This is the written version of the Varanasi 1 Night 2 Days Itinerary, for anyone who would rather read every stop in order than scan the day cards above.
Day 1 in Detail: Old-City Temples & the Evening Aarti
Land, check in, and spend the day on the three old-city temples before the river takes over in the evening.
1. Check in and get your bearings
On arrivalHowever you arrive — a flight into Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, or a train into Varanasi Junction or Manduadih — head straight to your hotel and drop your bags. Skip plans for the first hour; the old city rewards patience more than a rushed start.
2. Kal Bhairav Temple
Late morningStart here, not at Kashi Vishwanath. Local custom has visitors seek Kal Bhairav's blessing — he is considered the guardian of the city — before the main temples. Open roughly 5:00 AM–1:30 PM and 4:30–9:30 PM; entry is free and 30–45 minutes is enough.
Auto and cab only get you to the edge of the lane — the last stretch to the shrine is on foot.
3. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Late morningThe big one. The present temple was built in 1780 and is reached today through the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, opened in December 2021. Leave your phone at the hotel or use a locker — electronics are not allowed inside.
Budget 1.5–3 hours depending on the queue. Mondays and the month of Shravan are the busiest.
4. Annapurna Temple
MiddayA two-minute walk from Vishwanath. Note the odd hours — roughly 4:00–11:30 AM and 7:00–11:00 PM, closed most of the afternoon — so if you arrive here late morning, you may end up doubling back in the evening instead.
5. Break, or a walk through Vishwanath Gali
AfternoonThree temples on foot in old-city heat is enough for most people. Head back to the hotel, or use the break to browse Vishwanath Gali and the Godowlia market for Banarasi silk — there is no obligation to buy anything.
6. A boat ride before the aarti
Evening, optionalNot essential, but worth the extra if you have the time. Boats leave from ghats such as Assi, Dashashwamedh, Namo and Kedar, and watching the aarti from the water beats the crowded steps.
Agree the fare before boarding if you are hiring one on the spot, or book ahead through us.
7. Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat
Around duskThe ritual begins around dusk — roughly 5:45–6:00 PM in winter, 6:45–7:00 PM in summer — and runs about 45 minutes.
Get to the ghat steps at least 45 minutes early if you want to sit rather than stand at the back.
8. Dinner and street food
After the aartiTamatar chaat, kachori-sabzi and a glass of thick Banarasi lassi are worth seeking out. Prices are low enough to eat at two or three stalls instead of committing to one restaurant.
Overnight in Varanasi. Book a hotel near the ghats or the Cantt area, so Day 2's early start is not a long drive — our own budget hotel near Assi Ghat is one option.
Day 2 in Detail: Southern Temples, BHU & Sarnath
An early, full day: three more temples before 9 AM, then breakfast, the university campus and Sarnath.
1. Sunrise at Assi Ghat
Optional, before 6 AMSkip this if you value sleep over atmosphere. Subah-e-Banaras, the free government-run morning programme, starts around sunrise — about 5:30 AM, earlier in summer. It is the calmest the ghats ever get.
2. Durga Temple
By 7 AMAlso called the Monkey Temple, for a reason — keep food out of sight. A red Nagara-style shrine from the 18th century beside Durga Kund; open 4:00 AM–1:00 PM and 3:00–9:00 PM, and 30 minutes is enough.
3. Tulsi Manas Mandir
MorningA short walk from the Durga Temple, dedicated to Lord Rama and built where the saint Tulsidas is said to have written the Ramcharitmanas. Roughly 6:00 AM–8:00 PM in winter, 5:30 AM–9:00 PM in summer.
4. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
MorningFounded, by tradition, by the poet-saint Tulsidas. No phones or cameras inside.
Busiest on Tuesdays and Saturdays — expect a longer queue on those days.
5. Banaras Hindu University & the New Vishwanath Temple
Late morningOne of Asia's largest residential university campuses — worth the drive-through alone. Stop at the New Vishwanath (Birla) Temple inside the campus, and add the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum if it happens to be open.
6. Breakfast — hotel or street style
BreakfastHotel breakfast is the easy option. For the local version, look for kachori-sabzi and jalebi from a street stall, finished with a Banarasi paan.
7. Sarnath
AfternoonAbout 10 km out, and where the Buddha is said to have given his first sermon. See the Dhamek Stupa, the Deer Park, the Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Museum if you have an extra half hour.
Give it 2–3 hours in total, including the drive.
8. Drop at the airport or railway station
EveningBuild in buffer time — traffic near the station and on the airport road can be unpredictable at peak hours.
Trip ends with your airport or railway station drop.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Phones and cameras are not allowed inside Kashi Vishwanath or Sankat Mochan — travel light.
- Dress modestly for the temples: shoulders and knees covered, and shoes that are easy to slip off.
- The old-city lanes to Kal Bhairav, Annapurna and Kashi Vishwanath are walked, not driven — factor in the extra time.
- Arrive at least 45 minutes early for the Ganga Aarti if you want a place on the ghat steps.
- Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation ghat, is nearby if you choose to see it from a boat. It is a place of mourning — do not photograph the cremations.
- Timings here come from published visitor guides and shift on festival days — confirm locally if your dates fall near one.
