Boating on the Ganges, Varanasi, India 08 Sep 2016
About this photo
The Ganges, known locally as the Ganga, is India’s most sacred river. From its source in the high mountains of western Uttarakhand,
it joins a large network of tributaries as it heads eastwards, most famously at Allahabad where it merges with the Yamuna; by
the time it discharges into the Bay of Bengal, the Ganges has drained an area of 1 million sq km (386,000 sq miles).
The plains that the Ganges irrigates support one of the most densely populated areas in the world, all dependent on this great river for their very survival. It flows through the holy city of Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world and arguably the most intense, atmospheric place in the whole of India.
To experience the Ganges and Varanasi for yourself, join Insight Guides' India: From the Ganges to the Golden Triangle holiday.
