Overview
Embark on the "Grand Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour: Path to Enlightenment" spanning 12 enriching days. Commencing in Varanasi, the spiritual heart of India, you'll explore the sacred Sarnath, Banaras Hindu University, and the vibrant Ganga Aarti. Journey to Bodhgaya, where Buddha attained enlightenment, and visit the Mahabodhi Temple.
Explore Rajgir's vulture Hill and hot springs, then discover Nalanda's ancient ruins. Continue to Kushinagar, the site of Buddha's last breath, before crossing into Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama. Witness the serene beauty of Sravasti, marvel at the cultural richness of Lucknow, and visit Sankasiya en route to Agra.
Explore the iconic Taj Mahal and Agra Fort before concluding the pilgrimage in Delhi, visiting historical landmarks like Qutub Minar and Humayun Tomb. This transformative journey promises spiritual immersion amidst historical wonders.
- Recommended by 98% of travelers
- Badge of Excellence
- Free cancellation up to 6 days before
- Mobile ticket
What's included
Private AC car/van for airport transfers, sightseeing, and excursions as per the program.
11 Nights' accommodation (if option selected) in selected price category hotels.
Government taxes.
Bottled drinking water in the car.
Breakfast
Monument entrances and activity charges mentioned in the itinerary.
English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per the program
Assistance on arrival at the airport.
Any flight ticket.
Camera charges at monuments if any.
Meals other than mentioned in inclusions.
Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet, etc.
Gratuities and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the inclusions.
Meeting and pickup
Pickup is offered for all travelers.
Good to know
Hotels used or similar
Varanasi x 1 nights
3* - Meraden Grand/ Amaya Hotel
4* - Rivatas by Ideal/ Palace On Ganges
5* - Radisson Hotel/ Gateway Hotel Taj
Bodhgaya x 2 night
3* - Hotel Taj Darbar/ Hotel Mahamaya
4* & 5* - The Royal Residency/ Lotus Nikko Hotel
Patna x 1 night
3* - Hotel Patliputra Ashok/ Patliputra Exotica
4* - Lemon Tree Premier/ Hotel Gargee Grand
5* - Maurya Hotel/ The Panache
Kushinagar x 1 nights
3* - Hotel The Ideal/ Hotel Adelphi Grande
4* & 5* - The Royal Residency/ Lotus Nikko Hotel
Lumbini x 1 nights
3* - Hotel Nirvana/ Lumbini Bamboo Resort
4* & 5* - Buddha Maya Hotel/ Lumbini Hokke Hotel
Sravasti x 1 night
3* - Hotel Pawan Palace/ the sravasti residency
4* & 5* - Lotus Nikko Hotel/ Hotel PlatinumBodhgaya x 1 night
3* - Hotel Taj Darbar/ Hotel Mahamaya
4* & 5* - The Royal Residency/ Lotus Nikko Hotel
Lucknow x 1 nights
3* - Sapna Clarks Inn/ Hotel Lineage
4* - Lemon Tree Hotel/ La Place Sarovar Portico
5* - Renaissance Hotel/ Hyatt Regency
Agra x 1 nights
3* - Howard Plaza the Fern/ Atulyaa Taj
4* - Radission Hotel/ Crystal Sarovar Premier
5* - Trident Hotel/ Courtyard by Marriott
Delhi x 2 nights
3* - Madhuban Hotel/ Meridian Plaza
4* - The Royal Plaza/ Country Inn & Suite Saket
5* - Le Meridien/ The Claridges
What to expect
Day 1 Arrive - Varanasi (Flight)
-
Varanasi
On arrival at Varanasi airport assistance and transfer to hotel.
-
Sarnath
1 hour Admission ticket included
Later visit Sarnath - Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after he achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya, and gave his famous first sermon at the deer park here in Isipatana. In the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka erected magnificent stupas and monasteries here, as well as an engraved pillar. When Chinese traveller Xuan Zang dropped by in AD 640, Sarnath boasted a 100m-high stupa and 1500 monks living in large monasteries. However, soon after, Buddhism went into decline, and when Muslim invaders sacked the city in the late 12th century, Sarnath disappeared altogether. It was only ‘rediscovered’ by British archaeologists in 1835. Also visit Sarnath Museum (closed on Friday) and Stupa.
-
Banaras Hindu University
1 hour Admission ticket included
Banaras Hindu University - established in 1916 with over 30,000 students residing in campus, it is the largest residential university in Asia.
Day 2 Varanasi - Bodhgaya (255kms/ 5hrs)
-
Ganga Aarti
1 hour Admission ticket included
Early morning boat ride on river Ganges and walking tour of bathing Ghats.
-
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
30 min Admission ticket included
Varanasi is a city dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
-
Bodh Gaya
30 min
Breakfast at Hotel, drive to Bodhgaya check in at hotel.
Day 3 Bodhgaya
-
Bodhi Tree
2 hours Admission ticket included
Breakfast at hotel. Bodhgaya - considered one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, it's dominated by the ancient brick Mahabodhi Temple Complex, built to mark the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath a sacred Bodhi Tree. A direct descendant of the tree sits within the complex today, along with six other sacred sites, including a lotus pond.
-
Mahabodhi Temple
1 hour Admission ticket included
Visit Mahabodhi Temple for SIL & Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, Niranjana River, Sujata Temple - which is across the Niranjana river & it's 30 minutes walk. Visit other Budhist Bodhgaya. Rest time free and easy to relax. Overnight at hotel.
Visit Mahabodhi Temple for SIL & Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, Niranjana River, Sujata Temple - which is across the Niranjana river & it's 30 minutes walk. Visit other Budhist Bodhgaya. Rest time free and easy to relax.
Day 4 Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Patna (170kms/ 6hrs)
-
Rajgir
1 hour
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Patna enroute visit Rajgir - the vulture Hill, hot spring in Rajgir, world peace Stupa, Bamboo's Garden.
-
Nalanda
2 hours
After that visit Nalanda to the ruins of world oldest University.
Continue drive to Patna, check in at hotel.
Day 5 Patna - Vaishali - Kushinagar (225Kms/ 6hrs)
-
Vaishali
2 hours
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Kushinagar enroute visit Vaishali stupa and Ashoka Pillar.
-
2 hours Admission ticket included
Continue drive to Kushinagar check in at hotel. Later visit Maha Parinirwana Temple (where Buddha took his last breath) and Rambhar Stupa (cremation site of Lord Buddha) & Japan Temple.
Day 6 Kushinagar - Lumbini (180Kms/ 5hrs)
-
Lumbini
2 hours
Breakfast at hotel, drive till Sonauli border from here our Nepal vehicle will take you to Lumbini. Arrive Lumbini check in at hotel.
-
Lumbini
1 hour
Lumbinī is the place where, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BCE. Gautama, who achieved Enlightenment some time around 528 BCE, became the Buddha and founded Buddhism.
-
Maya Devi Temple
4 hours Admission ticket included
Visit Maya Devi Temple, Ashokan Pillar, Chinese Maitreya Temple, Myanmar Golden Temple, Shanti stupa & Great Drigung Kagyud lotus Stupa.
Day 7 Lumbini - Sravasti (225Kms/ 6hrs)
-
Shravasti
4 hours
Breakfast at hotel, drive till Sonauli border from here your Indian driver will take you to Sravasti. On arrival check in at hotel rest time free and easy to relax.
Day 8 Sravasti - Lucknow (170Kms/ 4hrs)
-
Shobhnath Temple
2 hours Admission ticket included
Breakfast at hotel, visit Sravasti, where Buddha spent his 24 monsoons. Visit Jetavana Monastery, Shobhnath Temple, Balrampur, Saheth and Ananda Bodhi Tree. Afternoon drive to Lucknow check in at hotel.
Day 9 Lucknow - Sankasiya - Agra (350Kms/ 7hrs)
-
Agra
2 hours
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Agra. Enroute visit Sankasiya Stupa and Pillar.
-
Agra
2 hours
Arrive Agra check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax.
Day 10 Agra - Delhi (210Kms/ 4hrs)
-
Agra Fort
3 hours Admission ticket included
Breakfast at hotel, visit world famous Taj Mahal (closed on friday), Agra Fort and Baby Taj.
-
New Delhi
3 hours
Afternoon drive to Delhi check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax.
Day 11 Delhi
-
Qutub Minar
4 hours Admission ticket included
Breakfast at hotel visit National Museum (Monday closed), drive Past India Gate, parliament house and President House. Visit Qutab Minar & Humayun Tomb.
Day 12 Delhi – Departure (Flight)
-
New Delhi
4 hours
Breakfast at Hotel, as per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel at least 6 full days before the start time: 100% refund.
Cancel between 2 and 6 days before the start time: 50% refund.
Cancel within 2 days of the start time: 0% refund.
Times are local to the experience (Asia/Kolkata).
Additional Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Up to 10 travelers per booking
- Each booking must include at least one adult.
FAQs about Grand Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour: Path to Enlightenment
How long does Grand Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour take?
It takes about 12 days.
Is pickup offered?
Pickup is offered for all travelers.
What's included?
- Private AC car/van for airport transfers, sightseeing, and excursions as per the program.
- 11 Nights' accommodation (if option selected) in selected price category hotels.
- Bottled drinking water in the car.
- Breakfast
- Monument entrances and activity charges mentioned in the itinerary.
- English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per the program
- Assistance on arrival at the airport.
What's not included?
- Any flight ticket.
- Camera charges at monuments if any.
- Meals other than mentioned in inclusions.
- Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet, etc.
- Gratuities and optional activities.
- Anything not mentioned in the inclusions.
Which places does it visit?
It visits Sarnath, Banaras Hindu University, Ganga Aarti, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bodhi Tree, Mahabodhi Temple, Rajgir.
Which languages is it offered in?
It is offered in English.
What fitness level is needed?
It is suitable for all physical fitness levels.
Is it suitable for children?
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Operated by Agora Voyages OPC Pvt. Ltd.
