This is the written version of the Varanasi Ayodhya 2 nights 3 days itinerary, for anyone who would rather read every stop in order than scan the day cards above.
In short: Day 1 is the old city of Varanasi — Kal Bhairav, Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna, an afternoon break, an optional boat ride and the evening Ganga Aarti. Day 2 is the southern temples, Banaras Hindu University and Sarnath, followed by an early night. Day 3 is the long day: an early drive to Ayodhya, then Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and the Saryu aarti before your drop.
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 arrivalWhether you land at Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or come in by train to Varanasi Junction or Manduadih, head straight to your hotel first and drop your bags. This itinerary is tight over three days, so do not spend the first hour sightseeing — start the old-city trail once you have actually rested.
2. Kal Bhairav Temple
Late morningLocal custom has visitors seek Kal Bhairav's blessing — he is considered the guardian of the city — before Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna, so start here. Open roughly 5:00 AM–1:30 PM and 4:30–9:30 PM; entry is free and 30–45 minutes is enough.
A cab only gets you to the edge of the lane — the last stretch to the shrine is on foot.
3. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Late morningThe main event of the old city. The present temple dates to 1780 and is reached through the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, opened in December 2021. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside — leave them at the hotel or use a locker.
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. Hours run roughly 4:00–11:30 AM and 7:00–11:00 PM, closed most of the afternoon, so if you reach here late morning you are usually fine — later than that and you may be doubling back in the evening.
5. Break, or a walk through Vishwanath Gali
AfternoonThree old-city temples on foot is enough heat and walking for most people by this point, and you have two more full days ahead. Head back to rest, or browse Vishwanath Gali and the Godowlia market for Banarasi silk — no obligation to buy.
6. A boat ride before the aarti
Evening, optionalNot essential, but worth the extra time if you have it. Boats leave from ghats such as Assi, Dashashwamedh, Namo and Kedar, and the aarti reads better from the water than from the packed steps.
Agree the fare before boarding if you hire 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. Portions and prices are low enough to try two or three stalls instead of one sit-down meal.
Overnight in Varanasi. Book a hotel near the ghats or the Cantt area, so both this and Day 3's early start are 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 mid-morning, then breakfast, the university campus and Sarnath, then an early night ahead of the long Day 3 drive.
1. Sunrise at Assi Ghat
Optional, before 6 AMSkip this if you would rather bank the sleep for tomorrow's early start. Subah-e-Banaras, the free government-run morning programme, begins around sunrise — about 5:30 AM, earlier in summer — and the ghats are calmer than at any other time of day.
2. Durga Temple
By 7 AMAlso called the Monkey Temple, for a reason — keep food out of sight. A red Nagara-style shrine beside Durga Kund, built in the 18th century; 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 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 — the same rule you will meet again at the Ram Mandir tomorrow.
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, and the saree market if you want it
BreakfastHotel breakfast is the easy option. For the local version, look for kachori-sabzi and jalebi from a street stall with a Banarasi paan. If you still want to shop for Banarasi silk, this is the last easy window before the Sarnath drive.
7. Sarnath
AfternoonAbout 10 km out, 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. Dinner, an early night and packed bags
EveningReturn to the hotel for dinner and rest — not a late one. Day 3 leaves early for the drive to Ayodhya, so pack your bags tonight rather than in the morning.
Second night in Varanasi. Same hotel as Day 1 keeps Day 3's early start simple.
Day 3 in Detail: Ayodhya by Road: Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir & the Saryu
A long day: an early drive to Ayodhya, then Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and the evening aarti at Ram ki Paidi before your drop.
1. Early start: Varanasi to Ayodhya
By 5 AMAyodhya is about 200 km from Varanasi, a drive of roughly 4 to 5 hours. Leaving by around 5 AM gets you there in time for the temples rather than losing the whole morning to the road — check out the night before if you can, since there is no reason to come back to this hotel.
2. Hanuman Garhi
Late morningBy tradition this hilltop Hanuman temple is visited before the Ram Mandir, so go here first. A flight of steps leads up to the shrine, so wear shoes you can slip off easily.
Tuesdays and Saturdays, Hanuman's days, tend to be busier.
3. Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ram Mandir)
Late morningThe birthplace of Lord Rama and the reason most people add Ayodhya to a Varanasi trip. The temple was consecrated in January 2024. Security is strict and phones and bags are generally not allowed inside, so carry only what you need and dress modestly.
Darshan slots and entry rules are set by the temple trust and change — we check them for your date before you travel, and you should do the same if going independently.
4. Kanak Bhawan
AfternoonDedicated to Rama and Sita, and believed to have been gifted to Sita by Kaikeyi. Known for its richly decorated idols and a quieter atmosphere than the Ram Mandir queues.
5. Dasharath Mahal
If time allowsAn optional stop at the palace traditionally associated with King Dasharatha, Rama's father — worth a look if the day is running ahead of schedule, easy to skip if it is not.
6. Ram ki Paidi and the Saryu aarti
EveningA series of bathing ghats on the Saryu, and the setting for Ayodhya's own evening aarti. It follows sunset, so the exact time shifts with the season — worth timing your last stop of the day around it.
7. Drop at Ayodhya Dham Junction or the airport
EveningMost visitors end the trip here, dropped at Ayodhya Dham Junction railway station or Maharishi Valmiki International Airport. Returning to Varanasi by road the same evening means driving the 200 km stretch twice in one day — doable, but decide in advance rather than on the spot.
Trip ends with your drop at Ayodhya, or a return to Varanasi by road if you would rather not stay the night there.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Phones and cameras are not allowed inside Kashi Vishwanath, Sankat Mochan or the Ram Mandir — travel light on all three days.
- Dress modestly for every temple on this route: 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.
- Day 3 starts before dawn. Pack your bags the night before and check out early so the 200 km drive is not delayed at the start.
- Ram Mandir entry rules — darshan slots, passes and what you can carry in — are set by the temple trust and change, so confirm for your date.
- Timings here come from published visitor guides and shift on festival days, especially Ram Navami in Ayodhya — confirm locally if your dates fall near one.
