This is the written version of the Varanasi Ayodhya Prayagraj Bodh Gaya 4 nights 5 days itinerary, for anyone who would rather read every stop in order than scan the day cards above.
In short: Days 1 and 2 are the familiar Varanasi plan — the old-city temple trail, the evening Ganga Aarti, the southern temples, BHU and Sarnath. Day 3 is the drive to Prayagraj for the Sangam and the city's landmarks. Day 4 is the drive to Ayodhya, with Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and the Saryu aarti. Day 5 is the long drive to Bodh Gaya and the Mahabodhi Temple, ending with your drop at Gaya.
Day 1 in Detail: Old-City Temples & the Evening Aarti
Land in Varanasi, 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 to your hotel and drop your bags first. This is a five-day trip with two long transfer days later on, so there is no need to rush the first afternoon.
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.
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 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 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 temples on foot in old-city heat is enough for most people, and there are four more travel days ahead of you. Rest at the hotel, or 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 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 crowded 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. Prices are low enough to try two or three stalls instead of committing to one restaurant.
Overnight in Varanasi. Book a hotel near the ghats or the Cantt area, so tomorrow's temple run 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 mid-morning, then breakfast, the university campus and Sarnath, then an early night ahead of tomorrow's drive to Prayagraj.
1. Sunrise at Assi Ghat
Optional, before 6 AMSkip this if you would rather bank the sleep. Subah-e-Banaras, the free government-run morning programme, starts around sunrise — about 5:30 AM, earlier in summer. 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 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 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 and the Mahabodhi Temple complex later on this trip.
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 Banarasi silk, this is the last easy window before the road takes over.
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. Dinner, an early night and packed bags
EveningReturn to the hotel for dinner and rest — not a late one. Tomorrow starts with the drive to Prayagraj, so pack tonight rather than in the morning.
Second night in Varanasi. Same hotel as Day 1 keeps tomorrow's check-out simple.
Day 3 in Detail: Varanasi to Prayagraj: the Sangam and the City's Landmarks
Drive to Prayagraj, about 130 km, then the Sangam, Anand Bhavan, Allahabad Fort and Khusro Bagh if time allows.
1. Drive from Varanasi to Prayagraj
MorningAfter breakfast and check-out, drive to Prayagraj, about 130 km away — roughly 2.5 to 3 hours on the road. Prayagraj was known as Allahabad until 2018, and it sits at the Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet the mythical, invisible Saraswati.
2. Lete Hanuman Mandir
Late morningA short stop near the Sangam, with a large reclining Hanuman idol said to be partly submerged when the Ganga rises each monsoon. Visit it on the way to the river, before the boat ride.
3. Triveni Sangam: boat ride and holy dip
MiddayThe reason most people come to Prayagraj. A holy dip at the confluence is the centrepiece of the visit; the boat ride out to the exact meeting point is a separate add-on, booked at the ghat or arranged through us.
Carry a change of clothes and a towel if you plan to bathe, and leave valuables at the hotel. If your dates fall near the Magh Mela or a Kumbh Mela, expect much larger crowds.
4. Anand Bhavan
AfternoonThe Nehru family's ancestral home, now a museum on India's independence movement. Worth the stop if the freedom struggle interests you — museums keep their own hours, so confirm before you plan the visit tightly.
5. Allahabad Fort
AfternoonBuilt by Akbar in 1583 beside the Sangam. Much of the fort is under military use today, so public access is limited to parts such as the Ashoka Pillar, the Saraswati Koop and the Patalpuri Temple.
6. Khusro Bagh
If time allowsA walled Mughal-era garden with the tombs of Prince Khusrau and his mother — a calm, optional way to close the sightseeing before you check in for the night.
7. Check in and rest in Prayagraj
EveningSettle into your hotel after a full day. Dinner is not automatically arranged, so ask your driver or hotel for a nearby recommendation.
Overnight in Prayagraj. Book a hotel reasonably close to the Sangam and the city landmarks, since Day 4 starts with another drive.
Day 4 in Detail: Prayagraj to Ayodhya: Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir & the Saryu
Drive to Ayodhya, roughly four hours, then Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and the evening aarti at Ram ki Paidi, all in one day.
1. Drive from Prayagraj to Ayodhya
MorningAfter breakfast and check-out, drive to Ayodhya. Allow roughly four hours on the road, more if traffic is heavy — check out early so the rest of the day is not squeezed.
2. Hanuman Garhi
AfternoonBy 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)
AfternoonThe birthplace of Lord Rama and the reason most people add Ayodhya to a Divya Dham 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 — confirm for your travel dates before you go.
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 — a peaceful way to close a temple-heavy day.
Overnight in Ayodhya. Check in and rest well — Day 5 is the longest drive of the whole trip and starts at first light.
Day 5 in Detail: Ayodhya to Bodh Gaya: the Long Drive & the Mahabodhi Temple
A very early start for the longest drive of the tour, then the Mahabodhi Temple first, and the Great Buddha Statue and the monasteries as time allows.
1. Long drive from Ayodhya to Bodh Gaya
At first lightThis is the longest drive of the whole itinerary, and most of Day 5 is spent on the road rather than sightseeing. We are not going to undersell it: leave at first light, plan for a meal and rest stop on the way, and accept that the time you get in Bodh Gaya depends on how the traffic runs. Bodh Gaya is in the state of Bihar.
If a full, unhurried day in Bodh Gaya matters more to you than covering four cities in five days, the 5 nights 6 days package adds a night there instead of this single long day.
2. Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree & Vajrasana
On arrivalGo straight here — it is the heart of the visit and the stop we protect first, whatever time you arrive. The UNESCO-listed Mahabodhi Temple is built around a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree, and the Vajrasana marks the exact spot of the Buddha's enlightenment. Dress modestly, and expect rules on phones and cameras inside the complex to change, so confirm for your date.
3. Great Buddha Statue
If time allowsAn 80-foot statue of the Buddha in meditation, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1989. Add it if you arrive with daylight and energy to spare after the temple.
4. The monasteries: Thai, Japanese, Tibetan & Chinese
If time allowsSeveral countries have built temples around the Mahabodhi complex in their own architectural styles — the golden-roofed Thai Monastery and the Japanese Indosan Nippon-ji among them. Each keeps its own hours, so you may only manage one or two depending on how much of the day the drive has taken.
5. Drop at Gaya Airport or Gaya Junction
AfternoonThe tour ends with your drop for onward travel. Share your flight or train time in advance so the last stretch of driving, and the order of the afternoon's stops, can be planned around it.
Trip ends with your drop at Gaya Airport or Gaya Junction.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Phones and cameras are not allowed inside Kashi Vishwanath, Sankat Mochan, the Ram Mandir or, at times, the Mahabodhi Temple complex — travel light on all five 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 on Day 1.
- Day 5 is a long day of driving. Ayodhya to Bodh Gaya is the longest transfer of the trip — leave at first light and treat the Mahabodhi Temple, not the extras, as the stop to protect.
- 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.
- At the Sangam, carry a change of clothes and a towel if you plan a holy dip, and leave valuables at the hotel.
- Timings here come from published visitor guides and shift on festival days, especially Ram Navami in Ayodhya and the Magh Mela in Prayagraj — confirm locally if your dates fall near one.