The Eternal City

Varanasi

Varanasi · Sarnath · Prayagraj

October – March

3–5 days

Varanasi is unlike any other city on earth. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world — older than Rome, older than Athens — and it has been a centre of Hindu pilgrimage, learning, and culture for over 3,000 years. The city is built along the western bank of the Ganges, and its 88 ghats — stone steps leading down to the river — are the heart of its spiritual life. Every morning, pilgrims descend to bathe in the sacred waters. Every evening, the Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat draws thousands of worshippers and travellers. The narrow lanes of the old city are a labyrinth of temples, silk weavers, and chai stalls. Sarnath, just 10km away, is where the Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment.

Highlights

Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat

Sunrise boat ride along the ghats

Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Temple

Sarnath — where the Buddha first taught

Old City lanes — silk, temples & chai

Manikarnika Ghat — the eternal cremation ground

Things to Do

Ganga Aarti Ceremony

The most spectacular religious ceremony in India — priests in saffron robes perform the fire ritual on the ghats as thousands watch from boats on the river.

Sunrise Boat Ride

Glide along the ghats at dawn as the city wakes — pilgrims bathing, priests chanting, and the ancient city reflected in the sacred river.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

One of the twelve Jyotirlingas — the most sacred Shiva temples in India. The new temple corridor offers a magnificent view of the ancient spires.

Sarnath

The Deer Park where the Buddha gave his first sermon. The Dhamek Stupa, the Ashoka Pillar, and the Sarnath Museum make this one of the most important Buddhist sites in the world.