Wandermate Premium · 2 nights · 3 days
Varanasi, the eternal experience
First encounter with Kashi. Three days with a companion who knows every lane, a boat of your own, and a seat beside the Aarti.
- Length
- 2 nights, 3 days
- Stay
- Boutique heritage hotel
- On the river
- Private wooden boat
- Food
- Three food walks
- With you
- A Kashi companion
The journey
Our most popular choice: a deeper, more personalised journey through Varanasi's spiritual and cultural layers. You stay in a boutique heritage property, travel in semi-private arrangements, and get access to experiences not available in standard tours.
A Wandermate group in the old city lanes.
Why Varanasi
The city that transcends time
Varanasi, also known as Kashi or Banaras, is one of the world's oldest living cities, stretching along the sacred Ganges for over 3,000 years. Every dawn, thousands of pilgrims descend the ghats to bathe in the holy river. Every dusk, the sky erupts in the golden flames of the Ganga Aarti. This is a city where every stone, every alley and every ritual carries the weight of millennia.
- sacred ghats
- 84sacred ghats
- years of continuous civilisation
- 3,000+years of continuous civilisation
- temples
- 23,000+temples
- Jyotirlingas
- 1 of 12Jyotirlingas
From the founders
Hosted the way we’d host our closest friends
“For me, Kashi isn't a destination you check off a list — it's a city you have to feel. Growing up around this ancient energy, I watched too many travellers get overwhelmed by the chaos, missing the subtle magic that makes Varanasi so profound.”
“When I curated our Premium package, I designed it exactly how I would host my own closest friends. To me, success is that moment when Kashi stops feeling foreign, and starts feeling like a piece of who you are.”
“When Ayush and I started Wandermate, we had one clear goal: to stop people from just sightseeing in Varanasi and actually help them experience it.”
“Premium is all about exclusive access and unhurried moments — taking care of the logistics so perfectly that your mind is completely free to wander. We didn't build this to run standard tours; we built it to give you a profound, effortless connection to the city we love.”
Every dusk, the sky erupts in the golden flames of the Ganga Aarti.
Itinerary
Three days, hour by hour
A rhythm built around the river: the Aarti at dusk, temples before dawn, and real rest in between.
Day 1
Arrival, the central old city & Ganga Aarti
Day 1
Arrival, the central old city & Ganga Aarti
Arrival & check-in
- Private AC pickup from the airport or railway station, with a greeting from your driver and bottled water
- Check-in at a premium property or boutique hotel
- Welcome kit: welcome drink, a handwritten city note and a printed itinerary booklet
- A briefing with your Kashi companion about the days ahead
Rest & unwind
- A quiet rest at the property — no rush, no itinerary
- Optional light room service or a short nap
Evening
The Ganga Aarti, premium riverside
- Head to the ghats with your local companion
- Disembark at Dashashwamedh Ghat and take reserved premium seats right next to the main ceremony
- Float traditional diyas on the river and share kulhad chai as the crowds disperse
Night
Street food walk — Chowk & the old city
- Tamatar chaat, aloo tikki, Banarasi paan, gol-gappe, thandai, palangtod mithai (seasonal) and Banarasi sweets
- Each dish with its full story — the vendor, the history, the craft behind it
- Hidden bylanes, lit temples and the completely different energy of old Kashi at night
Darshan at Kaal Bhairav
- Kaal Bhairav — the fierce guardian deity of the city, offered liquor as prasad
- Mrityunjay Mahadev — the Shiva who conquers death, with the ancient Dhanvantari healing well inside
- Back to the property to rest — early start tomorrow
Day 2
Pre-dawn river, north city temples & Manikarnika
Day 2
Pre-dawn river, north city temples & Manikarnika
4:30 am
Temple circuit — north & central
- Kashi Vishwanath — VIP darshan before the crowds gather; the Jyotirlinga and its golden spire
- Annapurna — goddess of nourishment, right beside Vishwanath and almost always missed
- Vishalakshi — 250 metres away, one of India's 51 Shakti Peethas, the eye of Sati
Morning
Banarasi breakfast & your private boat
- Kachori sabzi, jalebi and chai at an iconic old-city shop — with the story of the shop, the dish and the street
- Board your private boat at Panchaganga Ghat
Your boat route
- Panchaganga
- Bundi Parkota
- Manikarnika
- Lalita
- Dashashwamedh
- Kedar
- Harishchandra
- Panchaganga
Lunch & rest
- Back to the property for genuine rest
Afternoon
The silk walk — Madanpura weaversOptional
- The Madanpura and Lallapura weaver quarters, where every household runs a handloom
- Karkhanas with pit looms and jacquard looms at work; master weavers 15 to 20 generations deep
- The full process — thread dyeing, warp setting, zari work and finishing
- Buy directly from the weavers at source prices, then explore pure silk, brocade, tissue and georgette
Evening
South Kashi temples & BHU
- Durga Kund — the iconic red temple and its sacred tank
- Tulsi Manas — white marble, where Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas
- Sankat Mochan Hanuman — founded by Tulsidas, alive with devotion and music
- New Vishwanath Temple and a walk through the BHU campus, one of India's most beautiful
Day 3
Morning ghats, street food & farewell
Day 3
Morning ghats, street food & farewell
First light
The final ghat walk
- Assi Ghat for Subah-e-Banaras — yoga, Vedic chanting at the river
- North through Tulsi Ghat and past Chet Singh Ghat, quieter and more contemplative at dawn
- An ancient akhada and the history of the ghats
- A farewell chai at a heritage ghat — one last sit with the river
Farewell breakfast — Assi & Lanka
- Kachori sabzi, jalebi, kulhad chai and lassi — the definitive Banarasi morning
- Final stories and reflections about the city from your companion
Checkout & departure
- Private AC transfer to the airport or railway station
- A parting handwritten note from your Kashi companion, and a surprise gift
Want a slower day, or a different hotel? Every detail can change.
Tailor these daysWhat’s included
Everything, taken care of
Stay
- 2 nights at a curated boutique heritage property or premium haveli
- Daily breakfast
- Welcome drink and a cold towel on arrival
Transfers
- Private AC pickup and drop, airport or railway station
- All local transfers in a private AC vehicle — or an auto where cars can't go
- A personalised pre-trip call to understand your preferences
On the river
- A private wooden boat for every ghat experience — never shared
- Diyas floated on the river after the Aarti
Temples
- Kashi Vishwanath with VIP darshan facilitation
- Annapurna, Vishalakshi and Kaal Bhairav
- Mrityunjay Mahadev with the story of the Dhanvantari well
- Durga, Tulsi Manas, Sankat Mochan and New Vishwanath
Walks
- Old-city heritage walk — Vishwanath Gali, Alamgir Mosque, Thatheri Bazaar
- A sensory walk through the deeper old-city lanes
- A working Banarasi silk karkhana with a handloom demonstration
Food
- Night street food walk with a local food storyteller
- Morning food walk around Chowk and old Banaras
- Farewell breakfast of kachori sabzi and lassi at Assi and Lanka
Support
- A personal Kashi companion throughout
- 24/7 WhatsApp support for your whole stay
Little things
- Wandermate welcome kit with a handwritten city note
- A printed, personalised itinerary booklet
- A Sanskrit shloka handwritten for you on handmade paper
Where you’ll stay
Or a similar boutique property, depending on availability.
Not included
- Flights or trains to and from Varanasi
- Lunches and dinners, apart from the three food walks
- Personal shopping and souvenirs
- Anything not listed as included
Add-on experiences
Make it yours
Add any of these when you book, or during your stay. Prices are per session or per car.
Photography session
A 2–3 hour professional shoot at iconic ghats. An edited gallery of 50+ images within 48 hours.
₹3,499per session
Day trip: Vindhyachal
Vindhyavasini Devi Temple and the surrounding circuit. Half or full day.
₹2,999per car
Day trip: Prayagraj
A full day by private car: Triveni Sangam, Allahabad Fort and Anand Bhawan.
₹3,499per car
Day trip: Ayodhya
A full private day: Ram Janmabhoomi, Hanuman Garhi and the Saryu Aarti.
₹6,499per car
Pujas & rituals
Mangala Aarti, Kaal Bhairav puja, Sankalp Aarti, Rudrabhishek and other pujas.
On request
Classical music evening
A private 90-minute performance — sarangi, tabla or sitar — on a boat or in a heritage setting.
On request
Places we cover
Across the sacred circuit
Temples9
- Kashi Vishwanath
- Annapurna
- Vishalakshi
- Kaal Bhairav
- Mrityunjay Mahadev
- Durga Kund
- Tulsi Manas
- Sankat Mochan Hanuman
- New Vishwanath
Ghats10
- Dashashwamedh
- Assi
- Panchaganga
- Tulsi
- Chet Singh
- Bundi Parkota
- Manikarnika
- Lalita
- Kedar
- Harishchandra
Neighbourhoods7
- Chowk
- The central old city
- Madanpura weavers
- Lallapura weavers
- BHU campus
- Lanka
- An ancient akhada
Beyond Varanasi — as add-on day trips
70km from Varanasi
Vindhyachal
- Vindhyavasini Devi — a powerful Shakti Peetha
- Ashtabhuja Temple & Kali Khoh
- Ganges-side ghats and a boat ritual
125km from Varanasi
Prayagraj
- Triveni Sangam — Ganga, Yamuna & Saraswati
- Anand Bhawan, the Nehru family home
- Akbar's 16th-century Allahabad Fort
- The 'lying down' Hanuman
200km from Varanasi
Ayodhya
- Ram Janmabhoomi
- Hanuman Garhi — the 76-step fort temple
- Kanak Bhawan, the golden crown temple
- The Saryu evening Aarti
- Nageshwarnath Temple & Mani Parvat
Kashi is not just a city. It is an experience that lives within you.
How to book
Five easy steps
A tailored itinerary and quote within 24 hours. A 50% advance confirms; the balance is due 7 days before you travel.
- 1
Enquire
WhatsApp +91 92143 13559, Instagram, or wandermate.in — with your dates, group size and package.
- 2
Customise
A tailored itinerary and quote within 24 hours. We refine it until it's right.
- 3
Confirm
A 50% advance confirms your booking. The balance is due 7 days before travel.
- 4
Travel
We handle everything from here. Arrive in Varanasi and let us take care of you.
- 5
Share
We'd love your review and photos — tag @wandermate.in on Instagram.
Guest reviews
Words from travellers who felt Kashi with us
“Kashi is not just a city. It is an experience that lives within you long after you leave.”
- WhatsApp & phone
- +91 92143 13559+91 84004 37772+91 80819 53302
- info@wandermate.in
- @wandermate.in
- Visit us
- First floor, B27/92-13, Durgakund Road, Jawahar Nagar Colony, Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005