This is the written version of the Varanasi Bodhgaya 3 Nights 4 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 give the old city's three temples a full day 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 first and drop your bags. Because this itinerary gives Varanasi two full days rather than one, there is no need to rush straight out.
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 centre of the temple trail, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. The present temple dates to 1780 and is reached 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, plan to double back in the evening instead.
5. Break, or a walk through Vishwanath Gali
AfternoonWith a second Varanasi day still ahead, there is no need to cram the afternoon. 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 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 — our own budget hotel near Assi Ghat is one option.
Day 2 in Detail: Southern Temples, BHU & Sarnath
A fuller, steadier second day: three more temples, BHU, and Sarnath in the afternoon, with the evening left free to rest.
1. Sunrise at Assi Ghat
Optional, before 7 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. With a second full day here, it is easier to fit in than it would be on a tighter itinerary.
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 after his enlightenment. See the Dhamek Stupa, the Deer Park, the Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Museum if you have an extra half hour — a fitting stop the afternoon before the road to Bodh Gaya, where that enlightenment took place.
Give it 2–3 hours in total, including the drive.
8. Dinner and an early rest
EveningUnlike a rushed one-day Varanasi plan, this evening is free rather than spent driving toward Bodh Gaya. Have dinner near the hotel and get an early night — Day 3 starts with a long drive.
Overnight in Varanasi. Same hotel as Day 1 keeps things simple — our own budget hotel near Assi Ghat is one option.
Day 3 in Detail: Varanasi to Bodh Gaya
Breakfast, check-out, and about 250 km on the road to Bodh Gaya, with the evening free for the Mahabodhi Temple.
1. Breakfast and check-out
MorningHave breakfast at the hotel and check out at a reasonable hour — there is no early-start pressure today the way there was on Day 2, since the whole day is built around the drive.
2. The drive to Bodh Gaya
Late morningBodh Gaya is about 250 km from Varanasi, in the state of Bihar, and the drive takes roughly 5 to 6 hours with a stop on the way for a meal. Varanasi, Sarnath and Bodh Gaya together form a classic Buddhist pilgrimage circuit — first sermon, then enlightenment.
Keep snacks and water in the car; stretches of this road have long gaps between good rest stops.
3. Check in and rest
On arrivalOnce you reach Bodh Gaya, check in and take some time to recover from the drive before heading out again for the evening.
4. Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree & Vajrasana
EveningThe heart of the visit: a UNESCO-listed temple built around a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree, with the Vajrasana marking the exact spot of the Buddha's enlightenment. One of Buddhism's four most important pilgrimage sites, alongside Lumbini, Sarnath and Kushinagar.
Dress modestly and keep a quiet manner inside the complex; rules on phones and cameras there can change, so check locally.
Overnight in Bodh Gaya. There is no Kashi Yatra hotel page for Bodh Gaya — see our Bodh Gaya travel guide for the area to book in.
Day 4 in Detail: Bodh Gaya & Departure
A closing morning among the monasteries and the Great Buddha Statue, before your drop at Gaya.
1. Great Buddha Statue
MorningAn 80-foot statue of the Buddha in meditation posture, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1989 and surrounded by smaller statues. A quiet, unhurried place to spend some time before the rest of the morning.
2. The monasteries of Bodh Gaya
Late morningCountries from across the Buddhist world have built temples here in their own styles: the golden-roofed Thai Monastery, the serene Japanese Indosan Nippon-ji, the Tibetan Monastery with its large prayer wheel, and a Chinese temple with a tranquil prayer hall.
Each keeps its own hours, so you visit whichever are open that day. Dress modestly and remove footwear where asked.
3. Archaeological Museum
If time allowsHouses ancient sculptures and artefacts recovered from the Bodh Gaya region — worth the half hour if your departure time has room for it.
4. Drop at Gaya Airport or Gaya Junction
AfternoonBuild in buffer time for the drive back into Gaya. If you would rather return to Varanasi by road instead of flying or taking the train out of Gaya, mention it in advance so the last day is planned around that instead.
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 or Sankat Mochan, and the rules inside the Mahabodhi Temple complex can change — check locally on the day.
- Dress modestly for every temple and monastery 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.
- The Varanasi–Bodh Gaya drive is about 250 km and 5–6 hours, so keep Day 3 light on other plans.
- 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, can be seen from a boat if you take one. It is a place of mourning — do not photograph the cremations.
- Timings here come from published visitor guides and shift on festival days, including Buddha Purnima in May at Bodh Gaya — confirm locally if your dates fall near one.