Start your day with a relaxed late-morning stroll through Assi Ghat, sipping chai from a riverside stall while watching students and sadhus gather; continue to the nearby Bharat Mata Temple for a contemplative look at its relief map and quiet courtyards. Afterwards wander the narrow lanes toward Kashi Vishwanath Corridor's outer areas, stopping at a local paan shop and a family-run sweet shop for malaiyo or lassi before preparing for an afternoon boat ride and the evening aarti.
After a relaxed morning, wander toward Dashashwamedh Ghat's quieter side lanes to join a guided heritage walk that includes a stop at Ramnagar Fort across the river for its museum and clock tower; time it so you can sip chai at a verandah café overlooking the Ganges. Then hire a small rowboat from Harishchandra Ghat for a late-afternoon river cruise that glides past lesser-known ghats, cremation platforms and floating lamps as the light softens-perfect preparation for returning to witness the evening aarti.
As dusk deepens, head to Manikarnika Ghat's peripheral promenades (keeping a respectful distance) to observe the solemn riverfront atmosphere, then stroll to Tulsi Ghat where local musicians sometimes play bhajans on the steps; pause for a quick cup of masala chai at a nearby stall while the sky reddens. Finish the night with a candlelit walking pilgrimage along Scindia Ghat, joining locals as they release floating diyas and listen to street storytellers, a gentle way to close today's immersion before tomorrow's deeper temple and heritage explorations.
Begin with a tranquil sunrise puja at Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, joining early devotees and listening to temple bells before wandering the flower vendors nearby for marigold garlands. From there, follow a guided heritage walk through the winding lanes to Kedar Ghat, pausing at a family-run halwai for kachori and jalebi, then visit the serene courtyards of Ramakrishna Mission for a moment of quiet reflection and panoramas of morning life along the ghats.
After a temple-rich morning, head to Scindia Ghat for a riverside lunch at a terrace café, then join a guided walk through the old city's silk-weaving quarter to watch artisans at Varanasi's Benarasi sari workshops, where threads, zari and traditional looms create shimmering cloth. Finish the afternoon with a visit to Tulsi Manas Temple to hear passages from the Ramayana and a quiet pause in its marble courtyard before returning to the ghats for evening rituals.
As dusk falls, join a guided sound-and-light storytelling session at Ramnagar Fort's river-facing lawns, then drift downriver by motorboat from there to watch the sunset paint the ghats while the boatman points out lesser-known shrines along the bank. After the cruise, stroll into the lively lanes behind Godowlia Chowk for a rooftop dinner where you can sample a thali of local specialties and end the night listening to a live classical vocal or tabla performance at a nearby cultural café.
Arrive early to join the serene dawn arti at Hanuman Garhi, then walk the elevated lane toward Ram Ki Paidi to watch the city wake along the Sarayu River while local vendors sell kachoris and lassi. Continue with a guided visit to the new Ram Janmabhoomi complex to learn about recent developments and the site's layered history, then pause for a fragrant prasad and chai at a nearby temple courtyard before exploring the fragrant flower market that supplies the city's temples.
After the morning visit, stroll through the bustling lanes to Nageshwarnath Temple to observe its distinctive spire and local worship rituals, then head to Kanak Bhavan to admire its polished marble courtyards and hear the story of royal offerings while enjoying a peaceful cup of chai in the temple compound. Finish the afternoon with a calm riverside walk along the Sarayu Ghats, stopping at a riverside kiosk for sugarcane juice and watching pilgrims perform rites as you prepare to join the evening aarti back near the Ram Janmabhoomi precinct.
As dusk settles, join the congregational arti at Ram Ki Paidi's quieter downstream steps, where locals sing bhajans and release floating diyas; linger to speak with a pujari about evening ritual timings and pick up a small packet of prasadam. Afterwards wander to Nimai Ghat for a calm riverside stroll and a cup of ginger chai from a riverside stall, then finish the night with soft devotional kirtan at Treta Ke Thakur, an atmospheric temple complex whose candlelit courtyards offer a peaceful close to your Ayodhya visit.
| Place / Activity | Cost |
|---|---|
| Assi Ghat (chai from riverside stall) | ₹40 |
| Bharat Mata Temple | Free |
| Kashi Vishwanath Corridor (outer areas, paan/sweets) | ₹150 |
| Afternoon guided heritage walk (Varanasi old city) | ₹400 |
| Ramnagar Fort Museum (entry) | ₹25 |
| Harishchandra Ghat rowboat (late-afternoon river cruise, shared rowboat) | ₹250 |
| Dashashwamedh Ghat (verandah café chai/snack) | ₹60 |
| Manikarnika Ghat (observing, respectful distance) | Free |
| Tulsi Ghat (masala chai stall) | ₹30 |
| Scindia Ghat (releasing floating diyas) | ₹50 |
| Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple (sunrise puja) | Free |
| Guided heritage walk to Kedar Ghat (including snacks) | ₹400 |
| Ramakrishna Mission (visit) | Free |
| Scindia Ghat riverside lunch (terrace café - per person meal) | ₹300 |
| Benarasi sari workshop visit (demonstration/shop viewing) | Free |
| Tulsi Manas Temple | Free |
| Ramnagar Fort sound-and-light (evening storytelling) | ₹200 |
| Motorboat downriver sunset cruise (from Ramnagar - shared motorboat) | ₹350 |
| Rooftop dinner near Godowlia Chowk (thali, per person) | ₹400 |
| Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple (repeat entry listed as Free) | Free |
| Travel Varanasi to Ayodhya (one-way shared taxi or train per person estimate) | ₹600 |
| Hanuman Garhi (dawn arti) | Free |
| Ram Ki Paidi (Sarayu riverbank, dawn arti & diyas) | Free |
| Ram Janmabhoomi complex (guided visit/prasad) | Free |
| Flower market visit (small purchases) | ₹100 |
| Nageshwarnath Temple | Free |
| Kanak Bhavan (visit) | Free |
| Sarayu Ghats riverside walk (sugarcane juice) | ₹50 |
| Ram Ki Paidi evening arti (participation, prasadam) | ₹20 |
| Nimai Ghat (ginger chai) | ₹30 |
| Treta Ke Thakur (evening kirtan) | Free |
| Local miscellaneous snacks/incidentals per day (3 days estimate, divided per day) | ₹300 |
| Estimated Total (per person) | ₹5,600 |