2-day Varanasi tour from Delhi: Ganga boat rides & Sarnath

Ganga Sunrise & Dusk Tour: Witness Aarti Prayer at Dashashwamedh Ghat

A 2-day guided tour from Delhi to Varanasi by Vande Bharat train, with sunrise and sunset boat rides on the Ganga River, walks through thousand-year-old temple streets, and a full day exploring Sarnath's Buddhist sites. A professional English-speaking guide leads you through local customs and rituals; the train pass, all transport, accommodation and entrance fees are included—you arrange nothing except showing up at New Delhi Station.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and evening city walk

• Board Vande Bharat train from Delhi
• Travel approx 8 hours to Varanasi
• Arrive at Varanasi station and meet guide
• Check in and rest at hotel
• Walk through old city streets
• Observe evening Aarti on Ganga riverbank
• Return to hotel and relax

Day 2 — Sunrise boat ride and Sarnath visit

• Early morning sunrise boat ride on Ganga
• Breakfast and hotel check-out
• Visit Mother India Temple and Monkey Temple
• Tour Sarnath: Deer park, Buddha Temple, Museum
• Return to Varanasi station for train to Delhi

The Experience

The Vande Bharat train leaves New Delhi Station and carries you eight hours to Varanasi, arriving at 2 pm. Your driver meets you at the hotel for check-in, then you walk the old city's narrow lanes on foot—threading past temples on the northern Ghats where rituals unfold that have not changed in centuries. The evening Aarti ceremony on the banks of the Ganga is your first glimpse of the river at prayer; you watch from the ghats themselves, not from a distance, as pilgrims gather and the light fades.

Day two starts before dawn. A boat ride begins at Dashashwamedh Ghat and drifts downriver to Manikarnika Ghat as the sun rises—the guide explains what you are seeing: the cremation ghats, the pilgrims bathing, the rituals that have drawn people to this water for thousands of years. After breakfast and checkout, you visit the Mother India Temple and the Monkey Temple, then travel to Sarnath, where the Buddha taught after his enlightenment. There you walk the Deer Park, tour the Buddhist Temple, see the Archaeological Museum and the Sarnath ruins. By 1 pm you are back at Varanasi station to board the return train to Delhi.

The tour runs with a knowledgeable local guide who speaks English and can answer questions as you move through the sites. Transport throughout is a private air-conditioned vehicle. Bottled water is provided, and all entrance fees, train passes, taxes and accommodation are settled before you book—no surprises at the gate or the hotel desk.

What’s included

• Services of a knowledgeable English-speaking guide.
• pick-up and drop-off from your hotel in Delhi and return transport to the station.
• Vande Bharat train pass in AC chair car for both journeys.
• private air-conditioned vehicle throughout the tour in Varanasi.
• sunrise and sunset boat rides on the Ganga River.
• entrance fees to all temples, monuments and attractions including Sarnath.
• bottled water.
• accommodation for one night (All inclusive tour option only).
• all taxes, parking fees and tolls.

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Padma Holidays

Is this one for you?Choose the all-inclusive option if you want the accommodation settled before you arrive—one less thing to arrange in a new city. Pick the tour without accommodation if you prefer to stay with friends, book your own hotel, or split the nights differently around your Delhi schedule.

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Top questions

What is the Aarti ceremony I'll see on the Ganga?

The Aarti is an evening prayer ritual performed on the ghats of Varanasi where pilgrims and priests gather at the water's edge to offer prayers to the river. You watch it unfold from the ghats themselves as part of your first evening walk through the old city on Day 1.

How long is the train journey from Delhi to Varanasi?

The Vande Bharat train takes approximately 8 hours to reach Varanasi from New Delhi Station, arriving at 2 pm. You board on your own; your driver helps you get to the station and provides the boarding pass.

What happens at Sarnath, and why is it included?

Sarnath is where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after enlightenment. The site includes the Deer Park, a Buddhist Temple, an Archaeological Museum and ancient ruins. It is visited on Day 2 after your sunrise boat ride and breakfast, closed on Fridays.

Do I need to book accommodation separately, or is it part of the tour?

You choose at checkout: the "All inclusive tour" option includes accommodation for one night in Varanasi; the "Tour without Accommodation" option does not. Either way, all other costs—train, transport, guide, meals and entry fees—are the same.

What should I wear, and how fit do I need to be?

Dress code is smart casual. The tour involves walking through old city streets and temple areas on foot, and you should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The minimum age is 16.

Are meals included besides breakfast on Day 2?

Breakfast is included on Day 2 after your sunrise boat ride. Other meals are not included in the tour price, so you can choose where and what to eat during your time in Varanasi.