On arrival at Gaya airport, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel in Bodhgaya. Visit Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its 54-meter tall tower, large golden Buddha statue, and the Bodhi Tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. The temple is surrounded by ancient railings dating back to 100 BC. Explore Vajrasana, the spot where Buddha meditated, and the Great Buddha Statue, which symbolizes peace and tranquility. Visit various monasteries including the Tibetan Monastery with its Maitreya Buddha, the Burmese Temple, Chinese Temple and Monastery, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, and Thai Temple and Monastery, each representing different Buddhist traditions. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Rajgir, a tranquil town surrounded by dense forests, known for its spiritual significance in Buddhism and Jainism. Visit Vulture’s Peak (Gijjhakuta), where Buddha meditated, and Sattapanni Cave, where the First Buddhist Council was held after Buddha’s passing. Proceed to Nalanda, the site of the ancient Mahavihara, a renowned Buddhist monastery and university founded in the 5th century CE. Explore the extensive ruins that reveal the grandeur of this center of learning, which attracted scholars from across Asia. Arrive in Patna, check in at your hotel, and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Vaishali, a key Buddhist site where King Ashoka erected one of his famous pillars to commemorate Buddha’s last sermon. View the pillar topped with a lion carving and visit the nearby Vishwa Shanti Stupa, a 125-foot peace pagoda. Visit the Kesariya Stupa, originally a mud stupa and later reconstructed in the Maurya, Sunga, and Kushana periods. The stupa is 104 feet high and holds historical importance. Continue to Kushinagar, check in at your hotel, and visit the Mahapari-nirvana Temple, which houses a 1,500-year-old reclining Buddha statue representing Buddha’s final moments. Explore the Mahaparinirvana Stupa, marking Buddha’s death place, and the Ramabhar Stupa, where Buddha was cremated. Visit Kushinagar Museum, featuring relics from local excavations, and the nearby Wat Thai Temple, Chinese Temple, and Indo-Japanese Temple. Relax at the Meditation Park, featuring landscaped gardens and artificial water bodies. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the Sonauli border, where you will cross into Nepal and be transferred to Lumbini. Check in at your hotel in Lumbini and have the rest of the day free to relax. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin with a tour of Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. Visit the Maya Devi Temple, where a stone slab marks the exact spot of Buddha’s birth. See the Ashokan Pillar, erected by Emperor Ashoka to mark Lumbini as Buddha’s birthplace, and the Puskarni Pond, where Maya Devi is believed to have bathed before giving birth. Explore the Sacred Garden, home to about 40 monasteries built by various Buddhist nations, and visit the World Peace Pagoda, constructed by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order to promote global peace. Visit additional sites including the Chinese Maitreya Temple, Myanmar Golden Temple, Shanti Stupa, and Great Drigung Kagyud Lotus Stupa. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the Sonauli border and transfer into India for the journey to Shravasti. Check in at your hotel in Shravasti. Visit Jetavana Vihara, where Buddha spent many rain retreats and delivered significant discourses. Explore Saheth and Maheth, the ancient sites of Shravasti with city walls still standing. See important ruins including Angulimalas Stupa, Anathapindika’s Stupa, and an old Jain Temple dedicated to a Tirthankara. Visit the stupa marking the site of the Twin Miracle and explore monasteries built by Buddhist communities from Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Tibet, and China. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Varanasi and check in at your hotel. Attend the Holy Ganga Aarti, a captivating evening ritual on the banks of the Ganges River. Experience the ghats illuminated with divine light and the ceremonial chanting by priests, creating a spiritual atmosphere. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Take an early morning boat ride on the Ganges to observe devotees bathing and praying in the sacred river. Visit Banaras Hindu University, India’s largest residential university with a sprawling campus and diverse academic programs. Explore Bharat Mata Temple, featuring a relief map of undivided India carved from marble. Visit Tulsi Manas Mandir, adorned with verses from Ramcharitmanas and images of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman. Drive to Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. Explore the Dhamekh Stupa and Ashoka Pillar, both significant Buddhist monuments. If time allows, visit Ram Nagar Fort, which houses a museum with a collection of vintage cars, swords, palanquins, ivory works, old weaponry, and an astrological clock. Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule for your onward destination.