Varanasi Prayagraj Ayodhya Tour 4 Nights 5 Days

Before Sunrise: Out on a boat while it is still dark. Rowing north from Assi takes you past the bathing ghats as the city wakes, and past Manikarnika, where cremations run continuously.

Kashi Vishwanath: One of the twelve Jyotirlingas, reached through the new corridor that opened in 2021 and dramatically changed the approach.

Sarnath: Ten kilometres out, where the Buddha gave his first sermon after enlightenment. The Dhamek Stupa still stands, and the site museum holds the Ashokan lion capital - the original of the national emblem.

• Top Places to Cover: Sunrise boat ride, Manikarnika Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath temple, Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath Museum.
• Importance of Each Place: Sarnath is one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites. The lion capital in its museum is the single most reproduced object in India.
• Things to Know: Security at Kashi Vishwanath is airport-level; phones, bags and leather are not permitted and must go in cloakrooms. The Sarnath museum is closed on Fridays.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Varanasi

The Drive: Around 120 km and three hours after breakfast.

Triveni Sangam: A boat out to where the Ganga and Yamuna meet - the colour difference between the two is clearly visible from the water, and the Saraswati is held to join them unseen.

Anand Bhawan: The Nehru family home, kept as a museum of the freedom movement with the rooms largely as they were. It is one of the better-preserved houses of its kind in India.

• Top Places to Cover: Triveni Sangam, Anand Bhawan, Allahabad Fort exterior, Khusro Bagh.
• Importance of Each Place: The Sangam is the site of the largest Kumbh Mela, which draws tens of millions of pilgrims and is among the largest human gatherings on earth.
• Things to Know: Boatmen at the Sangam quote per boat and negotiate hard. Anand Bhawan is closed on Mondays.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Prayagraj

Morning: Akshayavat and the Patalpuri temple inside Allahabad Fort, if access is open - the fort is army-held and entry is restricted.

To Ayodhya: North about 165 km, four hours.

Hanuman Garhi: Reached by a flight of seventy-odd steps, and by custom visited before the main temple.

Kanak Bhawan: With its silver-worked shrine, gifted according to tradition by Kaikeyi to Sita.

Evening: Saryu Aarti at Ram Ki Paidi, along the river steps.

• Top Places to Cover: Allahabad Fort, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Ram Ki Paidi, Saryu Aarti.
• Importance of Each Place: Ayodhya has been rebuilt substantially since 2020 and the ghats at Ram Ki Paidi were redeveloped for the Deepotsav, when hundreds of thousands of lamps are lit on Diwali eve.
• Things to Know: Allahabad Fort access depends on army permission and is often closed. Ayodhya gets extremely crowded on weekends and festival days.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Ayodhya

Early Darshan: At the Ram Janmabhoomi complex. Go early - queues build fast and the security line takes time.

What to Leave Behind: Phones, bags and leather items are not permitted inside. Cloakroom facilities are available at the entrance.

Departure: Transfer to Ayodhya Dham Junction, or on to Lucknow or Varanasi airport. Lucknow is about 135 km, so allow three hours plus check-in.

• Top Places to Cover: Ram Janmabhoomi complex, Nageshwarnath temple, Ayodhya Dham Junction.
• Things to Know: We cannot promise darshan timings or VIP access - the temple trust controls both and arrangements change without notice. Allow far more time than seems necessary.

Meals: Breakfast | Overnight: Journey ends