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India: Delhi to Varanasi by Train
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Length
8 Days
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Quality
This indicates the overall quality of the tour operator's products. A low rating does not mean it is not good - it just means that it does not include as much, or perhaps is of a more standard quality than the higher quality tours. For example, a 3 star quality rating means that it is a more standard/economical tour, while 5 stars is a very luxurious tour that often includes a lot of amenities. -
Starts in
New Delhi (India)
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Ends in
Varanasi (India)
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Available Tour Start Dates
JAN 28, 2027 to APR 6, 2028
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Activity Level
No Rating Provided
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Language
English
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Guaranteed Date(s)
Yes means that there is at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur. No means that there is not at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur, which usually means that the vendor wants a certain amount of reservations on each tour in order for each one to occur. Of course, the terms and conditions of the vendor do allow for the vendor to cancel guaranteed tour dates for certain reasons (for example, a natural disaster).No
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Special Interest(s)
18-to-Thirtysomethings
Contiki tours are only available for 18- to 35-year olds.
From
Pricing listed is per person, based on double occupancy, and is the least expensive price for at least one departure date of this tour. Price is for the tour only. Additional items, including but not limited to, airfare (unless noted otherwise), travel insurance, and more, are additional.
$576.00
Overview
Get ready for 8 epic days of sacred rivers, local trains, and sunset ceremonies. Experience India’s spiritual heart, ticking off Rishikesh, Lucknow and Varanasi by local train and road. You’ll roll out a mat in the yoga capital, wander ashrams and markets, ride tuk-tuks through Nawabi-era streets, and of course, witness the Ganges lit by evening Aarti flames.
Visited During Tour
Delhi (India) | Haridwar | Lucknow (India) | Rishikesh | Varanasi (India)
Dates, Offers & Prices
Tour Itinerary
More Details
Dates, Offers & Prices
The following are India: Delhi to Varanasi by Train tour dates available from Contiki. Select a bonus offer graphic to view its details, including its terms.
There is at least one departure that the vendor is advising is Not Available for the selected year. Click here if you would like such tours to be included below.
Tour Itinerary
Contiki Tour Code 797-2592
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Day
1Delhi
Welcome to Delhi - the buzzing city where centuries-old forts meet full-throttle city life. Meet your crew and Trip Manager tonight, before we head out for dinner at a local restaurant to kick things off properly.
Accommodations: Hotel Pooja Palace (or similar) -
Day
2Delhi to Rishikesh via Haridwar
Bye Delhi. We’ll hop on the local train and roll out towards Haridwar's calmer scenes. We’re stepping into India’s spiritual side here. From Haridwar, we’ll swap the train for local transport and make our way to Rishikesh. Welcome to this charming, calm and cool Ganges riverside town, known as the home of yoga. We’ll check in, explore the laid-back lanes of Tapovan, then gather by the river for an evening Aarti as the ceremony lights up the water.
Accommodations: Akhanda Yoga Ashram (or similar) -
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3Rishikesh
We’re ain't leaving this place without rolling out a mat. This morning, we’ll start with a yoga class. Feel free to grab breakfast at a local cafe before heading out on a guided walk past markets and ashrams, finishing at the legendary Beatles Ashram (yup, THE Beatles).
Accommodations: Akhanda Yoga Ashram (or similar) -
Day
4Rishikesh to Lucknow via Haridwar
Today, we’ll say goodbye to Rishikesh and start the journey back, hopping into local transport for the drive to Haridwar. (It's a long travel day ahead, have your playlists ready!). Train time again. We’ll board and roll on towards Lucknow, watching the landscapes shift as we head deeper into Uttar Pradesh. Welcome to Lucknow, known for its rich Nawabi heritage and legendary food scene, and our base for the next two nights. Settle in tonight. Tomorrow we'll dive in properly into everything this city has to offer.
Accommodations: Hotel Surya International (or similar) -
Day
5Lucknow
Tuk-tuk time! We’ll zip through the city’s landmarks on a guided ride, soaking in views of Lucknow’s grand architecture and everyday buzz from the best seat in the house. The rest of the day is yours. And if you’re hungry, you can opt into a street food tour to taste the flavours this city is so famous for.
Accommodations: Hotel Surya International (or similar) -
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6Lucknow to Varanasi
Later, Lucknow. We’ll board another train and travel local-style towards one of India’s holiest cities. Welcome to Varanasi — spiritual, intense, and guaranteed to leave an impression. Sacred to Hindus and home to the city’s burning ghats, this is a powerful, unfiltered side of the Ganges (that couldn’t feel more different to laid-back Rishikesh). We’ll take to the streets by e-rickshaw, then end at the river for the Ghat Aarti ceremony as flames light up the waterfront.
Accommodations: Hotel Meadows (or similar) -
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7Varanasi
You’ve got a full day to dive into this city’s energy. Opt for a sunrise boat ride along the Ganges as the river shifts through golden hour, or head to Sarnath - the place where Buddha first shared his teachings.
Accommodations: Hotel Meadows (or similar) -
Day
8Varanasi
And just like that, our India adventure has officially wrapped up. From Delhi streets to holy rivers, we’ve covered some ground. Hug it out, swap details, and say your goodbyes (or maybe just “see you on the next one.”)
More Details
Contiki is informing us of the following additional details regarding their India: Delhi to Varanasi by Train tour:
Travelers Notes
* START/END TIMES: Trip starts in Delhi at 6:00pm and ends in Varanasi at 9:00am.* TRANSFERS: Chargeable transfers can be booked on a single or twin basis. Twin transfers can only be booked when two travellers are travelling together on the same reference number, no twin share transfers are available. If travellers book pre-trip accommodation elsewhere (Non Contiki property), they can still book a transfer. However, transfers operate only between the airport and the Contiki start hotel, so guests will need to make their own way from Contiki start hotel to their independently pre-booked hotel. The same applies to post-trip accommodation. Flight information is required in order to book transfers.* PROOF OF AIRLINE TICKET: Travellers are advised to print out their full flight itinerary including their e-ticket number to enter any airport in India. Due to heightened security at the airport, they must always also have their passport and visa handy.* INDIA: USA passport holders require a visa for India. Visa must be obtained prior to departure. Depending on visa type, applications can be submitted from 120 days prior to departure up to 4 days prior to departure.* IMPORTANT: Please see important visa details sent with your invoice.* MANDATORY E-ARRIVAL CARD: Effective 1 April 2026, the Government of India has introduced a mandatory Electronic Arrival Card (e-Arrival Card) for all foreign nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. The form must be completed within 72 hours prior to arrival in India. A QR code will be generated upon submission and must be presented at immigration. Families (up to 5 members) may submit a single consolidated form. The form can be completed via the Su-Swagatam App, indianvisaonline.gov.in, or boi.gov.in. Travellers are strongly encouraged to complete this process in advance to ensure a smooth arrival experience. * IMPORTANT: The client is fully responsible for obtaining all necessary visas. Travel Insurance is compulsory on all Contiki Asia trips. Full passport details are required 60 days from departure as ground handlers require this information.* GROUND HANDLER: Contiki sometimes uses ground handlers or third parties to assist with the full or partial operation of our products. The ground handler for this trip is Distinct Destinations. Contiki Trip Manager will be onboard.
Pricing listed above for tours is per person, in US Dollars, and is based on double occupancy. Pricing may change for other occupancy types. Pricing is based on the last time the vendor electronically sent us pricing data, which varies by vendor (usually occurs overnight or multiple times throughout each day).
Pricing and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed by one of our travel advisors, who can contact the vendor to do so. Intra-vacation air (also referred to as internal air) is usually based on economy class seating (do not assume otherwise, unless explicity noted otherwise) and may be 100% non-refundable at time of final payment. Air quotes (including intra-vacation airfare) may be subject to change until final payment has been received by the vendor. Flight confirmation may be based on availability. Air reservations may not be able to be confirmed until a passport copy is received by the vendor. The following charges are not included in the vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees, including the September 11th Security fee, passenger facility charges, Federal domestic flight segment fees, and U.S. and international arrival and departure and other government-imposed fees added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your Cruise Director, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature. Itinerary details are provided by the vendor. Vendors may reserve the right to change itineraries, even on existing reservations. There may be instances where the name of a tour contains a tour length in it, but where there is a version of the tour that is a different number of days in length. You can check the true length of a tour by referring to the length value listed in association with that tour. Destination images displayed on this web page, some which are supplied by the related vendor and some which are not, are intended to simply give a general representation of the region of the world being visited during the tour. Such images are not necessarily of the exact areas being visited during the tour. Hotel details (including, but not limited to: rating/class, descriptions, images, amenities and addresses) are provided by Contiki. Hotel amenities may be communicated in shorthand by Contiki (for example, if "Laundry" is listed that may only mean that the hotel has an optional fee-based service that would allow for your laundry to be done by their staff). We reserve the right to correct errors.