India
About My Trip to India
My first trip to India took me from the crowded streets of Mumbai to the spiritual heart of Varanasi and the Buddhist pilgrimage site of Bodh Gaya. Each destination offered a very different experience and helped me better understand the country’s history, culture, religions, and everyday life.
I began in Mumbai, where I stayed in Colaba, explored the area around the Gateway of India, and joined a full-day tour of South Mumbai. The city was intense at first, but it quickly became more manageable as I visited places such as Dhobi Ghat, Marine Drive, Crawford Market, Mani Bhavan, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
In Varanasi, I experienced a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, walked through the old city, visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple area, explored Sarnath, and watched the evening Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat. Varanasi was crowded, spiritual, beautiful, and unlike anywhere else I had visited. As a teacher, seeing places I had discussed in class made the experience especially meaningful.
I also took a long day trip from Varanasi to Bodh Gaya, where I visited the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodhi Tree, the Great Buddha Statue, and the Sleeping Buddha Statue. Although the journey required about five hours of driving each way, it gave me the opportunity to visit one of Buddhism’s most important destinations.
These India travel guides and videos share my honest experiences as a first-time visitor, including practical itineraries, major attractions, cultural experiences, and what it was really like traveling through Mumbai, Varanasi, and Bodh Gaya.
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Mumbai
Mumbai was an intense but rewarding introduction to India. With just one day in the city, I based myself in Colaba and combined some solo exploring around the Gateway of India with a full-day city tour.
Along the way, I visited Dhobi Ghat, Oval Maidan, Rajabai Clock Tower, Marine Drive, Hanging Gardens, Mani Bhavan, Crawford Market, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. This itinerary is a practical guide for first-time visitors who want to see many of Mumbai’s major highlights in a short amount of time.
Mumbai made a strong first impression on me. During my first evening in the city, I dealt with the crowds, traffic, food, cash logistics, and the busy atmosphere around Colaba and the Gateway of India.
What surprised me most was how quickly Mumbai started to feel manageable, along with how helpful people were and how safe I felt walking around. This page shares my honest first impressions of Mumbai as a first-time visitor.
This video follows my one day in Mumbai, India as I joined a city tour through some of the best-known sights in South Mumbai. During the day, I visited places like Dhobi Ghat, Oval Maidan, Marine Drive, Crawford Market, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. I also saw Rajabai Clock Tower, the University of Mumbai, the Hanging Gardens, and Mani Bhavan Gandhi Sangrahalaya.
The tour gave me a fast-paced but memorable introduction to Mumbai’s history, architecture, and everyday energy. It was a great way to see a wide variety of attractions in a limited amount of time. I ended the day with a stop at the famous Leopold Cafe.
Varanasi
During my time in Varanasi, I took a full-day tour that included a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, walking through the Varanasi old city, visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple area, exploring Banaras Hindu University, seeing Sarnath, and ending the day at the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat.
The experience gave me a broad introduction to the city and helped me understand both its intensity and its meaning. This page shares what the day was like and why I think it is a strong option for first-time visitors who want to experience a lot in one day.
My full-day Varanasi tour was one of the most powerful travel experiences I have had in India. The day started before sunrise with a boat ride on the Ganges River, where I saw the ghats slowly come to life as people prayed, bathed, and began their day along the water.
From there, I explored the streets and alleys near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple area, visited Sarnath, and ended the day watching the evening Ganga Aarti. This experience was intense, crowded, spiritual, beautiful, and unforgettable.
As a teacher, visiting a place I had talked about in class made the day feel even more meaningful. Varanasi was not a city I could fully understand in one visit, but it was one I tried to experience with curiosity and respect.
I ended my full day in Varanasi by watching the evening Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat. This video shows the ceremony with natural audio, no music, and no commentary, along with simple captions explaining what is happening.
The Ganga Aarti is a Hindu ritual of worship offered to the Ganges River, which is revered in Varanasi as Maa Ganga, or Mother Ganga. During the ceremony, priests use fire lamps, incense, bells, chanting, conch shells, marigold petals, and synchronized movements as part of the evening offering. I watched from the floor seating area at Assi Ghat, which gave me a close view of the priests and the crowd gathered along the steps.
My guide, Himanshu, helped organize this wonderful end to the day and helped me understand when filming was and was not appropriate. This video is a peaceful way to see what the evening Aarti at Assi Ghat looked and sounded like during my visit.
This 90-minute timelapse captures the nonstop boat traffic on the Ganges River in Varanasi about two hours before sunset. With boats constantly passing by, it offers a fascinating look at how active and busy this famous stretch of river can be.
The changing afternoon light also adds to the atmosphere as the river stays in near-constant motion. A simple but striking glimpse of daily life along one of India’s most iconic waterways.
Bodh Gaya
During my time in Varanasi, I took a very long day trip to Bodh Gaya, the place traditionally recognized as the site where Buddha reached enlightenment. The trip included the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodhi Tree, the Great Buddha Statue, and the Sleeping Buddha Statue, along with a slow five-hour drive each way.
This page explains what the day was like, who should consider doing it, and whether I think a day trip to Bodh Gaya from Varanasi is actually worth it.
What was supposed to be a rest day in Varanasi turned into an unforgettable day trip to Bodh Gaya. In this video, I travel roughly five hours each way with my guide, Himanshu, and our driver to visit the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Muchalinda Lake, the Bodhi Tree, the Great Buddha Statue, and a large Reclining Buddha. Along the way, I ride in a tuk-tuk, stand beneath a ringing bell, and experience one of the most memorable days of my trip to India.