Varanasi

Varanasi rewards the same unhurried approach we take in the hills. A boat on the river before sunrise, a slow walk through the lanes behind the ghats, darshan at Kashi Vishwanath and the evening aarti at Dashashwamedh are the essentials; Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught, is a short drive away. We arrange stays close to the river, a local guide who knows the lanes, and the timings that keep crowds manageable.