Summary
Short description
A three-day holiday in Varanasi, northern India, a religious city and centre of Hindu pilgrimage
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
City | History & culture
This is a three-day extension to a holiday in India. Varanasi is a place of exceptional importance for Hindus, and riverside cremations, festivals and gatherings are commonplace.
The city is located on the banks of the river Ganges, and is dotted with fascinating temples, mosques and forts. You will stay in beautiful accommodation, and see the top sights of Varanasi including the magnificent Krishna Balarama Temple, the Bharat Mata Temple and the Ram Nagar Fort.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
Arrive in Varanasi
Arrive at Varanasi Airport where you will be met by a representative in the arrival area. Depart for your hotel where you will check in for your overnight stay.
In the evening, take a visit to the Ghats to witness an Aarti, meaning homage or devotion in Sanskrit. The Aarti is an offering of lamps that is observed at prescribed hours of the day and night to invoke the gods. It is believed that the gods physically present themselves to devotees at the ceremony. In the ceremony, lamps are revolved before idols in a clockwise manner along with the chanting of hymns, drums, conch-shell blowing and the tolling of temple bells.
Stay: Suryauday Haveli (Superior) or Nadesar Palace (Deluxe)
Day
2
Varanasi
In the morning, after some tea or coffee, enjoy a boat ride on the Ganges. Situated on the west bank of the Ganges, Varanasi extends back from the riverbank ghats to a winding maze of picturesque alleys overlooking tall houses and alleyways, and dotted with temples. Today, the city is a centre of education, art and craft that has given birth to many academics, musicians and artists of world acclaim.
After your boat trip, you’ll enjoy a city tour of Varanasi. The first place you’ll visit is the magnificent Krishna Balarama Temple, which was built in 1975 and has now become the city’s most popular temple. Hare Krishna devotees from around the world can be seen there throughout the year. Also don’t miss the Bharat Mata Temple, Alamgir Mosque, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, the Archeological Musuem and Ram Nagar Fort. The city is the most sacred in India, and is a popular pilgrimage point for Hindus who believe that those who die and are cremated there get an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth. You then may have time to visit some of the highlights in neighbouring Sarnath city, including some fantastic carvings.
Stay: Suryauday Haveli (Superior) or Nadesar Palace (Deluxe)
Day
3
Leave Varnasi
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before transferring to the railway station or to the airport for your onward journey home.
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Pricing
Any element of this extension can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
3-day tailor-made extension
from £375 pp
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