Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Prayagraj–Varanasi road journey — Prayagraj to Banaras via NH19, ~3–3.5 hours each way; depart around 5:30 AM to reach central Varanasi near 9:00 AM, allowing time for traffic and parking. Use a paid parking area near Godowlia or Ravidas Ghat, then continue locally by auto/e-rickshaw.
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple — Godowlia/ Vishwanath Gali; visit the city’s most important Shiva temple, ideally with a pre-booked darshan slot and ID, ~9:00–10:30 AM including security and queues. Entry timing depends on the temple’s current schedule; leave valuables in approved lockers.
Kashi Vishwanath Gali — Old City; walk through the atmospheric lanes for flower shops, devotional goods, and local snacks, ~10:30–11:15 AM. Keep the group together and avoid carrying large bags.
BrijRama Palace — Darbhanga Ghat; have lunch at this heritage riverside restaurant, approximately ₹800–₹1,500 per person, ~12:00–1:15 PM. Reservations are advisable, and riverside access may require walking from the vehicle drop-off.
Dashashwamedh Ghat — Godowlia riverfront; explore Banaras’s principal ghat and take a short boat ride along the nearby ghats, ~1:30–3:00 PM. Confirm boat pricing and safety equipment before boarding; avoid overpacking the schedule with distant ghats.
Assi Ghat — Southern riverfront; enjoy a relaxed riverside walk and tea before beginning the return, ~3:30–4:15 PM. Leave early enough for the road journey and evening traffic.
Varanasi–Prayagraj road journey — Return via NH19, depart around 4:30–5:00 PM for arrival in Prayagraj around 8:00–8:30 PM; allow extra time for congestion, a meal stop, and night driving.
Leave Prayagraj around 5:30 AM for Banaras, allowing roughly 3–3.5 hours via NH19, plus a short halt and traffic near the city. For three people, a private car is the most practical option; confirm that the driver is comfortable with an evening return and night driving. Avoid trying to take the car into the old lanes: use paid parking near Godowlia or, if congestion is heavy, near Ravidas Ghat, then continue by e-rickshaw or on foot. Reach the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple area close to 9:00 AM, with extra time for security, lockers, and queues. Pre-booked darshan is strongly advisable through the temple’s official system; carry ID, keep phones and larger bags in an approved locker, and check the current entry schedule before leaving.
After the temple, spend about 45 minutes wandering Kashi Vishwanath Gali. The lane is crowded but atmospheric, with flower sellers, brassware, devotional items, and small sweet shops; stay together and carry only essentials. Walk or take a short e-rickshaw connection toward Darbhanga Ghat for lunch at BrijRama Palace, allowing time for the riverside approach from the vehicle drop-off. Reserve ahead if possible, and budget approximately ₹800–₹1,500 per person. The restaurant is a pleasant heritage pause, but lunch can take time, so aim to finish around 1:15 PM rather than lingering too long.
Continue to Dashashwamedh Ghat around 1:30 PM for the busiest and most vivid stretch of the riverfront. A short boat ride along the nearby ghats is worthwhile, but agree on the total fare and duration before boarding, check that life jackets or other safety equipment are available, and avoid accepting vague “special” prices from touts. Keep this to a local river loop rather than attempting to cover distant ghats. Around 3:30 PM, take an auto or e-rickshaw south to Assi Ghat—traffic between the old city and Assi can be slow—and enjoy a brief riverside walk with tea. Keep the stop relaxed but short, as the road journey is the day’s limiting factor.
Leave Banaras by 4:30–5:00 PM at the latest, returning to Prayagraj via NH19. Expect approximately 3–3.5 hours in normal conditions, though evening traffic, a meal stop, toll-plaza delays, and night driving can push arrival toward 8:30–9:00 PM. Refuel and use the restroom before departure, and make the final stop near the highway rather than re-entering the congested old city.
No packing list attached yet.