Best Ghats to See from a Cruise

A cruise ride gives you a different perspective on ghats you may otherwise only see from the steps - and on a longer route, you will pass far more of them than you could comfortably walk in an afternoon. Here are some of the most notable stops along a typical Varanasi cruise route.

Dashashwamedh Ghat

The obvious highlight for most visitors - the main ghat of Varanasi and the site of the nightly Ganga Aarti. Even outside the Aarti window, it is usually the busiest, most active stretch of the riverfront to watch from the water.

Kedar Ghat

Recognisable immediately by its red-and-white striped steps leading up to the Kedareshwar Temple - one of the more photogenic stops on a central-route ride.

Darbhanga and Munshi Ghat

This neighbouring pair is popular for photography thanks to the palace-style riverfront architecture built by the Darbhanga royal family and a Nagpur royal family minister respectively - both make for a striking backdrop against the water.

Scindia Ghat

Home to a Shiva temple that tilted and partially submerged into the river after the ghat's own construction caused the bank to subside - a distinctive and slightly eerie sight from a passing cruise.

Man Mandir Ghat

Known for the Man Mandir observatory, built in the early 1600s by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur - one of five such astronomical observatories he built across India, and visible clearly from the water.

Manikarnika Ghat

One of the most sacred cremation ghats in Hinduism. Cruises pass at a respectful distance without stopping - worth knowing about in advance, and worth being mindful with photography in this stretch.

Exactly which of these your ride passes depends on the route and duration you choose - see our Ghat Directory for the full list, or our 84 Ghats and All Ghats cruise routes for the longer options.