Our Sarnath Bodhgaya Rajgir Nalanda Buddhist circuit package (3 Nights / 4 Days) connects Lord Buddha's First Sermon at Sarnath (Varanasi) with His Supreme Enlightenment at Mahabodhi Temple (Bodh Gaya), Gridhakuta Peak in Rajgir, and the UNESCO Nalanda Mahavihara Ruins via private AC highway cab. All-inclusive 2026 rates start at ₹12,500 per person for a group of 4 or ₹34,500 per couple, including 3 nights hotels and cross-border tolls.
3N/4D Sarnath Bodh Gaya Rajgir Nalanda Circuit
- All-Inclusive 3N/4D Package
- ₹18,500 / Person (Min 2 Pax) 1N Varanasi + 2N Bodh Gaya 3★ stay with breakfast + 4 days private AC cab
- 4-Day Cab-Only Charter
- ₹16,800 (Sedan) | ₹24,500 (Innova) Includes UP–Bihar commercial border permit, all highway tolls, parking & driver bata
- Best Flight Routing
- Arrive Varanasi (VNS) → Depart Patna (PAT) Open-jaw routing saves 5.5 hours of return driving on Day 4 (Gaya/VNS drops also available)
- Sacred Sites Covered
- 12 Core Heritage Monuments Dhamek Stupa, Mahabodhi, Bodhi Tree, Dungeshwari, Gridhakuta & Nalanda
Sarnath Bodhgaya Rajgir Nalanda Buddhist Package
After attaining Supreme Awakening under the Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya (Uruvela) and spending seven weeks in meditation around the Mahabodhi complex, the Buddha walked west across the Ganges plains to the Deer Park at Isipatana (Sarnath), 10 km outside Varanasi. There he met his five former companions—who had earlier stayed with him at the Dungeshwari (Pragbodhi) Caves near Bodh Gaya—and delivered the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma).
Later, returning to Magadha, the Buddha spent multiple rainy-season retreats (Vassa) at Venuvan and Gridhakuta Hill (Vulture Peak) in Rajgir, while nearby Nalanda grew around the stupa of his chief disciple Sariputta into the ancient world's foremost residential monastic university. This 4-day route lets you walk all four sites in one seamless journey.
4-Day Buddhist Circuit Package Price Table
Day-by-Day 3N/4D Sarnath Bodh Gaya Rajgir Nalanda
- 01Day 1 · Varanasi Arrival & SarnathFull Day · Stay in Varanasi/Sarnath
Dhamek Stupa, Mulagandha Kuti Vihara, Ashoka Pillar & ASI Museum
Meet our chauffeur at Varanasi Airport (VNS) or railway station. Spend the afternoon at Sarnath exploring Chaukhandi Stupa, the ASI Archaeological Museum (Lion Capital of Ashoka; closed Fridays), Dhamek Stupa, the Bodhi Tree planted by Anag
- 02Day 2 · NH-19 Drive & Bodh Gaya5 Hr Drive + Afternoon Darshan · Stay in Bodh Gaya
Morning Highway Drive to Bodh Gaya (255 km) + Monastery Trail & Mahabodhi
After an 8:00 AM breakfast, drive via the 6-lane NH-19 highway into Bihar (border permit pre-paid). Check into your Bodh Gaya hotel by 1:30 PM. Visit the 80-Foot Great Buddha, Royal Bhutan, Thai & Japanese Monasteries, followed by evening m
- 03Day 3 · Dungeshwari & MahabodhiFull Day · Stay in Bodh Gaya
Sunrise Bodhi Tree Meditation, Dungeshwari Mahakala Caves & Sujata Stupa
Attend 5:45 AM dawn chanting beneath the Sacred Bodhi Tree and walk the Seven Sacred Weeks trail (Muchalinda Lake, Animeshlochana, Ratnachakrama). After breakfast, drive 14 km to the Dungeshwari (Pragbodhi) hillside caves and Sujata Garh St
- 04Day 4 · Rajgir, Nalanda & DepartureFull Day · Drop at Patna (PAT) / Gaya (GAY) / Vara
Gridhakuta (Vulture Peak), Ropeway, Nalanda University Ruins & Airport Drop
Check out at 7:30 AM and drive to Rajgir. Ascend to Vishwa Shanti Stupa and Gridhakuta (Vulture Peak), then visit Venuvan. Continue 15 km to the UNESCO Nalanda Mahavihara Ruins and Xuanzang Memorial Hall before an evening drop at Patna Airp
2026 Sarnath Bodh Gaya Rajgir Nalanda Package
| Option | Standard 3★ Package (INR / USD) | Boutique 4★ Resort Package (INR / USD) | 4-Day Cab-Only Total (No Hotel) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Adults (Private AC Sedan) | ₹18,500 ($225) / Person | ₹27,500 ($330) / Person | ₹16,800 Total for 2 Pax |
| 2 Adults (Toyota Innova Crysta Upgrade) | ₹22,200 ($270) / Person | ₹31,200 ($375) / Person | ₹24,500 Total for 2 Pax |
| 4 Adults (Private Toyota Innova Crysta) | ₹15,900 ($195) / Person | ₹24,800 ($300) / Person | ₹24,500 Total for 4 Pax |
| 6–10 Adults (AC Tempo Traveller) | ₹14,200 ($172) / Person | ₹22,900 ($275) / Person | ₹34,000 Total for Group |
All packages include daily breakfast, UP and Bihar State commercial road permits, highway tolls, parking fees, and driver allowance. Licensed English-speaking Buddhist historian guides can be added at Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, and Nalanda.
2026 Verified Tariff Engine
Customize Your Buddhist Circuit Package or Intercity
All-inclusive fixed rates with pre-settled Gayawal Panda dakshina, 16-item puja samagri, and UP–Bihar state border permits.Varanasi Arrival and Patna Departure Route
One of the smartest logistics upgrades we build for domestic and international Buddhist travellers is Open-Jaw Flight Routing:
- Why Avoid Backtracking to Varanasi on Day 4: From Nalanda Mahavihara, returning to Varanasi Airport is a 310 km (6.5-hour) highway drive. By contrast, driving north from Nalanda to Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport, Patna (PAT) is only 85 km (2 hours) along the smooth 4-lane NH-20 Bakhtiyarpur highway.
- International Direct Flights from Gaya (GAY): If you are flying onward to Bangkok, Yangon, Paro, Delhi, or Kolkata from Gaya Airport (GAY), returning from Nalanda to Gaya Airport takes 2 hours 10 minutes (95 km)—and we charge zero one-way empty-return surcharge on either Patna or Gaya drops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Sarnath to Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, and Nalanda route make the best 4-day Buddhist tour in India?
It connects the three chronological pillars of Buddhist history within a smooth 4-day drive: Bodh Gaya (where Siddhartha attained Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree), Sarnath near Varanasi (where the Buddha delivered his First Sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, setting the Wheel of Dharma in motion), and Rajgir–Nalanda (where the Heart and Lotus Sutras were taught at Vulture Peak and preserved at the world's greatest monastic university).
Should we fly out of Patna Airport (PAT), Gaya Airport (GAY), or return to Varanasi Airport (VNS) on Day 4?
We strongly recommend booking an open-jaw flight: fly into Varanasi Airport (VNS) on Day 1 and fly out of Patna Airport (PAT) or Gaya Airport (GAY) on Day 4 evening. Because Nalanda is only 85 km (2 hours via 4-lane NH-20) from Patna Airport, departing from Patna saves a 260 km return drive back to Varanasi.
Are Bihar State commercial border taxes and highway tolls included in the package price?
Yes. Every vehicle crossing from Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi/Sarnath) into Bihar (Bodh Gaya/Rajgir/Nalanda) at Karamnasha/Dobhi requires an official Bihar commercial road permit plus NH-19/NH-20 tolls. Both are 100% pre-included in our written quotes.
Which day of the week should we avoid visiting Sarnath Museum or Nalanda Museum?
Both the ASI Archaeological Museum at Sarnath (which houses the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka and the 5th-century preaching Buddha) and the ASI Museum at Nalanda are closed every Friday. Note that the outdoor Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath and the excavated brick ruins at Nalanda remain open 7 days a week.