Varanasi
From Imakoopedia
Varanasi, once known as Banaras, is one of India's oldest and holiest cities and part of the "Golden Triangle" of Indian tourism.
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Understand
Get in
By plane
It has an Airport, with a bus that links to Varanasi (about 1 hour travel). To go to the airport the bus leaves near the hotel India, at 10:00 (aprox), price 50rs/person.
By train
Trains arrive from Delhi and Agra several times a day. There is a daily train from Lucknow. There's an night express from a station near Agra to Varanasi (departure around 19h and arrival around 07h). There are two railway stations. Check which one is nearer your hotel...
By car
By bus
Get around
Many of the sights are in the tiny narrow winding alleys of the waterfront. Rickshaws are only useful for longer trips across town or to the train station. Taxis exist but traffic makes them impractical.
By foot is the only way to see the waterfront and the ghats but be ready to be hot, sweaty, and lost. Local children are happy to point you in the right direction for a few rupees. The names of ghats and signs pointing to restaurants and hotels are often painted on the walls in Roman letters.
See
- Viswanath Temple
- Alamagir Mosque
- Man Mandir Observatory
- Tusli Mana Temple
- Durga Temple
- Banars Hindu University
Ghats
- Panchaganga Ghat
- Manikarnika Ghat
- Dasawamedh Ghat, one of the main ghats, restricted to rickshaw you have to walk 5 minutes aprox to arrive.
- Rana Ghat
- Kedar Ghat
- Harishchandra Ghat
- Hanuman Ghat
- Shivala Ghat
- Tulsidas Ghat
- Asi Ghat
Do
Take a boat during sunset for one hour (about 50 rs/person), includes a visit to crematories (if you want), a donation is asked in the crematories. Dasawamedh Ghat it's a good place to take the boat.
See the Puja (hindu cerimony) from the Ghats or from a boat. It's at the evening, confirm the starting time. Dasawamedh Ghat it's also a good Ghat.
Learn
Varanasi University offers classes in English.
Work
There is very little opportunity for work in Varanasi, unless you have a specific skill in demand.
Buy
Eat
Gee restaurant its awful. Don't try it !!!
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
Sleep
Budget
- Shanti Guesthouse -- There are several hotels near the ghats that have taken the name "Shanti" after Lonely Planet listed a hotel with that name. The "original" is a clean but very basic building with several floors of windowless rooms (actually cooler and safer than ones with exterior windows). The rooftop cafe offers money changing, internet access, and a view of the Burning Ghats.
Mid-range
Splurge
Contact
Stay safe
Cope
Get out
- Nepal -- buses travel to the Nepali boarder where you can transfer to Kathmandu and Chitwan buses. Most buses go via Lucknow and can take 8-12 hours. Airplanes going to nepal via varansi every day.
- Agra -- is the next point on the tourist triangle. Buses and trains, including overnight trains, leave several times a day.
- Sarnath -- site of Buddha first sermon
- Ramnagar Fort -- historical royal residence and museum across the Ganges
- Chunar Fort -- ruins of battlements and ancient settlement 15 miles from Varanasi.
