Buddhist Pilgrimages
Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Lumbini, Kandy, Bhutan and Tawang.
Buddhist Pilgrimages at a glance
- Itineraries9
- In India5 itineraries
- Abroad4 itineraries
- Destinations14 places
- Trip lengths4 to 6 days
- Trip stylePrivate, customisable
- Best suited toBuddhist pilgrims and meditation groups
- Also suitsHistory and philosophy lovers
The Buddhist circuit follows the life of the Buddha: his birth at Lumbini, enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, first teaching at Sarnath near Varanasi, and the great monastic university of Nalanda. Beyond India, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Himalaya keep living Buddhist traditions.
We plan quiet early visits to the Mahabodhi Temple, time trips for Buddha Purnima on request, and arrange meditation sessions at monasteries where they welcome visitors.
Buddhist Pilgrimages: 9 itineraries
6D / 5NVaranasi · Bodh Gaya · Nalanda & RajgirBuddhist Circuit: Varanasi to Bodh Gaya
Sarnath, Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi Temple, Rajgir's Vulture's Peak and the ruins of Nalanda's ancient university.
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4D / 3NBodh Gaya · Nalanda & RajgirBodh Gaya Pilgrimage
The Mahabodhi Temple and international monasteries, then Rajgir's Vulture's Peak and Nalanda's ruins.
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5D / 4NBodh Gaya · VaranasiBodh Gaya & Varanasi
Where the Buddha was enlightened and where he first taught, with Varanasi's ghats as a bonus.
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4D / 3NPatna · Bodh GayaPatna Sahib & Bodh Gaya
Langar at Takht Sri Patna Sahib, birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, then the Mahabodhi Temple and monasteries of Bodh Gaya.
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5D / 4NGuwahati · TawangTawang Monastery Trip
The Sela Pass, Tawang Monastery and high lakes, with an Inner Line Permit and a night at Dirang or Bomdila on the way.
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6D / 5NKathmandu · Lumbini · Chitwan National ParkNepal Buddhist Circuit
Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, the Buddha's birthplace at Lumbini and a Chitwan safari.
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4D / 3NKathmandu · LumbiniLumbini Pilgrimage
The Maya Devi Temple where the Buddha was born, the Ashoka pillar and the international monasteries of Lumbini, with Boudhanath in Kathmandu.
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5D / 4NKandy · Sigiriya & DambullaSri Lanka Buddhist Trail
The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the Dambulla cave temples and the sacred city of Anuradhapura with its Bodhi tree, from a Sigiriya base.
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6D / 5NThimphu · Punakha · ParoBhutan Monasteries & Tiger's Nest
Thimphu's dzong and Buddha Dordenma, Punakha Dzong at the river confluence, and the hike to Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, above Paro.
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Planned with reverence
Darshan and prayer timings
We plan each day around opening hours, aarti, Mass or prayer times, and book darshan, puja or VIP entry where the temple allows it.
Paced for elders
Fewer hotel changes, ground-floor or lift rooms on request, wheelchairs, ponies, palkis or helicopters where available.
Food that respects your faith
Pure vegetarian, Jain, satvik or halal meals arranged where possible, and we tell you honestly where options are limited.
Registrations and permits
Char Dham and Amarnath registration, Inner Line and Tibet permits, and medical certificates where they are required.
Places on these journeys
Uttar PradeshVaranasi
Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world and the holiest place in Hinduism.
BiharBodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and became the Buddha.
BiharNalanda & Rajgir
Nalanda was one of the world's first residential universities, flourishing from the 5th to 12th centuries; its excavated ruins are a UNESCO site.
BiharPatna
Patna, the ancient Pataliputra, is the capital of Bihar and home to Takht Sri Patna Sahib, birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh and one of the five takhts of Sikhism.
AssamGuwahati
Guwahati is the gateway to the Northeast, spread along the Brahmaputra.
Arunachal PradeshTawang
Tawang, at about 3,000 metres near the Bhutan and Tibet borders, is home to India's largest monastery, founded in the seventeenth century.
NepalKathmandu
Kathmandu Valley holds seven UNESCO sites, including Pashupatinath, the great stupa of Boudhanath and the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.
NepalLumbini
Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, and a UNESCO site.
NepalChitwan National Park
Chitwan is a UNESCO-listed lowland park where one-horned rhinos, gharials and Bengal tigers live in grassland and sal forest.
Sri LankaKandy
Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka, is home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Sri LankaSigiriya & Dambulla
Sigiriya is a fifth-century palace fortress on top of a 200-metre rock, with frescoes and a lion-paw gate.
BhutanThimphu
Thimphu is the world's only capital without traffic lights, home to the Tashichho Dzong, a giant Buddha Dordenma statue and weekend markets.
Other faith journeys
- Tamil Nadu Temples & Shrines13 itineraries
- Tirupati Balaji (Tirumala)3 itineraries
- Shirdi Sai Baba4 itineraries
- Sabarimala Ayyappa3 itineraries
- Kashi Yatra (Varanasi)10 itineraries
- Char Dham, Amarnath & Himalayan Yatras11 itineraries
- Jyotirlinga Darshan9 itineraries
- South India Temple Trails7 itineraries
- Krishna, Rama & Sacred Rivers11 itineraries
- Devi & Shakti Temples6 itineraries
- Sikh Gurdwara Yatras6 itineraries
- Jain Tirth Yatras3 itineraries
- Sufi Shrines & Islamic Heritage8 itineraries
- Churches & Christian Pilgrimages12 itineraries
- Umrah & Ziyarat7 itineraries
- Kailash & Nepal Yatras4 itineraries
- Hindu Temples Abroad6 itineraries
Plan your buddhist pilgrimages
Tell us the shrines, dates and who is travelling, and we send a day-by-day plan with a price.
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