River Ganges Camping & Boat Trip to Varanasi
- Dec 4, 2025
- 8 min read
The journey From Prayagraj towards Our Ganges' Departure Point
After having taken the night sleeping train from Agra, we reached the Allahabad station located within the town of Prayagraj. We were a bit giddy due to having slept well since waking up at 5 a.m. the day prior to visiting the Taj Mahal. Like most long-distance travelers, we had made sure to track train status along the way so we knew exactly when we would arrive. The tour offered us the opportunity to bathe and have breakfast before heading to The Hotel Star Regency, but we were not staying there for the night. We left the hotel in a minibus for our destination, the Bhualpur Shivala Ghat—the starting point of our two-day River Ganges cruise.
Allahabad's Railway Station
The minibus ride took 2.5 hours, passing by some stunning places like that of the Kumbh Mela. It is a Hindu religious festival during which 120 million pilgrims gather to bathe in the Sangam which is the point of intersection between three rivers, the Ganges as well as the Yamuna and the Saraswati. This is actually the biggest gathering of people, held each year for 12 consecutive years. We could only see the rows upon rows of tents that appeared to extend for miles.
On the way Garth enjoyed all the beautifully decorated lorries that were on the roads and even spotted an elephant along the motorway! When we reached the countryside, we drove past several remote villages, and the views became more rural and fascinating. There were fields of farmer's yellow flowers, not rape seeds as we had thought, but mustard seeds. It was evident that women were working at it working in fields. They appeared as if they were working hand-to-hand and no tractors or big machines.
Another sight was youngsters playing cricket on fake stumps on the fields and streets. There were people peeing everywhere on the roadsides and some sad pictures of carts pulled by horses with people.
It is the Kumbh Mela held in Prayagraj. The biggest celebration in the world. people
We loved all the highly decorated lorries and trucks in India
Backs of Indian vehicles are have been decorated Blow Horn hand painted signs
A typical scene driving through some rural villages
A group of ladies hard at work in the fields
These women gave us big smiles as they drove through a different village
Sailing Down The River Ganges
At the shores of the River Ganges at Bhualpur Shivala Ghat we took our small boats to embark on an adventure for two days of drifting along into the River Ganges to Varanasi with a night of camping wild. We each received the most beautiful garland of marigolds as a tradition Indians offer to welcome new guests. The boating team provided three boats for us and they also provided an open-air kitchen boat that we could cruise along. The boats are basic wooden rowing vessels that can accommodate six persons. We were there with two crew members, and Malcolm as well as Marisa from our small group tour. they were fun to be around and we had a blast with each other. There are no seats and everyone is laid on mattresses.
It was such a relaxing experience when we laid down laid on blankets while we observed the world pass by. We saw children playing cricket, who were bathing on the ghats as well as many fishermen doing their business. Every person we saw from an in-between distance offered us a hug and smiles, which was great.
It's a beautiful river. River Ganges is at the core of Indian culture since it's thought to be a sacred river, however it's considered to be one of the worst polluted rivers in world. We saw a lot of plastic, as well as other objects floating through the water, and dogs tormenting away rotten meat at the banks of the river. On the bright side, Garth observed the endangered river dolphins fluttering their heads out and in from the river.
Boarding our boats at the Bhualpur Shivala Ghat
Phil boards our simple wooden rowing boat
We then went on a 2-day River Ganges boat cruise to Varanasi
Garth with his lovely garland of marigold flowers,
Orange marigold flowers are considered a sacred colour in Hinduism
One of our group sailing boats to Varanasi
Our hard working crew members rowing us down the Ganges river
Passing some fishermen on the River Ganges
Passing lots of fishing boats like this one filled with nets
Fishermen on the River Ganges
The landscapes we sailed past was mostly rural countryside
People are so lovely waving and smiling back to us
A group of women do their laundry and wash in the river.
On the banks of River Ganges, we sail through Chunar Fort
Food on our vessels
Every day, the kitchen team prepared fresh meals for us. We ate lunch with rice and dal, aloo gobi with cheesy spinach, chapatis served with chilli pots and pickles. All absolutely delicious. Our last day, we noticed that they werehed some plates inside the Ganges! OMG! Garth was suffering from Delhi stomach when we arrived at the accommodation at Varanasi. It could have been due to the fact that.
The cooks of our crew cooked hot and freshly cooked meals for our cruise trip.
Delicious lunches made comprised of rice, aloo gobi and dal, as well as cheesy spinach and chapatis
Our crew’s kitchen boat
Wild Camping on The River Ganges
In the early evening, the crew anchored the boats on a sandy island right on the River Ganges opposite a small village known as Churamanpur. We expected to see some kind of campsite, but there was nothing This was wild camping! The group set up the fire, and within half an hour, they had constructed an entire camp site for us, complete with a separate toilet tent.
The stress of camping quickly dissipated as the camping experience became amazing as we enjoyed a fireside meal and shared stories, while watching the sunset and stargazing. It's cold and chilly at night, so the warmth of the group continued as they gave us blankets to stay warm. They made use of the open flame to cook us a meal with rice, aloe Gobi, and we were even given a bowl of chips! Such a service in the in the middle of the desert!
We took along Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate as well as Diet Pepsi to snack on You can't purchase Diet Coke anywhere so Garth was experiencing withdrawal symptoms. In the case of Dairy Milk, the Indian variant of Dairy Milk it tastes like Marmite I'm sick of it!
Our guide Pema gave us good night as we went to our beds. She also warned us to be wary of crocodiles that might emerge from the water in the evening! WHAT?! We later discovered that we found out he was just playing with us!
Our camp is located at the heart of River Ganges opposite a small village named Churamanpur
Our camp for the night was on an island of sand located in the River Ganges
Absolutely magical camping under the stars
Relaxing by the fire and sharing stories to our smaller group tour travel companions
The next morning, we were awakened by sound of bells calling people to pray at the temple that is on the opposite side of the river. Phil opened the door of our tent and we saw the breathtaking sunrise over of the River Ganges from our bed. It was magical as the sun appeared like a huge and red. Garth thought it was the Tatooine scene in a Star Wars movie, isolated and covered in sand.
Breakfast came next with a treat from the cook team to a cup hot chai, followed by porridge, omelettes and toast with butter and hot toast! fabulous. Then, before we knew it, the campsite was packed and the boats loaded and we were sailing again. We left only footprints, but we took home a lot of memories.
Amazing moment to watch dawn over River Ganges from our tent
Just like a Tatooine scene from a Star Wars movie
It’s morning and time to board our boats again
Sherpur Village School
In the morning, we stopped at a rural, remote village named Sherpur near the river. We went to one of the schools and had the opportunity to talk to the teachers and pupils questions, with the assistance of our guide Pema who was interpreting. The school was basic. There were no computers nor any other technology. It was back to basic pencils and books. We all contributed a little to Pema to purchase some pencils for colouring and books. It was wonderful to give something to the children to enjoy.
Visiting a primary school in the village of Sherpur
Children from the Sherpur Primary School
Entrance to the village school
Lots of educational paintings on the walls inside the classroom
After a few minutes to explore the village, a lady attracted our attention. She was working on 'dung cakes' by rolling cow dung into forms that are then baked outside in the sunshine to air dry. They are later used as fuel to ignite.
A woman making "Dung cakes" using cow dung. These are dried and used to make fuel
Dung cakes laid out to dry in the sun
Exploring the small village of Sherpur
We have seen this swastika of religious significance across India. It's an old Hindu icon that symbolizes prosperity and luck.
Swastika symbols are positioned on the front of doors of people's homes to wish good luck to everyone who walks through their doors.
A couple of cows in a home’s backyard
Our boats return to their docked up, passing areas of mustard seed fields
Our small boat sailing trip continuers to Varanasi
Sailing To Varanasi
As we got closer to Varanasi We began to pass by some burning ghats. These are the places where people are buried on steps directly close to the river, and the ashes are scattered over the Ganges. Hindus are of the belief that Ganges is necessary for the dead to be able to meet their ancestors on the other side of heaven.
The sailing trip ended beneath the Vishwa Sundari Bridge. There, we took a transfer to Varanasi in a minibus just 30 minutes away. The two days we spent there was an amazing experience. It was simple and cold as it was at night but we really enjoyed it because the staff provided great hospitality.
A ‘burning’ ghat on the River Ganges as we approach Varanasi
What an unforgettable trip along the River Ganges
Facts About The River Ganges
The River Ganges is named after the Hindu goddess known as Ganga.
It's 1,560 miles long, and it flows between India as well as Bangladesh.
Hindus believe that bathing in Ganges will cleanse their souls from past sins.
It's ranked 5th in the world's most polluted river.
A huge amount of raw wastewater gets being pumped into the rivers every day.
River sharks and river dolphins are in danger due to the effects of pollution.
The rice and other crops that are produced in the Ganges areas are the main food source for India as well as Bangladesh.
It's the fifth longest river in the world.
River Ganges Camping and Sailing Trip Practical & Useful Information
Phil and Garth’s Top 5 River Ganges Camping Tips
Phil and Garth's Top 5 River Ganges Tips
TIP #1 Bring an extra torch to go camping. We only used the flashlights on our iPhones.
TIP #2 Take some diarrhoea tablets in case you are to contact with water from Ganges.
Tipp #3 Tip #3: Even in January the sun was scorching hot during the daytime and we had to wear sunscreen.
TIP #4 Take a vaccination before you leave. The water is brimming diseases that can could pose health risks.
5 Tips: Bring snacks or drinks along with playing cards.
Also Read : Top 10 Things To Do In Kolkata, India
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