Things to Do in Prayagraj: Triveni Sangam, Kumbh and Heritage Sites

Take a boat to the Triveni Sangam

Boats leave from ghats near the fort and take you out to the confluence, where you can see the different colours of the muddy Ganga and the greener Yamuna meeting. Pilgrims take a holy dip from platforms set up in the river. Agree the price and route with the boatman before setting off.

Early morning is the calmest time, with migratory birds such as Siberian gulls on the river in winter.

Time needed

1.5–2 hours

Best time

Early morning

Good for

Everyone

Experience the Magh Mela or Kumbh Mela

Every January and February, the Magh Mela turns the sandbanks at the Sangam into a tent city of pilgrims, sadhus and kalpvasis, who live by the river for a month. Every six years there is an Ardh Kumbh and every twelve years the Maha Kumbh, which draws tens of millions of people over several weeks. The main bathing days (snan dates) are the most spectacular and the most crowded.

If you plan to go, book accommodation or camp tents months in advance and follow official guidance on crowd movement.

When

January–February each year; Kumbh on a longer cycle

Good to know

Book very early; avoid peak bathing days if you dislike crowds

See the Akshayavat in Allahabad Fort

Akbar built Allahabad Fort in 1583 at the confluence. Much of it is used by the Army and is closed to the public, but visitors can reach the Patalpuri underground temple and the Akshayavat, an 'immortal' banyan tree revered in Hindu tradition. An Ashokan pillar also stands within the fort.

Time needed

1 hour

Good to know

Only certain parts are open to visitors

Tour Anand Bhawan and Swaraj Bhawan

Anand Bhawan was the home of the Nehru family and a centre of India's independence movement; Indira Gandhi grew up here. It is now a museum with rooms preserved as they were, including those used by Gandhi on his visits. Swaraj Bhawan next door, the family's earlier home, was donated to the Indian National Congress and also houses a museum. A planetarium is on the same grounds.

Time needed

1.5 hours

Good for

History lovers, families

Good to know

Closed on Mondays

Visit Khusro Bagh

Khusro Bagh is a walled Mughal garden with three sandstone tombs, including those of Prince Khusrau, Jahangir's eldest son, and his mother Shah Begum. The tombs have fine painted interiors and are surrounded by guava orchards.

Time needed

45 minutes

See All Saints Cathedral

All Saints Cathedral, known locally as Patthar Girja (stone church), was designed by William Emerson, who also designed the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, and completed in the late 19th century. It is one of the finest Gothic Revival churches in India.

Chandra Shekhar Azad Park and the Allahabad Museum

The large park, formerly Alfred Park, is where the revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad died in 1931. The Allahabad Museum inside the park has sculpture, paintings and freedom-struggle collections, including items connected to the Nehrus.

Eat Prayagraj street food

Prayagraj's old-city markets around Chowk and Civil Lines are known for kachori-sabzi, samosa, chaat and thick lassi, and for guavas from the region's orchards in winter.

What are the best things to do in Prayagraj?

Take a boat to the Triveni Sangam, visit the Akshayavat in Allahabad Fort, tour Anand Bhawan, see the tombs at Khusro Bagh and All Saints Cathedral, and experience the Magh Mela if you visit in January or February.

When is the Magh Mela held?

Every year in January and February, around the Hindu month of Magh, on the sandbanks at the Sangam.

How many days are enough for Prayagraj?

One or two days outside Mela time. During the Magh Mela or Kumbh, allow extra time for crowds and road closures.

What is the best time to visit Prayagraj?

October to March. January and February are the busiest months because of the Magh Mela.