Commercial partnership. This article contains affiliate links. If you book through these links, Pixidia earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Dev Deepawali 2027 is expected on Saturday 13 November 2027 in Varanasi, to be confirmed a month ahead. More than a million lamps are lit on the ghats from sunset, around 5:15 pm. None of the twelve Viator experiences sells the evening itself: the night boat is booked through a hotel or a local operator, months in advance. I suggest twelve experiences to fill the days around it, rated from 4.76 to 4.99 out of 5. Start with the walk led by guides from Varanasi families.
I plan this trip a year ahead, and that is what I recommend to you too. Dev Deepawali, the « Diwali of the gods », lights up the Varanasi ghats on the night of the Kartik full moon, fifteen days after Diwali. In 2027 the date is expected on Saturday 13 November, to be confirmed a month ahead: some sources give Sunday 14, because they apply a different rule for calculating the full moon.
One honest point before the cards: none of the twelve experiences below sells the Dev Deepawali evening. Viator’s Varanasi catalogue has no gala boat and no Aarti reserved for the festival. What I suggest is to build your week around the night: scout the ghats at dawn, walk the old town, do Sarnath on a quiet day, and keep the evening for a boat booked through a hotel or a local operator. I could not check November 2027 slots or prices, because Viator does not open its calendars that far ahead: the prices shown are benchmarks seen in autumn 2026 for two adults.
One last thing to know: the guides are overwhelmingly English-speaking, which is a plus for English-speaking travellers, and only one listing advertises a French-speaking guide. If you only keep one to start with, I pick the walk with guides from Varanasi families: 4.97 out of 5 from 473 reviews, the most solid of the lot. The others are sorted by moment: dawn and scouting, the day, the evening, then private days and the three-day stay.
Why Dev Deepawali: the Pixidia angle
Dev Deepawali means « Diwali of the gods ». Tradition says the gods descend to bathe in the Ganges on the night of Kartik Purnima, and the festival celebrates Shiva’s victory over the demon Tripurasura, hence the names Tripurotsav and Tripurari Purnima (Varanasi Tourism, Drik Panchang). Where Diwali evokes Rama’s return to Ayodhya, Dev Deepawali is the festival of the gods in Kashi, that is, Varanasi.
The scale is that of a river festival: more than a million diyas, the small oil lamps, are lit from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat, for around 100,000 pilgrims on the riverfront according to Wikipedia. For the edition of 5 November 2025, the authorities announced more than 10 lakh lamps (one million), including 8 lakh on the 88 main ghats run by 83 local committees, with a 3D « Kashi Katha » show and eco-friendly fireworks (ANI, Pragativadi). These are announced figures, not counts. Wikipedia credits the organised illumination of Dashashwamedh Ghat to Pandit Kishori Raman Dubey, in 1991; older origin stories belong to tradition.
Here is the course of a typical evening, as the sources report it:
- At dawn: ritual bath in the Ganges, around 4:30 to 5 am (Squid Travel).
- Around 5:15 to 5:30 pm: sunset in November, the lamps begin to be lit.
- From 5:11 pm to 7:48 pm: the Dev Deepawali ritual window (pradoshakala) calculated for 2027 in Varanasi by Drik Panchang.
- Around 6 to 6:30 pm: Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, the usual time, to be rechecked for the festival (official Kashi website).
Why the doubt between the 13th and the 14th? According to Drik Panchang, the full moon (Purnima) runs from 13 November at 9:55 am to 14 November at 8:55 am, Indian time. Since the festival is celebrated at twilight, it falls on the 13th. Samvat.in and a few calendars apply the sunrise rule and give the 14th. The Varanasi authorities have not yet published the official 2027 calendar, usually announced a few weeks ahead: I say « expected 13 November, to be confirmed a month ahead ».
What Viator does not do. The night boat of 13 November is booked through a hotel or a local operator, 2 to 6 months ahead depending on the operator (Varanasi Guru, KashiTaxi). Operator listings quote 1,500 to 5,000 rupees per person for 2 to 3 hours, commercial rather than official rates. The twelve experiences that follow cover everything around it.
12 experiences to book around Dev Deepawali 2027
Reading notes: prices are totals for 2 adults, seen in autumn 2026 and therefore indicative. Rates for the festival night may differ, and I claim no availability or price for 13 November 2027, which Viator does not yet let you check. Guides are English-speaking according to the listings unless stated otherwise.
1. Sunrise rowing boat from Dashashwamedh Ghat
This is the first scouting trip I would make: two hours on the water, rowed, to see the ghats from the river and understand where the staircases that will be packed on 13 November climb from the water. The guide talks you through Manikarnika and the cremation ghats; there, ask what is and is not done before you take your camera out. The listing mentions one departure at dawn and another late in the day.
- Departures at 5:30 am and 5:30 pm according to the listing
- Meeting point near Dashashwamedh Ghat, details on the listing
- Water and masala chai provided
2. Private yoga class at sunrise
Before spending a whole evening in the crowd, I would plan one hour of calm: a one-to-one class, in a studio or on a terrace, adapted to your level. It is also a way to set your body clock to the dawn schedule of the ritual baths and the boats.
- Beginners and experienced practitioners alike
- Yoga mat provided
- Exact location confirmed with the teacher after booking
3. Banaras Wala: ghats, lanes and street food, tailor-made
A guide born in Varanasi, with more than ten years in the job, builds the tour around what you want to see: the ghats at sunrise, the lanes, the street food. It is the most flexible format in the selection, and the most useful for finding your bearings in the old town before the festival fills it.
- Departures at 5:00 am and 3:00 pm according to the listing
- Hotel pick-up or a meeting point agreed with the guide
- Bottled water and chai included
4. Walk with guides from Varanasi families
It has the most reviews in the selection: 473 voices for a 4.97 rating. These are guides whose families have lived here for generations, and they take you into the hidden corners of the city and explain its traditions. I would do it on the first afternoon, to learn the lanes you will use to reach the river on festival night.
- Departures at 9:30 am and 3:30 pm according to the listing
- Meeting point at Rajendra Prasad Ghat, to confirm on the listing
- Bottled water and chai included
5. The old town on foot, with chai, snacks and lassi
It has the highest rating in the selection, 4.99 from 108 reviews, for a walk through the old town punctuated by tastings of chai, snacks and lassi. It teaches you to find your way through the tangle of lanes that clog up on festival night, and it runs as a private tour.
- Departures at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm according to the listing
- Licensed guide, drinks and snacks included
- Meeting point given on the listing
6. Sarnath in the footsteps of the Buddha
About ten kilometres north-east of the city, Sarnath is where tradition places the Buddha’s first sermon, with the Dhamek Stupa as its main monument. It is my crowd-free break: an outing to fit into a quiet day of your week, not the evening of the 13th.
- 3-hour walk on the site and around it
- Tuk-tuk, entrance fees and guide included
- Meeting point in Sarnath to confirm on the listing
7. Morning on the water, breakfast and Ganga Aarti with VIP seats
Several options exist, with departures at 5 am, 9 am, 3 pm or 5 pm depending on the option. The late-day one is closest to the spirit of the evening, with an Aarti in VIP seats, but it does not cover Dev Deepawali: write to the organiser to ask whether they operate on the evening of 13 November before building a plan on it.
- Breakfast, coffee or tea depending on the option
- Aarti in VIP seats, before or after the ride depending on the option
- Oldest neighbourhoods and lanes
8. Private day: boat, temples, ghats and rituals
A whole day with a private guide: boat at sunrise, temples, lanes and a ritual, with hotel pick-up and drop-off. The headline price seen on the listing is very low for eleven hours of touring: it depends on the option and group size, so look at the details before counting on it.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Temple entrance fees and private boat listed
- Bottled water and snacks included
9. 13 hours in Varanasi, from dawn to night
This is the format I would take for one dense day: boat at dawn, Kashi Vishwanath, Banaras Hindu University, Sarnath, all in an air-conditioned car with entrance fees and hotel pick-up. The guide speaks English, with Spanish available according to the listing.
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fees and hotel pick-up included
- Kashi Vishwanath, BHU university and Sarnath on the programme
10. Private day with Aarti from a rooftop
Private rowing boat from 5 am, Manikarnika, Sarnath, then a private chair on a rooftop for the evening Aarti, away from the crush on the steps. It is the format that most resembles an evening above the ghats, but it remains an ordinary day: for 13 November, ask the operator what they offer.
- Private rowing boat from 5 am
- Licensed guide, air-conditioned car, fees and taxes included
- Private chair on a rooftop for the Aarti
11. Private day with a French-speaking guide, exclusive boat and Aarti
This is the only listing in the selection where the guide is advertised in French, alongside English and Spanish: confirm on the listing when you choose your language. Exclusive boat at dawn, Sarnath, lanes, then a private balcony for the Aarti, with a return to the hotel after the ceremony.
- Licensed local guide, listed in French, English and Spanish
- Private air-conditioned car, taxes and parking included
- Private balcony for the Aarti and return to the hotel
12. Three private days in Varanasi, 39 hours of touring
For those who come specially for the festival: three private days, with a rowing boat in the morning, Sarnath, temples and private transport. A 4- or 5-star hotel is an option, breakfast included. It sorts out the days around the festival and leaves your head free to arrange the night of the 13th with a local operator.
- Rowing boat in the morning, mineral water every day
- Breakfast included
- Optional 4- or 5-star hotel on a bed and breakfast basis
Getting ready for the trip
A connection from the moment you land, handy for maps, train times and messages to your boat operator.
Get my eSIMWorldwide coverage for travellers, with a quote in a few seconds.
See the priceThe easiest way to reach Varanasi is to go via Delhi, then take the train or a domestic flight.
See flightsPractical tips on the ground
Getting there. Between Delhi and Varanasi, allow about 8 hours on the Vande Bharat train (departing 6 am, arriving 2 pm, or departing 3 pm, arriving 11:05 pm depending on the service) or about 1 hour 30 by air, Varanasi airport having the code VNS (Goibibo, KashiTaxi). Entry conditions for India, visa included, should be checked on the official website before you book anything. For the rest of the trip, my North India guide links Delhi, Rajasthan and Varanasi, and the article on airspace closures and flights to India helps you weigh detours in 2026.
Where to sleep. Riverfront hotels fill up first, with strict cancellation rules and full payment 30 to 60 days ahead according to Squid Travel. Rooftops with a view of the ghats go first. I recommend arriving the day before at the latest, and booking as soon as calendars open for November 2027.
The night boat. Choose a registered boat, have the boarding ghat confirmed, insist on life jackets and avoid last-minute offers on the ghat. Board by about 4:30 pm at the latest: car access to the old town closes in the afternoon and the streets become impassable after 4 pm (Squid Travel).
Weather and clothing. November runs at about 14 to 29 °C with very little rain, and possible morning fog (Wanderlog, Climates to Travel). Evenings on the water drop to around 10 to 15 °C: bring a jacket or a shawl. Mid-November to mid-February is the most pleasant period for temperatures, but also the one with the worst pollution.
Crowds and respect. The old town is packed on festival night, with pickpocketing reported in the crowd: shoes with good grip for wet steps and covering clothes are a must. Manikarnika is a cremation ghat: stay discreet and ask your guide what is allowed. If the festival of lights draws you elsewhere in India, also look at Diwali 2026 in Jaipur.
Frequently asked questions
What is the date of Dev Deepawali 2027 in Varanasi?
Dev Deepawali is expected on Saturday 13 November 2027, the night of the Kartik full moon, with a ritual window from 5:11 pm to 7:48 pm in Varanasi according to Drik Panchang. Some calendars give Sunday 14 November, depending on the calculation rule applied. The Varanasi authorities have not yet published the official programme: confirm a month ahead before locking in your dates.
Can you book the Dev Deepawali evening on Viator?
I found no Viator experience dedicated to the evening, neither a gala boat nor an Aarti reserved for the festival. The closest are the option with an Aarti in VIP seats, the day with an Aarti from a rooftop and the day with an Aarti from a private balcony: write to the organiser to ask whether they operate on the evening of 13 November. The night boat is better booked through a hotel or a local operator, several months ahead.
Are the experiences guided in English?
Mostly, yes: the guides are overwhelmingly English-speaking according to the listings, which suits English-speaking travellers. Only one listing advertises a French-speaking guide, alongside English and Spanish: the private day with an exclusive boat and Aarti, to be confirmed on the listing when you choose your language. For the others, check the guide language on each listing, or pick formats where the place speaks for itself, like the boat at dawn.
How long should you plan in Varanasi for the festival?
I recommend at least three nights: arrive the day before, spend one day scouting (boat at dawn, walk in the old town), one quiet day at Sarnath, then keep the 13th for the festival. The three-day private stay follows roughly that rhythm for those who prefer to hand everything to an operator.
Which is the best-rated experience in the selection?
The old-town walk with chai, snacks and lassi comes first with 4.99 out of 5 from 108 reviews. The most reviewed is the walk with guides from Varanasi families: 4.97 out of 5 from 473 reviews. The rowing boat at dawn scores 4.91 from 140 reviews.
Are November 2027 prices and slots known?
No. Viator does not open its calendars more than a year ahead: the prices in this article are benchmarks seen in autumn 2026 for two adults, and no availability is verified for 13 November 2027. Local boat operators also announce higher rates for the festival night. Come back to check slots on the listings from November 2026.
Sources
- Drik Panchang: date and times of Dev Deepawali 2027: accessed 1 October 2026
- Samvat.in: Dev Diwali 2027: accessed 1 October 2026
- PanchangTime: Dev Diwali 2027: accessed 1 October 2026
- mPanchang: Dev Diwali 2027: accessed 1 October 2026
- Wikipedia: Dev Deepavali (Varanasi): accessed 1 October 2026
- Varanasi Tourism: Dev Deepawali: accessed 1 October 2026
- ANI: 10 lakh diyas for Dev Deepawali 2025: accessed 1 October 2026
- Pragativadi: Dev Deepawali 2025 in Varanasi: accessed 1 October 2026
- Squid Travel: complete guide to Dev Deepawali: accessed 1 October 2026
- Varanasi Guru: boat booking for Dev Diwali: accessed 1 October 2026
- KashiTaxi: boat rates for Dev Deepawali: accessed 1 October 2026
- Official Kashi website: Ganga Aarti: accessed 1 October 2026
- Goibibo: Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat train: accessed 1 October 2026
- KashiTaxi: how to reach Varanasi: accessed 1 October 2026
- Wanderlog: Varanasi weather in November: accessed 1 October 2026
- Climates to Travel: Varanasi climate: accessed 1 October 2026
- Kupi: Dhamek Stupa: accessed 1 October 2026
- Wikivoyage: Sarnath: accessed 1 October 2026
- Wikidata: Varanasi (Q79980): accessed 1 October 2026
Plan your trip with Pixidia
Pixidia learns how you travel and helps you build a trip that truly fits you and everyone coming along.
Open the planner