Ahmedabad to Banaras, Kedarnath Itinerary for August 2023

1. Day 1: Banaras Hindu University
   30 minutes (6.5 miles) from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport

   In the morning, explore the Banaras Hindu University campus, which houses multiple museums and the Bharat Kala Bhavan art gallery. In the afternoon, visit the nearby Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. In the evening, take a boat ride on the Ganges River to witness the Aarti ceremony.

2. Day 2: Dasaswamedh Ghat
   20 minutes (2.5 miles) from Banaras Hindu University

   Start the day with a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges River to see the ghats (steps leading down to the riverbank) come to life. Visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Annapurna Devi Temple, and then head to the famous Dasaswamedh Ghat for the evening Ganga aarti ceremony.

3. Day 3: Assi Ghat
   20 minutes (2.7 miles) from Dasaswamedh Ghat

   Visit the Tulsi Manas Temple in the morning and then head to the Assi Ghat area for a yoga class. In the afternoon, explore the nearby markets and have lunch at the famous Blue Lassi shop. End the day with a sunset boat ride.

4. Day 4: Kashi Vishwanath Temple
   10 minutes (1.6 miles) from Assi Ghat

   In the morning, visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple again to avoid the crowds. Afterward, take a taxi to the airport for a flight to Dehradun. From there, take a taxi to Rudraprayag and check into your hotel.

5. Day 5: Kedarnath Temple
   3 hours (70 miles) from Rudraprayag

   Start the day early and take a shared taxi to Gaurikund. From there, trek to Kedarnath Temple, which is one of the four sacred shrines in Hinduism. The trek takes around 6-8 hours. Spend the night in Kedarnath.

6. Day 6: Guptkashi
   12 miles from Kedarnath Temple

   Wake up early and visit the Kedarnath Temple again before trekking back to Gaurikund. From there, take a taxi to Guptkashi, a small town known for its ancient temples and scenic beauty. Visit the Vishwanath Temple and Ardhnareshwar Temple in the evening.

7. Day 7: Dehradun
   6 hours (150 miles) from Guptkashi

   Take a taxi back to Dehradun and spend the day exploring the city. Visit the Mindrolling Monastery, Robber's Cave, and the Forest Research Institute. In the evening, head to Paltan Bazaar for some shopping.

Recommendations

Consider taking a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges River at Haridwar and visiting the nearby Daksheswara Mahadev Temple. You can also take a detour to Rishikesh, known as the Yoga Capital of the World.

Time and Costs Estimates

• Banaras Hindu University (3 hours, free)
• Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple (1 hour, free)
• Boat ride on the Ganges River (1 hour, 300 INR)
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple (2 hours, free)
• Annapurna Devi Temple (1 hour, free)
• Dasaswamedh Ghat (2 hours, free)
• Assi Ghat (3 hours, free)
• Yoga class (1 hour, 500 INR)
• Blue Lassi shop (1 hour, 50 INR)
• Tulsi Manas Temple (1 hour, free)
• Flight from Banaras to Dehradun (2 hours, 6000 INR)
• Taxi to Rudraprayag (3 hours, 3000 INR)
• Kedarnath Trek (10 hours, 500 INR)
• Vishwanath Temple (1 hour, free)
• Ardhnareshwar Temple (1 hour, free)
• Mindrolling Monastery (2 hours, free)
• Robber's Cave (1 hour, free)
• Forest Research Institute (2 hours, free)
• Shopping at Paltan Bazaar (2 hours, varies)
• Total Estimated Costs: 7350 INR/person