Dev Deepawali 2026 in Varanasi — flights and hotels guide

Dev Deepawali 2026 in Varanasi: How to Plan Your Flights and Hotel

Published 29 October 2026 · IdeaMytrip Travel Guides

Fifteen days after Diwali, Varanasi puts on one of the most beautiful evenings in India. On Dev Deepawali, more than a million earthen diyas are lit along the ghats of the Ganga, from Ravidas Ghat in the south to Rajghat in the north. Priests perform the Ganga Aarti, boats crowd the river, and the whole riverfront glows.

This year Dev Deepawali falls on Tuesday, 24 November 2026, on Kartik Purnima. That is also Guru Nanak Jayanti, a holiday in much of India, so many travellers will turn it into a long weekend. Rooms near the river and flights into Varanasi will be in heavy demand. Here is how to plan it well, whether you are travelling with family, as a couple, or squeezing it in around work.

Key dates at a glance

Kartik Purnima is set by the lunar calendar, and a few sources list it a day apart. The Varanasi district administration usually confirms the date and a traffic plan a few weeks ahead, so check before you lock in non-refundable bookings.

Flying into Varanasi (VNS)

Varanasi is served by Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS) at Babatpur, about 25 km from the city. IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa Air all fly here, with direct services from the major metros. Routes and frequencies change by season, so search your exact dates rather than relying on last year's schedule.

A few things make a big difference on a festival trip:

• Book now, not in November. Diwali and Dev Deepawali demand overlap, and fares on popular routes rise in steps as cheaper seats sell out.
• Arrive a day early. Fly in on Saturday 21 or Sunday 22 November. Landing on the 24th leaves no margin for a delay and puts you in the worst of the road traffic.
• Choose a morning arrival. The drive from the airport to the old city takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and longer near the ghats. Arriving by midday gives you time to check in and walk the riverfront before dark.
• Book your return with the outbound. Everyone leaves on the 25th. A one-way search at the last minute is when fares are least friendly.
• Use DigiYatra. Varanasi was one of the first three airports to launch DigiYatra in December 2022, alongside Delhi and Bengaluru, so the face-based paperless entry works well here.

Varanasi's airport is growing too. In 2024 the Union Cabinet approved a ₹2,869.65 crore upgrade, including a new 75,000 sq m terminal and a runway extended to 4,075 m, which will take capacity from 3.9 to 9.9 million passengers a year.

Where to stay: ghats or the cantonment?

Your hotel choice decides how your Dev Deepawali evening feels. Vehicle access to the riverfront is restricted for several hours on the day, and you may walk a kilometre or more from the nearest drop point. Pick your base based on how much walking and crowding suits your group.

Premium tip: If you want the full riverfront view without standing in the crowd, consider a riverside hotel for the festival night and a cantonment hotel for the rest of the trip. You get the magic on the 24th and space, quiet and a quick airport run on either side.

Picking your spot on the evening

Each ghat offers a different experience, and it helps to decide in advance:

• Dashashwamedh Ghat is the ceremonial heart and home of the evening Ganga Aarti. It is also the most crowded point; expect to stand for hours.
• Assi Ghat has more room and a shorter walk from the road, which makes it a good pick for families.
• Namo Ghat is newer and more open at the northern end, with space to sit. It suits travellers staying on that side of the city.
• A boat on the Ganga gives the best panoramic view of the lit ghats. Demand far exceeds supply, so book through a recognised operator early and get the boarding ghat confirmed in writing. Ticketed shared boat experiences are also sold for the night.

Manikarnika is a working cremation ghat, not a viewing point, so please watch from elsewhere.

Mixing work and the festival

Varanasi is an easy add-on to business travel in north India. If you have meetings in Delhi NCR, Lucknow or Kolkata in the week of 23 November, a short hop to VNS lets you catch the festival without taking a full week off. Corporate travellers should stay in the cantonment area for reliable Wi-Fi, work desks and quicker airport transfers, then head to the ghats in the afternoon of the 24th.

Your Dev Deepawali checklist

• Book flights and a hotel with free cancellation now, then reconfirm once the official date is announced.
• Carry a valid government photo ID that matches your ticket, and set up DigiYatra before you fly.
• Complete web check-in as soon as it opens and travel light; you may walk the last stretch to your hotel.
• Reach the ghats two to three hours before sunset on 24 November.
• Agree a meeting point with your group — mobile networks struggle in dense crowds.
• Keep your hotel address printed or saved offline, and carry water.
• Leave extra time to reach the airport on 25 November.