This is the written version of the Varanasi Ayodhya Prayagraj Chhapaiya Naimisharanya 4 Nights 5 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 in Varanasi
Land, check in, and give the day to the three old-city temples before the river takes over in the evening.
1. Check in and get your bearings
On arrivalWhether you fly into Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport or arrive by train at Varanasi Junction or Manduadih, head straight to your hotel and drop your bags. With five places to cover in five days, this trip does not leave much room for a slow start.
2. Kal Bhairav Temple
Late morningLocal custom has visitors seek Kal Bhairav's blessing — he is considered the guardian of Kashi — before the other old-city 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 present temple was built in 1780 and is reached today through the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, opened in December 2021. Phones and cameras are not allowed inside, so leave yours 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. Published hours are roughly 4:00–11:30 AM and 7:00–11:00 PM, so it is closed for much of the afternoon — arriving here late morning avoids a second trip in the evening.
5. Rest, 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 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.
Overnight in Varanasi. Book a hotel near the ghats or the Cantt area, so tomorrow's drive to Prayagraj does not start with a long trip across town — our own budget hotel near Assi Ghat is one option.
Day 2 in Detail: Varanasi to Prayagraj: The Sangam and the City
Drive to Prayagraj after breakfast, then the Sangam and the landmarks scattered around the city.
1. Drive from Varanasi to Prayagraj
MorningAfter breakfast and check-out, the drive to Prayagraj is about 130 km and takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours. 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 an unusual reclining Hanuman idol said to be partly submerged each year when the Ganga rises in the monsoon. A calm, quick darshan before the boat ride out to the water.
3. Triveni Sangam: boat ride and a holy dip
MiddayA dip at the confluence is the centrepiece of most visits to Prayagraj. Boats to the Sangam are hired on the spot at the ghat — agree the fare before boarding. Bring a change of clothes and a towel if you plan to bathe, and leave valuables at the hotel.
If your dates line up with the Kumbh Mela or the smaller Magh Mela, expect the Sangam to be far more crowded than usual.
4. Anand Bhavan
AfternoonThe Nehru family's ancestral home, now a museum on India's independence movement — worth the stop if that history interests you. Museums keep their own hours, so it is worth checking ahead if you are pressed for time.
5. Allahabad Fort
AfternoonBuilt by Akbar in 1583 beside the Sangam. Much of it is under military use today, so public access is limited to parts such as the Ashoka Pillar, the Saraswati Koop and the Patalpuri Temple, plus the Akshaya Vat, a sacred banyan tree believed to be indestructible.
Which parts are open can change — confirm before you plan too much time around it.
6. Check in and rest in Prayagraj
EveningA full day of driving and sightseeing — settle in for the night. Dinner is easy to find near most hotels; there is no single spot you need to seek out here the way there is in Varanasi.
Overnight in Prayagraj. Pick a hotel reasonably close to the Sangam side of the city, so tomorrow's drive to Ayodhya does not start by crossing back through it.
Day 3 in Detail: Prayagraj to Ayodhya: The Full Ram Mandir Darshan
Drive to Ayodhya, then Hanuman Garhi, the Ram Mandir, Kanak Bhawan and the evening aarti on the Saryu, all in one day.
1. Drive from Prayagraj to Ayodhya
MorningAfter breakfast and check-out, allow roughly four hours on the road, more if traffic is heavy. Leaving early gives you the rest of the day for the temples rather than rushing the Ram Mandir at the end of it.
2. Hanuman Garhi
AfternoonA hilltop temple to Hanuman, and by tradition the one visited before the Ram Mandir. A flight of steps leads up to it, so wear comfortable footwear.
Tuesdays and Saturdays, Hanuman's days, are usually busier than the rest of the week.
3. Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ram Mandir)
AfternoonThe birthplace of Lord Rama and the reason most people come to Ayodhya, consecrated in January 2024. Security is strict — mobile phones, bags and similar items are generally not allowed inside, so travel light and wear modest clothing.
Entry arrangements such as darshan slots and passes are set by the temple trust and change, so confirm the current rules for your dates.
4. Kanak Bhawan
Late afternoonBelieved to have been gifted to Sita by Kaikeyi, and known for its richly adorned Ram–Sita idols. Temple hours change through the year, so we sequence this after the Ram Mandir rather than fixing a set time.
5. Ram ki Paidi and the Saryu aarti
EveningA series of bathing ghats on the Saryu, and a peaceful place to close out a long day. The evening aarti here follows sunset, so its time shifts with the season.
Overnight in Ayodhya. Dasharath Mahal, Ramkatha Park and Guptar Ghat are worth adding here if the day has left you any time — none are essential, so treat them as extras rather than a fixed plan.
Day 4 in Detail: Chhapaiya, Then the Long Drive to Naimisharanya
An early start for the Swaminarayan birthplace at Chhapaiya, followed by the longest drive on this itinerary.
1. Early start: Ayodhya to Chhapaiya
At first lightWith the Ram Mandir darshan already done yesterday, this morning is free for Chhapaiya, in Gonda district. Published distances disagree a little — the Gonda district tourism page gives about 35 km via Katra Parsurampur, other guides say 40 km — either way it is roughly an hour's drive from Ayodhya.
2. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Chhapaiya
MorningChhapaiya, also written Chapaiya or Chapiya, is the birthplace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, who was born here as Ghanshyam on 3 April 1781, and it remains a pilgrimage place 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, where the young Ghanshyam is said to have bathed, lies just outside the temple complex.
The mandir is listed as open roughly 5:00–10:30 AM and 3:00–8:00 PM, with a break at midday — that break is why this plan visits in the morning. Timings change, so confirm locally for your dates. This stop has no place guide or photos on our site yet.
3. Drive on to Naimisharanya
Late morningFrom Ayodhya, travel guides put the distance to Naimisharanya, in Sitapur district, at about 230 km, roughly 5 to 6 hours by the usual road through Sultanpur and Lucknow — the exact time from Chhapaiya itself depends on the route and traffic. This is the longest single stretch of driving on the whole trip, so build in a meal and a rest stop rather than pushing straight through.
4. Check in and rest in Naimisharanya
On arrivalNaimisharanya, also spelled Naimisaranya or Neemsar, is a forest pilgrimage town on the Gomti river. You will likely arrive tired after a long day on the road — check in and save the sightseeing for a fresh start tomorrow morning.
Overnight in Naimisharanya. This is the longest day of the trip — if it sounds too rushed for your group, ask about spreading it over an extra night when you book.
Day 5 in Detail: Naimisharanya & Your Drop at Lucknow
The sites tied to the Puranas in the morning, then the drive to Lucknow for your onward journey.
1. Chakra Tirtha
MorningThe sacred wheel-shaped pond at the centre of Naimisharanya, believed to mark where the rim of Vishnu's discus touched the ground. It is the heart of the town and a good place to start, since the other sites sit close by.
2. Lalita Devi Temple
MorningOne of the 51 Shakti Peethas and Naimisharanya's most important temple. Dress modestly, and expect larger crowds around Kartik Purnima and other significant dates on the Hindu calendar.
3. Vyas Gaddi
Late morningThe seat associated with the sage Ved Vyas, traditionally linked to the compiling of the Puranas here. Hindu tradition holds that 88,000 rishis once gathered at Naimisharanya for a long yajna, during which the sage Suta Goswami narrated the Puranas — Chakra Tirtha, Lalita Devi and this spot are all tied to that story.
4. Hanuman Garhi and Gomti Ghat
If time allowsNaimisharanya has its own Hanuman Garhi, distinct from the more famous one in Ayodhya, and Gomti Ghat, known for the small spiral Gomti Chakra stones found in its riverbed. Add either if the morning has left you time; neither is essential.
5. Drive to Lucknow and your drop
AfternoonLucknow is about 90 km from Naimisharanya, roughly 2 to 2.5 hours by road, and is the usual gateway for onward travel — Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport or a Lucknow railway station. Build in buffer time for traffic on the approach into the city.
Returning to Varanasi by road instead is possible, but it is a much longer drive — plan for it in advance if you would rather end the trip there.
Trip ends with your drop at Lucknow airport or railway station.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Day 4 is the longest day on the road — about 230 km and 5 to 6 hours from Ayodhya to Naimisharanya alone, with the Chhapaiya stop on top of that. Start at first light and plan a meal and rest stop.
- Phones and cameras are generally not allowed inside the Ram Mandir security checks or Kashi Vishwanath — travel light on those two stops especially.
- Dress modestly for every temple across all five days: shoulders and knees covered, and shoes that are easy to slip off.
- Chhapaiya's distance and darshan hours come from a district tourism page and the mandir's own published timings, which do not fully agree with each other — confirm locally if your dates are tight.
- This itinerary ends at Lucknow, about 90 km from Naimisharanya, not back in Varanasi — plan your onward flight or train from there unless you arrange a road return in advance.
- Entry arrangements at the Ram Mandir — darshan slots and passes — are set by the temple trust and change, so check the current rules close to your travel dates.