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For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni
For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni 
Meet friendly Indian locals like this tour guide meditating in a boat on the Ganges, Varanasi when you take a tailor-made holiday with Alfred&. Meet friendly Indian locals like this tour guide meditating in a boat on the Ganges, Varanasi when you take a tailor-made holiday with Alfred&.
Alfred&
Varanasi
Varanasi

Tailor-made Varanasi Holidays

Intoxicating, intense and occasionally overwhelming, Varanasi is one of India’s holiest cities, ‘older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend’ as Mark Twain put it. For thousands of years, Hindu pilgrims have come to this spot on the banks of the sacred Ganges to take part in rituals of life and death, hoping to be released from the eternal cycle of rebirth.

The main focus of activity is the ghats, the steep steps down to the water’s edge that line the banks for several miles. Here, in the designated section, you’ll find crowds of people washing away their sins, sadhus in saffron-coloured robes meditating, priests performing pujas and families cremating their dead. In the warren of narrow lanes behind, amid a jumble of temples and peeling palaces, there’s a constant coming and going. The scent of sandalwood, jasmine and incense hangs in the air, along with the sound of chanted mantras, clanging temple bells and the eerie cry of conch shell horns, broken by the occasional screech of monkeys stealing from the food stalls. 

Make sense of this extraordinary ancient city with the help of our Varanasi gurus who can arrange immersive tours led by local guides.

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Things to do in Varanasi

A decorative fountain at the Taj Nadesar Palace in Varanasi

A touch of royal splendour at Taj Nadesar Palace

— by Amit Tandon
Culture
History
Places to stay
Unwind
Varanasi
Brijrama Palace Hotel, Varanasi lit up in the evening

BrijRama Palace Hotel: the palace on the River Ganges

— by Rajeev Kumar
History
Places to stay
Scenery
Varanasi
An evening Aarti ceremony in Varanasi

Death and rebirth: a Varanasi night walk

— by Jeremy 'Jai' Oltmann
Community
Culture
History
Trips to take
Varanasi
Friendly locals in Varanasi’s northern bazaars

Discover the northern bazars and hidden alleys of Varanasi

— by Jeremy 'Jai' Oltmann
Community
Culture
History
Trips to take
Varanasi
A local street-food vendor in one of Varanasi’s northern bazaars

Sample Varanasi’s street food delights

— by Jeremy 'Jai' Oltmann
Culture
Food & Drink
Trips to take
Varanasi
A dawn boat ride on the Ganges, Varanasi

Varanasi at dawn

— by Bhanu Pratap Singh Bhati
Culture
Trips to take
Varanasi
An evening aarti ceremony from the water in Varanasi

Experience an aarti ceremony in the moonlight

— by Bhanu Pratap Singh Bhati
Culture
Trips to take
Varanasi
See more things to do in Varanasi

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Malcolm, who's travelled extensively in India. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember.

Freephone an expert 08082583340

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