Rise before dawn for a sunrise boat ride along the Ganges, watching pilgrims perform morning rituals across Assi, Dashashwamedh, and Manikarnika Ghats. After breakfast, drive 10 km north to Sarnath, the deer park where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon. Explore the Dhamek Stupa, Ashoka Pillar ruins, and the Sarnath Archaeological Museum. In the afternoon, tour the green campus of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to see the New Vishwanath Temple (Birla Temple) and the Bharat Kala Bhavan art museum. Visit the red-hued Durga Kund Temple and Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple before an evening stroll through the silk and brass-laden alleys of Thatheri Bazaar. Overnight stay in Varanasi.