Your whole Varanasi trip, booked in one place

Browse the boats on GhatGo, pick a shared or private boat, choose your date, time slot (sunrise, day, sunset or Ganga Aarti) and party size, and pay securely online. Private boats board at Namo Ghat and shared boats at Teliyanala Ghat; your confirmation with the boatman’s contact number arrives on WhatsApp and email.

Sunrise (around 5:00–6:30 AM) is the most photographed slot — you see the ghats wake up and Subah-e-Banaras unfold. Evening slots (5:30–7:30 PM) coincide with the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and give the best aarti views from the river.

Shared boat rides cost ₹350–₹500 per person. A private wooden boat for your group starts at ₹2,500 per boat and goes up to about ₹5,100 for larger groups or the sunset Ganga Aarti ride. The exact price is shown live on every boat page before you confirm.

Dashashwamedh Ghat is the most iconic and the closest to the evening Ganga Aarti. For a calmer, less crowded experience, Assi Ghat (southern end) is excellent for sunrise. Namo Ghat (northern end) is the newest and easiest for accessibility and parking.

Arrive at your boarding ghat 15–20 minutes before the scheduled departure. Sunrise rides typically start 30–45 minutes before sunrise so you are on the water as the first light reaches the ghats. Your boatman’s phone number is sent with the confirmation in case you need help finding the boat.

Yes. Larger boats on the catalog seat 10–40 guests; for groups beyond that we arrange combined boats or a custom charter. Email services@ghatgo.com or call +91 96216 74555 with your date, headcount and ghat preference for a tailored quote.

Operations continue through the monsoon when river conditions are safe. If the Ganga is in spate or local authorities suspend boating, the operator will not push a ride onto unsafe water. To resolve an affected booking, email services@ghatgo.com with your booking reference — we will arrange a reschedule or refund the full amount except 2.5% retained as a convenience fee covering payment-gateway charges. GhatGo never operates against a safety advisory and does not auto-cancel bookings on your behalf.

Yes. GhatGo offers premium reserved seating for the daily Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat for ₹450 per person. Reach the ghat by 6:00 PM and a host walks you to your seat before the ceremony begins.

Yes, personal photography and video are welcome. Please avoid flash photography during the central aarti, do not block neighbouring guests, and check with the crew before flying any drone — drones are usually not permitted near the ghats.

Yes. GhatGo runs a dedicated Dev Deepawali boat ride on Tuesday, 24 November 2026 (Kartik Purnima). It is ₹3,000 per person for a minimum of three hours on the water and covers the laser show, the fireworks, the grand Ganga Aarti and a sightseeing cruise of all the ghats. Seats are limited and pre-booking is open at https://ghatgo.com/dev-deepawali.

Yes. We run a dedicated cab service from Varanasi for airport transfers, sightseeing within the city (Sarnath, BHU, Kashi Vishwanath) and outstation trips to Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Naimisharanya, Vindhyachal and Gaya. Choose from Swift Dzire, Ertiga, Innova Crysta, Kia Carens, Traveller or Urbania.

The fare you see at checkout includes the vehicle, driver, fuel and standard taxes. State permits, tolls and parking are billed at actuals and are paid at the time of the trip; this is shown clearly on the cab booking page before you confirm.

Yes. GhatGo sells rooms at Hotel Shubha Inn, about 400 metres from Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Kaal Bhairav Temple, with Dashashwamedh Ghat within walking distance. Deluxe King Rooms start at ₹1,699 per night including GST, show live availability, and are confirmed with the hotel as soon as you pay.

GhatGo is a unit of Horizon Ventures. It is Varanasi’s booking platform for verified Ganga boat rides, cabs, hotel stays near Kashi Vishwanath and premium Ganga Aarti seating, with licensed operators, fixed prices and secure online payments.

Every boat partner and driver on GhatGo is onboarded with documents (boat licence / RC / driver licence) and we share your booking + the partner’s contact details on WhatsApp and email so you can reach support at any time.

Boats and cabs are paid fully online so your booking is locked in. Payments are processed through Cashfree (UPI, cards and netbanking).

Sunrise and Ganga Aarti slots regularly sell out during peak season (October–March, and around Dev Deepawali). We recommend booking at least 24–48 hours in advance for those slots. Other slots can usually be booked on the same day, subject to availability.

You get a full refund except 2.5% retained as a convenience fee covering payment-gateway charges if you cancel more than 48 hours before departure, 75% between 24–48 hours, 50% between 6–24 hours, and no refund within 6 hours or for no-shows. Dev Deepawali boat ride bookings are non-refundable once paid. If a trip cannot run for a reason on our side (unsafe weather, river in spate, operator unavailable, force-majeure), email services@ghatgo.com with your booking reference — we review the request through that channel and arrange a reschedule or refund the full amount except the same 2.5% convenience fee. GhatGo does not auto-cancel bookings on your behalf. Approved refunds reach your original payment method in 5–7 working days.