the city, pilgrims from all over the world come here to take a bath in the holy river.

Food culture at Varanasi

Never miss out on trying the tasty delicacies of the local street food. It includes Blue Lassi and other spicy chats that are available on the streets of Varanasi.

You are sure to come across many of the chat bhandar in the city. The blue lassi is an old café that is more than 76 years old.

The yogurt drink is worth tasting and you can choose the flavor of your choice. Along with this, you can get the toppings of your choice and have the best lassi at Varanasi.

Festival at Varanasi

1. Annakut –The fun festival takes on the 4^th day of Diwali and the 1^st day of New Year. During this day, the devotees offer their prayer to Krishna.
2. Rangbhari Ekadashi –Celebrated during February or March, it marks the beginning of Holi. In this festival, Lord Ram worshipped Amalakii so that he can wash his sins due to the epic war. For the worshippers, this is a nice place to visit.
3. Ram leela –Celebrated 10 days before Dussehra and it continues for 10 long days. It is known to mark the battle between Ram and Ravan.

Finally on the 10^th day, Dusshera is celebrated. To become part of some special rituals performed it is worthy to visit during this festival.

4. Ganga Dussehra –Known to be the festival of river Ganga and celebrated during June or July. It is further believed that bathing in the Ganges during this time can wash off human sin.
5. Panch Koshi Parikrama –For the women, this festival is an important one in Varanasi. Waking up early in the morning, women start with the parikrama only after taking bath. Only after completing it, they eat. Also, the devotees have to go through five places as part of the festival.
6. Nag Nathaiya –After its inception from the 16^th century on tulsi ghat as it has been initiated by saint Tulsi. The event is performed by Krishna Leela’s performance on the ghats. You can become part of the huge crowd at the ghat to experience lifetime memories.

Places to visit at Varanasi

1. Dashashwamedh Ghat– Located 4 kilometers away from the center of the city, Lord Brahma is worshipped in this place. One can witness plenty of religious spots performed at this Ghat.
2. Assi Ghat– To see the confluence of River Assi and Ganga, this ghat is a must-visit one. It is just 5 kilometers from the city, and it is famous for its great religious importance. One can find mention of the ghat in the Puranas.
3. New Vishwanath Temple –The place is also known as Birla temple, which is at a distance of 12 kilometers from the city railway junction. Situated inside the complex of Banaras Hindu University, Lord Shiva is worshipped in the place. Built with marbles, this is a must-visit place for the tourists to get the spectacular view of the temples in the area.
4. Panchganga Ghat– With a lot of history, this place is often known as the teaching place for Vaidant Ramanand. To witness one of the cleanest ghats in the city, this is the one. The temple has been destroyed and built into a mosque from the Mughal times. To witness the best architectural monuments, this ghat is a must-visit one.
5. Ayodhya– Located on Sarayu River, it is worth visiting the birthplace of Lord Rama. Devotees are attracted to visit this during the night of Kartik Purnima to witness the spectacular view of the place.
6. Betla National Park– If you are ready to travel a few kilometers from the city, you can choose Betla National Park which is at distance of 290 kilometers. It is located near the Chhota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand. Also, tourists can witness a good variety of fauna and flora. When planning to see tigers, leopards including other bird species, it will be worthy of visiting this national park.

Things not to do in Varanasi

• Do not hire cars – Instead of hiring cars, it is better to walk along the colorful lanes and get the true essence of the city. The spirituality, culture and the traditional significance of the place are sure to make you fall in love with the place.
• Do not miss out on the Kachauris– As it is known that Varanasi is famous for its food including tea, sweets and lassi, do not miss out tasting Kachauris. When someone is offering Kachauris, do not refuse it.
• Never mess with bulls– Bulls are common everywhere in Varanasi. It can walk around in the middle of the road or sit beside you in public places. You should not make the mistake of hitting it. Bull is a symbolic of Lord Shiva and you should not try to hit it. Instead, treat them with respect.
• Do not hurry in Varanasi – The city goes at its own pace, and it is better to follow it. From the shopkeepers to the vehicle pullers, nobody is in a hurry. So, the outsiders should also follow the same.