Your nights, stops & travel days
How to read this route before booking
Read the overnight sequence alongside the day-wise plan. A city appearing in the route may be a visit or transfer stop rather than an additional hotel night. The detailed itinerary explains what is scheduled on each day.
Share your arrival and onward departure times before confirming. Ask which visits remain practical around your connections, where the vehicle drops you and whether local shuttles, guides or activities cost extra.
Package prices by group size
12-day land-only pilgrimage; twin sharing, comfortable standard hotels, breakfast/dinner and private road transport planning allowance; 10 adults for headline. Flights and visas extra.
| Adults | Per adult | Party estimate |
|---|---|---|
| 2 adults | US$1,795 | US$3,590 |
| 4 adults | US$1,295 | US$5,180 |
| 6 adults | US$1,095 | US$6,570 |
| 10 adults | US$895 | US$8,950 |
| 15 adults | US$795 | US$11,925 |
| 20 adults | US$745 | US$14,900 |
What is this estimate based on?
The figures are planning allowances, not a supplier contract or a claim that another operator sells this exact itinerary. Hotel and vehicle choices, travel dates and occupancy can change the final price. Child rates, single rooms, tickets, unlisted meals and extra services are separate unless expressly included.
Research reviewed 13 October 2026: published six-day Nepal entry prices around ₹14,500–₹14,999 provide a broad market reference; eight- and twelve-day Buddhist offers vary substantially by group size and land-service scope. We use an independent provisional budget, not a copied competitor fare.
Get the price for your dates
Send dates, travellers and room preference. Get a written itinerary and price.
Summary itinerary
Your detailed itinerary
Open each day for the plan, stay, meals and places.
Private itinerary: the final visits, meals and service scope are confirmed in your written quote.
DAY1Arrive in GayaBodh Gaya · Overnight stop
Meet your arranged Gaya transfer and settle into Bodh Gaya. Review the pilgrimage programme and next morning’s start.
DAY2Mahabodhi and personal practiceBodh Gaya · Overnight stop
Spend time at Mahabodhi Temple and selected monasteries. Leave a quiet period for personal practice; the Great Buddha statue is an optional separate stop.
DAY3RajgirRajgir · Overnight stop
Travel to Rajgir for the agreed Buddhist sites. Confirm hill access, walking and ropeway operation before the outing.
DAY4NalandaRajgir · Overnight stop
Visit Nalanda’s ancient monastic university ruins. Museum access and tickets are separately confirmed; return to the Rajgir base.
DAY5Transfer to VaranasiVaranasi · Overnight stop
Transfer to Varanasi with meal and comfort stops. Keep the evening flexible after check-in.
DAY6SarnathVaranasi · Overnight stop
Explore Sarnath’s first-sermon landscape, ruins and selected monasteries. Museum and site rules shape the final sequence.
DAY7Varanasi to KushinagarKushinagar · Overnight stop
Drive to Kushinagar and settle in. The main pilgrimage programme is on the following day.
DAY8KushinagarKushinagar · Overnight stop
Visit Mahaparinirvana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa at the group’s pace, with time for reflection.
DAY9Cross to LumbiniLumbini · Overnight stop
Cross through Sunauli and continue to Lumbini. Keep original documents ready and the arrival evening light.
DAY10LumbiniLumbini · Overnight stop
Visit the Sacred Garden and selected Lumbini monastery-zone highlights. Agree walking, local transport and practice time beforehand.
DAY11Lumbini to ShravastiShravasti · Overnight stop
Return to India and travel to Shravasti. Border processing and road conditions shape the arrival.
DAY12Jetavana and departure planTour ends · Departure day
Visit Jetavana in the morning, then continue to the agreed Lucknow drop. Airport or railway reporting needs a generous road buffer; a late departure or extra night may be required.
Does this itinerary fit your dates?
Send dates, travellers and room preference. Get a written itinerary and price.
Your stay & the journey between places
Confirm your rooming, hotel location and vehicle before booking. Your written quotation names the actual arrangements.
Your room & sharing plan
Confirm the property, room category and whether the beds are twin or double. A third adult may use an extra bed or mattress; ask about space and bedding before choosing triple sharing.
- Room occupancy
- Bed arrangement
- Bathroom facilities
Location & hotel facilities
Check the overnight city, access from parking, stairs or lift and meal timings. Tell us about mobility and dietary needs while planning. Any hotel upgrade must be included in your accepted quote.
- Access & walking
- Meal plan
- Upgrade options
Transport matched to your group
Vehicle choice follows your traveller count, luggage and route. Confirm airport or station pickup, daily sightseeing scope and any local vehicle changes.
- People & luggage
- Route & parking
- Local transfers
What to ask about accommodation before payment
Request hotel names or the agreed selection basis, room category, occupancy, meal count and any extra-bed charge. Check whether early check-in, late checkout, heating or air-conditioning, hot water and Wi-Fi are included where you need them. Facilities vary by property and overnight location.
For a family, list adults and child ages with the rooms you require. For friends, choose twin, double or triple arrangements explicitly. A room photograph alone does not establish the allocated category, view or number of beds.
What to ask about the vehicle and access
Confirm passenger seating, luggage space, the pickup and final drop, operating hours and sightseeing scope. A through vehicle may stop at a parking area rather than a temple entrance, old-city lane or hill viewpoint. Ask whether the last section requires walking, a local shuttle or a different vehicle.
Keep optional outings separate from the base programme. A new stop can add waiting, distance, tickets or an overnight change. Request an updated route and total price rather than relying on a verbal addition to the original itinerary.
Inclusions & exclusions
This is a private proposal. Final inclusions and charges must be confirmed in your written quotation.
Scope to confirm
11 planned nights: Bodh Gaya 2 nights; Rajgir 2 nights; Varanasi 2 nights; Kushinagar 2 nights; Lumbini 2 nights; Shravasti 1 night. Hotel or lodge names, category and occupancy are itemised in the quote.
Pickup and final drop for this displayed route, with the vehicle type, luggage and transfer scope stated in writing.
The day-wise sightseeing programme, with the exact guiding, entry-ticket and local-transfer coverage itemised.
Breakfast, dinner or other meal counts as individually stated in the accepted quotation.
A complete payable amount, currency, applicable taxes, payment milestones and cancellation conditions before confirmation.
Extra unless expressly included
Travel to the stated starting city and onward travel after the agreed final drop, unless separately added.
Unlisted entry tickets, cable cars, boating, wildlife programmes and other optional activities.
Unlisted meals, drinks, room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout.
Personal expenses, donations, travel insurance and separately booked flights or rail tickets.
Additional nights, route extensions and unquoted services. Any mandatory extra charges must be disclosed in the accepted total.
The accepted booking summary controls the service scope. A place named in the itinerary does not automatically include its ticket or activity charges.
The route, place by place
Bodh Gaya → Rajgir → Nalanda → Varanasi → Sarnath → Kushinagar → Lumbini → Shravasti → Lucknow
View the route diagram
Your route through India & Nepal
Follow the stops in travel order. Open a place guide below for practical visiting information.
Illustrative location diagram · Not to scale or for navigation. Lines are tour connections, not road alignments or borders.
About your departure place: Bodh Gaya
Pickup, arrival and your onward connection
This proposal begins at the agreed Bodh Gaya pickup. Send your actual flight, train or local arrival details before fixing the first day. A city name does not include every outlying pickup or an automatic connection from India.
Confirm reporting, luggage, hotel check-in and final drop. Extra nights, onward travel and changes to the joining point need a revised quotation.
Places along this route
Bodh GayaPlace guide & practical planning+
- Mahabodhi Temple
- Bodhi Tree precinct
- Great Buddha statue
- International monasteries
RajgirPlace guide & practical planning+
- Vishwa Shanti Stupa
- Gridhrakuta
- Venuvana
- Hot-spring area
NalandaPlace guide & practical planning+
- Ancient university ruins
- Archaeological Museum
- Xuanzang Memorial
- Nav Nalanda Mahavihara
SarnathPlace guide & practical planning+
- Dhamek Stupa
- Dharmarajika remains
- Archaeological Museum
- Mulagandha Kuti Vihar
KushinagarPlace guide & practical planning+
- Mahaparinirvana Temple
- Ramabhar Stupa
- Matha Kuar shrine
- Japanese Temple
LumbiniPlace guide & practical planning+
- Maya Devi Temple
- Ashoka Pillar
- Sacred Pond (Puskarini)
- Royal Thai Monastery
- World Peace Pagoda
ShravastiPlace guide & practical planning+
- Jetavana
- Ananda Bodhi Tree area
- Angulimala Stupa
- Mahet archaeological area
These are short destination highlights, not a promise that every stop fits the transfer days. Only visits listed in your accepted itinerary are included.
Explore the destinations in photos
Your route briefing
Know the route before you book
Start with the overnight stops, then check the road days, room-sharing basis and optional activities. Ask the travel desk to explain any part that is unclear.
- Which days are mainly transfers?
- What is included in the displayed price?
- Where can the plan be adjusted for your group?
The written itinerary remains your booking reference.
Tour details & practical planning
01Choose twelve days for depth across the circuit
The longer proposal is designed for visitors who want the principal pilgrimage places together with Rajgir, Nalanda and Shravasti.
The longer proposal is designed for visitors who want the principal pilgrimage places together with Rajgir, Nalanda and Shravasti. These additions change the road sequence and overnight plan; they are not optional half-hour stops on the eight-day tour. Decide which visits require guiding and which should remain quieter time.
International groups should settle the entry and exit cities alongside the route. Check the guide’s language and days of service, hotel rooming and meal preferences before comparing total prices. An extension to another country is a separate proposal, not an implied inclusion in this circuit.
02A researched route, confirmed for your group
This is a proposed itinerary for enquiry, not a bookable fixed departure.
This is a proposed itinerary for enquiry, not a bookable fixed departure. The route uses private road transfers, with flights arranged only if requested and quoted. No train travel is assumed. Tell us your nationality, arrival airport, preferred language and the amount of time you want for practice.
04Long drives and accessible visits
Even this route contains long transfers.
Even this route contains long transfers. Ask to add an overnight stop if the group prefers shorter days. Temple precincts and archaeological grounds may involve uneven surfaces, steps and security checks. Discuss mobility and luggage before deciding transport.
05Pricing and confirmation
Request an itemised quotation in INR or USD, with the currency basis and validity stated.
Request an itemised quotation in INR or USD, with the currency basis and validity stated. It will distinguish accommodation, meals, guide services, vehicle use, entry fees, visas, flights and personal expenses. Deposit, amendment and refund terms are supplied before payment.
06Why choose twelve days rather than the shorter circuit?
The longer proposal adds Rajgir, Nalanda and Shravasti to the principal pilgrimage places.
The longer proposal adds Rajgir, Nalanda and Shravasti to the principal pilgrimage places. These are not interchangeable attractions: they add different historical and devotional contexts. Choose the extended route when the group wants that breadth and is willing to give it the necessary road and visiting days.
Avoid judging the programme only by the number of sites. The useful difference is whether there is time to understand and experience them without treating each as a hurried stop. If the available flights shorten the visit, discuss removing a place rather than compressing the same list into fewer workable days.
07Rajgir and Nalanda need distinct attention
Rajgir calls for planning around the particular sacred places the group intends to visit.
Rajgir calls for planning around the particular sacred places the group intends to visit. Access modes and walking can differ. Nalanda is an archaeological landscape where interpretation, sun exposure and walking pace matter. Give the guide a clear brief on the group’s interests before combining them in the schedule.
Agree where longer explanations are helpful and where the group prefers quiet time. A knowledgeable narrative can make a visit more meaningful, but the exact language and guiding service must be booked and confirmed. Specialist lectures, private access or religious meetings are not assumed inclusions.
08Manage energy across a longer journey
A twelve-day trip involves repeated packing and transfers.
A twelve-day trip involves repeated packing and transfers. Ask for the longest road days and the earliest starts to be identified in the proposal. Hotel location, meal timing and opportunities to rest become more important as the journey progresses.
For older travellers or a group with mixed walking abilities, ask where a shorter visit or a resting place can be arranged. Let the organiser know about practical assistance requirements early. The group should not discover at the entrance that the planned approach is unsuitable for several travellers.
09Agree priorities and optional extensions
Choose the non-negotiable places before adding optional stops.
Choose the non-negotiable places before adding optional stops. A change of arrival city or an extra destination can affect the border sequence and final connection. Separate the core circuit from extensions in the quotation so the additional nights, guide days and vehicle use are clear.
Before payment, review accommodation, guide language, meal counts, transport, entry arrangements and cancellation terms. Check documents for both countries and any re-entry. The longer route remains a private proposal; exact dates, prices and suppliers are confirmed for your group, not invented as standard availability.
10Route decisions that matter on this tour
The twelve-day route starts in Bodh Gaya and ends with Jetavana and the agreed Lucknow drop.
The twelve-day route starts in Bodh Gaya and ends with Jetavana and the agreed Lucknow drop. Rajgir acts as the base for the Nalanda visit, so the luggage does not move hotels just for that outing. Varanasi is the overnight base for Sarnath. The Nepal crossing comes after Kushinagar and before Lumbini’s full day.
11Make the sightseeing time useful
Rajgir and Nalanda serve different interests: landscape and pilgrimage on one day, the archaeological university setting on another.
Rajgir and Nalanda serve different interests: landscape and pilgrimage on one day, the archaeological university setting on another. Tell the guide how much walking, interpretation and private prayer time the group wants. The final Shravasti visit and Lucknow transfer need a late enough departure or an additional airport-area night.
12Route research and current operating checks
Destination and route references reviewed 17 October 2026.
Destination and route references reviewed 17 October 2026. The overnight sequence is a Trishna planning proposal; official destination descriptions do not confirm supplier availability. The local team checks current roads, site access and any trail operating arrangements before accepting your trip.
Booking terms & payment
From enquiry to a confirmed booking
- Share dates, travellers, rooming and pickup needs.
- Review the itinerary, included services and complete price.
- Accept the payment and cancellation terms before paying.
- Keep your receipt and written booking confirmation.
Your accepted quotation states the deposit, payment milestones, balance deadline and supplier conditions. Review these details before paying.
An enquiry does not reserve a seat, hotel room or vehicle.
Cancellation & refund policy
Private booking cancellation conditions
Your written quotation states cancellation charges, notice periods, non-refundable supplier commitments and amendment conditions. Request any cancellation or change in writing and retain the acknowledgement.
Ask for an itemised explanation of recoverable amounts, supplier deductions and refund timing. Flights, trains and separately booked services follow their own supplier terms. Statutory consumer rights remain unaffected.
Terms & conditions
Service scope, route changes and traveller responsibilities
Only the services listed in your accepted booking are included. Confirm rooms, meals, vehicle scope, tickets, local shuttles and special requests in writing.
Road conditions, weather, border delays, queues and site rules may change visit timing or order. Material changes and proposed extra costs should be explained. Carry the required original documents, arrive at the agreed reporting time and tell the desk about practical assistance needs before booking.
Your booking questions, answered
Is this itinerary fixed?
This is an illustrative private route for discussion. Dates, overnight stops, services and price are confirmed only in your written quotation.
How are charges calculated for different group sizes?
The desk prices the actual group, dates, rooms and vehicle. Two travellers do not pay the same per-person vehicle share as a larger group. No current private fare is represented as confirmed here.
Are entry tickets and optional activities included?
Check the inclusions and exclusions on this page and the accepted booking summary. An itinerary mention does not by itself include the ticket, local shuttle or activity charge.
What should I confirm about rooms?
Ask for hotel names or the agreed selection basis, each night, double or twin bedding, extra-bed arrangements and any child or single-room supplement.
How do I request changes or cancel?
Contact the desk in writing and retain acknowledgement. The fixed Nepal departure has the schedule below; private bookings use the cancellation and supplier conditions supplied before payment.
What should I send with my enquiry?
Send dates, departure city, adults and children with ages, room preference and the places that matter most. Mention luggage or practical assistance needs; do not put passport numbers or identity scans in the website form.
Where does the extended pilgrimage finish?
The displayed final day visits Jetavana and continues to the agreed Lucknow drop. Flight or rail timing must leave enough road and reporting margin; overnight extensions are quoted separately.
Do we change hotels between Rajgir and Nalanda?
No. This sample stays two nights in Rajgir and treats Nalanda as the next day’s visit before travelling to Varanasi.
