Beware of scammers on the ghats. Touts and self-styled “guides” or “priests” roam the Ganga ghats and temple lanes, offering VIP darshan, pujas, boat rides or “donations for cremation wood”. Never pay anyone in advance, and never pay for a service before you have actually received it. Book temple services only through the official trust.
Side by side
Walking
- Free
- Close-up life on the steps — chai, cricket, rituals, wrestlers
- Stop wherever you like, for as long as you like
- Visit temples and lanes between the ghats
- Tiring in heat; hundreds of steps
- Not possible when the river floods
- Hard for elders and wheelchair users
Boat
- The full panorama of the ghats in one sweep
- Gentle for elders and children
- The best seat for the Ganga Aarti
- Magical at sunrise and after dark
- Costs money; agree prices first
- Can’t stop and explore
- Suspended in floods or dense fog
Which suits you?
| If you are… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Travelling with elderly parents | Boat | No steps; boarding at Dashashwamedh or Assi is easiest |
| A photographer | Both | Boat for the sweep at dawn, walk for faces and details |
| On a tight budget | Walk | Free, and a shared boat at sunrise costs very little |
| Visiting in May–June | Boat at dawn | The steps are scorching by 9 AM |
| Visiting in August–September | Ask locally | Floods often submerge the ghats and stop boats |
| Here for one day only | Boat at sunrise | Shows you the whole riverfront in an hour |
The perfect morning: both
-
01
5:30 AM — boat from Dashashwamedh
Head south to Assi as the sun rises over the far bank.
-
02
7:00 AM — Subah-e-Banaras at Assi
Catch the end of the dawn programme, then breakfast — kachori and jalebi nearby.
-
03
8:30 AM — walk north
Walk back along the ghats towards Dashashwamedh, stopping at Tulsi, Kedar and Darbhanga.
-
04
10:30 AM — rest
Retreat from the heat; come back to the river for the evening aarti.
Good to know
- Agree boat prices up front — total, per boat or per person, route and duration.
- Life jackets should be on board; ask for them.
- On the walk, wear shoes with grip — the stone steps near the water are slippery.
- Do not photograph cremations at Manikarnika or Harishchandra, from the steps or from a boat.