Ghats
The riverfront ghats of Varanasi along the Ganga — aarti, boat rides and what each is known for.
6 listedVaranasi has around 84 ghats — broad stone steps where the city meets the Ganga. They are used for bathing, prayer, cremation and daily life, and a dawn boat ride past them is the classic Kashi experience.
Most are pilgrimage and bathing ghats; two — Manikarnika and Harishchandra — are cremation ghats, and Dashashwamedh hosts the grand evening Ganga Aarti. Use the listings below for each ghat location and what it is known for, or open the river-order Ghats Explorer for the full south-to-north sequence.
Good to know
- A shared sunrise boat ride is cheapest; agree the price and duration before boarding.
- The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh is daily after sunset — arrive about 45 minutes early or watch from a boat.
- Manikarnika and Harishchandra are cremation ghats — observe quietly and do not photograph the pyres.
- Steps can be slippery and crowded; wear grippy footwear and keep an eye on your belongings.
- In the monsoon, floods can submerge lower ghats and shift the aarti spot — check locally.
