Explore Varanasi Off the Beaten Path Tour

Your Varanasi Old City Tour will begin with a short cycle-rickshaw ride to the Bisheshwar Gang area, venturing into the neighborhoods and markets to see "everyday" Varanasi. Here you will see bustling markets bursting with curious fruits & veggies, vibrant spices, tea, street stalls cooking up tasty snacks, fresh cow milk (and we do mean minutes fresh) as well shops selling merchandise including uber-cool aluminum tea containers, textiles and wholesale medicine shops.

We will also meander through parks to appreciate a bit of greenery in an otherwise concrete city where folks take time out for their daily yoga practice or a stroll. Next in line is the Kalbhairav Temple, a sacred temple believed to protect devotees from black magic. Then, walking off the beaten path, through the local slum area we’ll go to the artisan basket making neighborhood where women effortlessly weave branches into rustic baskets while sharing a bit of local gossip.

Next we visit the colorful Swami Narayan Temple and the grand Dharahara Mosque (Panch Ganga Ghat) to give you some insight into local religion and spirituality. The tour will culminate at the Golden Temple.

From here we will help you get a rickshaw back to your hotel.

Start: Main Road Crossing

End: The Golden Temple

When: 10:00am - 1:00pm (tour duration is approximately 3-3.5 hours). Start time varies depending on weather, so please check with us.