Self-Launched Varanasi (Kashi) & Sarnath: Delhi to the Ganges

Land at Delhi (Indira Gandhi International) and settle into a budget stay in Paharganj or near New Delhi Railway Station — the backpacker heartland, walking distance from the station and the airport metro line. Use the afternoon to sort your onward travel: either book a cheap IndiGo/Air India Express flight DEL–VNS (roughly £35–55 one-way, ~1h20m) or reserve a sleeper/3AC berth on an overnight train to Varanasi Junction (roughly £8–18, 12–14h). Grab an eSIM or a local SIM (Jio/Airtel, ~£4–6 with ID), download the IRCTC, ixigo and Uber/Ola apps, then eat dinner in Paharganj's lanes — a thali or chole bhature runs about £2–3. The operator starts with a Delhi hotel night and airport/station pickup; doing it yourself means simply taking the Airport Express metro (~£1.50) or an Uber (~£4–6).

🚌Airport Express metro or Uber from IGI Airport (~£1.50–6)

🛏Budget guesthouse or hostel dorm in Paharganj / near New Delhi Railway Station (~£10–14)

• →Settle into Paharganj
• →Book Delhi–Varanasi flight or overnight train (IRCTC app)
• →Buy local SIM/eSIM and set up UPI payments
• →Evening street-food dinner in Paharganj lanes

Travel to Varanasi: fly morning (arriving by midday) or wake from the overnight train pulling into Varanasi Junction around 7–9am. Check into a guesthouse in Assi Ghat or Bengali Tola — quiet, cheap and close to the river. In the afternoon, make the short auto-rickshaw ride (~£1.50–2.50) northeast to Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon. Entry to the Sarnath Archaeological Museum is about £0.50 for Indian nationals and ~£3 for foreign visitors; the Dhamek Stupa and Chaukhandi Stupa sit within the same ticket. Consider a self-bookable walking tour or audio guide via GetYourGuide if you want the commentary the operator's guide would provide. Dinner back by the river: Banarasi thali or kachori-sabzi for £2–3.

🚌Delhi–Varanasi flight (~£35–55) or overnight train (~£8–18); auto-rickshaw to Sarnath (~£1.50–2.50) and back

🛏Guesthouse near Assi Ghat / Bengali Tola, Varanasi (~£10–14)

• →Sarnath Archaeological Museum
• →Dhamek Stupa & Chaukhandi Stupa
• →Optional app-booked Sarnath walking tour (~£8–12)
• →Sunset stroll along Assi Ghat

The classic Kashi day. Be at Dashashwamedh or Assi Ghat by 5:15am to catch a shared rowboat for sunrise on the Ganges — book direct at the ghat for around £2–4 per person, or reserve a shared sunrise cruise via GetYourGuide/Klook for £6–10. Drift past the burning ghats, the ghats' bathing steps and the temples as the light comes up. After breakfast, walk or auto-hop the temple circuit: Sankat Mochan, Durga (Monkey) Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple and, if you can handle the queue, Kashi Vishwanath (dress modestly, no phones — free entry, or ~£1–2 for priority). Refuel on Banarasi street food — tamatar chaat, malaiyo (winter only), launglata and Banarasi paan for a few pounds total. Return to Dashashwamedh Ghat in the evening for the spectacular Ganga Aarti fire ceremony, which is free to watch; arrive by 5:30pm for a good spot, or pay ~£3–5 for a seat on a boat or a rooftop café overlooking the ritual.

🚌Walking around the ghats; auto-rickshaw for the temple circuit (~£2–4 total)

🛏Guesthouse near Assi Ghat / Bengali Tola, Varanasi (~£10–14)

• →Sunrise shared boat ride on the Ganges (~£2–4 direct, or £6–10 via GetYourGuide/Klook)
• →Sankat Mochan, Durga, Tulsi Manas and Kashi Vishwanath temple circuit
• →Banarasi street-food crawl (tamatar chaat, launglata, paan)
• →Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat (free)

One last sunrise on the ghats — walk the riverfront from Assi to Manikarnika while it's cool and quiet, and grab a chai and kachori breakfast for under £1. If your flight or train leaves later, squeeze in a stop at Ramnagar Fort (across the bridge, ~£2 entry) or the Banaras Hindu University and Bharat Kala Bhavan museum. Book an Uber or auto to Varanasi Airport (~£5–7, ~40 min) or Varanasi Junction station (~£2–3). If you're flying back to Delhi, a one-way budget fare is roughly £35–55; for onward travel from Delhi, allow for a domestic connection.

🚌Auto-rickshaw or Uber to Varanasi Airport (~£5–7) or Varanasi Junction (~£2–3); optional Varanasi–Delhi flight (~£35–55)

🛏—

• →Sunrise riverfront walk (Assi to Manikarnika)
• →Kachori & chai breakfast on the ghats
• →Optional Ramnagar Fort or BHU / Bharat Kala Bhavan museum