Varanasi-city of Ganges, same day visit

The Great Indian Adventure offered fantastic trip planning and tour services for my travels in Varanasi and Agra. My booking was very last minute, and they arranged everything in a matter of 2 days - hotel booking, train tickets, guided tours, etc..., that surpassed all expectations, for a great price! Highly recommended!!!

✅ Varanasi Family Trip Review (Dec 21–25) Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ Purpose: Pilgrimage & Cultural Experience Family: 2 Adults + 2 Kids (11 & 3 years) Duration: 4 Nights ________________________________________ Trip Highlights & Observations Day 1 – Dec 21 (Sunday) • Travel: o Started at 5:30 AM from Noida to NDLS for Vande Bharat Express (scheduled 6:00 AM, delayed to 7:30 AM due to fog). o Delay was manageable as starting at 4 AM in winter with kids would have been tough. o Tip: Vande Bharat is a good option for comfort and speed. Alternatively, Shiv Ganga Express (overnight) is better if you want to reach early morning. • Hotel: o Stayed at JSR Ganga Hotel near Ahilyabai/Dashashwamedh Ghat. o Pros: Location advantage (walking distance to ghat). o Cons:  Access through dirty, crowded lanes.  Overpriced (₹4,500/night for Super Deluxe with breakfast).  Breakfast never on time (starts after 9:15 AM vs promised 8:30 AM).  Poor staff professionalism, limited food options.  Hot water issue (central heater starts late). o Recommendation:  Book room without breakfast (ample food options outside from 6:30 AM).  Prefer hotels near Nandi Chowk instead of inside narrow lanes.  Location near ghat is not essential as most time is spent in city/temples. • Meals: Plenty of restaurants available for all cuisines. ________________________________________ Day 2 – Dec 22 (Monday) • Temple Visit: o Used Sugam Darshan ticket (₹300/adult, kids free) at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. o Darshan completed in 15–20 mins via Gate No. 2. o Tip: Avoid hiring pandas (priests) inside temple; they charge ₹300–₹500 unnecessarily. o Food: Tried Malayo (winter special sweet) and Kachori-Puri (~₹50) – highly recommended. • Evening Activities: o Boat Ride: ₹2,000 for private boat (Assi Ghat + 1-hour ferry). o Dashashwamedh Ghat Walk & Kashi Vishwanath Corridor visit. o Ganga Aarti:  Starts at 6:30 PM (winter).  Paid boat seating ₹200/head OR free seating (reach by 3 PM for good spot).  Tip: Carry warm clothes (jackets, caps, thermals).  Public toilets are far – be prepared for 2 hrs without access. ________________________________________ Key Recommendations ✔ Travel by Vande Bharat or overnight train for convenience. ✔ Avoid hotels deep inside lanes; choose central location near Nandi Chowk. ✔ Skip hotel breakfast – explore local street food early morning. ✔ Use Sugam Darshan tickets for temples; avoid extra payments to pandas. ✔ Plan Ganga Aarti seating early and dress warmly in winter. ✔ Try local delicacies like Malayo (seasonal) and Kachori-Puri. Day 3 – Tuesday, Dec 23 • Morning Plan: o Booked a local taxi online (Maruti Ertiga, clean and well-maintained). Driver Mr. Harshal was courteous and knowledgeable. o Started at 9:00 AM from PDR Mall, reached Vindhyachal Temple (Mirzapur district) around 11:00 AM. • Vindhyavasini Temple: o Temple closes for Dhoop Aarti at 12:00 PM, so rushed for darshan. o Bought mala and prasad tokri for ₹600 (price felt high, but no time to negotiate). o Entered via Gate #2 (closest gate). o Experience:  Initially smooth entry with help of a panda (priest).  Inside, some pandas demanded ₹1000–₹1500 for “special darshan” – declined.  Tip: Avoid paying extra; stick to official queues. o Observation: In Vindhyachal and nearby temples (Astrology Temple, Kalika Temple), many pandas ask for money – disappointing practice. • Kalika Temple: o Closed from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM for Mangal Aarti. o Waited and had smooth darshan of Mahakali – one of the most revered temples. • Ashtabhuja Temple: o Driver guided well to the top (instead of ropeway, which some drivers suggest for extra charges). o Temple dedicated to Mahalakshmi, located inside a cave – unique experience. o Also visited Astrology Temple nearby (again faced pandas asking for money). o Tip: Politely refuse extra payments; take directions and move on. • Return Journey: o Had local chaat and malayo near parking – delicious. o Started back at 3:30 PM, reached Varanasi around 5:00 PM (PDR Mall drop). ________________________________________ Evening Plan • Decided to visit Bhaironath Temple: o Took a cycle rickshaw (₹120) – worth it due to distance and effort. o Observation: Huge crowd (Tuesday is auspicious for Bhaironath). o Skipped darshan due to long queue but bought souvenirs:  Bhaironath face with Rudraksha (₹50 each)  Pairs made from Varanasi saree cut-outs o Returned to hotel by 8:30 PM. • Night at Ghat: o After rest, visited Ahilyabai Ghat. o Had snacks and then went to Maggie Point (terrace seating post-Aarti – great decision!). o Enjoyed Maggi and tea, then met a local Bengali uncle who suggested visiting Ghat Temple – offered prayers there. o Returned to hotel around 9:30 PM, had dinner at hotel (good quality). ________________________________________ Key Takeaways for Day 3 ✔ Book a reliable cab online; Ertiga was spacious and comfortable. ✔ Avoid paying pandas for special darshan – official queues are enough. ✔ Carry snacks/water for temple waiting times. ✔ Bhaironath Temple is very crowded on Tuesdays – plan accordingly. ✔ Evening terrace experience at Maggie Point was a highlight! ✔ Try local delicacies like malayo and chaat near temple parking. Day 4 – Wednesday, Dec 24 • Morning: o Breakfast at JSR Ganga Hotel was delayed (started at 9:30 AM) and had limited options despite high charges (₹4,500/night with breakfast). o Tip: Avoid hotel breakfast plans in Varanasi; better to eat outside early morning. • Sarnath Visit: o Started around 11:30 AM from hotel; negotiated with an auto driver (Satyam Gupta – very polite and knowledgeable) for ₹1,600 (original quote ₹2,000) for full-day sightseeing (Sarnath + local Varanasi spots). o Reached Sarnath by 12:40 PM. o Places Covered:  Sarnath Temple  Sarnath Museum (Entry ₹10/adult via online booking)  Dhamek Stupa & historical ruins  Banarasi Silk Gramodaya Factory (optional; not necessary) o Tip: Allocate 4–5 hours for Sarnath if you love history; we spent ~2.5 hours due to time constraints. o Local guides available for ₹50–₹100 for explanations. • Return & Local Temples: o Returned to Varanasi around 3:30 PM. o Visited Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir (mobile deposit lockers available; darshan smooth in 15–20 mins). o Then visited BHU Vishwanath Temple – must-visit, very peaceful. o Tried Keshav Pan on the way (average; nothing special). • Evening Plan: o Hungry, so had snacks near Nandi Chowk. o Decided to visit Kal Bhairav Temple:  Took bike taxis (₹100 per bike) to reach temple.  Temple was crowded; requested police at VIP gate for entry (helped since kids were with us).  Darshan completed in 15–20 mins.  Tip: Pandas inside temple ask for money – avoid paying; buy offerings outside. o Returned to Nandi Chowk via bike taxi (₹100 each). • Night Experience: o Stopped at “I Love Pushpa Chai” shop near hotel:  Ordered tea in clay pot (₹50), malai toast (₹80), malayo (₹100).  Observation: Overpriced and not special; avoid this shop. o Returned to hotel and had dinner in-room (fried rice ₹500) – good quality. ________________________________________ Key Takeaways for Day 4 ✔ Sarnath is a must-visit for history lovers; plan 4–5 hours. ✔ Negotiate auto fares; ₹1,600 for full-day sightseeing was fair. ✔ Avoid overpriced tourist tea shops; explore authentic local stalls instead. ✔ Kal Bhairav Temple is crowded; VIP gate entry possible if with kids (request politely). ✔ Skip hotel breakfast plans; street food is better and timely. Day 5 – Thursday, Dec 25 (Checkout & Return Journey) • Morning: o Check out done at JSR Ganga and requested for hotel bill which was said that they will share over WhatsApp however after 2-3 times follow-up they have not shared the bill. o Planned checkout early for Vande Bharat Express from Varanasi Junction to New Delhi (scheduled 6:00 AM). o Received SMS at 3:30 AM about delay to 8:15 AM, but later train was delayed further to 1:00 PM and finally departed at 2:35 PM. o Observation: Indian Railways updates were inconsistent; better communication could have saved early checkout and discomfort in cold weather. • Hotel Checkout: o Completed checkout the previous night for convenience. o Staff helped carry luggage to Nandi Chowk, from where a three-wheeler auto was hired for ₹200 to Varanasi Junction. o Tip: Clearly instruct auto drivers to drop inside station premises, not outside on main road (extra ₹20 parking fee is common excuse). • Station Experience: o After reaching station at 7:30 AM, received SMS that train was delayed till 1:00 PM. o Opted for Premium Lounge:  Charges: ₹100 per person for 2 hours + GST (₹118 per person).  Spent ~6 hours in lounge (total ₹900) – comfortable due to heater and seating.  Bought snacks and tea during wait. o Tip: If delay info is received early, stay at hotel longer instead of station. • Train Journey: o Train departed at 2:35 PM, reached New Delhi at 11:00 PM. o Took cab home, reached around midnight. ________________________________________ Overall Trip Review ✔ Duration: 4 nights, 5 days ✔ Purpose: Pilgrimage & cultural experience ✔ Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5) ✔ Highlights: • Kashi Vishwanath Temple & Corridor • Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat • Sarnath historical sites • Vindhyachal & Kal Bhairav temples • Local delicacies: Malayo, Kachori-Puri, Chaat ✔ Challenges: • Hotel overpriced & poor breakfast service • Pandas demanding money at temples • Train delays & poor communication ✔ Recommendations: 1. Hotels: Avoid ghat-side hotels; choose near Nandi Chowk (₹1500–₹2000 range). 2. Meals: Skip hotel breakfast; explore local street food. 3. Temple Darshan: Use Sugam Darshan tickets; don’t pay pandas. 4. Local Travel: Auto/taxi for full-day sightseeing ₹1600–₹2000; bike taxis ₹100 per ride. 5. Boat Ride: Private ₹2000–₹2500; shared ₹200 per person. 6. Ganga Aarti: Reach by 3:30 PM for good seating; carry warm clothes in winter. 7. Shopping: Souvenirs like Rudraksha, Bhaironath face, Banarasi saree cut-outs. 8. Winter Travel: Pack thermals, jackets, caps for evening ghat visits.