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Varanasi Guided Tours: Tailored Experiences with a Knowledgeable Local Guide
4.9
251 Ratings
Varanasi
Experience the authentic and spiritual side of Varanasi with Vinay Singh, a knowledgeable local guide. Tailored tours available for solo travelers and famous travel YouTubers. Book now!
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Ganges River - After meeting at Assi Ghat or your hotel, we will watch the morning ceremony at Assi Ghat, followed by a concert and yoga.
- Varanasi - From there, we will go on a walking tour through the labyrinth of alleys in the old town, stopping at Lolark Temple, Rani Lakshmi Bai Park, and Tusli Ghat Akhara to watch the traditional wrestling. If you are hungry we can always stop for a breakfast break and of course, we will drink some chai along the way.
- Dasaswamedh Ghat - We will then take a boat to the big cremation ground. From the boat, you can watch the daily lives of the locals as they practice yoga, pray, worship the river, bathe, drink chai, get a haircut, or do their laundry.
- Manikarnika Ghat - We will finish by taking a temple tour where we will see the golden temple, Pashupatinath temple also known as the Nepali temple, and finally the Vishalakshi Temple. We will then walk back to the Dasaswamedh Ghat where our tour will conclude.
What's Included
- Bottled water included
- Tea and coffee provided
Additional Information
I am Vinay Singh, a native of Varanasi where I have been conducting tours for the past decade. My expertise has led me to become a favored choice for touring services, catering to individuals and well-known travel YouTubers and documentary teams alike. I provide a genuine exploration of Varanasi under the guidance of a highly informed guide. All tours are customized according to your preferences, ensuring your experience is distinctive. You can indulge in a variety of street food suitable for travelers, undertake a private sunrise tour of the Ghats and rituals, navigate through the labyrinthine backstreets and the old city, observe the Aghori Babas and temples, and understand the depth of spirituality ingrained in the people. Having spent all my life here, I have deep insights into the city, its traditions, and surrounding religious practices. As a part of the tour, much of this knowledge is shared with you to enrich your experience during your stay in the city.
Location
Ganges River
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(251 Ratings)
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理乃石
May 5, 2024
Banaraswara Tour - We watched the sunrise on the Ganges River with Vinay and Amit. The guide was Japanese so it was easy to understand and fun. We also learned about Hinduism. We were impressed by the sunrise and bathing scene from the boat, and the realism of the crematorium.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Spencer_m
Apr 4, 2024
A Top Tour - This was hands-down one of the best tours I’ve done! We did the sunrise boat and watched the sun come up from Assi Ghat. Vinay and his team offered a personalized view of their city and we felt completely immersed in the day-to-day life. Lots to learn about the temples and the ghats but his crew made us feel so welcome (including showing us local breakfast spots in the winding alleys). Would highly, highly recommend! Thanks!
Review provided by Viator
X7424jyjackf
Apr 2, 2024
Vinay went above and beyond - A very nice tour - we saw a magical sunrise at the Ganges and saw the local prayers and ceremonies as well as some wrestling! Vinay was very accommodating for my family who were up at 5am off the back of a late flight
Despite Varanasi being an overwhelming city - Vinay made it easy and helped us understand the local culture
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Helen
Mar 30, 2024
Great discovery tour - Great way to discover the uniqueness that is Varanasi - a complete assault on the senses. From the busy 5am alleyways to the morning ceremony and the river boat trip - lots of interesting information, good English, good sense of humour. Enjoyed it.
Note that you’ll need to repeat under your own steam to see all of the proceedings including the yoga, the wrestling etc - they happen at different times of the morning so you can’t see it all in the one tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jack_mcmahon98
Mar 24, 2024
Great Tour - Vinay was a fantastic guide. He was full of knowledge and was able to take us around to places within the city that we never would have found ourselves.
We only booked a few days prior, and Vinay's communication with us was great.
If you are thinking of doing this tour, I would suggest doing it on your first or second day in Varanasi as it is a great way to get your bearings as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karl_h
Mar 19, 2024
Great Memory - Fantastic walking and boat tour with interaction with the locals and exciting stories. Would highly recommend! We had a visit to a fabric shop as well which was nice.
Review provided by Viator
Simone_i
Mar 9, 2024
Highly recommend the tour with Vinay! - I really loved the tour with Vinay! We started the day watching the morning ceremony at Assi Ghat, had some Masala Chai and then took a boat to Manikarnika Ghat. Afterwards we did a walking tour and I learned a lot about different temples and the culture. Vinay is a great guide and knows the city in and out. He’ll make sure that you’ll get a full experience on life and the people in Varanasi!
Review provided by Viator
Nicolas_r
Feb 25, 2024
Sunrise tour - We very highly recommend booking a tour with Vinay, especially at the beginning of your trip so that you have a better sense of what Varanasi has to offer. We managed to discover places we never would have found by ourselves (temples, quieter bathing area) and walking through the narrow streets of Varanasi with someone who knows the city makes it a very smooth and enjoyable experience. Do not hesitate, it is worth it.
Review provided by Viator
Weam_h
Apr 28, 2024
Worth it. Sunrise is a must. - Vinay was very flexible and listened to what we wanted to see and talk about and he met our expectations well. He knows a lot about Varanasi and takes you to places you wouldn’t have known about or seen before. Great tour!
Review provided by Viator
Ernils_l
Mar 11, 2024
Good first introduction to Varanasi - This was a pleasant walk, and Vinay is an excellent guide. Varanasi can be difficult to get a grip on, so it helped to have a local guide. I would have appreciated if there was more room for conversation though. It's a quite costly tour, and given how much Vinay obviously knows it would have been great if he had been more willing to share. At times the walk felt a little rushed.
Still, it is a great way to get your first taste of Varanasi. I would not hesitate to recommend it to friends, I just think there is some potential for improvement.
Review provided by Viator
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