Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast
Varanasi, India

Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast

Outty Ranking 61 4.0 · 4 traveler reviews10 hoursFrom $53
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Outty Ranking

61/100

Solid Choice. Our proprietary evaluation. How we score

Traveler rating

4.0/5

Based on 4 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

Quick answer

Is Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast worth booking?

Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast is a 10-hour experience in Varanasi, India, from $53 per person. It scores 61 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4/5 rating across 4 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.

Outty Ranking
61 / 100
Rating
4/5 (4)
Duration
10 hours
From
$53 per person

Celebrate the Festival of Colors like never before on this private Holi tour of Varanasi! Start your day with a peaceful sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, witness the ghats come alive with vibrant Holi festivities, and join locals in joyful color play. Enjoy a traditional breakfast and explore the city’s sacred lanes with an expert guide who shares the stories behind this ancient celebration. A perfect blend of culture, color, and spirituality — an unforgettable Holi experience in India’s spiritual heart!

What you get

    About this experience

    Celebrate the Festival of Colors like never before on this private Holi tour of Varanasi! Start your day with a peaceful sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, witness the ghats come alive with vibrant Holi festivities, and join locals in joyful color play. Enjoy a traditional breakfast and explore the city’s sacred lanes with an expert guide who shares the stories behind this ancient celebration. A perfect blend of culture, color, and spirituality — an unforgettable Holi experience in India’s spiritual heart!

    What's included

    Included

    • Private Air-Condition Vehicle
    • All mention sightseeing places
    • Pickup from within Varanasi,Hotel,Train Station or Airport.
    • English Speaking Guide
    • Breakfast
    • Walking tour of Varanasi.
    • All applicable taxes
    • Sunrise boat ride on Ganges River

    Not included

    • Lunch
    • Alcoholic beverages
    • Dinner
    • Tips

    What you'll see and do

    1. Varanasi

      Early Morning pick up as per Hotel Location. Transfer to Ganges, enjoy boat ride across the river Ganges.Visit the numerous temples alongside river Ganga and get a closer view of Hinduism being in Varanasi. Observe the daily life of the natives.Later the City Tour Towards statrt with ( BHU ) Banaras Hindu University is an internationally reputed temple of learning, situated in the holy city of Varanasi.Durga and Monkey Temple . Sarnath post lunch to get the glimpses of Buddhist monuments and edifices covering Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, Sarnath Museum and Mulagadha Kuti Vihar. In the evening, witness the major attraction of Varanasi - The grand Aarti ceremony performed by several priests on the banks of River Ganges. You will get to hear the majestic blended sound of Sanskrit mantras, drums, bells and cymbals.Later little walk and drop back to Hotel

      600 minutes here

    2. Banaras Hindu University.formerly Central Hindu College, is a public central university located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. It was established in 1916 by Madan Mohan Malaviya.With over 30,000 students residing in campus, it claims the title of largest residential university in Asia.

      60 minutes here · Admission not included

    3. Monkey Temple (Durga Temple)

      Durga (Monkey) Temple. ... It is devoted to Durga, the terrifying aspect of Shiva's consort, Parvati, and the embodiment of Shakti (divine female energy), and was built in a typical north Indian style, with an ornate shikhara in five segments, symbolizing the elements.

      60 minutes here · Admission not included

    4. Sarnath

      Sarnath is a place located 10 kilometres north-east of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna.

      60 minutes here · Admission not included

    5. Chaukhandi Stupa

      Chaukhandi Stupa is an important Buddhist stupa in Sarnath, located 8 kilometres from Cantt Railway Station Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Stupas have evolved from burial mounds and serve as a shrine for a relic of the Buddha.

      60 minutes here · Admission not included

    6. Sarnath Museum is the oldest site museum of Archaeological Survey of India. It houses the findings and excavations at the archaeological site of Sarnath, by the Archaeological Survey of India. Sarnath is located near Varanasi,

      60 minutes here · Admission not included

    7. Mulagandha Kuti Vihar

      This modern temple has been erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent frescoes made by Kosetsu Nosu, Japan's foremost painter and is a rich repository of Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti Temple is among the brick ruins of Sarnath.

      60 minutes here · Admission not included

    8. ceremony performed by several priests on the banks of River Ganges. You will get to hear the majestic blended sound of Sanskrit mantras, drums, bells and cymbals.

      120 minutes here · Admission not included

    Where it starts and ends

    Hotel pickup

    Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 40 minutes before departure.

    Before you book

    Cancellation
    For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
    Languages
    en
    Ticket
    Mobile Only
    Runs on
    Every day
    Group size
    Up to 6 travelers per booking
    Operated by
    Holiday Tours And Travels

    Know before you go

    • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

    Photos

    Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast, photo 2Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast, photo 3Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast, photo 4Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast, photo 5Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast, photo 6Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast, photo 7

    What travelers are saying

    Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 4 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.

    The guide

    2 mentions

    Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

    Knowledge and storytelling

    2 mentions

    Reviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.

    Value for money

    1 mention

    Travelers feel they got more than they paid for.

    Traveler reviews

    4 verified traveler reviews for Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.

    5 star
    3
    4 star
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    ElzaCristina_F · February 2023

    Unique

    This tour is perfect for those who only have a short time in Varanasi but want the full experience. Our guide was extremely attentive and demonstrated a deep knowledge of local customs, always sharing with us the history and meaning behind each custom. Special mention should be made of the cremation ceremony held on the banks of the Ganges River, a very impressive, unique experience. This tour requires a good mood, as there is a lot to see and do, but if you only have 1 day for Varanasi, it's super worth it to have the mood and take a complete tour. I recommend.

    via Viator

    pieterva968 · January 2020

    Ganges Tour

    You will definitely want to come back to Varanasi on your next visit to India, because you will miss this warm hospitality from Holiday Tours and it will never be enough time to see everything, to listen to the unforgettable stories. If you travel alone - they will give you a friendly hand and make you feel safe.Guide Manu given us deep history about Gangeas while boating on Gangeas He will make you understand how the things work in India

    Response from the operator: Dear Guest, Greetings from Holiday Tours Pleasure to read your review It is feedback such as yours that inspires the Holiday Tours team to continue to deliver grateful services . Furthermore, glad to know that your experience was upto your expectations. We have also shared your special compliments with our team who are grateful for the same. Hope to welcome you back soon, Yours Sincerely, Qounsar Shah holidaytrs@gmail.com

    via Tripadvisor

    VARUN S · October 2019

    Dont Book This - Non Compliance with Itineary - No support from Trip Advisor - Waste of Money

    No support from Trip Advisor No support from agent No itinerary followup Agent abandons u mid city DONT WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY

    Response from the operator: Dear Varun, Greetings from Holiday Tours and Travels We would like to extend to you our most sincere apologies regarding the recent issues with your Holi Tour of Varanasi , Being our guests, While our young staff works very hard to ensure our guests have the most memorable Holidays with us however we reviewed the entire trip from begin to end and local staff explained to our higher management there were no space of Parking to park their sedan near Ghats due to prohibitions by Local Govt and there were some miscommunication regarding the breakfast as that were Pre planned and was supposed to serve thereafter your boat ride On your travel date there were a heavy rain fall a day before of your trip and boat ride couldn’t entertain due to raisin in water fall and it is clearly posted in descriptions , Boat Ride ( Subject to water level ) We are certainly alerted that we could not live up to your expectations. Kindly give us another opportunity to showcase our improvements. We all look forward to welcoming you back soon again Kind Regards, Qounsar Shah

    via Tripadvisor

    Good to know

    Duration
    10 hours
    Free cancellation
    Up to 24h before
    Minimum age to book
    All ages
    Availability
    Bookable today
    Runs on
    Every day
    Price range
    $53 to $94
    Hotel pickup
    Included for all travelers
    Booked in 30 days
    1
    Verdict
    Solid Choice

    Who runs this experience

    Operated by Holiday Tours And Travels, who run 21 experiences we rank across 6 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 57.7.

    See everything Holiday Tours And Travels runs

    Why this scores 61

    The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.

    Traveler sentiment (30% weight)80
    Review evidence (18% weight)29
    Booking momentum (14% weight)15
    Value for money (12% weight)97
    Listing quality (10% weight)74
    Local standing (8% weight)32
    Booking flexibility (8% weight)100

    Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast: questions travelers ask

    Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Varanasi.

    How much does Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast cost?

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    Prices start at $53 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Varanasi usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.

    How long does Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast take?

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    Plan for about 10 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Varanasi is not rushed.

    Is Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast worth it?

    +

    It holds an Outty Ranking of 61 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4/5 across 4 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Varanasi, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.

    Can I cancel or reschedule Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast?

    +

    Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.

    Is Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast suitable for kids and families?

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    Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 10-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.

    How far in advance should I book Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast?

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    Around 1 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Varanasi can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.

    What should I bring or wear?

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    Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Varanasi and add a light layer if any part of the 10-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.

    Where does Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast start and how do I get there?

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    The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Varanasi within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.

    What are the best things to do in Varanasi?

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    On Outty we rank every Varanasi experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Hidden Secrets of Varanasi: Vibrant Tradition (Guided Tour), The Ultimate 1 Day in Varanasi - How to Spend 13 Hours - Private Guided Tour, A Journey of A lifetime. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.

    When is the best time to visit Varanasi?

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    Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.

    How many days do you need in Varanasi?

    +

    Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.

    Do I book through Outty or through the operator?

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    Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.

    What is included in Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast?

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    Included: Private Air-Condition Vehicle; All mention sightseeing places; Pickup from within Varanasi,Hotel,Train Station or Airport; English Speaking Guide; and Breakfast. Not included: Lunch; Alcoholic beverages; Dinner; and Tips. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.

    Does Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast include hotel pickup?

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    Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 963 listed pickup locations in and around Varanasi. Be ready about 40 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.

    What languages is Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast offered in?

    +

    It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.

    Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast?

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    Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.

    What happens to Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast if the weather is bad?

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    This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

    What do travelers say about Private Varanasi Holi Tour with Boat Ride, Guide & Breakfast?

    +

    Across 4 reviews averaging 4.0 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, value for money. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.

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