Dev Diwali 2026 3 Nights 4 Days Itinerary

Arrive at Varanasi Junction (BSB) or Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport. Check into your hotel near the ghats — we recommend staying in the Assi Ghat or Dashashwamedh Ghat area for the best access. Freshen up, have breakfast and relax after your journey.

Take a comfortable rest at your hotel after the journey. Varanasi's temple circuit needs energy — sleep, recover, and recharge before the evening's exciting plans.

Begin your Varanasi temple trail with Kal Bhairav — the fierce guardian deity of Kashi. This ancient temple holds immense tantric significance. Devotees offer wine (madira) as prasad, a unique ritual seen nowhere else in India. The energy here is powerful and deeply spiritual.

Visit the most sacred Jyotirlinga — Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The newly built Kashi Vishwanath Corridor offers a regal, peaceful experience leading directly from the Ganga ghats. The divine aura of the golden spire is breathtaking. Queue for the main Darshan or take a quick aerial view from the corridor galleries.

Just steps away from Kashi Vishwanath is Maa Annapurna Devi — the goddess of food and nourishment. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath-Annapurna corridor connects both shrines seamlessly. Seek her blessings for abundance and prosperity.

End your first day with a delicious local food walk! Try Varanasi's iconic street food: Tamatar Chaat (tomato chat), Dahi Vada, Baati Chokha, Rava Kachori, melt-in-mouth Malaiyo (winter only), and the famous Banarasi Paan to close the evening. The lanes near the ghats light up beautifully after dark.

Head back to your hotel. Day 2 starts early with the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat — a sunrise spiritual experience you do not want to miss. Set your alarm!

Wake up early and head to Assi Ghat for the morning Ganga Aarti — a deeply spiritual ritual performed by priests at sunrise every day. Unlike the crowded Dashashwamedh Ghat, Assi Ghat offers a more intimate and meditative experience. Watch the lamps, hear the chants, and feel the divine energy of the Ganga at dawn.

After the aarti, enjoy a hearty Varanasi breakfast nearby. Try: Puri Sabzi & Jalebi at a local dhaba, Kachori with aloo sabzi, or a warm glass of Banarasi Chai at the ghat. The morning food scene near Assi Ghat is fantastic and very affordable.

Visit the vibrant Durgakund Temple — also known as the Monkey Temple due to the large population of monkeys living around its sacred kund (pond). The red-ochre temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is especially busy during Navratri and Kartik Purnima. The kund is serene and photogenic.

A short walk from Durgakund is the beautiful white marble Tulsi Manas Mandir — built at the spot where the poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas. Verses from this immortal scripture are engraved on the walls. The temple is calm, clean, and deeply inspiring — a must-visit for devotees of Lord Ram.

Visit the grand Banaras Hindu University — one of Asia's largest residential universities and a treasure of art, architecture, and knowledge. Inside the campus, the New Vishwanath Temple (Birla Mandir) is a stunning white marble masterpiece open to all castes and religions. The campus itself is peaceful, green, and beautiful.

Stop at Sankat Mochan — the beloved Hanuman temple founded by Tulsidas himself. The temple radiates immense positive energy and is always filled with devotees. After darshan, have lunch at a nearby restaurant or dhaba. This area has excellent vegetarian food options.

Take a relaxing break at your hotel OR head out for Banarasi shopping. Browse authorized silk emporiums for authentic Banarasi sarees, brocade fabrics, wooden toys, and brassware. Thatheri Bazaar for brassware, Vishwanath Gali for silk — both streets are an experience in themselves.

Drive 12 km to Sarnath — a UNESCO-ranked site of global Buddhist importance. Visit the Dhamek Stupa (5th century CE), Deer Park, Chaukhandi Stupa, and the magnificent Sarnath Museum housing the original Lion Capital of Ashoka (India's national emblem). A fascinating half-day excursion that rounds off Day 2 beautifully.

Return to your hotel and rest well. November 24 is Dev Diwali — Kartik Purnima. Your VisitKashi boat departs at 5:30 PM sharp from Ravidas Ghat. Charge your cameras, power banks, and sleep early.

On Kartik Purnima, a holy dip in the Ganga is considered extraordinarily auspicious. Even if you choose not to take a dip, a morning ghat walk to observe the thousands of pilgrims performing rituals is a profoundly moving experience. Soak in the festive pre-Dev Diwali energy filling the ghats already.

Spend the morning and early afternoon visiting the ghats at a relaxed pace — enjoy the pre-festival atmosphere, watch artisans placing diyas, and feel the city building up to its most spectacular night. Important: Reach your boat boarding area (Ravidas Ghat) by 3:30 PM at the absolute latest. Traffic in Varanasi on Dev Diwali becomes completely gridlocked by 4:00 PM. Roads near the ghats are closed to vehicles from late afternoon. Do not risk being late!

Meet your VisitKashi representative at Ravidas Ghat. Show your e-ticket, receive your life jacket, and get comfortably settled on your boat. The ghat is already buzzing with thousands of pilgrims lighting diyas. Your VisitKashi guide will brief you on the evening's timeline, safety guidelines, and the best camera spots on the boat.

As your boat glides onto the Ganga, all 84 ghats spanning 7 kilometres light up simultaneously in a breathtaking cascade of a million diyas. The Ganga becomes a mirror reflecting the golden light — it feels like sailing through the stars. Fireworks explode over Dashashwamedh Ghat at 7:30 PM, and the grand Maha Ganga Aarti performed by 21 priests reaches its crescendo. This is India's most spectacular night — and you are right in the middle of it.

The boat returns safely to Ravidas Ghat. VisitKashi staff assist with smooth disembarkation. Enjoy a celebratory dinner at a riverside restaurant and relive the incredible memories of Dev Diwali 2026 with your travel companions.

Dev Diwali is the most sought-after festival experience in North India. VisitKashi — Varanasi's most experienced and trusted boat operator since 2017 — strongly advises booking your boat ride before you even reach Varanasi. Boats are limited and are fully booked months in advance. Walk-in bookings are rarely available on the night of Dev Diwali.

Wake up at your own pace after the magical Dev Diwali night. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel or take one last stroll to the nearby ghat for a peaceful morning Ganga view. Complete hotel checkout formalities and collect your luggage.

If time permits before your departure, pick up some last-minute Varanasi souvenirs — Banarasi paan masala boxes, brass diyas, handmade silk stoles, wooden crafts, or a packet of the famous Varanasi Mitha Paan. The lanes near Godaulia Chowk have excellent quick-buy options.

Your VisitKashi-arranged cab or auto-rickshaw will drop you directly to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) or Varanasi Junction Railway Station. Allow at least 1 hour for the airport and 45 minutes for the railway station. Departure roads are smoother on the morning after Dev Diwali.

Varanasi doesn't leave you — it stays with you long after you've left. You've witnessed the most spiritual city on Earth during its most magnificent festival. Har Har Mahadev! We hope to see you again at Dev Diwali 2027. VisitKashi — Varanasi's most trusted travel partner since 2017.