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Varanasi Tours
Banaras Wala Tours
5

Banaras Wala Tours

By Vinay Singh
Recommended by 97% of travellers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 0-100
Duration: 3–4 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Japanese, English, Spanish
More


  • Bottled water
  • Coffee and/or Tea
  • Entry/Admission - Dasaswamedh Ghat


Start:Traveller pickup offered.
    Pickup details
    • We pick travelers from the hotel, which will be in Varanasi
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        • Service animals allowed
        • Near public transportation
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 136607P1

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Most travellers can participate
        • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 136607P1

        From
        ₹1,995.92
        per adult (price varies by group size)
        Select date and travellers

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        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Vinay Singh
          258
          Varanasi, India
          Joined in June 2019
        • Fifi777999
          0 contributions
          3.0 of 5 bubbles
          Photography tour
          The tour was good overall. Unfortunately we couldn't start until 10am as we had to move to a different hotel. When we met Vinay he immediately disappeared for 20 minutes to have breakfast which was annoying. He found a number of Sadhus for me to take photos of, though their poses could have been improved. There were not many ideas of other interesting people/ places to photograph. It was interesting to see the wholesale flower market and the wrestlers training. There was a lot of walking in the heat. I think we should have taken a tuk tuk or rickshaw and stopped at some point for refreshment.
          Written 17 November 2024
        • Global36019506626
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Very proffesional guide
          He is very professional guide and can speak English, Spanish and Japanese. I can enjoy 3.5hours Sunrise tour in Varanashi old town.
          Written 29 June 2024
        • Inspiration420801
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fabulous trip. Would do it again.
          We highly recommend this tour. Our tour guide was Vikesh. He is softly spoken, very knowledgeable of the area, history, religion and geography. He took us on boats, into sensitive spiritual areas, side streets and fantastic coffee bars and restaurants. I captured the most amazing photographs, Vikesh advised me when I could or couldn’t take pics. We even had pre booked seats on a rooftop for the main evening ceremony. We highly recommend this trip. Kevin & Maryke (South Africa)
          Written 30 November 2023
        • rikalauren
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          The best way to discover Varanasi!
          I had an absolutely incredible experience with my tour guide Vinay. From the moment I met him, his enthusiasm and knowledge about Varanasi’s history, religion and culture shone through. I did the day tour and the morning tour(Banaras Wala Tours) with him. Vinay tailored the tour to my interests, taking me to hidden gems and providing fascinating insights at every stop. His warm personality and attention to detail made the trip unforgettable. He has great energy and your tour of Varanasi is incomplete if you have not seen Varanasi through his eyes! 100% recommend and 5 stars for Vinay!
          Written 5 September 2023
        • Mobile48078441376
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great tour at the Taj
          Vinay is a very patient guide. He is punctual give us the right information and time for yourself to explore the sites. Count on him for a good visit!
          Written 5 September 2023
        • 665natitam
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Walking Tour in Varanasi
          Vinay arranged amazing itinerary for us to emerge ourselve in Varanasi in very unique locally ways even without visiting any touristy places (on our request). His attention to every details in lifes in Varanasi and in-dept knowledge had fulfilled us to the level that we would love to spend more time exploring this ancient city with him. This man is very exceptional guide you wouldn't want to miss when visiting varanasi. Highly recommended👍👍
          Written 29 April 2023
        • Yi-yen C
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Good
          Vinay is a very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide, he speaks English and Spanish both. I'm happy that we became good friend after some very interesting chatting. highly recommended.
          Written 20 October 2022
        • Özesu Y
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Varanasi
          A beautifully tailored experience through Varanasi…Vikash my guide was absolutely the best person to witness Varanasi.
          Written 3 September 2022
        • Vipul_shah58
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          BEAUTIFUL RELIGIOUS VARANASI
          Varansi a beautiful place to visit, The ganga ghat been totally cleared of all types of nuisance looks very beautiful now, The kashi vishwanath temple made totally new now is worth visiting, and of course the ganga aarti in the late evening, the city has developed a lot from before so worth visiting.
          Written 29 June 2022
        • zana f
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Top guide
          A trip around Varanasi with Vinay was amazing. I've been to Varanasi several times but he was the forst person who took me to sanskrt university where he explained to me the philosophy of mahabharata, but aplied to common everyday experiences of people. I would recommend him as a guide to everyone. Charismatic character with a lot of knowledge and kindness.
          Written 16 February 2021
        • adityayahoo
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Nice tourist guide
          I availed the services of this tourist guide for visiting the city. He is a good person and knows his job.
          Written 31 January 2020
        • Chenchenyy
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Wonderful tour
          Varanasi is a very attractive place to visit. Vikash and Vinay provide plenty choices to explore this city. They are friendly, honestly and very helpful. I definitely recommend this tour!!!
          Written 11 January 2020
        • lmercado1
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Good tour with Vinnay!
          Thank you Vinnay for a great tour!! He is very knowledgeable and kind. We didn’t get the chance to do a boat tour but a walking tour was enough to learn all the history.
          Written 16 December 2019
        • JJC1999
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Even Better Than Advertised
          Vinay gave a tour of the city that included so many things in a relatively short amount of time. His knowledge of the city, the sites and the history was some of the best I've witnessed from any tour guide, and his insights into the Hindu religion gave crucial context. He went above and beyond at accommodating a few special requests, and was very thoughtful at catering the tour to my interests. Finally, it was a great pleasure spending the time with Vinay, who was incredibly friendly.
          Written 27 November 2019
        • joshuafirst
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Group tour of 4
          Vinay is one of the best guides I have ever met in Varanasi. He has deep knowledge about this city, fast response and flexible guide. We’re a photography group of 4 hired him for arranging streetphoto and exploring Varanasi during the Dev Deepawali celebration. Vinay handled our ityneraries request very well. He could easily arrange all we need to approach the locals, as well as direct us to the best spots (temples, restos, ancient roads) where we can find so many traditional ambiance. Streets in Varanasi look like a confusing maze. It’s easy for us to be lost. But he know all right details and directions. Vinay is humble and honest person, able to communicate English well. You can check the photos I captured with him on IG : joshuafirst. Thanks, Vinay.
          Written 14 November 2019
        See all 258 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

        Popular mentions

        5.0
        5.0 of 5 bubbles237 reviews
        Excellent
        219
        Very good
        13
        Average
        3
        Poor
        1
        Terrible
        1

        asetright
        Lucca, Italy10 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Feb 2020 • Couples
        We had a tour booked for Vijay on a Sunday morning. We chose him because of his excellent reviews and we weren't disappointed. He arrived on time early in the morning to collect us from our hotel which was on the outskirts of town, not central. He turned a Tuk Tuk puncture into an opportunity by taking us to the closest chai stall to have masala chai with some local guys. A great start to the day. This continued throughout our tour. He modified the plan, as we had done an evening tour the day before so very kindly giving us an extended morning tour lasting 5 hours. He was very knowledgable and answered all of our questions fully. If you are visiting Varanasi, please book Vijay for a full morning and evening tour. One thing totally beyond his control was that we were only there for a Sunday morning which is quieter than other mornings. Our fault not his but he made it a great tour anyway. If you have the choice, and if this popular guide us available, choose another day. Excellent value for money.
        Written 12 March 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Linda J
        Bedford, NH7 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Feb 2020 • Couples

        Vinay was the highlight of our trip to India. His love and knowledge of Varanasi and it’s history is quite evident. We had a tour and a lesson. He lead us through alleys and took us to places we would never have found or ventured to on our own. We loved that he knew so many people along the way, my husband commented he was like the mayor of Varanasi. Vinay met us at our hotel on time, we had an early morning boat ride on the Ganges. We learned about the different Ghats and rituals, we then went by foot to see the city which included a stop for coffee and visiting the golden temple along with others. One thing we appreciated was that Vinay never took us to a shop to try to get us to buy from friends etc. (this happened to us with other tour guides). Vinay is an honest person, proud to teach about his beautiful city and country. We enjoyed our day so much that we set up a tour of Sarnath the next day. After our tour we asked Vinay to help us with directions to a cafe ( Nikta, for Thali) we wanted to try, he did not just point us in the right direction, he walked us there. We have no doubt we will be back to Varanasi and when we return, we will reach out to Vinay again. Thank you Vinay!!!
        Written 11 March 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        SM24FEB
        1 contribution
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Aug 2022
        Vishal Pandey was our guide for the day and he really took good care of us in taking us to the landmark spots around the city. He is very knowledgeable and well aware about the history of the city.
        However, there were couple of things which could have been better -
        1) Boat trip was very short and expensive(had to pay separately for the boat ride) - since the Ganga water levels were higher during our stay so we could only take motorized boats. But the boats only took us for a 30 mins ride(it was mentioned that the trip would be an hour long) to a handful of ghats around Dashaswamedh ghat. It was a bit disappointing.
        2) Shri Kashi Viswanath mandir darshan - our guide took us to the Shiv Shakti Rudraksh shop opposite to the Manikarnika dwar where a Shashtri'ji accompanied us to the temple for a darshan. They charged us an exorbitant amount for our darshan(which was separate from this tour). Later I found out that the same darshan could have been done through the Shri Kashi Viswanath official helpdesk at a quarter of a price.

        Considering these services were provided through vendors outside of Banaras Wala Tours, I am sure Mr Vinay can find better alternatives.

        Overall, the itinerary set by Banaras wala tours is good and lets you see quite a bit of the city.
        Written 19 August 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Sir thank you for great reviews and your opinion I will sure take Action and i try to improve my company more nicely. Best regards 🙏🏽 and you're often welcome Banaras wala tours Vinay singh
        Written 19 August 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Emma T
        16 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Vinay is an exceptional guide, communication was brilliant and he adapts the tour to your personal requirements...vinay gives you the option on how to travel. We chose to go by foot so we could see the alley ways and ghats. Where there is so much life and interest at seemingly at every corner, vinay is so knowledgeable and we learnt so much from our tour.
        Its much more than an ordinary tour ..its dynamic. Even at the flower market...we went onto the roof to see the outstanding colours and take in the floral aromas from above.
        Our highlight was the Shri Vishwanath temple.. where we recieved a blessing from the holy man. We left we an over riding sense of peace.
        The day was finished off by delicious lassi at the blue lassi, Vinay made sure we got bck to our hotel safetly.
        A totally recommended, trustworthy and informative guide.
        Thanks Vinay.

        Written 9 March 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Jack
        7 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        We had a brilliant afternoon/evening walking tour round Varanasi with Vinay. He tailored the tour to fit what we wanted to see and took us to some places we loved - and would’ve never thought of going. We saw temples, walked the streets, had a sunset boat ride, saw the sunset ceremony from a great viewpoint, and chatted a lot. He’s extremely knowledgeable, very happy to answer questions and talk through anything we were seeing, and his English was perfect. Thanks again for the tour Vinay!
        Written 6 March 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        bertdean
        1 contribution
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jan 2020
        Vinay was THE BEST guide we had during out entire three weeks in India.

        If we had it to do again, we would have contacted Vinay and had him handle everything for us in Varanasi.

        I arranged various tours with various tour companies throughout India. We had several tours arranged in Varanasi using mostly different companies for each.

        We actually cancelled some of our tours and rebooked with Vinay because he was so good.

        Vinay was born and grew up in Varanasi. He knows the town and seemingly everyone in it. He was always prompt, courteous, and gracious. He listened to what we were interested in and altered his tours to make sure we experienced what interested us rather than staying with a scripted agenda.

        Vinay knows the history of Varanasi, its culture, and its religions. There was not a question we asked about which he did not have a wealth of knowledge. Our time with Vinay was educational on many levels. We learned about current Varanasi and the history of Varanasi from the textbook viewpoint as well as the religious stories and traditions that brought the town to life for us. We learned a great deal about Hinduism, Buddhism, the Sikhs, and the Jains (both main sects). We walked the narrow streets to beautiful hidden spots including an amazing tea shop that we had Vinay take us to everyday. We boated on the river, rode tuk-tuks, walked through the large markets and small back alleyways. We walked along the Ghats at night and during the daylight hours.

        During our walks and boat rides, Vinay explained the history and folklore of the Ghats and the related temples and palaces. He explained things in a way that we could understand and the made Varanasi come to life. For example he told stories of how Shiva and his wife and how the fight between Shiva and Brahma were key to the holiness of Varanasi. And he explained the Ganges so we could understand how a Hindu sees the Ganges.

        After our time with Vinay we feel we really not just saw, but experienced Varanasi.

        As I said, when we return I will contact Vinay, let him know what we are interested in, and let him manage all of our time in Varanasi.

        Thank you Vinay for a fun, enlightening, and wonderful experience in Varanasi.
        Written 6 February 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Brendan N
        10 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Today I had such an amazing experience with Vinay! The tour was a feast to all the senses from beginning to end. Vinay picked me up from my hotel at 5:40am to experience the morning Aarti at the Assi Ghat. After a few stops along the way, we board our boat to see the sunrise over the various ghats. Absolutely incredible! After the boat ride the tour continued. We visited the Golden Temple (extra 600 rupees), Nepalese Temple (extra 200 rupees) and Manmadir Temple and Jantar Mantar (extra 300 rupees). We also visited the vegetable, fish and flower markets along the main street from Dashashwamedh, had some masala chai and a local Varanasi breakfast. After a 6hr tour I was back in my hotel. Exhausted but fully satisfied! Thank you, Vinay!
        Written 13 February 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Thomas
        Amsterdam, The Netherlands14 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        There is so much to see, that a guide is highly recommended in Varanasi. Who else is going to tell you the story behind the image? We were fortunate to have Vicky as our guide. Throughout the day he showed us not only the known spots such as the ghats, but also lesser known landmarks, religious sites and interesting places behind closed doors. For example, Vicky showed us some of the labour places where Silk is being woven in still a very traditional way. Vicky is a well known trusted guide in Varanasi, which has its benefits. For example, it was never a problem to take a picture of the sites we embarked on and Vicky knows a lot about the history of the city and its people.

        All in all, it was a great day and the tour provided by Vicky made our trip to Varanasi so much better. Highly recommendable!
        Written 2 February 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Holly R
        Sunnyvale, CA13 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Vinay is so knowledgable about Varanasi's history and the Hindi culture. I learned so much from him! His English is really good, knows the best chai and food place, and shops (perfume, silk, etc). As a solo female traveler, I felt very safe with him and comfortable asking him questions.

        Anyone I know going to visit Varanasi I will recommend his tour for them. I cannot thank Vinay enough for a wonderful time on my journey experiencing Varanasi.
        Written 17 February 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Anandsubr
        Suwanee, GA21 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        So don’t know where to start from. Vikash was assigned to me and even before I reached varanasi his communication with me on planning was detailed and prompt.

        The first day, I told him I wanted to bathe in five ghats. He surprised me by getting a private boat and stopped at all the ghats, gave me instructions and made sure I was safe. After a rewarding sunrise boat bathe experience, he took me to a great roadside tea stall and also had the most delicious butter toast…yes simple butter toast but yummy. Then he took me a local place to eat kachori aaloo and jalebi. A traditional breakfast.

        Second half of the day he took me to the temples which complete the bathing ritual. And even to the main kashi temple where he got me to touch the Idol. But the highlight was at the end of night a vip seat to watch the aarti from an elevation. It was amazing.

        Second day we went to Sarnath and as usual like clockwork he arranged for guide, temples. He even took me to a Bharath mata temple which is a replica of ancitent india made on marble. It was amazing.

        Last day he arranged for the best driver Tiwari ji who came with me to the kaal bhairon temple and then dropped me at the airport.

        Each time all of them were 10 mins early everywhere. Vikash knew almost all locals. And is a wealth of knowledge of everything varanasi has to offer.

        I came to get for a spiritual experience and left with a relationship of lifetime. Vikash and Tiwari ji will miss you.
        Written 2 May 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Namaste 🙏🏽 dear guest Thank you for Visiting us it great that you experienced our services as you Expect we fixed everything before you coming it really great that you have talk everything properly clear that's way it's more easy to arrange everything better and fixed goodly you're most welcome often Banaras wala tours Vinay Singh +919628010421
        Written 8 June 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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