Varanasi & Sarnath Full-Day Tour: Ganges Boat Ride & Ganga Aarti

Watch dawn rituals unfold from a boat and witness the Ganga Aarti’s fiery evening glow

A full-day guided tour of Varanasi and Sarnath with sunrise and sunset moments on the Ganges River. You start before dawn with a boat ride past the main ghats as the sun rises, visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple and other sacred sites in the city, travel to Sarnath to see where Buddha delivered his first sermon, then return to the river at dusk for the Ganga Aarti: a ritual of oil lamps, bells and chanting performed by priests in silk robes. Hotel pickup, private air-conditioned transport, a government-approved guide and mineral water are included. Breakfast and monument entry fees depend on which option you choose.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Ganges River2h · entry included
2. Sarnath1h · entry included
3. Pillars of Ashoka1h · entry included
4. Dhamek Stupa30m · entry included

Varanasi and Sarnath full-day tour

• Early morning hotel pickup at 5 AM
• Sunrise boat ride on the Ganges river
• Visit famous Ghats: Dashaswamedh, Harishchandra, Manikarnika
• Return to hotel for breakfast
• Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• Visit Banaras Hindu University at 10 AM
• Excursion to Sarnath: visit Buddha temples and Dhamekha Stupa
• Visit Ashoka Pillars in Sarnath
• Witness Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dasashwamedh Ghat
• Return to hotel and end of tour

The experience

The day starts at 5 a.m. with pickup from your hotel. A boat carries you onto the Ganges as the sun breaks the skyline, moving past Dashaswamedh Ghat, Harishchandra Ghat and down to Manikarnika Ghat. You watch people offering water to the Sun God and devotees taking ritual dips in the river. The activity on the water is the main draw here, not a quiet float. After returning to the hotel for breakfast, you head into the city to see Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the holiest Shiva temple in Varanasi and one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, along with Bharat Mata Temple, Sankat Mochan, Manas Mandir and Banaras Hindu University, established in 1916 and the largest university campus in Asia.

At noon the tour moves to Sarnath, 10 kilometres northeast of Varanasi. This is where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence. You walk through the Dhamek Stupa, a 43-metre cylindrical tower with a 28-metre diameter and elaborate carvings halfway up its sides, built on the exact spot of Buddha's teaching. The Ashoka Pillars, erected between 268 and 232 BC, stand as the earliest known stone scriptures in India and represent the Mauryan civilization. An archaeological museum rounds out the site before you return to the hotel.

The evening brings you back to the Ganges just before sunset for the Ganga Aarti at Dashaswamedh Ghat, a ceremony that begins at 7 p.m. Young priests in silk saffron and white robes hold oil lamps and wave them in synchronized motion while bells, drums and cymbals sound and Sanskrit mantras are chanted. Flowers are offered to the river, and the ritual honours the Ganges as a goddess. After the ceremony ends, you return to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private air-conditioned transport throughout the day.
• a government-approved guide fluent in English, Spanish, French or Japanese.
• mineral water.
• sunrise boat ride on the Ganges (subject to weather).
• and evening access to the Ganga Aarti ceremony. Breakfast and monument entry fees are included in the All Inclusive option, or you can select Transport & Guide Only and arrange those separately.

Options for this experience

2 options

Transport and guide service onlyGuide in 4 languages · 13 departure times: the first at 05:00, the last at 11:00This option includes transport and guide service with transfers, and pickup is included

All-inclusive tour with transfersGuide in 4 languages · 13 departure times: the first at 05:00, the last at 11:00This option includes transport, driver, guide, entrance fees, and a 5-star meal, with pickup included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day13 departure times: the first at 05:00, the last at 11:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by BEST VARANASI TOUR

Is this one for you?Choose the All Inclusive option if you want entry fees and a meal handled without stopping to arrange them. Pick Transport & Guide Only if you prefer to decide where and what to eat, or if you plan to make donations at Kashi Vishwanath Temple on your own terms. The full day runs 10 to 12 hours, so it suits anyone with the stamina for an early start and a late return, and the guide can speak your language at checkout.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Japanese.

What exactly happens during the sunrise boat ride on the Ganges?

The boat departs at sunrise and travels past the main ghats (Dashaswamedh, Harishchandra and Manikarnika), while you watch people performing rituals, offering water to the Sun God and taking ritual dips in the river. The activity on the water is the focal point of this part of the tour.

Is breakfast included, and do I have to pay extra for temple entry?

Breakfast and monument entry fees are included in the All Inclusive Tour option. The Transport & Guide Only Service does not cover them, so you choose at checkout which option suits your needs.

How far is Sarnath from Varanasi, and what will I see there?

Sarnath is 10 kilometres northeast of Varanasi. You visit the Dhamek Stupa, a 43-metre tower built on the exact spot where Buddha delivered his first sermon; the Ashoka Pillars, stone monuments from 268–232 BC; and an archaeological museum.

What is the Ganga Aarti, and when does it happen?

The Ganga Aarti is a Hindu ritual performed at Dashaswamedh Ghat starting at 7 p.m., in which priests in silk robes wave oil lamps in synchronized motion while bells, drums and chanting sound, and flowers are offered to the river Ganges as a goddess.

Does the tour include a boat ride for the Ganga Aarti ceremony?

A boat ride during the Ganga Aarti is available as an option. The ceremony itself takes place at the ghat, and you can choose whether to view it from the water or from the riverbank when you book.