Mathura Vrindavan Tour Places: All the Must-See Temples & Ghats

The tour places at a glance

Mathura Vrindavan tour places: an overview

Mathura and Vrindavan, the twin holy cities of Braj, are the land of Krishna: Mathura where he was born, Vrindavan where he spent his childhood and all around them the villages and hills of his pastimes. A Mathura Vrindavan tour is really a garland of sacred places, temples, ghats, groves and hills and this guide lays them all out, area by area, with how to cover them in the time you have. If you would like it all arranged and driven for you, we run it as a mathura vrindavan tour with a local guide. To see how the places sit relative to one another, our vrindavan city map helps.

This guide covers the places to visit in Vrindavan; the places in Mathura; the wider Braj of Govardhan, Barsana, Nandgaon and Gokul; how many days you need and how to cover them; the tour packages; and practical tips. Our vrindavan mathura itinerary turns these places into a day-by-day plan and our places to visit in vrindavan guide goes deeper on Vrindavan alone.

From the ground (Gurudutt): When people ask me what places to cover, my first question back is: how many days do you have? In one day I take guests to the Janmabhoomi and Dwarkadhish in Mathura and then Banke Bihari, Prem Mandir and ISKCON in Vrindavan, finishing with an evening aarti; it is a full, happy day. With two days we slow down and add Govardhan; with three we bring in Barsana and Nandgaon and Gokul for the childhood pastimes. The one thing I always plan around is the afternoon closing, every temple shuts for a few hours, so we do darshan morning and evening and keep the middle of the day for rest and food. Group the places by area and you will never waste time backtracking.

Places to visit in Vrindavan

Vrindavan, the town of Krishna's childhood, is dense with temples, from the most beloved shrines to ancient groves. The main tour places are:

• banke bihari temple: the most beloved temple of Vrindavan, where darshan is given in the tender Jhanki glimpses.

• prem mandir vrindavan: the magnificent white-marble temple famous for its evening fountain and light show.

• iskcon temple vrindavan: the Krishna Balaram Mandir, with its beautiful deities and joyful kirtan.

• nidhivan vrindavan: the sacred grove where, by the tradition, the divine Raas Leela takes place each night.

• radha raman temple: one of the ancient temples of the Goswamis, with a self-manifested deity.

• rangji temple vrindavan: the grand South-Indian-style temple and nearby Keshi Ghat on the Yamuna, lovely for the sunset Yamuna Aarti.

We present these temples with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith and recounted with reverence.

Places to visit in Mathura

Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna, about 15 km from Vrindavan, holds the most sacred of all the sites. The main tour places are:

• krishna janmabhoomi temple: the very birthplace of Lord Krishna, the holiest site of the tour.

• dwarkadhish temple mathura: the grand, vibrant temple near the Yamuna, the main temple of the old city.

• Vishram Ghat: the chief ghat on the Yamuna, where by the tradition Krishna rested after slaying Kansa, beautiful for the evening aarti.

• kans qila mathura: the historic fort of Kansa on the riverfront, and, nearby, Potra Kund and the Government Museum.

We present these places with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith and recounted with reverence.

Places in the wider Braj: Govardhan, Barsana, Gokul

With more than a day, the wider Braj opens up and these are among the most beloved places of all:

• govardhan hill: the sacred Giriraj that Krishna lifted, with the Daan Ghati, Kusum Sarovar and the 21 km parikrama, about 23 km from Mathura.

• radha rani temple barsana: the hilltop temple of Radha Rani at Barsana, her village, with Prem Sarovar nearby.

• gokul barsana nandgaon: Nandgaon, the village of Krishna's foster father Nanda and Gokul and Mahavan, where the infant Krishna was raised, all on the Braj day trip.

We present these sacred places with the reverence of the tradition, held with faith and recounted with reverence, the beloved land of Krishna's pastimes.

How many days do you need and how to cover the places

One day: the highlights of both cities, the Krishna Janmabhoomi and Dwarkadhish in Mathura and Banke Bihari, Prem Mandir and ISKCON in Vrindavan, with an evening aarti; a full but rewarding day.

Two days: the same at an unhurried pace, adding Govardhan and its parikrama and more of Vrindavan's temples and ghats.

Three days or more: add Barsana, Nandgaon and Gokul, the fuller Braj and time for the parikramas and the quieter shrines.

Because the temples close in the afternoon, cover the morning darshans first, rest in the middle of the day and take the evening aartis after; our mathura vrindavan temple timings guide has the seasonal hours. So plan one to three days by how much you wish to see and group the places by area. So work around the afternoon closing.

Tour packages and how to plan

We arrange Mathura Vrindavan and Braj tours covering these places, with a comfortable vehicle, a route timed around the darshan and aarti hours and a knowledgeable local guide. A shared day tour starts from around ₹1,499 per person, with darshan free at the temples. Popular options are our one-day vrindavan mathura tour for the highlights, our two-day mathura vrindavan tour for an unhurried visit with Govardhan and our same-day govardhan barsana tour for the western Braj.

For a self-planned trip, our vrindavan mathura itinerary guide, linked above, shapes the days. So choose a guided tour for ease or plan your own around the timings. So message me on WhatsApp at +91-7302265809 with your dates and the places you most want to see and I will build the tour around them.

Tips for your Mathura Vrindavan tour

• Plan around the afternoon closing: do darshan in the morning and evening; keep the afternoon for rest and food.

• Group by area: do Vrindavan together, Mathura together and Govardhan and Barsana on their own leg, to avoid backtracking.

• Dress modestly and travel light: it is a temple region; leave bags and phones as required at the stricter temples such as Banke Bihari and the Janmabhoomi.

• Come in the cool season: October to March is the most comfortable; festivals are special but very crowded.

• Use rickshaws and a car: e-rickshaws in the old-town lanes and a car for the legs between the towns and the wider Braj.

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