The dates that you cite for the Ganga Mahotsav are probably correct, since it coincides with Banaras’s Dev Deepawali festival, which is scheduled for November 14 according to UP Tourism. But it’s best to check once again, closer to your travel time, at www.uptourism.gov.in.
Sightseeing in Banaras? The ghats, of course! You can spend days wandering these fascinating sites and watching the eternal cycle of life being played out in front of your eyes—celebrations of birth, death and everything in between. Several important temples are also to be found here, including the famous Kashi Vishwanath. Venture into the little lanes that lead off from the ghats and discover for yourself the city’s famous sweetmeats, snacks and paan. Vishwanath Gali has the famous Blue Lassi and just around the corner from the Kashi Vishwanath temple is Kachori Gali which you should visit for, what else, outstanding kachoris. Brown Bread Bakery, near the Dashashwamedh Ghat, is one of the few places where you will find non-vegetarian food. Banaras also has the Ramnagar Fort and a Jantar Mantar. A trip just outside town to Sarnath is also recommended. Ganpati Guest House (from ?1,500; www.ganpatiguesthouse.com), Alka Hotel (from ?1,200; www.hotelalkavns.com) and Hotel Temple on Ganges (from ?1,700; www.hoteltemple.com) are all budget picks that get good reviews.
And Lucknow? Tehzeeb and literature, mehmaan-nawazi and biryani, Lucknow is an exalted concept more than a city. The sightseeing you decide upon will depend, of course, on your own preferences, since there’s an embarrassment of riches here: Bara Imambara, Chhota Imambara, Shahi Baoli, Hussainabad Picture Gallery, the tombs of Saadat Ali Khan and Begum Murshidjadi, Rumi Darwaza, Jama Masjid, Kaiserbagh Palace Complex—the list is long. For affordable accommodation in this big city, try any of the following: BP Guesthouse (from ?2,500; www.lucknowguesthouse.com), Hotel SSK International (from ?2,200; www.hotelsskinternational.com) or Hotel Uday Raj Palace (from ?1,500; www.hoteludayrajpalace.com). If you’d like to try a homestay, you might want to enquire at Homestay Lucknow (?900; www.lucknowhomestay.wordpress.com). The ‘best food’ in Lucknow is a hotly contested topic. I can only offer a list of suggestions (you will certainly be flooded with recommendations once there): for kababs, Tundey Kababi, Shekhawat Kababi or Raheem; for Mughlai, Naushijaan or Wahid; for chaat, Royal Café, King Chat Corner or Bajpayee ki Kachori. Many of these are to be found in the Aminabad or Hazratganj areas.
As far as travelling between Banaras and Lucknow goes, the distance between the two cities is 320km, covered in about six hours by road. While many people prefer to do the trip by bus or car, I’d recommend that you take one of the several trains that run between the cities, ideally an overnight one such as the Kashi V Express. Flying is possible but via Delhi!