Our Bodhgaya Rajgir Nalanda tour package connects Bodh Gaya (Mahabodhi Temple) with Rajgir (Gridhakuta Vulture Peak, Vishwa Shanti Stupa Ropeway, Venuvana) and UNESCO Nalanda Mahavihara Ruins along the 4-lane NH-120 highway (78 km / 1 hour 50 minutes each way). Choose our Same-Day Return AC Cab Excursion from ₹3,800 (Sedan) / ₹4,800 (Ertiga) / ₹5,800 (Innova Crysta) or our 2 Nights / 3 Days All-Inclusive Package from ₹13,800 per person (Min 2 Pax).
Bodh Gaya Rajgir Nalanda Route Facts
- Total Circuit Distance
- 190 km Round Trip (11 Hours) Bodh Gaya → Rajgir (78 km) → Nalanda (15 km) → Return (97 km)
- Same-Day Cab Fare
- ₹3,800 (Sedan) | ₹5,800 (Innova Crysta) Includes fuel, SH-71/NH-20 tolls, Rajgir & Nalanda parking, and driver bata
- 2N/3D Complete Package
- ₹13,800 / Person (Min 2 Pax) Covers Bodh Gaya Monasteries, Mahabodhi, Dungeshwari, Rajgir & Nalanda
- Open-Jaw Patna Drop
- +₹1,400 Over Day-Trip Fare Start at Bodh Gaya (7:30 AM), visit Rajgir & Nalanda, drop at Patna Airport by 7:00 PM
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Rajgir and Nalanda Tour Price Calculator
All-inclusive fixed rates with pre-settled Gayawal Panda dakshina, 16-item puja samagri, and UP–Bihar state border permits.Route notes:
Bodhgaya Rajgir Nalanda Tour Package Rates
Starting from your Bodh Gaya or Gaya hotel at 7:30 AM is the difference between a peaceful walk up Vulture Peak and waiting 75 minutes at the Rajgir Ropeway counter. Here is the exact hour-by-hour sequence our drivers follow:
Same-Day Rajgir and Nalanda Tour Timeline
- 0107:30 AM – 09:20 AM1 Hr 50 Mins
Bodh Gaya Pickup & Drive to Rajgir Valley (78 km)
Drive past Wazirganj and the cyclopean hill ring of ancient Rajagriha (the first capital of the Magadha Empire). Arrive at the Ratnagiri Hill base before tour buses.
- 0209:20 AM – 11:30 AM2 Hours 10 Mins
Gridhakuta Hill (Vulture Peak) & Vishwa Shanti Stupa Ropeway
Walk the serene stone ramp built by Royal Physician Jivaka to Gridhakuta (Vulture Peak), where the Buddha delivered the Heart Sutra and Lotus Sutra. Take the aerial chairlift/cabin ropeway to the gleaming white Vishwa Shanti Stupa.
- 0311:30 AM – 01:15 PM1 Hr 45 Mins
Venuvan (Bamboo Grove), Bimbisara Jail & Lunch Break
Visit Venuvan—King Bimbisara's first monastic gift to the Sangha—along with the Japanese temple gardens and Bimbisara's prison viewpoint facing Vulture Peak, followed by a clean vegetarian lunch.
- 0401:15 PM – 01:40 PM25 Mins
Short Drive from Rajgir to Nalanda (15 km)
Drive north along the smooth Rajgir–Bihar Sharif corridor to ancient Nalanda.
- 0501:40 PM – 04:15 PM2 Hours 35 Mins
UNESCO Nalanda Mahavihara Ruins, Museum & Xuanzang Memorial Hall
Explore the 5th-century monastic university ruins (Stupa of Sariputta, Monastery Sites 1 to 11, and the ASI Museum across the road), then visit the tranquil Chinese-style Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) Memorial Hall.
- 0604:15 PM – 06:30 PM2 Hours 15 Mins
Return Drive to Bodh Gaya (or Open-Jaw Drop to Patna Airport)
Return to your Bodh Gaya hotel by 6:30 PM in time for dinner, or continue 85 km north via the 4-lane NH-20 highway to Patna Airport/Junction.
3-Day Bodhgaya Rajgir Nalanda Tour Itinerary
If you are arriving at Gaya Airport (GAY), Gaya Junction (GAYA), or Patna Airport (PAT) for a 3-day Buddhist and historical getaway, our ₹13,800 per person (2N/3D) package bundles hotel accommodation, daily breakfast, and all three days of private AC cab travel:
- Day 1 (Bodh Gaya Core): Arrival pickup → Check into walkable Bodh Gaya hotel → 80-Foot Great Buddha, Royal Bhutan Monastery, Thai Monastery, Japanese Temple → Evening meditation and parikrama at the UNESCO Mahabodhi Temple & Sacred Bodhi Tree.
- Day 2 (Rajgir & Nalanda Full-Day): Full 190 km excursion covering Gridhakuta (Vulture Peak), Vishwa Shanti Stupa Ropeway, Venuvan, Nalanda Mahavihara UNESCO Ruins, and Xuanzang Memorial Hall.
- Day 3 (Dungeshwari Caves & Sujata Stupa): Dawn chanting at Mahabodhi → Drive to Dungeshwari (Pragbodhi) Mahakala Caves and Sujata Garh Stupa → Drop at Gaya Airport/Junction or upgrade to a direct Patna Airport drop.
Rajgir Ropeway Timings and Entry Tickets
In 2026, the Rajgir Vishwa Shanti Stupa Ropeway costs ₹120–₹140 round-trip (8:30 AM – 5:00 PM), UNESCO Nalanda Mahavihara Ruins entry costs ₹40 (open daily 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM), ASI Nalanda Museum costs ₹5 (closed Fridays), and Rajgir Glass Bridge Skywalk costs ₹125–₹250 (closed Mondays):
Rajgir and Nalanda Ticket Rules Checklist
- DoUNESCO Nalanda Mahavihara Ruins — Open 7 Days (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
Entry is ₹40 for Indian/BIMSTEC citizens and ₹600 for foreign nationals. The main excavated brick ruins never close on Fridays.
- CheckASI Nalanda Archaeological Museum — Closed Every Friday
The museum building across the road from the ruins (housing the famous Nalanda bronzes and seals) is closed on Fridays. Entry is ₹5.
- DoGridhakuta (Vulture Peak) Stone Path vs Vishwa Shanti Ropeway
The aerial ropeway (₹120–₹140 round-trip; 8:30 AM–5:00 PM) occasionally shuts for wind or Thursday maintenance, but the historic paved stone walk up to Vulture Peak is always open and takes just 20 minutes.
- AvoidRajgir Nature Safari & Glass Skywalk — Closed Mondays & Requires Pre-Booking
Note that the Glass Bridge inside Rajgir Nature Safari is separate from the Buddhist heritage zone and requires advance online slot tickets (8:00 AM entry). Do not confuse it with the Vishwa Shanti Stupa ropeway.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far are Rajgir and Nalanda from Bodh Gaya, and can both be covered in one day?
Yes. From Bodh Gaya, Rajgir is 78 km (approx. 1 hour 50 minutes via the scenic Wazirganj–Hisua–Rajgir highway), and Nalanda is just 15 km further north of Rajgir. The complete Bodh Gaya → Rajgir → Nalanda → Bodh Gaya loop is 190 km and comfortably fits into a 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM day trip.
Which days are Rajgir attractions or the Nalanda Archaeological Museum closed?
Keep three closure rules in mind: (1) The Nalanda excavated ruins are open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, but the ASI Nalanda Museum across the road is closed on Fridays; (2) Rajgir Nature Safari / Glass Bridge is closed on Mondays; (3) Rajgir Vishwa Shanti Stupa Ropeway occasionally pauses on Thursdays for maintenance, though the paved stone footpath up to Gridhakuta (Vulture Peak) remains open 7 days a week.
Can we start in Bodh Gaya, visit Rajgir and Nalanda, and get dropped at Patna Airport in the evening?
Yes! Because Nalanda lies roughly halfway between Bodh Gaya (93 km) and Patna (85 km via NH-20 Bakhtiyarpur four-lane highway), doing a one-way Bodh Gaya → Rajgir → Nalanda → Patna Airport/Station drop saves 3 hours of backtracking. You can select this exact open-jaw upgrade on WhatsApp.
Are licensed English-speaking guides available at Nalanda University Ruins?
Yes. Visiting the 12-hectare Nalanda Mahavihara red-brick monasteries and stupas is vastly more rewarding with an ASI-licensed historian who explains the 5th–12th century residential cells, Sariputta Stupa, and solar-aligned courtyards. We can pre-book a verified guide (₹1,200–₹1,800) with your cab.