Ganges River

Varanasi or Banaras or Kashi, call it by different name but every name will give you a unique story and joyful feeling to be here. A city situated on the banks of river Ganges. Varanasi has been a cultural centre of North India for several thousand years, and is closely associated with the Ganges. Hindus believe that death in the city will bring salvation, making it a major centre for pilgrimage. The city is known worldwide for its many Ghats, embankments made in steps of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. Start your journey with the hotel pick-up where your guide and cab waits for you. Tour starts either at 5:00 in the morning or 6:00 depending upon the season. Time shall be confirmed to you post booking. Enjoy the city with more than 2000 temples that includes the Kashi Vishwanath Temple also called the Golden temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. With so many Ghats here, Some of the prominent and popular one’s include the Dasaswamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Harischandra Ghat, Assi Ghat,Shivala Ghat, Man Mandir Ghat, Darbhanga Ghat, Ahilyabai Ghat and the Kedar Ghat. On the completion of boat ride, visit to the oldest part of Varanasi for a small walk. Stop  by the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Post completion of the tour, get dropped off back to your hotel.

Your driver will collect you from your hotel lobby for the journey to Ghat for Aarti. On arrival at Ghat, you will embark on the boat trip to Dashashwamedh Ghate. The Aarti prayer service is performed each evening by a group of priests. You will also witness the Agni Pooja, which is performed as a commitment to the Lord Shiva. All priests here are students of the Vedas and Upanishads, which is led by the head priest of the Gangotri Seva Samiti. The service is performed by traditionally-garbed priests by the light of brass lamps. This magnificent Aarti takes 45 minutes and starts at 6:45 p.m.  After Aarti, eat in a famous Indian restaurant, where you will enjoy a mouthwatering dinner.

After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel and driven to Sarnath, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is hailed as one of the holiest Buddhist places in India and the place where Gautama Buddha, after attaining spiritual enlightenment, delivered his first sermons and claimed the place as an important pilgrimage site for his followers. Here, you'll first visit Chaukhandi Stupa, which is an elevated structure surrounded by octagonal towers. It's the gateway to Sarnath and adorned by lush green lawns from all sides. Then, you'll see Dhamek Stupa, a remarkable structure built of stone and brick. This cylindrical pillar is engraved with delicate floral carvings of Gupta origin. After this you'll visit Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, a modern temple encasing unrivalled frescoes by a Japanese painter and a rich repository of Buddhist literature. Later you will be taken to visit the Sarnath Museum. This is an expansive museum that houses the finest specimens of Buddhist art and culture.  Afterwards, you can enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting some famous temples and many other marvellous holy structures. In the evening, you will get to witness the ritualistic rites held every night on the banks of the Ganges, before being taken back to your hotel.

Early in the morning at around 5:30AM, your chauffeur will pick you up from your hotel before transporting you to the Tulsi Ghat for your 90-minute yoga class given by renowned yoga instructor Smriti Chakravarti. Miss Smriti is a founder of the Om International Yoga Health Society and has visited and practiced in many countries such as Belgium, Holland and Italy. There has even been a Spanish documentary surrounding her titled "Energy". This Yoga class is taken in the Courtyard of the Shiv Temple situated in Tulsi Ghat, where according to mythology Tulsi Das Ji resides. The Yoga class will begin with the worship of Lord Shiva and chanting the Mahamritiunjay Mantra. After that, you will be instructed to warm up your body by doing basic exercises. Following this, you will start with Surya Namaskar (salute to the sun), a blend of 12 asans which are from the Vedic age and are useful to keep your body vigorous, active and healthy. After the repetition of the Surya Namaskar 7-8 times, you will be instructed to some other asans such as backward bending, spinal twisting, forward bending, inversion, and balancing asana followed by pranayama, bandha, and mudra. Miss Smriti also gives a 10-15 minutes lesson on yoga and its benefits to your health. After this yoga class tour, your chauffeur will drop you back to your hotel between 7:30AM–8:00 AM.

Bask in spirituality and experience the true culture of India with this morning tour of Varanasi. Depending on the time of year, start your tour at either 5:00 AM or 6:00 AM with a pickup from you guide and driver. Head to the famous Assig ghat to witness the sunrise with the Ganga Aarti. Enjoy a traditional ritual and classical dance as you welcome the morning.  Following this, have a yoga session by the banks of the river with locals and learn how this ancient art has become all the rage the world over. Once you’re done stretching your muscles, proceed to the Akhada, a traditional place for training and practicing of Indian martial arts. See how men engage in this wonderful art from the earliest hour of the day. Next up on the list will be your morning boat ride on the Ganges. Immerse yourself with views of the colorful ghats and people performing their different rituals. After the boat ride of approximately 1-hour, you will be taken to the last leg of your tour which includes a walk through the oldest part of Varanasi. Explore the narrow alleys and the innumerable tiny temples, which dates back centuries, like a local.