Varanasi and the Ganges
The spiritual heart of India - one of the oldest living cities on earth, where stone ghats descend to the sacred Ganges and pilgrims come to pray, bathe and be cremated at the river's edge.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
Varanasi is the spiritual heart of India and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth, holy to Hindus as the city of Shiva. Along its riverfront, dozens of stone ghats step down to the sacred Ganges, where at dawn pilgrims bathe and pray, priests perform the fire ceremony at dusk, and the dead are cremated at the water's edge, a place of intense, unfiltered devotion, life and death.
What you actually see
- The ghats at dawn - the pilgrims bathing and praying by the river at sunrise.
- A boat at sunrise - the classic rowing boat along the riverfront.
- The Ganga Aarti - the fire ceremony with lamps at dusk.
- The old lanes - the labyrinth of ancient alleys behind the ghats.
When to go
October to March for the coolest, most comfortable weather; a dawn boat ride along the ghats and the evening Ganga Aarti fire ceremony are the essential experiences. The festival of Dev Deepawali in November lights the ghats with thousands of lamps.
Honest expectations
It is intense and can be overwhelming, a raw, crowded and sometimes confronting place where cremations happen openly at the burning ghats; approach with deep respect and never photograph them. The lanes are a maze, and hassle from touts and boatmen is constant. It is unforgettable but not an easy, gentle destination.
Nearby
Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, is nearby; Bodhgaya is within reach.
What to pack for Varanasi and the Ganges
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
