Lucknow/Varanasi, Aug 24, 2026:

Eastern Uttar Pradesh’s lesser explored tourism spots got a biker boost this weekend as 80 riders completed the second edition of UP Tourism’s ‘The Riding Chapters’, travelling from the Buddhist heritage of Sarnath and the historic Chunar Fort to the monsoon landscape of Devdari and Rajdari waterfalls.

Held under ‘Visit My State Uttar Pradesh’, the two day ride brought together destinations that are rarely seen as part of one weekend itinerary. After travelling through Sultanpur and Jaunpur, the riders reached Sarnath, explored Chunar Fort and stayed near Varanasi. The next morning began with darshan at Shooltankeshwar Mahadev Temple and Ganga Aarti, before the convoy moved towards Devdari and Rajdari.

It was the final stretch that emerged as a favourite among several riders. Forested roads, greenery, winding stretches and the monsoon fed waterfalls gave the ride a strong eco and adventure tourism character, while also showing the potential of eastern UP for short road trips beyond its better known spiritual centres.

Harsh Vardhan Gupta said the ride towards Rajdari was among the most memorable parts of the journey. “The greenery, winding roads and changing terrain made every kilometre enjoyable. Once we reached Rajdari, the natural setting made the journey completely worth it. It showed us a very different side of Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

Kr Hassaan Islam of Brotherhood Bikers Club, Kanpur, said the trip brought places such as Chunar and Rajdari into focus as potential weekend destinations. “We usually hear about the better known tourist centres, but this ride showed how much more there is to explore in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Chunar Fort and Rajdari offered two completely different experiences within the same journey,” he said.

Participant Hemant said the smooth coordination and safety arrangements added to the experience. “The police escort, ambulance support and overall management made the journey comfortable throughout. It gave us the confidence to enjoy even the lesser travelled stretches without any concern,” he said.

Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs Amrit Abhijat said eastern Uttar Pradesh has the potential to emerge as a strong weekend tourism belt, rather than being seen only through individual destinations. “A traveller coming to Varanasi should also be looking at Chunar, Devdari, Rajdari and other experiences around it. The objective is to convert these lesser explored places into natural extensions of established tourism centres, so that visitors travel farther, stay longer and the economic benefits of tourism reach more locations,” he said.

The successful completion of Ride 2 follows the first expedition to Kalinjar earlier this month. Through ‘Visit My State Uttar Pradesh’, UP Tourism is using such road journeys to bring eastern UP’s forts, spiritual sites, forest routes and eco destinations into wider travel consideration, particularly among young travellers and weekend riding groups.