Darshan and aarti, security rules, the temples and ghats around Ram Janmabhoomi, trains, flights and hotels — everything you need for a calm, well-planned visit to Ayodhya.
Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh, is revered by Hindus as the birthplace of Lord Ram and is one of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) of Hinduism. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple — the Ram Mandir — was consecrated on 22 January 2024 and has since become one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in India.
This is an independent guide, not the official temple website. We explain how a visit works in practice — what you can and cannot carry in, when the queues are shortest, which other temples and ghats are worth your time — and point you to the official Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust for passes and current timings.
Guided day trips and short packages with a car, driver and guide — bookable through GetYourGuide. Tours cover transport and guiding; darshan itself is always free. Tap any tour for live prices.
Private day trip from US$40 A private guided day in Ayodhya from Lucknow by car. You visit the Ram Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Dashrath Mahal and other ancient sites before driving back in the evening.
Guided day tour from US$31 A full guided day in Ayodhya: the birthplace of Lord Ram and the main temples, a local vegetarian lunch, and the evening aarti ceremony at the Saryu ghat.
Private day trip from US$31 A private full-day tour from Varanasi to Ayodhya with a guide, covering the city’s temples, sacred ghats and Ramayana heritage before returning the same day.
Private day trip from US$114 A private tour from Lucknow to the birthplace of Lord Ram, with a boat ride on the Saryu river and a vegetarian lunch included.
Day trip from US$87 A long day trip from Varanasi to Ayodhya in an air-conditioned car, visiting the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and the religious sites around it.
Private day trip A private day trip from Lucknow with a guide: Ram Janmabhoomi, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan and more, with a peaceful walk along the ghats of the Saryu.
Overnight trip A two-day trip from Delhi by air. You visit the birthplace of Lord Ram and Hanuman Garhi and learn about the Ramayana with a guide.
Multi-day tour from US$222 Three unhurried days in Ayodhya, taking in its ancient temples, its ghats and the evening aarti on the Saryu river.
Real-time prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide. Free cancellation on most experiences.
The Ram Mandir is the heart of the visit, but Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Ram ki Paidi and the evening aarti on the Saryu are what make a day in Ayodhya complete.
Ram Mandir & Ramkot The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple
The great sandstone temple at the place revered as the birthplace of Lord Ram. Built in the Nagara style and consecrated on 22 January 2024, it houses the idol of Ram Lalla and is the reason most visitors come to Ayodhya.
Ram Mandir & Ramkot The hilltop fortress of Hanuman
A fort-like temple on a mound in the middle of town, reached by a flight of 76 steps. Pilgrims traditionally come here first to ask Hanuman, guardian of Ayodhya, for permission to visit Lord Ram.
Ram Mandir & Ramkot The golden palace of Sita and Ram
An elegant palace-temple a short walk from the Ram Mandir, dedicated to Ram and Sita. Tradition says Queen Kaikeyi gave it to Sita after her wedding; the present building dates from 1891.
Ram Mandir & Ramkot The palace of King Dashrath
A colourful temple-palace in Ramkot on the site associated with the royal residence of Dashrath, father of Lord Ram. Its painted gateway opens onto a courtyard filled with the sound of bhajans.
Saryu riverfront The ghats where Ayodhya gathers at dusk
A long series of bathing ghats along a channel of the Saryu, lined with temples and lit up after dark. It is the stage for Deepotsav and, with neighbouring Naya Ghat, the place to watch the evening Saryu aarti.
A short ride away The quiet ghat of Lord Ram’s final journey
A peaceful 19th-century ghat on the Saryu on the Faizabad side of the city, where tradition holds that Lord Ram entered the river to return to his divine abode. Old temples, wide steps and boat rides make it Ayodhya’s calmest riverside.
Hotels in Ayodhya for an early-morning darshan, and comfortable bases in Lucknow if you are visiting as a day trip — with live rates on Trip.com.
A four-star hotel from the Orchid group that opened in 2024 on the Faizabad side of the city — one of the more polished full-service options in Ayodhya.
A large four-star property built for the new wave of pilgrims, on the outskirts of Ayodhya.
A small, simple stay near Ram Katha Park and the Saryu, popular with guests for its location by the ghats.
Ram Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan and the evening aarti on the Saryu in one well-planned day — with a car and a guide who knows the entry routes. Compare tours from Lucknow, Varanasi and Delhi.
No. AyodhyaRamMandir.com is an independent visitor guide. The temple is managed by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust; its official website is srjbtkshetra.org. We do not issue passes, accept donations or sell darshan.
No. Darshan at the Ram Mandir is free for everyone. The trust has also offered free time-slot passes (often called Sugam Darshan) and aarti passes in limited numbers through its own channels. Nobody is authorised to sell darshan — treat any paid “VIP darshan” offer with caution. See our darshan guide.
Timings are set by the temple trust and change with the season and on festivals. Darshan has typically run from early morning to late evening with a short midday pause. Always check the official trust website shortly before you travel.
Under the rules in force at the time of writing, mobile phones, cameras, other electronics and bags are not allowed inside the temple complex. Free lockers are provided near the entrance. Carry only essentials and your ID.
By air to Maharishi Valmiki International Airport (AYJ), by train to Ayodhya Dham Junction or Ayodhya Cantt, or by road — Lucknow is about 135 km away. See getting to Ayodhya.
One full day covers the Ram Mandir, Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan, Dashrath Mahal and the evening aarti at the Saryu. Two days is more relaxed and adds Guptar Ghat and a dawn visit to the river.
