At five o’clock in the morning, the earth is blanketed in darkness with an array of hues from navy blue through slate grey and all shades in between. As you walk along these chilly stone streets, your footsteps echo off of these ancient walls until the maze opens up to reveal the expanse of the river, over which there is a light mist causing the boundary between what is real and what is imagined to begin to blur. Just as the sun appears as a thin streak of gold across the eastern horizon, the entire area is bathed in a metallic glow from the incredible architecture and palaces that were constructed hundreds of years ago and are now standing on that same elevated area.
Taking part in a morning boat ride Varanasi, is certainly not just another boring sightseeing activity, but an intimate experience watching as one of the oldest cities in the world is born again each day. You will witness the unbroken chain of religious rituals as pilgrims recite their morning prayers and as the sadhus meditate silently along the banks of the river. Once you discover all of the intricacies of the local river system, your experience aboard this boat ride will be nothing short of poetic compared to those who have not taken their time to appreciate it.
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ToggleBefore stepping foot on the wooden boards of your dawn trip, it’s helpful to consider your options so that the entire evening may be emotionally impacted.
The most authentically human and relaxed experience can be had by renting a classic wooden rowboat. It can also be quiet and meditative while you row through the peaceful waters with nothing around you except for the rhythmic sounds of your oars cutting through the water.
You get to row very close to the stone steps, which gives you a unique opportunity to take some candid and street photography. If you are thinking that you would like to rent your own private rowboat that has a capacity of four people, then expect a fair Varanasi boat ride price somewhere between ₹300 and ₹500 per hour for your Varanasi boat ride. Be prepared to haggle a bit, but you will be treated with dignity and respect.
If you are on your own or on a tight budget, shared motorboats are available to use throughout the main central water route and should cost between ₹100 to ₹200 per seat. For those that are looking for more luxury, Varanasi offers some of the largest cruise in Varanasi (e.g.
Alaknanda) that offer full luxury service, including air-conditioned seating, safety presentations and free morning tea, and should cost about ₹900 for the cruise. However, the large boats do not get as close to the riverbank as the small boats do, so you may miss out on the amazing energy of the people living near the waterfront.
Booking your early morning trip to India can happen in one of two ways depending on your desire to explore with some order or a lot of spontaneity during your travels.
Walking to the Riverfront at sunrise and performing business directly with the locally owned and operated boat men is the most local way to get a boat. Once you put your feet on the stone plaza, you will experience an immediate influx of persistent incitements to go on your boat ride.
If you are moving toward to trying a spontaneous boat booking in Varanasi, do not haughtily select your boat on the first bid you notice. Because touts will frequently charge an unsuspecting traveller an outrageous Varanasi boat ride coast of ₹2,000, it is vital that you smile, remain calm while negotiating, and clearly understand the total time and where to turn around before you get on your boat.
Use of verified local travel sites or reliable guesthouses to book your boat in Varanasi makes the process easy and available to you without participating in the very time-consuming and intense negotiating done by individuals at 5:00 AM or so, while virtually guaranteeing your captain will be there waiting for you at a particular flight of steps at a pre-determined price. Plan your boat reservations well enough in advance (at least ONE NIGHT) to collect all your Varanasi boat booking details so you do not lose this very limited pre-dawn light due to an extended, long, drawn-out price negotiation with the representative from the boat company.
Your launching point determines how you first experience Varanasi’s amazing morning rituals. The crescent shape of Varanasi’s riverfront creates a seamless flow of activity. The first ghats you see from your location on the river are what will shape your expectation of what it’s going to be like on that day.
