Self-Launched 2-Day Varanasi Spiritual Experience
2 days · Varanasi, India
Taj Voyages Tours charges £183
No-markup version: ~£75 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Experience the spiritual heart of India on your own terms — without the 5-star price tag. This self-launched version of Taj Voyages Tours' Varanasi itinerary takes you through the same sacred ghats, ancient temples, and mesmerising Ganga Aarti ceremonies, but stays in a comfortable budget guesthouse in the old city (far closer to the action than a suburban 5-star), uses shared auto-rickshaws and tuk-tuks to get around, and books the same boat experiences directly with local oarsmen on the ghats. Sarnath, Jantar Mantar, Ramnagar Fort, and Bharat Mata Temple are all independently walkable or a short shared-ride away. All costs are approximate estimates.
Day-by-day
Arrival, Kashi Vishwanath Temple & Evening Ganga Aarti
Varanasi
Arrive at Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS). Take a prepaid taxi or app-based cab (Ola/Uber, ~£4–6) to your guesthouse in the Assi Ghat or Dashashwamedh area — staying near the ghats puts you right in the heart of the action and saves time. Drop your bags and fuel up on cheap street food: a bowl of kachori sabzi or chaat from Deena Chaat Bhandar near Dashashwamedh costs under £1. In the morning or early afternoon, make your way to the iconic Kashi Vishwanath Temple (free entry, though expect security queues — leave your phone at the cloak room). Stroll the narrow, labyrinthine lanes of the old city — Vishwanath Gali and surrounding alleys are packed with silk shops, sweet stalls, and chai wallahs. In the evening, head to Dashashwamedh Ghat well before sunset to secure a good spot for the world-famous Ganga Aarti ceremony. For a better vantage point, hire a local wooden rowing boat directly from the ghat (~£3–5 per person for a 1-hour ride during Aarti) — simply negotiate with one of the many boatmen present. No advance booking needed.
🚌Prepaid airport taxi (~£4–6); shared auto-rickshaw or tuk-tuk within the city (~£0.50–1.50 per ride)
🛏Zostel Varanasi or Stops Hostel Varanasi (dorm ~£8–10/night) or Hotel Alka / Ganges View Guesthouse (private room ~£18–25/night) — both within walking distance of the ghats
- →Prepaid taxi or Ola/Uber from VNS airport to old city guesthouse (~£4–6)
- →Street food lunch near Dashashwamedh Ghat (kachori sabzi, chaat, lassi — ~£1–2)
- →Self-visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple (free entry, cloak room required for electronics)
- →Wander the old city narrow lanes — Vishwanath Gali, silk bazaars, chai stalls
- →Ganga Aarti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat (free to watch from the bank)
- →Optional: hire a local rowing boat on the ghat for an on-water Aarti view (~£3–5 per person)
Sunrise Boat Ride, Sarnath, Ramnagar Fort & Bharat Mata Temple
Varanasi
Rise before dawn and head straight to the ghats for a sunrise rowing boat ride — the most magical time on the Ganges. Negotiate directly with boatmen at Assi Ghat or Dashashwamedh Ghat for a 1–1.5 hour sunrise ride past the burning ghats (Manikarnika and Harishchandra), the bathing pilgrims, and the waking city (~£3–5 per person). After breakfast back at your guesthouse (most include a simple continental or Indian breakfast), check out and store luggage if needed. Take a shared auto-rickshaw or hire a tuk-tuk for the half-day excursion: head first to Sarnath (~11 km, ~£2–3 by shared auto or £5–7 for a hired tuk-tuk round-trip). At Sarnath, visit the Dhamek Stupa and the Sarnath Archaeological Museum (combined entry ~£2). From Sarnath, continue to Bharat Mata Temple (free entry) — a unique temple with a relief map of undivided India carved in marble. Next, cross the Ganges via the Malviya Bridge to visit Ramnagar Fort (~£1 entry), home to a quirky museum of vintage cars, palanquins, and royal artefacts. Note: Jantar Mantar in Varanasi is a smaller, lesser-visited site — it can be visited en route if time allows. End the day with a final chai on the ghats before your transfer to Varanasi airport (Ola/Uber ~£4–6).
🚌Shared auto-rickshaw or hired tuk-tuk for Sarnath/Ramnagar loop (~£6–10 total); Ola/Uber to airport (~£4–6)
🛏Check-out day — no accommodation needed
- →Pre-dawn sunrise rowing boat ride on the Ganges past Manikarnika burning ghat (~£3–5 per person, negotiate directly with boatmen at Assi or Dashashwamedh Ghat)
- →Visit Sarnath: Dhamek Stupa & Sarnath Archaeological Museum (~£2 combined entry, ~11 km from city — shared auto ~£2 or hired tuk-tuk ~£6 round-trip)
- →Visit Bharat Mata Temple (free entry)
- →Cross Malviya Bridge to Ramnagar Fort (~£1 entry)
- →Optional: Jantar Mantar Observatory (small entry fee ~£0.50)
- →Final chai on the ghats before airport transfer
- →Ola/Uber transfer to VNS airport (~£4–6)
Self-launched vs. Taj Voyages Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Taj Voyages Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£75 | £183 |
| Duration | 2 days | 2 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £108 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Taj Voyages Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£75
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched 2-Day Varanasi Spiritual Experience cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £75 per person for 2 days in Varanasi, India. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Taj Voyages Tours?+
Yes — Taj Voyages Tours charges around £183 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £75 — a saving of roughly £108 (59%) per person.
How long is the Varanasi, India trip?+
This itinerary runs 2 days, covering 2 day-by-day stops through Varanasi, India.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, backpacker trip through Varanasi, India, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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