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Varanasi Tours
A Journey of A lifetime
5

A Journey of A lifetime

By Best varanasi tours
Recommended by 99% of travelers
99% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 17-90
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Coffee and/or Tea
  • Entry/Admission - Manikarnika Ghat


Start:Traveler pickup offered.
  • Godowlia, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
Pickup details
  • we pickup guest from their hotel that located under 1 km
Additional pickup options
During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.
  • Godowlia, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001, India
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
    • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 135540P1

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
    • Most travelers can participate
    • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
    • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 135540P1

    From
    $28.00
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Best varanasi tours
      233
      Varanasi, India
      Joined in August 2021
    • _F5959XB
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The best guide on Earth!
      Prakash is really the best guide you`ve ever had — I promise! I even don`t know where to start — everything was excellent! ok, will start with language — Prakash speaks amazing English -you know in India english is specific -all these T instead TH’ and D instead TH))) even if English is your native language — you sometimes can’t understand anything. But not with Prakash!! I’m russian -and I am sure this advantage will help at least my compatriots))) Next and very important — charisma! It is a very rare trait. You could learn all the facts about history and so on, but if you are a dull person — this is a failure)) With Prakash you feel like you have known him for years -from the first second, please note! He feels all the slightest nuances of your mood and he for sure will find individual approach for everyone (I know what I’m talking about cause we were four girls, Russians))) He knows what you need even if you don’t know it yourself! And he is extremely kind and understanding! Prakash will treat you like family — without any familiarity, but with great concern, putting the whole soul into communication….It is worthy of respect and appreciation. I think it’s unnecessary to write about Prakash’s knowledge of history of Varanasi and Indian culture, milliards stories about Gods,temples, streets,city buildings, customs etc. — he really knows everything about everyone and everything!!! And you see the reviews of course — all of them are about the same — Prakash is the Best Guide On Earth!!!!!! Highly highly highly recommended!!!!!!
      Written January 14, 2024
    • CatherineM729
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The best kind of guide - one that is good company!
      What a super guide Prakash is! His English is excellent, he is knowledgeable about Hinduism and enthusiastic about his home city, and best of all - he is great company. My family of four had a great half day walking tour with him. Thoroughly recommended.
      Written December 29, 2023
    • IlonaMoore
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Unique Guide!
      I had the privilege of having Prakash as a tour guide for several days. What can I say? Prakash is so much more than just a tour guide. His genuine interest in you, desire to help in any way, share his great knowledge of the city, its history, Indian culture and traditions, spiritual path, and so much more opens your heart to receive all of that with grace and appreciation. Prakash became like a family member during my stay. He did the tour for me on 2 days, and afterwards he was always available for advice, to give me guidance, take me places I needed to go. He understood my desire to meditate in the temples and gave me space to do so. His kindness is beyond description; he cares deeply about people he spends time with. Prakash is very professional and attentive. When I asked for a recommendation on a street food place, he offered to take me there, and, of course, the food was mouth watering delicious. I was very happy I had Prakash as a tour guide, and will definitely ask him again when I come back. Thank you very much, Prakash!
      Written July 18, 2023
    • V398YMsarac
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing experience
      Prakash provided me one of the best experiences I had in India! Very professional, kind and passionate about Varanasi and his work. I truly recommend!
      Written July 17, 2023
    • NayanJ
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Good & helpful guide
      I took the tour with my 87 year old dad, and Prakash was extremely helpful, adjusted the route, and personalized it suite our needs. Would highly recommend it.
      Written December 5, 2022
    • Grantshadow
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      More than a guide
      Second time in Varanasi which I thought I knew so well but I hired Prakash for my son and ended up learning a lot of fascinating things and had an amazing walk to some secret corners of the city with a lot of fun insights and a newfound respect for all the funeral rituals, music and temples along the Ganges. Prakash even took us to a street food spot that I probably would have normally avoided but it turned out to be delicious and filled with students whom we exchanged very interesting and fun banter with. Such interactions really make a trip and it wouldn't have been possible were it not for Prakash's imaginative tour. I'll hire him again for even more insights when I return to Varanasi, which has grown on me.
      Written August 5, 2022
    See all 233 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles228 reviews
    Excellent
    223
    Very good
    4
    Average
    0
    Poor
    0
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    1

    Ye W
    San Jose del Cabo, Mexico2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020 • Solo
    The hotel helped me to book this guide but you can directly book him with possibly lower price than hotel charges. The tour is very informative and he help took great pictures. That is helpful because I traveled alone. The tour covers some must stops and authentic varanasi old city culture. Having a tour guide is helpful to stop other people to tout.
    Written January 25, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Loubiedo
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020 • Couples
    We whatsapped with Prakash about what we would like to see and when. He was responsive on WhatsApp and made some helpful suggestions for our itinerary. The Gatts tour was just as he had said, carefully explained in good English, and progressed at our more sedate pace. He found us an excellent vantage point for the evening Aarti ceremony. We changed our minds about a boat trip the next day and Prakash kindly switched us to a TukTuk tour of Senarth park and the many temples there which was more to our taste. Throughout he helped negotiate with sellers and tuktuk drivers, a thoroughly decent man, we highly recommend.
    Written January 26, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    skylar
    Chicago, IL1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2020 • Family
    I have been on a lot of tours in india with a lot of guides and nothing compares to how amazing this was. Everything from the places we visited to the guide himself was beyond exceptional. We had all of our needs met and he made sure to help us at the markets get a good price is high saved us a lot of money. He went over the time that we had originally signed up for. The guide was so amazing we booked him for a second day. He made this trip to india so special and he made me want to come back to india just so we could get shown around more parts by him. Do not book a tour with anyone else but him!!! Whatsapp him and ask him what other tours he has as he is very knowledgeable and can show you anything in any city in india!!
    Written March 12, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    JoyRaitani
    Bahraich, India53 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The walking tour with Prakash was a wonderful experience. The tour was for about 3 hours, prakash has a deep insight about the city & the walk is truly an enriching experience. He showed the true essence of Varanasi. walking around the famous by lanes was a unique experience. Prakash takes you to the best eateries during the tour as well.
    I would recommend everyone visiting Varanasi to go on This walking tour with Prakash & one surely gain a lot and have a beautiful experience.
    Thanks Prakash! Sorry we couldn't take a picture.
    Written January 8, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Scott A
    London, UK33 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2019
    In November we visited Varanasi. Three of us including my mum. We did the full day tour and an evening and sunrise boat ride on the Ganges. I was anxious that the full day tour would be too much but the pace was just perfect and we saw lots that would have been hard or impossible to do by ourselves. At all time Prakash was both thoughtful and great fun and we felt safe throughout. Prakash also organised airport pick up and drop off and was quick to respond to all requests and check that everything went smoothly (including the rest of our trip to other cities). Do book this - you will not regret it.
    Written February 23, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Gaurang
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2022
    It was indeed a journey of a lifetime for me! Prakash is an excellent tour guide and makes you feel safe and comfortable in the mysterious city of Varanasi that is a universe of temples in itself. Simply put, Varanasi is the headquarters of the Hindu religion and perhaps has thousands of temples that are located in deep streets that cannot be followed on a google map. Among the huge plethora of temples, Prakash took me on a dedicated tour and we targeted the main and the most important temples such as the Kashi Vishwanath, Sankat Mochan, Durga temple and several others. I was extremely fortunate to have Prakash as my guide as without his hemp it is impossible to reach the temples located in deep street alleys. Prakash is an honest, motivated and a very knowledgeable tour guide. When I toured Varanasi with him, I was lucky to be his sole tourist and got complete attention and personal connect with him. We had a detailed discussion on several spiritual topics and Prakash was very patient to explain all my doubts. Prakash was kind enough to take me on a ride on his personal bike to such temples that were located on a slight outskirts of the city as well as to those temples that were located in deep alleys where only an experienced bike rider like Prakash can drive a bike. Prakash is a born veteran of Varanasi and has his fifth generation staying in the city. So, he is absolutely well versed and also well connected in terms of contacts all around the city. I took a personalised ride boat ride along all the Ghats of Ganga in a very reasonable price because of Prakash's contacts. Also, Prakash helped me shop for souvenirs such as handmade ittars (fragrances), silk clothes and silk shawls. All these items were locally made and Prakash was able to take me to reasonable shops that produced these items. Overall, I would highly recommend Prakash as your guardian angel in Varanasi. Even as a girl, you can completely trust Prakash as he has a very positive vibe and can be truly a big asset when you have to cover the grounds of Varanasi in a shirt span of time. In two days, I went around Varanasi and still could not get enough of the beautiful city. I am surely visiting again and will no doubt go for Prakash - my LIGHT source in Varanasi (Prakash means light). :) Thank you for all the kindness and the reasonable charges for the tour Prakash.
    Written November 28, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Guest, Thank you for sparing few moments from your valuable time and sharing an awesome review. It was such a great pleasure to be at your service. Prakash Gaud A Journey Of A Lifetime +919648293807
    Written November 28, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Arnoud
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jul 2023 • Couples
    We booked Prakash for two 4-hour city walks, the first day a Journey of a Lifetime and the second day the south city tour. We liked both tours very much as it gives understanding of the city of Varanasi and its meaning in the Hinduistic and Indian culture, which is otherwise hard to fully understand as a foreigner (in our case, from the Netherlands). Prakash led us through the amazing and interesting maze of little streets in Varanasi, while explaining many things along the route. When I asked questions, Prakash was able to answer all of them and by doing so giving insight in the background of many places. That way it really feeled that we could get to know Varanasi and feel the importance and specialty of the city. To summarize, Prakash was a wonderful tourguide and I can recommend him to any (foreign) visitor coming to Varanasi, especially when it is the first time.
    By the way in the first tour there was a Lassi included which was absolutely the best.
    Written July 24, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Guest, Thank you for sparing few moments from your valuable time and sharing an awesome review. It was such a great pleasure to be at your service. Prakash Gaud A Journey Of A Lifetime +919648293807
    Written July 25, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Simon33715
    Tierra Verde, FL21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2022 • Couples
    We had a very interesting full day private tour with Prakash covering many temples and the various sights of Varanasi - it did include a lot of walking! Prakash is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable and gave a thorough insight into the Hindu aspects of both the history and current day life in India. He found us great seats above the crowds at the Aarti ceremony in the evening and also arranged an excellent private sunrise boat trip on the Ganges for the following day, possibly the highlight of the tour. We would thoroughly recommend using his services and would suggest researching and discussing with him the content of the tour in advance.
    Written November 25, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Guest, Thank you for sparing few moments from your valuable time and sharing an awesome review. It was such a great pleasure to be at your service. Prakash Gaud A Journey Of A Lifetime +919648293807
    Written November 25, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Ajay P
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The tour was more than what we hoped it would be and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who needs a guided tour of Varanasi.

    Our guide, Prakash bhai, was on time to pick us up at our hotel. Our tour started with a brief history of Varanasi, and then we went on to complete the itinerary as planned. What makes Prakash bhai stand out is his ability to connect to you as a person and not just a hired guide. He made us feel like we were couple of friends strolling the city.

    So, to anyone who is looking for a guided tour of Varanasi, Prakash bhai gets an easy recommendation from us. He will go above and beyond to help you have the best experience.
    Written March 5, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Felicity L
    Bangkok, Thailand3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don’t be fooled by his youthful looks, Prakash is both knowledgeable and charismatic in the delivery of his wealth of knowledge of Varanasi’s history, culture, religious diversity and all of the best known and lesser known sites.

    Having Prakash guide us over a full days walking tour we saw and learned more than we could have ever hoped. From a fascinating and colourful walk along the ghats to fourth generation perfumers, small winding streets through the Muslim quarter to see silk weavers to world class apple pie by the river! There wasn’t anything he couldn’t find or know about.

    Prakash’s love for his work is evident in the world class quality of his tours.
    Thanks Prakash I hope we are back again soon to see you.

    If there were six stars ⭐️ I’d have given them. 👏⭐️👏⭐️
    Written October 31, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Dear Felicity I deeply appreciate your kindness you are so humble thank you very much for sharing your experience on a journey of a lifetime I am hoping to see you guys more than you do thankd regards
    Written November 5, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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