Banaras Wala Tours
Beschrijving
Mijn naam is Vinay Singh. Ik ben geboren en getogen in Varanasi en heb meer dan een decennium besteed aan het begeleiden van bezoekers - van individuele reizigers tot YouTubers en documentaireploegen - door de heilige straten. Mijn hele leven hier wonen heeft me diepe kennis gegeven van Varanasi’s verborgen hoekjes, tradities en spirituele rituelen. Elke tour is afgestemd op uw interesses: proef veilig straatvoedsel, zie een zonsopgang bij de ghats, dwaal door oude steegjes, bezoek verborgen tempels en ervaar hoe spiritualiteit het dagelijks leven vormgeeft. Tours duren drie tot vier uur en omvatten belangrijke historische en religieuze plaatsen, ghats, crematiegronden, smalle straatjes, markten en geheime plekken die het echte Varanasi onthullen. Onderweg deel ik niet alleen de geschiedenis, maar ook verhalen over het dagelijks leven, de lokale gebruiken en mijn eigen ervaringen toen ik hier opgroeide. Mijn doel is dat je vertrekt met herinneringen en inzichten die je in geen enkele gids vindt.
Rondreisopties
Reisroute
Om 5 uur ’s ochtends verzamelt u zich in Assi Ghat om getuige te zijn van de ochtendcrematierituelen en de eerste gebeden van de dag. De ghat komt tot leven met het chanten van priesters, de gloed van rituele vuren en het gestage ritme van heilige offers aan de rivier. Tegen de achtergrond van zonsopgang boven de Ganges belichaamt deze ceremonie de diepe cyclus van aanbidding, leven en bevrijding van de stad.
Na Assi Ghat lopen we langs Tulsi Ghat om kort het traditionele worstelen te bekijken.
We beginnen nu aan het zonsopgang boot gedeelte van de tour. De reis passeert meer dan 25 ghats, waar je de lokale bevolking ziet baden in de rivier en ochtendrituelen zich ontvouwen. Onderweg stopt de boot bij Manikarnika Ghat om getuige te zijn van de crematieceremonies, een krachtig en heilig onderdeel van Varanasi's leven aan de Ganges. De tour eindigt bij Dasaswamedh Ghat, de thuisbasis van de meest levendige activiteit van de stad.
Terwijl we door de oude stad dwalen, stoppen we en bezoeken we de Vishalakshi-tempel, gewijd aan de godin en beschouwd als een van de heilige Shakti Peethas.
Volgende op het oude stadsgedeelte van de tour is de Pashupatinath-tempel bij Lalita Ghat, gebouwd in Nepalese stijl door de koning van Nepal. Dit heiligdom weerspiegelt Varanasi’s blijvende rol als centrum van Shiva aanbidding en haar culturele banden in heel Zuid-Azië.
Vervolgens sluiten we af bij Manikarnika Ghat, de heiligste crematiegrond van Varanasi. Hier branden dag en nacht brandstapels, die symbool staan voor het hindoeïstische geloof in bevrijding uit de cyclus van wedergeboorte. Het is een diepe plek waar het spirituele hart van de stad het meest zichtbaar is.
Hoogtepunten
Wat is inbegrepen
Beoordelingen van reizigers
Belangrijke informatie
- Hulpdieren toegestaan
- Opties voor openbaar vervoer zijn in de buurt aanwezig
- Geschikt voor alle condities
Beoordelingen(345)
Anybody who goes on this experience should be prepared for a lot of meaningful information and education to what is important to their religion. Vinay was an excellent tour guide and helped us so that he made the experience as immersive as possible. He was so kind and really nice to have a chat with. Would highly recommend to anyone wishing to experience the process in which they use the ghats and the meaning behind everything they do.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 🙏 I am truly happy to hear that you found the experience meaningful and educational. It was a pleasure sharing the traditions, rituals, and spiritual significance of the ghats with you. Your curiosity and engagement made the tour even more enjoyable. Thank you for your kind words about my guiding. I always try to create an authentic and immersive experience while helping guests understand the deeper meaning behind what they witness in Varanasi. I greatly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again in the future. Wishing you safe travels and many wonderful memories from Varanasi! 😊🌅🕉️ Vinay
We had a 2 day private tour with Vinay. Met us at hotel both days. Tailored tour due to heat and ensuring we saw everything. Vinay has a wealth of knowledge which he shared with us over the 2 days. Highly recommend a private tour with Vinay. We would never have managed to see so much on our own. Thank you Vinay
Thank you very much for your wonderful review! 🙏 It was a real pleasure spending these two days with you and showing you the beauty, history, and traditions of Varanasi. I am glad we were able to adjust the itinerary to the weather and make sure you could comfortably experience all the important sites and local culture. Thank you for your kind words about my knowledge and guiding. Sharing the stories and traditions of this ancient city with interested travelers like you is something I truly enjoy. I greatly appreciate your recommendation, and I am delighted to hear that the private tour helped you discover much more than you would have on your own. Thank you again for choosing me as your guide. I wish you safe travels and many happy memories of Varanasi. 😊🙏 Warm regards, Vinay
I asked for a guide for two days. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but in my case, I was dealt with by a private guide. The way they responded to each one was very attentive, and I was impressed by how sincerely they answered any questions about nature or the meaning of religious ceremonies. Despite my poor English (almost word level), they were very gracious in their interactions using the translation app and GPT. I was also able to fully experience the morning prayers to Lord Shiva and Ganga Aarti at night, being guided to a place where I could see clearly. (Some seats are paid around Rs. 200) We also had an opportunity to walk near the actual place where the cremation was taking place and pray together at a Hindu temple, an experience that is hard for individuals to have. When I consulted about souvenirs, they showed me to the shop and I was relieved. I felt Varanasi was more of a place to experience than a place to stay. I am grateful to Vinay, my guide, for giving me a slow and in-depth experience with a schedule that is not too crammed, and for giving me the proper distance and attention. The boat operators were also very personable, and the driving was polite and safe. The experience in Varanasi was very satisfying.
素晴らしいご感想をお寄せいただき、誠にありがとうございます。 2日間にわたりご一緒させていただき、とても楽しい時間を過ごすことができました。ヴァラナシでの滞在を満足していただけたとのこと、大変嬉しく思います。 宗教儀式やヒンドゥー教の文化、自然について興味を持ってたくさん質問してくださり、私もご案内しながら楽しくお話しすることができました。また、翻訳アプリやGPTを使いながらでも積極的にコミュニケーションを取ってくださり、本当にありがとうございました。 朝の祈りやガンガー・アールティ、ボートツアー、寺院でのお祈りなど、ヴァラナシならではの体験を楽しんでいただけて何よりです。ボートの船頭にも温かいお言葉をいただき、代わりにお伝えさせていただきます。 「ヴァラナシは滞在する場所ではなく、体験する場所」というお言葉がとても印象的でした。その特別な体験のお手伝いができたことを光栄に思います。 またいつかヴァラナシにお越しの際は、ぜひお声がけください。お会いできる日を楽しみにしております。 ありがとうございました。 Vinay
Vinay organised a lovely dawn boat trip followed by an interesting tour of the Nepali temple and cremation site. I would recommend this tour.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It truly means a lot 🙏 I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed the dawn boat trip and the visit to the Nepali temple and cremation site—these are very special experiences in Varanasi. It was a pleasure organizing your tour, and I’m glad it left a good impression. Your recommendation is greatly appreciated and motivates me to keep providing the best experience possible. Hope to welcome you again in the future! 😊
We did two tours and enjoyed them both, especially the early morning one when Varanasi is at its best. Everything worked smoothly and Vinay was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. All communication was by What’s App and Vinay responded promptly whenever contacted.
Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! It truly makes me happy to know that you enjoyed both tours, especially the early morning experience—it's definitely the most peaceful and beautiful time to see Varanasi at its best. I’m really glad everything went smoothly and that you felt comfortable throughout the tours. It was a pleasure spending time with you and sharing the stories, culture, and spirit of this special city. Thank you as well for appreciating the communication—it’s always my priority to stay connected and make things easy for my guests. Wishing you all the best in your travels, and I hope to welcome you again in Varanasi someday! 🙏
It would have been nice to have a hat because it would have been quite hot even though it was 9am. Vinay, our guide, was very kind and walked slowly, sometimes looking back to confirm our presence. I am not fluent in Japanese as I am studying, but I understood it well enough to get an explanation. The visit to the crematorium is on course, but I was surprised because I didn't expect to see it so close. I will never forget the experience of being there in the last moments of the Indian life. It was nice to enjoy the view slowly with VIP support on the boat. Vinay recommends
この度はとても温かいご感想をお寄せいただき、誠にありがとうございます。 2つのツアーをお楽しみいただけたとのこと、大変嬉しく思います。特に早朝のツアーでご覧いただいたVaranasiの景色は、私自身も一番美しい時間だと感じております。 また、朝9時でも暑くなる点についてのご意見もありがとうございます。今後は帽子などのご準備について、よりしっかりご案内させていただきます。 ツアー中はゆっくりとしたペースで安心してご参加いただけたとのこと、そして私の日本語についても温かくご理解いただき、本当に感謝しております。まだ勉強中ではありますが、これからもより良いご案内ができるよう努力してまいります。 火葬場の見学はとても印象的で、心に深く残る特別な体験だったことと思います。そのような大切な瞬間を共有できたことを光栄に感じております。 また、ボートツアーもゆっくりお楽しみいただけたとのことで安心いたしました。 おすすめしていただき、本当にありがとうございます。ぜひまたVaranasiでお会いできる日を心よりお待ちしております。🙏
It was an exciting and spiritual experience. It was only a three-hour tour, but it was still a trip that touched the heart of Hinduism: a pre-dawn prayer ritual, the rising sun on Ganga, people bathing in ghat and smoke rising from the crematorium.
A very spiritual tour which we enjoyed. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we really liked the boat ride down the Ganges
Thank you very much for your kind words. I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed the spiritual experience of the tour. Varanasi has a very special energy, and it’s always a pleasure to share that with my guests. I’m also glad you liked the boat ride on the Ganges—it’s truly one of the most peaceful and memorable parts of the visit. Thank you as well for appreciating my knowledge. It was a pleasure guiding you, and I hope to welcome you again in the future. Wishing you safe travels and wonderful memories from your time in Varanasi
Banaras Wala Tours by Vinay Singh. I spent several days in Varanasi this year which meant I had plenty time to soak it all up but I also thought it would be a good idea to hone my photography skills. I contacted Vinay Singh through Trip Advisor (searching Photography tours should bring him up) and we arranged a couple of tours. On one day, we visited Manikarnika, the flower and vegetable markets. The ghats were busy due to the approaching Masan Holi, so we got to take a few photos of Sadhus too. On another day, we went out to visit Sari Mohana, a village not too far away from Namo ghat. On the way, we briefly stopped to photograph the confluence where the Varuna runs into the Ganges. I hadn't seen this before, so that was interesting - maybe not the amount of waste that unfortunately collected there. In the village, we walked around the houses and greeted anyone who came to us. We ventured into a few houses when allowed, and got to see weavers working and fishing nets being made. Vinay, a native of Varanasi clearly knows his stuff and has worked with many clients including professional photographers. I did 2 wonderful days with him and I look forward to doing something else with him next time I am in his beautiful city.
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and detailed feedback. I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It was a real pleasure spending those days with you and exploring Varanasi through photography. I’m glad you enjoyed visiting Manikarnika, the busy markets, and experiencing the unique atmosphere around Masan Holi. It’s always a special time at the ghats, and I’m happy you were able to capture those moments, including the sadhus. I’m also pleased that you found the visit to Sari Mohana village interesting. Seeing the weaving work, local homes, and daily life offers a different and more personal side of Varanasi, and I’m glad it added value to your journey. The confluence of the Varuna and the Ganges is indeed a unique spot, even if it sometimes shows the challenges the city faces. Thank you as well for your kind words about my work and experience. It was truly enjoyable guiding you, and I’m happy we could create some meaningful photographic experiences together. I look forward to welcoming you again on your next visit to my beautiful city. There is always more to explore and capture in Varanasi! Wishing you all the best and safe travels until we meet again.
Vinay was a good guide, he explained well about each Ghat. Worth trying the tour! 日本語の対応もしてくれました。安心して参加できるツアーです！
