Varanasi is believed to offer its visitors ‘Moksha’, liberation from cycle of rebirth. Our sacred journey in this holy city begins with Sunrise Boat Cruise on ‘The Ganges River’. Capture picturesque views riverfront steps ‘Ghats’ filled with ancient temples, classic houses and hundreds of pilgrims who come to wash-away their sins in this sacred river. Witness crematory rituals at Burning Ghats of ‘Manikarnika’ and understand the meaning of Karma, Salvation and Afterlife. Return to Hotel for breakfast and rest.

After breakfast, we begin a Heritage Walk Tour through maze-like streets of Varanasi. First stop, we visit a traditional Indian Wrestling Joint ‘Akhada’ and watch wrestlers perform using traditional exercise tools or doing ‘Kushti’ – an Indian wrestling on fresh mud pits. Pure Varanasi Silk is world-renowned, and next we visit a Traditional Silk Weaving Unit to experience this rare art. Explore 1776 built Vishwananth Gold Temple covered in 800 Kg of Gold dedicated to ‘Lord Shiva’, the principle deity of Hinduism. Outside temple enjoy a session of Indian Palm Reading by Hindu Astrologers locally called ‘Jyotish’.

Later you will be driven to the buried Buddhist City of ‘Sarnath’ via Inside a Traditional Silk Weavers Unit, where ‘Lord Buddha’ began his preaching and gave birth to Buddhism. Here we visit inside Archaeological Museum housing rare excavations from 3rd century AD. Our day tour ends at the riverfront of The Ganges to participate with the locals in a Sunset Ceremony Aarti, a Sanskrit prayer performed to worship The Ganges River by several priests, accompanied by bells, drums, cymbals and flower petals.

Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after he achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya, and gave his famous first sermon at the deer park here in Isipatana. In the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka erected magnificent stupas and monasteries here, as well as an engraved pillar. When Chinese traveller Xuan Zang dropped by in AD 640, Sarnath boasted a 100m-high stupa and 1500 monks living in large monasteries.