15 Best Places to Visit in Varanasi (Banaras) on Your Kashi Trip

Over 11 crore people visited Varanasi in 2024, including over 3 lakh foreign travellers. Most head straight for the famous tourist places in Varanasi along the Ganga. Kashi Vishwanath Dham now opens onto the river, and Sarnath is only 10 km away. Add kachori-sabzi breakfasts and Banarasi silk, and the numbers make sense. Banaras ek baar jaane wali jagah nahi hai, log baar baar lautte hain.Planning to explore the ghats, temples and popular attractions of Kashi? Book a Varanasi local sightseeing taxi with ChikuCab for convenient travel between major tourist places, hotels and railway stations.

Varanasi’s top attractions include Dashashwamedh Ghat, Assi Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Kaal Bhairav Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple, Ramnagar Fort and Sarnath. First-time visitors can explore the main ghats and temples in one day, while a two-day itinerary allows more time for Sarnath, BHU and the city’s cultural attractions.

First-timers still get stuck on aarti timings, temple phone rules, boat fares and where cars stop in the old city. Our Chiku Cab drivers take these roads daily, so we’ve added timings and a local tip to each of the 15 places to visit in Varanasi.

Plan Your Varanasi Sightseeing Trip with ChikuCab

Exploring Kashi with family or friends? Book a sedan, SUV or Tempo Traveller with ChikuCab for convenient sightseeing across Varanasi. Travel to popular ghats, temples, Sarnath and nearby attractions with pickup and drop-off options based on your itinerary.

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Varanasi Tourist Places List at a Glance

Ek nazar mein poori list.

Famous Ghats in Varanasi (Banaras Ke Ghat)

These five ghats are the famous places in Varanasi you’ll see in every photo.

1. Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Evening Ganga Aarti

Conch shells open the evening, followed by bells, camphor smoke and seven priests swinging brass lamps in sync for 45 minutes.

• Aarti starts at 5:45 PM (October to March) and 6:45 PM (April to September).
• Reach 45 minutes early, or 90 on weekends.
• Boat seats facing the ghat cost ₹200 to ₹300 per person.

Steps par baithna free hai, koi paise maange to mana kar dijiye.

2. Assi Ghat for Subah-e-Banaras

Subah-e-Banaras starts at 5:30 AM with Vedic chanting, a morning aarti, classical music and yoga on the steps. Kulhad wali chai ke saath Ganga par suraj nikalte dekhiye. Chiku Cab drops you right at Assi, the easiest ghat for an early start.

3. Manikarnika Ghat

Pyres burn here day and night, and stacks of wood line the lanes to the water. Hindus believe cremation here frees the soul from rebirth. Photography of cremations is not allowed, and you can ignore anyone asking for “wood donations”. Yahan chup-chaap khade rehna hi kaafi hai.

4. Namo Ghat

Namo Ghat is the newest, rebuilt on old Khidkiya Ghat near Rajghat, with giant “Namaste” hand sculptures. Ramps, open walkways and parking make it easy for families and elders. Gaadi seedha entrance tak jaati hai.

5. Ganga Boat Ride Along the Ghats

Sunrise rides are quiet, with the light turning old havelis gold. Sunset rides end in front of the Dashashwamedh aarti.

• Shared rowboat seats cost ₹80 to ₹150 in the morning.
• A private rowboat costs ₹400 per hour.
• Dev Deepawali fares go up two to four times.
• Boats may stop during the July to September monsoon.

Baithne se pehle rate pakka kar lijiye.

Kashi Tourist Places for Darshan

Kashi ki pehchaan uske mandir hain. Three of these five temples are close together near Durgakund and BHU.

6. Kashi Vishwanath Temple

One of the 12 Jyotirlingas, Kashi Vishwanath is the reason most pilgrims come to Banaras. The Dham, opened in 2021, replaced cramped lanes with a wide stone courtyard that opens onto the Ganga.

Cars can’t enter these lanes. We drop you near Godowlia or Maidagin, and the driver waits till you finish darshan.

7. Kaal Bhairav Temple

Locals call him the Kotwal of Kashi, and say a Kashi yatra stays incomplete without his darshan. Priests tap devotees with a peacock-feather brush, and stalls outside sell mustard oil and black thread. Kala dhaga baandh kar nikalna yahan ki parampara hai.

8. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple

Tradition credits Tulsidas with founding this Hanuman temple, famous for its besan laddoo prasad. Tuesday and Saturday evenings mean long queues, and monkeys will grab any loose prasad bag. Every April, the Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh fills the courtyard with free all-night classical music.

9. Durga Kund Temple and Tulsi Manas Mandir

Durga Kund is an 18th-century red ochre temple with a stone tank, built by Rani Bhabani of Bengal. The white marble Tulsi Manas Mandir next door has Ramcharitmanas verses engraved on its walls. Dopahar 12 se 3 baje tak dono mandir band rehte hain.

10. New Vishwanath Temple at BHU

The Birla family built this white marble temple inside the BHU campus, modelled on the old Kashi Vishwanath and open to every caste and faith. Queues are short, and the wide campus roads are easy for elders.

Places to Visit in Varanasi Except Temples

Mandir ke alawa bhi Banaras mein bahut kuch hai, especially if you’re travelling with friends.

11. Ramnagar Fort

The 18th-century home of the Kashi Naresh is 14 km away on the eastern bank. Its museum (10 AM to 5 PM) has vintage cars, swords, palanquins and an astronomical clock. During Dussehra, the month-long Ramnagar Ramlila is staged without microphones or electric lights. Bridge traffic makes it a 45 to 70 minute drive, so a cab is simpler.

12. Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum at BHU

Mughal and Rajput miniatures, Gupta-era gold coins and old Banarasi textiles fill this BHU museum. It opens 10 AM to 5:30 PM and stays closed on Saturdays, Sundays and university holidays.

13. Kachori Gali and Banaras Ki Galiyan

Banaras ka asli swaad galiyon mein hai. Start at Kachori Gali with kachori-sabzi and jalebi, then move on to kulhad lassi, tamatar chaat near Godowlia and a Banarasi paan. Between November and February, look for malaiyo, a saffron milk foam sold only on winter mornings.

14. Banarasi Silk Weavers of Madanpura and Peeli Kothi

Follow the clack of handlooms into Madanpura and Peeli Kothi, where families still weave Banarasi sarees by hand. A single brocade saree can take weeks. Buying from a weaver’s workshop cuts out the middleman, but check for the GI tag before paying for “pure silk”.

15. Sarnath, the Buddhist Side of Varanasi

Sarnath is a 30-minute drive (10 km) from Varanasi. The Buddha gave his first sermon at the deer park here.

Friday ko museum band rehta hai. Our local sightseeing cab covers Sarnath, BHU and Ramnagar Fort in one day.If you are planning a visit to Sarnath from the city, choose a Varanasi to Sarnath taxi for a convenient round trip and enough time to explore the Buddhist monuments and museum.

Places to Visit Near Varanasi for a Day Trip

One spare day is enough for any of these places near Varanasi.

Rajdari and Devdari are the favourite picnic spot near Varanasi, fullest between July and October. Chunar and Vindhyachal pair well in one day on the Mirzapur side. Buses to the waterfalls keep no fixed schedule, so a Chiku Cab outstation day trip is the simpler option. Fare starts from ₹9/km.Planning to explore destinations beyond the city? Book an outstation taxi from Varanasi for day trips to Chunar Fort, Vindhyachal, Jaunpur and other nearby attractions.

Varanasi Sightseeing Plan for 1 Day and 2 Days

Agar sirf ek din hai, to Day 1 follow kijiye. It covers the places to visit in Varanasi in one day without crossing the city twice.

Day 2 stops are spread out, so keep a car for the full day.

Getting Around Varanasi and Best Time to Visit

Cars stop near Godowlia, and the old city is walking-only beyond it. E-rickshaws cover short hops between ghats.

• October to March has cool mornings, right for ghat walks.
• Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima (November) lights every ghat with diyas, and hotels fill weeks ahead.
• Temperatures cross 40°C between April and June, so stick to mornings and evenings.
• Monsoon floods the lower ghat steps.

Keep ₹10 and ₹20 notes handy, since boatmen, chai stalls and temple shoe stands rarely have change.

FAQs About Tourist Places in Varanasi

What are the top 15 places to visit in Varanasi for first-time visitors?

First-timers should cover five ghat experiences (Dashashwamedh, Assi, Manikarnika, Namo and a Ganga boat ride) and five temples (Kashi Vishwanath, Kaal Bhairav, Sankat Mochan, Durga Kund with Tulsi Manas Mandir, and New Vishwanath at BHU). Add Ramnagar Fort, Bharat Kala Bhavan, the Kachori Gali food lanes, the Madanpura silk weavers and Sarnath to complete the list. Two full days are enough for all 15.

What are the best places to visit in Varanasi in one day?

Keep the day to the ghats and the old city. Catch Subah-e-Banaras at Assi Ghat at 5:30 AM, take a sunrise boat, then have kachori-jalebi before Kashi Vishwanath darshan. Kaal Bhairav, Manikarnika and Namo Ghat fill the afternoon, and the Dashashwamedh Ganga Aarti closes the evening. Ek din mein yahi route sabse kam bhaag-daud wala hai.

What are the best places to visit in Varanasi in two days?

Spend the first day on the ghats, Kashi Vishwanath and the evening aarti. Save the second for Sarnath in the morning, BHU (Bharat Kala Bhavan and New Vishwanath Temple) at midday and Ramnagar Fort in the afternoon. Sankat Mochan, Durga Kund and the silk lanes round off the evening. These stops are spread across the city, so a full-day Chiku Cab saves you from hunting for autos at every stop.

Which ghats should you visit in Varanasi, and what makes them famous?

For the evening Ganga Aarti, go to Dashashwamedh Ghat. Mornings belong to Assi Ghat and its Subah-e-Banaras programme of chanting, music and yoga. Manikarnika is the cremation ghat, with pyres burning day and night. Families prefer Namo Ghat, the newest one, for its ramps, parking and giant Namaste sculptures.

Which are the must-visit temples and spiritual places in Varanasi?

Kashi Vishwanath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva, comes first. Pilgrims then visit Kaal Bhairav, the guardian deity of Kashi. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, Durga Kund, Tulsi Manas Mandir and the New Vishwanath Temple at BHU are all in the southern part of the city. For Buddhist sites, Sarnath is 10 km away. Durga Kund aur Tulsi Manas dopahar 12 se 3 baje tak band rehte hain.

How can I visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and what are its darshan timings?

Darshan is open 4 to 11 AM, 12:20 to 7 PM and 8:30 to 9 PM, and the day begins with Mangala Aarti at 3 AM (₹500 ticket). To skip the general line, book Sugam Darshan for ₹250 on the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust website. Leave your phone, camera, pen and leather belt in a locker before entry. Vehicles stop near Godowlia or Maidagin, and you walk the last part.

What is the best time to visit Dashashwamedh Ghat for the Ganga Aarti?

Between October and March the aarti begins at 5:45 PM, and between April and September it begins at 6:45 PM. It lasts 45 minutes. Sardiyon mein aarti ek ghanta pehle shuru hoti hai, so plan your evening around the season. Arrive 45 minutes ahead on weekdays and 90 minutes ahead on weekends for a spot on the steps.

Is Sarnath worth visiting, and how far is it from Varanasi?

Yes. Sarnath is 10 km north-east of Varanasi, a 30-minute drive, and it is where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Give it half a day for Dhamek Stupa, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar and the Sarnath Museum, home to Ashoka’s Lion Capital. The museum stays shut on Fridays, so pick another day.

Is a boat ride on the River Ganga worth it, and what is the usual cost?

Yes. From the river you see the ghats, temples and old havelis lined up one after another, a view you can’t get from the steps. Shared morning seats cost ₹80 to ₹150 per person, and a private rowboat costs ₹400 an hour. Prices climb two to four times during Dev Deepawali. Fix the rate with the boatman before you step in.

What are the best places to visit near Varanasi for a day trip?

Chunar Fort (40 km) and Vindhyachal Dham (65 km) make one combined day trip on the Mirzapur side. Rajdari and Devdari Waterfalls, 70 km away in Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary, are the picnic choice after the monsoon. Jaunpur (60 km) has the Atala Masjid, and Prayagraj (120 km) has the Triveni Sangam. Buses on these routes are irregular, so a day cab is the simpler choice.

How many days are enough to explore Varanasi?

Two days are ideal for exploring Varanasi at a comfortable pace. Spend the first day visiting the ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and nearby attractions. Use the second day for Sarnath, BHU, Ramnagar Fort and other places across the city. If you have only one day, prioritise the main ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the evening Ganga Aarti.

Abhishek Singh

I’m a wanderer who loves venturing on to unknown and unseen places. I explore freely to various fun and adventurous places, whether it be spiritual temple tours, captivating landscapes, and more. I wonder around in search of hidden gems and tourist attractions, temples, and other places.