Varanasi & Sarnath, Women Only
A boat at 5am, the Ganga aarti from the water, and a city that has been doing this for three thousand years.
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Placeholder artwork — real trip photography drops in here.
About this trip
Varanasi is a lot, and it is a great deal easier with a woman host who knows which ghat to be on at which hour. Five days: a sunrise boat when the light comes over the river and the ghats start filling, the Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh from a boat rather than a crowd, the Sarnath stupa where the Buddha gave his first sermon, and a silk-weaving workshop in a family loom house in Madanpura. It is intense and it is one of the trips people are most changed by. Aarohi has run it eleven times.
- A sunrise boat along the ghats, starting at 5am
- Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh, watched from the water
- Sarnath — the Dhamek stupa and the museum
- A silk-weaving workshop in a family loom house
- The Manikarnika ghat, explained properly and respectfully
- An early-morning walk through the old city lanes with someone who knows them
Day by day
5 days, written by the host who runs it.
Day 1Arrive Varanasi
Airport or station pick-up. Afternoon rest, because tomorrow starts at 4:30am. Evening aarti from a boat at Dashashwamedh.
Day 2Sunrise on the river
A 5am boat from Assi ghat as the light arrives. Breakfast at a ghat-side terrace, then a walk through the old city lanes. Free afternoon.
Day 3Sarnath
Out to Sarnath for the Dhamek stupa, the Mulagandha Kuti Vihara and the archaeological museum. Back by late afternoon.
Day 4Looms and lanes
The silk-weaving workshop in Madanpura in the morning. Afternoon at the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum, or free. Last evening on the ghats.
Day 5Out
Breakfast, then drop to the airport or station.
What the price covers
Included
- 4 nights in a ghat-side heritage hotel, women-only twin sharing
- All breakfasts and dinners
- Two boat rides — sunrise and the evening aarti
- The silk-weaving workshop, and all entry fees
- All local transport and both transfers
- A woman host with you throughout
Not included
- Travel to and from Varanasi
- Lunches
- Travel insurance
- Anything personal
Where you sleep, how you move
Stay
A heritage hotel on or beside a ghat, so the river is a walk rather than a drive. Attached bathrooms, hot water, air conditioning. Women-only twin sharing; private rooms ₹6,000 for the trip.
Transport
Private vehicle for transfers and Sarnath. The old city is walked, because no vehicle fits.
What to carry
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples
- A scarf or stole
- Shoes that slip on and off easily — you will remove them often
- A light layer for the 5am boat, which is cold on the water
- Hand sanitiser and any medication you rely on
- A reusable water bottle
Who this trip is for
Open to women 18 and over. Varanasi is crowded, uneven underfoot and emotionally intense in places. If mobility is a concern tell us and we will adjust the walking days.
Cancellation & refunds
Specific to this trip, because a permit-bound Himalayan departure cannot carry the same terms as a weekend by a river.
- More than 30 days before departure — full refund, less a ₹1,500 processing fee.
- 15 to 30 days before departure — 70% refund.
- 7 to 14 days before departure — 40% refund.
- Under 7 days before departure — no refund, but your seat is transferable to a friend at no cost.
- If we cancel a departure for any reason, you receive a full refund or a free transfer to another date, your choice.
Full terms are in our refund & cancellation policy.
Meet your host
Aarohi Mehra
Based in Shillong, Meghalaya · 3 trips led
Former schoolteacher who moved to Shillong for a semester in 2021 and never left. Leads our Northeast women-only departures and is the reason our Meghalaya groups end up in living-root villages no bus reaches.
“Every group has one woman who booked without telling her family. By day three she is the loudest one on the bus.”
Not quite the one?
There are other departures, and we would rather put you on the right trip than the nearest one.
Or reach us on WhatsApp at +91 96063 37793