Day 01
Varanasi, Sarnath and Ganga Aarti Experience
- Varanasi Remembrances: After an early morning pickup at 5:30 am from your hotel, take a sunrise boat ride on the sacred Ganges River. Witness morning rituals performed along the riverside.
- Kashi Vishwanath Temple: Afterwards, follow your guide on a short walking tour through the old city's alleyways and catch sight of Kashi Vishwanath, one of the holiest Hindu temples.
- Banaras Hindu University: Stop for breakfast (at your own expense), then head to Banaras Hindu University at 10 am. Established in 1916, BHU is the largest university campus in Asia. Tour the campus and see the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum and the new Vishwanath Temple (Birla Temple), a replica of the original Vishwanath Temple.
- Bharat Mata Temple: Visit the Mother India Temple, built in 1918, which houses an unusual marble relief map of the Indian subcontinent. At 12:30 pm, learn about the silk weaving traditions of Varanasi, then take a break for lunch (at your own expense). Afterwards, drive about eight miles (13 km) to Sarnath to see Dhamekh Stupa, known as the place where the Buddha gave his first sermon. You will also visit the Archaeological Museum, which features treasures dating to the 3rd century BC (closed Fridays).
- Sarnath: Sarnath is located 10 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna.
- Dasaswamedh Ghat: At 5 pm, view the cremation grounds on the Ganges, then return to Dashashwamedh Ghat to watch the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony. Your tour ends with a return to your hotel around 8 pm.
