Cities / Asia / India / Varanasi

Best walking routes in Varanasi

10 routes ranked on sights, efficiency, hills & length — real foot distance and elevation.

3.9 scoreHills 1/105.6 kmBest Nov–Feb
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Ranked routes

Same score for every walk. Click a card to expand details on the map.

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#1
Viewpoint

One Hour in Varanasi: A Short Walk

1 hour

5 stops1.6 km1 h 5 min

1.6 kmdistance1 h 5 minwith stops5stops+39 mgain
3.9 sights7.8 efficiency0.6 hills8.0 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 20 min+ up to 1 h 20 min insides+39 m climb along route
  1. Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
  2. Vishalakshi Temple
  3. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
  4. Man Singh Observatory
  5. Gyanvapi Mosque
60–95 m

Photo: ViewpointDas740724CC BY-SA 4.0

5.2/10
#2
Viewpoint

Varanasi in One Day: Walking Itinerary

One day

16 stops9.7 km4 h 5 min

Inside visits push a full day to ~4 h 45 min.

Inside: Alamgir Mosque (~20 min) + Kashi Vishwanath Temple (~20 min). Estimates only.

9.7 kmdistance4 h 5 minwith stops16stops~4 h 45 minfull day+59 mgain
2.8 sights7.3 efficiency1.0 hills9.7 length
Open in Google Maps 1/2 ↗Open in Google Maps 2/2 ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 2 h 10 min+ up to 3 h 40 min insides+59 m climb along route
  1. Gyanvapi Mosque
  2. Alamgir Mosque (inside ~20 min)
  3. Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
  4. Nepali Mandir
  5. Vishalakshi Temple
  6. Kashi Vishwanath Temple (inside ~20 min)
  7. Man Singh Observatory
  8. Rana Ghat
  9. Narad Ghat
  10. Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir
  11. Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
  12. Durga Mandir, Varanasi
  13. Hindu temples in Varanasi
  14. Tulsi Manas Mandir
  15. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
  16. Bharat Kala Bhavan
59–95 m

Photo: ViewpointNikhil399792CC BY-SA 4.0

4.8/10
#3
Viewpoint

Old Town of Varanasi in 2 Hours

Old town

8 stops4.2 km2 h

4.2 kmdistance2 hwith stops8stops+41 mgain
2.8 sights7.4 efficiency0.7 hills7.9 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 55 min+ up to 1 h 40 min insides+41 m climb along route
  1. Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir
  2. Gyanvapi Mosque
  3. Sankata Devi Mandir
  4. Alamgir Mosque
  5. Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
  6. Nepali Mandir
  7. Vishalakshi Temple
  8. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
59–95 m

Photo: ViewpointSujay25CC BY-SA 4.0

4.5/10
#4
Viewpoint

Hidden Gems of Varanasi in 2 Hours

Hidden gems

8 stops3.9 km1 h 30 min

3.9 kmdistance1 h 30 minwith stops8stops+53 mgain
1.0 sights7.3 efficiency0.9 hills8.9 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 50 min+53 m climb along route
  1. Sankata Devi Mandir
  2. Manikarnika Ghat
  3. Lalita Gauri Mandir
  4. Dashashwamedh Ghat
  5. Narad Ghat
  6. Kedar Ghat
  7. Baba Keenaram Sthal
  8. Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
59–89 m

Photo: ViewpointAKS.9955CC BY-SA 4.0

3.8/10
#5
Viewpoint

Hidden Gems of Varanasi: Off-the-Beaten-Path Walk

Hidden gems

11 stops5.1 km2 h 10 min

5.1 kmdistance2 h 10 minwith stops11stops+61 mgain
1.1 sights8.4 efficiency1.0 hills5.6 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 1 h 5 min+ up to 40 min insides+61 m climb along route
  1. Alamgir Mosque
  2. Panchganga Ghat
  3. Manikarnika Ghat
  4. Lalita Gauri Mandir
  5. Dashashwamedh Ghat
  6. Rana Ghat
  7. Narad Ghat
  8. Harishchandra Ghat
  9. Baba Keenaram Sthal
  10. Rani Laxmibai Janmasthali
  11. Hindu temples in Varanasi
59–89 m

Photo: ViewpointAshutosh Kumar TripathiCC BY-SA 4.0

3.6/10
#6
Viewpoint

Varanasi Loop Walk from Sankata Devi Mandir

Loop

13 stops7.3 km2 h 55 min

7.3 kmdistance2 h 55 minwith stops13stops+67 mgain
1.3 sights8.8 efficiency1.1 hills3.7 length
Open in Google Maps 1/2 ↗Open in Google Maps 2/2 ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 1 h 40 min+ up to 40 min insides+67 m climb along route
  1. Sankata Devi Mandir
  2. Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
  3. Manikarnika Ghat
  4. Nepali Mandir
  5. Lalita Gauri Mandir
  6. Dashashwamedh Ghat
  7. Man Singh Observatory
  8. Tulsi Ghat
  9. Shivala Ghat
  10. Kedar Ghat
  11. Rana Ghat
  12. Alamgir Mosque
  13. Panchganga Ghat
59–89 m

Photo: ViewpointNandanupadhyayCC BY-SA 3.0

3.5/10
#7
Viewpoint

Easy Hidden Gems Walk in Varanasi

Hidden gems

10 stops4.7 km2 h

4.7 kmdistance2 hwith stops10stops+19 mgain
1.1 sights7.6 efficiency0.3 hills6.7 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 1 h+ up to 40 min insides+19 m climb along route
  1. Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
  2. Baba Keenaram Sthal
  3. Kedar Ghat
  4. Harishchandra Ghat
  5. Shivala Ghat
  6. Tulsi Ghat
  7. Assi Ghat
  8. Rani Laxmibai Janmasthali
  9. Hindu temples in Varanasi
  10. Tulsi Manas Temple
59–85 m

Photo: ViewpointUnknown authorUnknown authorPublic domain

3.5/10
#8
Viewpoint

Temples & Shrines of Varanasi Walk

Temples Shrines

11 stops6.4 km2 h 55 min

6.4 kmdistance2 h 55 minwith stops11stops+31 mgain
2.8 sights7.2 efficiency0.5 hills1.6 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 1 h 25 min+ up to 2 h 20 min insides+31 m climb along route
  1. Sankata Devi Mandir
  2. Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
  3. Lalita Gauri Mandir
  4. Nepali Mandir
  5. Vishalakshi Temple
  6. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
  7. Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir
  8. Durga Mandir, Varanasi
  9. Tulsi Manas Mandir
  10. Tulsi Manas Temple
  11. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
60–95 m

Photo: ViewpointVinayarajCC BY-SA 4.0

3.5/10
#9
Viewpoint

Self-Guided Walking Tour of Varanasi

Walking tour

11 stops7.8 km3 h

7.8 kmdistance3 hwith stops11stops+69 mgain
2.2 sights7.1 efficiency1.1 hills2.6 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 1 h 45 min+ up to 1 h 40 min insides+69 m climb along route
  1. Alamgir Mosque
  2. Gyanvapi Mosque
  3. Man Singh Observatory
  4. Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir
  5. Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
  6. Baba Keenaram Sthal
  7. Assi Ghat
  8. Durga Mandir, Varanasi
  9. Hindu temples in Varanasi
  10. Tulsi Manas Mandir
  11. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
59–92 m

Photo: ViewpointAKS.9955CC BY-SA 4.0

3.4/10
#10
Viewpoint

Varanasi in 2 Hours on Foot

2 hours

10 stops5.5 km2 h 15 min

5.5 kmdistance2 h 15 minwith stops10stops+40 mgain
1.7 sights7.1 efficiency0.7 hills4.3 length
Open in Google Maps ↗
Stops & elevation
Walking only 1 h 15 min+ up to 40 min insides+40 m climb along route
  1. Sankata Devi Mandir
  2. Gyanvapi Mosque
  3. Dashashwamedh Ghat
  4. Vishalakshi Temple
  5. Nepali Mandir
  6. Man Singh Observatory
  7. Shri Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Mandir
  8. Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
  9. Baba Keenaram Sthal
  10. Shivala Ghat
59–94 m

Photo: ViewpointKailash PLCC BY-SA 4.0

3.4/10

Hills: higher = steeper along the walk. Stairs (when shown): metres of mapped stairways near the route — approximate, not a step countvisit times are estimates.

Varanasi walking stats

From the 10 rated routes103 stops total29 unique places.

Most climbSelf-Guided Walking Tour of Varanasi+69 m along route
Most stops / kmOne Hour in Varanasi: A Short Walk3.1 stops per km
Least climbEasy Hidden Gems Walk in Varanasi+19 m along route
Most stairsVaranasi in 2 Hours on Foot~60 m mapped stairways (approx., not step count)
Longest / shortest9.7 km1.6 kmVaranasi in One Day: Walking Itinerary / One Hour in Varanasi: A Short Walk
Places on routes29unique stop ids
How we score. Same formula for every route: Sights 50% (how notable the stops are)Efficiency 25% (less backtracking between stops)Hills 10% (how steep the walk is)Length fit 15% (distance vs the kind of walk). Stairs stay a fact in metres, not a quality bar. Avg score in the hero is the mean across all ranked walks.

Varanasi FAQ

Short answers from this city’s data.

Best first-visit walk?
One Hour in Varanasi: A Short Walk (1.6 km, 1 h 5 min with stops) ranks #1 here.
Best months to walk Varanasi?
Nov–Feb are usually the nicest months for walking.
Shortest walk?
One Hour in Varanasi: A Short Walk1.6 km, walking 20 min.
One hour in Varanasi?
One Hour in Varanasi: A Short Walk: walking 20 min, with stops 1 h 5 min, 5 stops.
One-day plan?
Varanasi in One Day: Walking Itinerary: 16 stops, ~4 h 5 min on-route; suggested insides on marked stops; full day ≈ 4 h 45 min. Visit times are estimates.
Stairs and hills?
Hills is 10% of the score (higher = steeper along the walk). Stairs are not scored — when shown, they are metres of mapped stairways near the route (approximate; not a step count). Example: stairways ≈ 0 m.
Can I change stops?
Yes — open in Maps, edit, then paste into Lineo for a cleaner order.
Why are some Google Maps links split?
Google Maps caps how many stops fit in one directions link (we use 11). Longer walks are split into numbered buttons (1/2, 2/2, …). Open them in order — each part starts where the previous one ended.