Varanasi Travel Tips: Lessons I Learned from My Trip to Kashi

Varanasi is one of those places that stays with you long after you leave. During my trip to Kashi, I walked through temples, ghats, markets, and narrow lanes, learning small but meaningful lessons along the way. There are many amazing temples to visit in the city. Click here to go to the post

1. Visiting Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Sparsh Darshan (the opportunity to physically touch the Shivling) is not guaranteed, even during the commonly mentioned time slots of 4:00–5:00 am and 4:00–5:00 pm. On days with heavy crowd, the temple authorities may cancel Sparsh Darshan altogether for safety and crowd management reasons.

To get a faster dharshan, we need to book the Sugam darshan tickets. we can book online through https://www.shrikashivishwanath.org/

The other way is

Reach Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple Trust Help Centre between 4 am to 5 pm (earliest for smaller queue)
Buy the Sugam Darshan tickets- there are no slots, just tickets and entry at any time (according to the person behind the desk)
Don’t forget to buy Rudrakshas to sparsh Shri Kashi Vishwanath swamy. The poojari will touch the Rudrakshas to the god and give them back to you at the time of darshan
Deposit your stuff in the lockers available (they said bag packs not allowed in lockers, but they allowed us as our bag pack was very small after request)
Don’t forget to leave your smart watches behind. Even hand sanitizer was not allowed inside
Phones and shoes, you can deposit inside where there are separate counters inside
Go through the gate no. 4 with your tickets
After going through the first security, deposit your phones and shoes and take token
Then after second security, you will get this amazing darshan.
Be mindful and alert, the darshan is allowed only for a few seconds.

2. Walking Is Part of the Experience

Varanasi is best explored on foot. The narrow lanes, sudden temples, tiny food stalls, and unexpected ghats reveal themselves only when you walk.

It can be tiring, yes—but it also makes you feel deeply connected to the city.

Tips

Comfortable walking shoes > fashion, always
Carry only essentials in a small backpack. Water can be bought anywhere for 10-20 rps
Expect 15–20k steps/day easily

You can avoid walking by booking an auto or electric rickshaw for the day to visit the places that you would like. But there is no fun in that.

3. Location matters.

We chose to stay near dashashwamedha ghat on a main road. We stayed in a hotel named Satnam Inn. Click here to go the site. It was less pricy

Staying on a main road turned out to be a blessing. Easy access, safer late evenings, and the comfort of knowing you can always find your way back—it all added to peace of mind. We could get lost even at night but can still find a way back to the hotel by walk. The main road was lively even at night. There was even a good restaurant nearby, Aroma of Kashi.

Cons of this particular hotel:

Rooms were not that clean.
They did not clean our room the next day or the day after, even when we asked them to.
Hot water takes time, so our bath time was prolonged more than usual
We had to carry our luggage up and down for 1 floor. There was a lift after that
The taxi from the airport said there was a police barricade and dropped a bit far from the hotel, even though its on the main road.
Getting taxis from the hotel was difficult as it was a busy road. We had to use an electric rickshaw to get out of the centre

In Varanasi, you don’t spend much time in the room anyway. The city itself is the real stay.

4. Find Food Along the Way

We ate simple food during the day. During our walks to places, when we find a place filled with a lot of people and looks hygienic, we eat there. Every shop has a different taste, different types of kachoris, different way of making maggi, different types of dosas. I would say, my favourite was eating tomato chat at Banarasi Chaat Corner on the way to Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple.

Instead of focusing on Instagram-famous places, which were super overfilled, find your own little shops that look filled and hygienic. Carry a hand sanitizer and use it before and after eating food. Our favorite dinner place was Aroma of Kashi.

Make sure you walk after dinner to avoid gastric issues.

5. Restrooms

When going to the restrooms in Varanasi, always choose the one that charges you the most. They are more likely to be clean. Indian toilets are better to use than western-style ones, since you won’t be touching much. Always carry a hand sanitizer and tissues.

During our stay in Varanasi, we spent most of our time ending up at or going to Dashashwamedha ghat. So I used this particular toilet (Indian toilet). Had to pay 10 rps every time I used this. There was another toilet beside it called Sulabh Sauchalay. I did not even enter it, seeing how people were coming out disgustingly. My advise use the deluxe shouchalay.

6. Ganga Aarthy – View from the boat

Watching the Ganga Aarti from a boat was truly unforgettable. To get a good view and comfortable seating, it helps to reach a little early, as the chairs placed on the ghat tend to fill up quickly. We arrived around 4:30 pm and were offered a spot on a sharing boat for ₹200 per person, which turned out to be a lovely way to experience the aarti from the river. The boat had comfortable seating, and for a better view, I chose a spot with less back support. While the view was beautiful and the experience deeply calming, the waiting time was quite long. In hindsight, choosing a more comfortable seat would have made the experience even better. It was a gentle reminder that comfort allows you to enjoy these magical moments for longer and end the day feeling relaxed and happy.

7. Fog in December

While the view of the river wrapped in afternoon fog was breathtaking and felt like watching a large painting come alive, it did require a little flexibility in our plans. Due to heavy fog, our flight landing was delayed and briefly diverted before safely landing again, thanks to the skill and experience of the pilots. Our travel to and from Prayagraj also took longer than expected, as the Vande Bharat train was delayed by several hours.

Despite these travel delays, visiting Varanasi and Prayagraj in the fog was truly beautiful. The mist added a soft and peaceful charm to the ghats and rivers. With proper winter wear, walking around the cities felt very comfortable, and the absence of the scorching sun made long walks easier and less tiring, allowing us to enjoy the journey at a relaxed pace.

8. Electric Rickshaws

Electric rickshaws are often the most convenient and sometimes the only option for moving around the main temple areas in Varanasi. They work well for short distances and quick transfers, especially in crowded zones where larger vehicles cannot enter. However, for longer journeys or full-day travel plans, they can feel a bit bumpy due to minimal shock absorption. I have GERD and it did worsen my symptoms a bit

Choosing a regular auto rickshaw for longer distances can be more comfortable, as it offers better suspension and makes the day feel easier on the body. Using electric rickshaws for short rides and autos for longer trips helped create a more comfortable travel experience.

9. Leave Space in Your Itinerary for Pauses

Having an itinerary is helpful, but leaving room for spontaneity makes the experience even richer. Varanasi is full of unexpected moments, whether it is discovering a small temple, learning something new, or simply sitting by the ghats and taking in the view. Instead of planning every hour, allow generous gaps in your schedule. Varanasi is a city to be felt and experienced rather than rushed through. Leaving space in your itinerary makes it easier to go with the flow and enjoy the journey at a relaxed and meaningful pace.

10. Shopping for whole sale Banarasi sarees

A lot of people will draw you in to buy the sarees. I chose a place through a referral and I did not regret it. I visited Rj Sarees. The shop had amazing collections compared to other wholesale shops that we visitied and we got the sarees at a good price.