If you are an avid traveller then you would go on solo trips once in a while. You get to explore better when it’s a solo trip. You must be a smart traveller to have a cherishing experience. It starts from the destination you choose as a solo female traveller. If your boundary of travelling is within India then you can choose Varanasi.
Varanasi is a must visit place in a lifetime. If you can have a proper knowledge before starting off to Varanasi. If you can organize your trip well to Varanasi, you wouldn’t feel the void of being a solo woman traveller.
If you are looking for any kind of guidance for a Varanasi trip as a solo traveller, then here is the offering help. We have made an effort to give the women travellers a safe and enjoyable experience in Varanasi. Here you go!
Useful Tips for Solo Female Traveller To Varanasi
If you are new to the place, then let us introduce you to it. A woman who has already been to Varanasi would be sure about the next doings in the trip. But it is not the same for a woman who is visiting for the first time. Also there is nothing to panic or to be stuck with the fear. Know the city and its ambience for you to have an idea. Just get started with the details and guidance!
1. Don’t visit during festivals
We generally look for the right time to visit a specific destination. It depends on the season and festive times. It is to be more conscious to visit Varanasi during festive days. You know that it is the spiritual capital of India. So, the celebrations and puja during the auspicious days are mandatory here.
If you want to thoroughly embrace the city and its beauty then it is better to go during normal days. Another main point not to go during festivals is the crowd. People push and rush like it’s a lifetime chance of darshan.
It doesn’t make women feel pleasant being stuck in between the crowd. The local guys try to touch on the crowd. They may try to take a chance knowing that you are a non-native. It’s different when you are with family. We advise you to be smart with the time you are travelling in a year to Varanasi.
2. Dress conservatively
As Varanasi is a spiritual destination, women are expected to wear traditional outfits. Wearing revealing clothes is not acceptable. Anyone on the streets can advise or comment about the dressing style. It is unacceptable to wear short dresses.
It is an art to adopt the culture and traditions of the place you stay in. So,why dont you learn the art? Just pack your comfortable Indian ethnic dresses. Kurtas, salwar kameez, sarees and many other ethnic dresses that you are happy to wear. It’s simple!
3. Be careful when you drink bhang
Bhang is the traditional drink with edible cannabis which is famous in Varanasi. It is mixed with lassi and offered in the streets of Varanasi. You must remember not to have bhang alone as it can trip you out and make you totally unconscious. Until you have trustable company, you must try or taste bhang. As a solo female traveller, be aware of it.
4. Don’t trust strangers and follow them to
You may be new to the place but you don’t have to trust and follow someone to reach temples and ashrams. It is better to visit and explore the known places in Varanasi. If you are a complete stranger to any particular place, then it is better to avoid going there. Also, try to walk and go through the areas where there is a normal public. Don’t pass through empty streets as it is the basic safety for women in a new place.
5. What to eat and where to eat
Every place is famous for some or the other street food. But hygiene matters, especially when you are travelling alone. Falling ill due to unhygienic food can make the travelling experience bitter. And the street hygiene in Varanasi is not that great. It is better to prefer dining in restaurants and hotels.
6. Be alert of scammers
It is an experience for many visitors getting trapped by the religious scammers. Most of the people come asking for money for various reasons like cremating their family members. Don’t fall into their trap believing them. You must be conscious of who is around you when you explore the ghats and temples.
Things To Do In Varanasi For a Solo Woman Traveller
Varanasi is a small pilgrimage destination of India. Every corner of the city gives you devotional vibes. Meanwhile, you can explore the city indulging in the heavenly world of its own. There are few interesting and must do things for a solo woman traveler. These make your traveling experience to Varanasi, a beautifully unforgettable one.
Walking along the ghats
If you want to have some peace of mind and calm your soul then escape to the ghats. Take a short walk alongside the ghats. You can do the inside prayers walking near the ghats. The sunrise in the morning and sunset time decorate the ghat. You will realize that Varanasi is the place that is crafted with Indian culture and traditions. Do something interesting like painting, pening your thoughts and feelings about the solo trip. These are the most beautiful moments for the solo female travelers of Varanasi.
Have thorough sight of Ganga Aarti
It is an unmissable experience for every traveler of Varanasi. The whole aarti ceremony is a treat to see. The sunset meets the devotional ambiance at the time of Ganga aarti. If visiting Varanasi once in lifetime is so important, then watching Ganga aarti is. Make sure that you visit early to aarti timings so that you can get proper view of the aarti. Try to reach the location by 5 pm to hold a place.
Sunrise boat ride
This is the heart of Varanasi for travelers from national and international locations.You will see the very first rays of sunrise touching the banks of Ganges. It is the breathtaking scenery that your eyes will refuse to believe. What’s so attractive about it is, you will see real India in a glimpse.
People engage in their morning rituals like worshiping the Goddess, meditating and kids diving in the waters. Just sit in the boat and you will hear the prayer chants from all the ghats around. Women who believe in mythology and mystic facts would have the pleasure watching the ghats from the boat. It is not just about nature aligning together but it is full of divine vibes. So, just don’t miss it!
Spiritual time in temples
Varanasi is known as a city of temples and is home to 23,000 temples. You can have plenty of time exploring the historical and powerful temples. Some of the famous temples of Varanasi are Kashi Vishawanath mandir, Kaal Bhairav temple, Durga Kund Mandir. You have many other important temples to visit. Know the timings and location of the temples that you are visiting.
Join the community yoga
Community yoga is the initiative started by the government a few years ago. The yoga starts at 5.30 am, post the Ganga aarti. You can join the yoga session where you have local people and travelers in the rows. It is a peaceful experience to see people mastering the yoga asanas and breathing exercises.
Adopt the culture
The undeniable fact is, women love to adopt varieties of cultures. If you are a kind of woman who loves to try the new cultures and traditions, then you would have a free hand to do it Varanasi. You can follow the dressing style of local women. Indulge in the culture and traditions to have a memorable tour in the sacred city of India.
Varanasi Tour Package For Solo Female Traveler
Varanasi is the dear place for solo women travellers. There is a huge growth of women travelers to the city. There are special tour packages for the solo women travellers. You have a 2 and 3 days trip which can cover the attractions and beauty of the Varanasi.
As it is the popular tourist hub of the country, the accommodations offered are hassle free for the pilgrims.
Here is a basic package for Varanasi that is specially themed for the female solo travelers to Varanasi. It is an accommodation for a 3 days Varanasi trip. You can just share your arrival details to the travel agency.
The accommodation is provided from picking up the guest from the airport or railway station to dropping back. The entire tour package for Varanasi solo women travelers costs around minimum rs 6000-1000.
Day 1:Journey through flight or train, Relax and attend the evening prayer
You will be picked up from the airport of your location with supportive assistance. The driver will drop you to the booked hotel of your choice. You can rest till evening and then attend the evening aarti from a private boat. Post the aarti ceremony will be dropped back to the hotel.
Day 2: Watch the sunrise boat, visit sacred places and nearby attractions
The day before you had aarti darshan and you can kick start your second day with sunrise in boat ride. This will be a precious view early in the morning. As we mentioned before, you get to watch the locals meditating, doing their daily chores. You can visit the nearby shops if you are a shopaholic. On the way, have a delicious breakfast. Then we advise you to head on the way to Sarnath which is a Buddhist place. You can rejuvenate your mind in the Buddha temple, admire the archeological museum, Sarnath ruins. After this peaceful time, get back to the hotel and stay overnight.
Day 3: Checkout form the hotel and visit airport for return flight
The night accommodation in most of the hotels include complimentary breakfast and with other basic or luxurious facilities.You must checkout from the hotel on time and be present at the airport to catch the return flight. You need to check the ideal time that you can make it possible for you to reach on time.
Getting the details about how to have a safe trip and accommodation, you become half familiar about your dream destination. A guidance that works like a visual detailing is very important when you are a solo woman traveler. Now illustrate and organize your solo trip to Varanasi as you know enough.
Wish you a happy and safe trip!
