Varanasi Ayodhya Prayagraj Chhapaiya Naimisharanya 4 Nights 5 Days Tour Package Kashi, the Sangam, Ayodhya, Chhapaiya & Naimisharanya

This is the written version of the Varanasi Ayodhya Prayagraj Chhapaiya Naimisharanya 4 nights 5 days tour package, for anyone who likes to read every detail before deciding. It follows the same plan as the itinerary above, stop by stop, with what happens at each place, roughly how long it takes and what to carry or avoid.

In short: Day 1 is the old city of Varanasi and the evening Ganga Aarti. Day 2 is the drive to Prayagraj, the Sangam and the city’s landmarks. Day 3 is the drive to Ayodhya, with Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and the Saryu aarti. Day 4 is an early start for Chhapaiya and the long drive to Naimisharanya. Day 5 is Chakra Tirtha, the Lalita Devi Temple and Vyas Gaddi, followed by your drop at Lucknow. The order here is the one we recommend, and we adjust it to your arrival and departure times.

Day 1 in Detail: Arrival, old-city temples & the Ganga Aarti

This is the old-city day. After you arrive and check in, the three temples that are always visited together — Kal Bhairav, Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna — are all in the same area, so they fit into a single stretch of the day. The evening belongs to the river: the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, with a boat ride if you want one.

The exact order depends on when you land. An early arrival leaves room for the temples before the aarti; on a late arrival we move the temple visits around and keep the evening aarti.

1. Pick-up and hotel check-in

Your driver meets you at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, or at Varanasi Junction or Manduadih railway station, and drives you to your hotel. Share your flight or train details and arrival time when you message us, so the driver is waiting when you come out.

Once you have checked in, freshen up and rest. The first day is planned around your arrival time, so tell us early if you are landing late in the day.

2. Kal Bhairav Temple

Baba Kal Bhairav is the kotwal, or guardian, of Kashi, and by tradition visitors seek his permission first and then go on to Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna. The temple is in Bharonath, in the Visheshwarganj area of the old city, and the silver face of the deity is what you see at the shrine.

Published timings are roughly 5:00 AM to 1:30 PM and 4:30 to 9:30 PM. Darshan is free and 30 to 45 minutes is enough. The last stretch is through narrow lanes, so the driver leaves you at the nearest practical point and you walk. Our Kal Bhairav Temple guide has the full details.

3. Mritunjay Mahadev TempleOptional

This is an optional extra darshan for those who have the time and energy before the main temples. It is not part of the fixed plan: tell us if you would like it included and we will fit it into the route.

4. Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva and the centre of Varanasi’s temple trail. The present temple was built in 1780 by Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, and it is reached today through the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, which was inaugurated in December 2021.

Phones, cameras, smartwatches and power banks are not allowed inside, so leave them at the hotel or use the lockers, and wear modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees. General darshan is free and the queue decides the time: allow roughly 1.5 to 3 hours. Mondays, the month of Shravan and Maha Shivaratri are the busiest times. Read the Kashi Vishwanath Temple guide for timings and rules.

5. Annapurna Temple

Annapurna Devi, the goddess of food and a form of Parvati, has her temple about 15 metres from Kashi Vishwanath. It was built in 1729 by the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I. Kashi Vishwanath represents Shiva, the lord of Kashi, and Annapurna the nourishment that sustains the city, which is why the two temples are visited together.

Published hours are roughly 4:00 to 11:30 AM and 7:00 to 11:00 PM, so the temple is closed for much of the afternoon; that is why we plan the order of the temples around your arrival. Darshan is free and takes 20 to 30 minutes. See the Annapurna Temple guide.

6. Rest, or browse Vishwanath Gali

With the temples done, the afternoon is yours. Rest at the hotel, or walk through the narrow Vishwanath Gali and the Godowlia market, which are known for silk sarees, jewellery and handicrafts. Banarasi silk is the classic Varanasi buy. There is no pressure to shop: a slow walk and a cup of tea is a good way to spend the break before the evening.

7. Boat ride on the GangaAdd-on

A boat ride shows the ghats of Varanasi from the river, and it is the most comfortable way to watch the Ganga Aarti, with more room than the crowded steps. Boats leave from ghats such as Assi, Dashashwamedh, Namo and Kedar.

The boat ride is not part of the package, so you add it only if you want it. You can book it on the spot at the ghat or ask us to arrange it: use the WhatsApp button and tell us how many of you there are, and we will plan the timing so that you are on the water before the aarti begins. You can also see our Ganga boat ride booking page.

8. Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat

The Ganga Aarti is the daily evening worship of the river, performed with lamps, chants and conch shells. The main aarti is at Dashashwamedh Ghat. It begins around dusk, at roughly 5:45–6:00 PM in winter (October to March) and 6:45–7:00 PM in summer (April to September), and lasts about 45 minutes.

Watching from the ghat steps is free and atmospheric but crowded, so arrive at least 45 minutes early to get a place on the steps. From a boat you get a wider view and more space. Tuesdays and religious festivals bring special aartis, and on Dev Diwali the ghat is far more crowded. Our Ganga Aarti guide compares all the venues.

9. Manikarnika Ghat

Manikarnika is the main cremation ghat of Varanasi, where cremation is believed to lead to moksha. It stands on the ghats near the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and the Annapurna Temple, and the most comfortable way to see it is from a boat, at a respectful distance.

This is a place of mourning. Do not photograph the cremations, and keep a respectful distance. If you would rather not see it, tell us and we will skip the stop. Allow 20 to 30 minutes. See the Manikarnika Ghat guide.

10. Dinner and street food

Varanasi’s street food is part of the trip: tamatar chaat, rabri and lassi are local favourites. Dinner is not included in the package, so you choose what and where you eat. Ask your driver or message our team if you would like suggestions.

Overnight stay in Varanasi. Your hotel category is agreed with our team when you book.

Questions about Day 1? Message our team

Day 2 in Detail: Varanasi to Prayagraj: the Sangam and the city’s landmarks

Today you leave Varanasi for Prayagraj, about 130 km away, and spend the rest of the day at the Sangam and the landmarks around it. The stops are spread across the city, so we go in an order that keeps the driving between them short.

The Sangam is the reason most people come to Prayagraj. We plan the day around a comfortable time at the water, and we keep Khusro Bagh as a calm ending if there is time.

1. Drive from Varanasi to Prayagraj

After breakfast and check-out, you drive from Varanasi to Prayagraj, about 130 km away. The drive takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours, so you arrive in time for a full day of sightseeing.

Prayagraj was known as Allahabad until 2018. It sits at the Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet the mythical, invisible Saraswati. Our Prayagraj travel guide has more.

2. Lete Hanuman Mandir

The Lete Hanuman Mandir is a unique temple near the Sangam, with a large reclining Hanuman idol. It is said that the idol is partly submerged each year when the Ganga rises in the monsoon.

The temple is close to the Sangam, so we visit it just before the boat ride. Darshan is a short, calm visit.

3. Triveni Sangam: boat ride and holy dipAdd-on

The Triveni Sangam is where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet the mythical, invisible Saraswati. It is considered one of the holiest bathing sites in Hinduism, and taking a dip here is the centrepiece of most visits to Prayagraj.

A boat ride on the Yamuna and out to the Sangam is part of the usual visit. It is not included in the package, so you add it only if you want it: book it at the ghat or ask us to arrange it with the WhatsApp button. Bring a change of clothes and a towel if you plan to bathe, and leave valuables at the hotel.

Prayagraj hosts the Kumbh Mela on a rotating cycle, including the Maha Kumbh of 2025, and the smaller Magh Mela every January or February. At those times the Sangam is far more crowded and the plan changes, so message us if your dates line up with one.

4. Anand Bhavan

Anand Bhavan is the Nehru family’s ancestral home, and it is now a museum on India’s independence movement. It is a good stop for anyone interested in the freedom struggle.

Museums keep their own days and hours, so we check them for your date before we plan the visit.

5. Allahabad Fort

Allahabad Fort was built by Akbar in 1583 near the Sangam. Much of the fort is under military use today, so public access is limited; the parts open to visitors include the Ashoka Pillar, the Saraswati Koop and the Patalpuri Temple.

The fort complex also holds the Akshaya Vat, a sacred, centuries-old banyan tree believed to be indestructible. Which parts are open can change, so we confirm what you can see on your date.

6. Khusro BaghOptional

Khusro Bagh is a walled Mughal-era garden with the tombs of Prince Khusrau and his mother. It is a calm place for a stroll at the end of a full day, and we include it if time allows.

7. Check in and rest in Prayagraj

Your driver takes you to your hotel in Prayagraj, where you stay the night. Dinner is not included, so you can eat where you like; ask us or your driver for suggestions.

Overnight stay in Prayagraj. Your hotel category is agreed with our team when you book.

Questions about Day 2? Message our team

Day 3 in Detail: Prayagraj to Ayodhya: the full Ayodhya darshan

You drive from Prayagraj to Ayodhya and spend the rest of the day there, so the visit is compact. We begin with Hanuman Garhi, the traditional first stop, then the Ram Mandir and Kanak Bhawan, and end at the Saryu for the evening aarti. Dasharath Mahal, Ramkatha Park and Guptar Ghat are optional, and we add them if time allows.

It is a full day, so tell us early if anyone in your group finds long days or steps difficult, and we will pace the stops accordingly.

1. Drive from Prayagraj to Ayodhya

After breakfast and check-out, you drive from Prayagraj to Ayodhya. Allow roughly four hours on the road, and more if the traffic is heavy. We leave early so that you reach Ayodhya before the afternoon.

Prayagraj, Ayodhya and Varanasi are commonly combined on one trip, and the drive links two of the most important places on the Rama pilgrimage circuit.

2. Hanuman Garhi

Hanuman Garhi is a hilltop temple to Hanuman, and by tradition it is visited before the Ram Mandir. You climb a flight of steps to reach it, so wear comfortable footwear. The hilltop position gives a wide view over the city.

Tuesdays and Saturdays, Hanuman’s days, are usually busier. Keep your belongings light and follow the temple’s instructions about phones and bags.

3. Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ram Mandir)

The Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, the Ram Mandir, stands at the site revered as the birthplace of Lord Rama, and it was consecrated in January 2024. It is the centrepiece of any Ayodhya visit, and pilgrims come from across India.

Security is strict. Mobile phones, bags and similar items are generally not allowed inside, so travel light and wear modest clothing and easy footwear. Entry arrangements, such as darshan slots and passes, are set by the temple trust and change, so we check the current rules for your date before you travel. Expect queues and a fair amount of walking. Our Ayodhya travel guide has more.

4. Kanak Bhawan

Kanak Bhawan is dedicated to Lord Rama and Sita, and it is believed to have been gifted to Sita by Kaikeyi. It is known for its richly adorned Ram–Sita idols, its architecture and its peaceful atmosphere.

Temple hours change through the year, so we sequence the visit around the timings on your date.

5. Dasharath MahalOptional

Dasharath Mahal is traditionally associated with King Dasharatha, Rama’s father, and it is an optional extra on the Ayodhya circuit. Tell us if you would like it included and we will fit it in if time allows.

6. Ramkatha ParkOptional

Ramkatha Park is a park dedicated to the life of Lord Rama. It is a quiet place to sit and relax between the temples. We include it if time allows.

7. Guptar GhatOptional

Guptar Ghat is a picturesque ghat on the Saryu, believed to be the place where Lord Rama took his last journey, his jal samadhi. It is quieter and less crowded than the ghats near the centre of the city. We include it if time allows.

8. Ram ki Paidi and the Saryu aarti

Ram ki Paidi is a series of bathing ghats on the Saryu, popular for the evening aarti. The Saryu riverfront runs through the city and is a peaceful place for an evening walk.

The aarti follows sunset, so its time changes with the season. We plan the day so that you are at the river in good time, and we confirm the timing for your date.

Overnight stay in Ayodhya.

Questions about Day 3? Message our team

Day 4 in Detail: Ayodhya to Chhapaiya, then the road to Naimisharanya

The Ram Mandir darshan was yesterday, so this morning is free for Chhapaiya. We leave Ayodhya at first light, because the Swaminarayan mandir there keeps a break at midday and the morning darshan hours suit the plan. After your visit you drive on to Naimisharanya.

This is a long day on the road, so we start early and plan a meal and a rest stop. You reach Naimisharanya in the evening, and the sightseeing there is kept for the next morning.

1. Early start: Ayodhya to Chhapaiya

You leave Ayodhya at first light, the morning after your Ram Mandir darshan, for Chhapaiya in Gonda district. It is about 35 to 40 km from Ayodhya by road (the Gonda district tourism page gives 35 km via Katra Parsurampur, and other guides say 40 km), and we allow roughly an hour for the drive. We start early because the Swaminarayan mandir there keeps a break at midday, and the morning hours suit the plan.

2. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Chhapaiya

Chhapaiya, also written Chapaiya or Chapiya, is a village in Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh. It is the birthplace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, who was born here as Ghanshyam on 3 April 1781, and it is a place of pilgrimage for his followers worldwide.

Ghanshyam Bhavan stands on the birthplace itself. The first temple here was built in 1863 by Acharya Ayodhyaprasadji Maharaj, a second followed in 1910, and the complex was renovated in the years up to 2016. Narayan Sarovar, the pool where the young Ghanshyam is said to have bathed, lies just outside the temple complex.

The mandir is listed as open for darshan from about 5:00 to 10:30 AM and again from about 3:00 to 8:00 PM, with a break in between, so we visit in the morning. Timings change, so we confirm them for your date. Dress modestly, as at any temple.

3. Drive to Naimisharanya

After the darshan you drive on to Naimisharanya in Sitapur district. From Ayodhya, travel guides give about 230 km and roughly 5 to 6 hours by the usual road through Sultanpur and Lucknow, so this is a long day on the road. The exact time from Chhapaiya depends on the route and the traffic, and we agree it with you.

We plan a meal and a rest stop on the way. If anyone in your group finds long drives tiring, tell us when you book so that we pace the day and choose the vehicle to suit.

4. Arrive in Naimisharanya and check in

Naimisharanya, also spelled Naimisaranya or Neemsar, is a forest pilgrimage town in Sitapur district, on the banks of the Gomti river. Hindu tradition holds that 88,000 rishis gathered here for a long yajna, during which the sage Suta Goswami narrated the Puranas.

You check in and rest after the long day. If there is daylight left, Chakra Tirtha at the centre of the town is the place to start; otherwise the sightseeing is kept for the morning. Our Naimisharanya travel guide has more.

Overnight stay in Naimisharanya. Your hotel category is agreed with our team when you book.

Questions about Day 4? Message our team

Day 5 in Detail: Naimisharanya: Chakra Tirtha, Lalita Devi & your drop at Lucknow

The morning is for Naimisharanya, where the sites tied to the Puranas and the 88,000 rishis sit close together: Chakra Tirtha, the Lalita Devi Temple and Vyas Gaddi, with the Hanuman temple and the Gomti riverfront if time allows. Because they are close together, a morning covers the main sites at a steady pace. If you would like a full day here, tell us and we will plan an extra night.

You then drive to Lucknow, about 90 km away, and we plan the timing around your flight or train.

1. Chakra Tirtha

Chakra Tirtha is the sacred wheel-shaped pond at the centre of Naimisharanya, believed to mark the spot where the rim of Lord Vishnu’s discus touched the ground. It is the heart of the pilgrimage and a good reference point for the rest of the town, so we begin here.

2. Lalita Devi Temple

The Lalita Devi Temple is counted among the 51 Shakti Peethas and is Naimisharanya’s most important temple. Dress modestly, and expect larger crowds around Kartik Purnima and other significant dates in the Hindu calendar.

3. Vyas Gaddi

Vyas Gaddi is the seat associated with the sage Ved Vyas, traditionally linked to the compiling of the Puranas at Naimisharanya. With Chakra Tirtha and the Lalita Devi Temple it is one of the sites tied to the Puranas and the 88,000 rishis, and they are all close together.

4. Hanuman Garhi, NaimisharanyaOptional

This is a Hanuman temple in the town, distinct from the more famous Hanuman Garhi in Ayodhya. We include it if time allows.

5. Gomti GhatOptional

Gomti Ghat is the riverfront on the Gomti, known for Gomti Chakra: small, naturally spiral-shaped stones found in the riverbed, considered sacred and commonly used in worship. We include it if time allows.

6. Drop at Lucknow airport or railway station

Lucknow, about 90 km from Naimisharanya and roughly 2 to 2.5 hours by road, is the usual gateway for onward travel, and Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport is the nearest airport. We take you to the airport or to a Lucknow railway station, with time in hand, and the tour ends there.

If you would rather return to Varanasi by road, tell us in advance: it is a much longer drive, and we plan the timing of the day around it.

Tour ends with your drop at Lucknow airport or railway station.

Questions about Day 5? Message our team

Good to Know Before You Go

• Phones and cameras are not allowed inside Kashi Vishwanath. Travel light and use the lockers.
• Dress modestly for the temples, with shoulders and knees covered, and wear footwear that is easy to take off.
• The old-city lanes are walked on foot. Vehicles stop outside the pedestrian zone, so the last stretch to Kal Bhairav, Annapurna and Kashi Vishwanath is walking.
• Arrive early for the Ganga Aarti — at least 45 minutes before the start — if you want a place on the ghat steps.
• Do not photograph cremations at Manikarnika Ghat.
• The Ram Mandir has strict security. Phones, bags and similar items are generally not allowed inside, and entry arrangements are set by the temple trust, so we check the current rules for your date.
• Hanuman Garhi is reached up a flight of steps. Wear comfortable footwear, and tell us if anyone finds steps difficult.
• At the Sangam, the boat ride out to the confluence is an add-on. Bring a change of clothes and a towel if you plan to bathe.
• Allahabad Fort has limited public access, because much of it is under military use. We confirm what is open on your date.
• Chhapaiya keeps a midday break. The Swaminarayan mandir is listed as open about 5:00–10:30 AM and 3:00–8:00 PM, so we visit in the morning. Dress modestly.
• Naimisharanya is a small pilgrimage town, and its main sites are close together. Crowds are larger around Kartik Purnima and other significant dates, so tell us your dates when you message us.
• Long drives: carry water and a snack, and tell us if anyone in your group gets travel-sick. We plan meal and rest stops on the way.
• Meals: breakfast at the hotel is included; other meals are not, and you can choose freely.
• Timings in this itinerary come from published visitor guides and change on festival days, so we confirm them for your dates.
• Tell us your arrival and departure times when you message us, so that we can set the order of the stops for you.
• Day 4 is a long day on the road. Ayodhya to Naimisharanya is about 230 km, and the Chhapaiya stop adds to it, so we start at first light. Tell us if you would like to add a night at Naimisharanya.