Bodh Gaya 3-Day Tour Package: Mahabodhi Temple, Rajgir and Nalanda

Our Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package is the best short Buddhist pilgrimage in India. In two nights, pray at the UNESCO World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple, where the Buddha found enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, visit the monasteries built by Buddhist countries, and see the Great Buddha Statue. Take a day trip to Rajgir, where the Buddha taught on Vulture Peak, and to the ruins of Nalanda, one of the world’s earliest great universities. It is a private tour with your own car, driver and licensed local guide.

Shamrock Journeys is a trusted India tour operator. Since 2002 we have planned private spiritual and Buddhist pilgrimage tours across India for families, monks, groups and solo travellers.

Tour at a Glance

Here are the key facts of our Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package.

Tour name: The Spiritual Bodh Gaya
Duration: 3 days and 2 nights in Bodh Gaya
Starts and ends: Gaya airport or Gaya Junction station (Patna on request)
Tour type: private tour with car, driver and local guide
Highlights: the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodhi Tree, evening chanting, Rajgir, Vulture Peak, the Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Nalanda, the monasteries, the Great Buddha Statue and the Vishnupad temple
Best time: October to March

Why Choose This Tour

Three great Buddhist sites in one trip: Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda, the heart of the India Buddhist circuit.
Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Mahabodhi Temple and Nalanda Mahavihara, both on the Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package.
Time to pray and meditate: two visits to the Mahabodhi Temple, morning and evening.
Hindu and Buddhist heritage: the Vishnupad temple in Gaya, with Pind Daan if you wish.
Short and easy: one hotel for two nights, and the Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package fits a long weekend.

Bodh Gaya 3-Day Tour Package Itinerary

This is the day-by-day plan of the tour.

Day 1: Arrive in Bodh Gaya, the Mahabodhi Temple and Evening Chanting

Your Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package begins at Gaya. We meet you at Gaya airport or station and drive about 15 km to your hotel in Bodh Gaya. In the afternoon, your guide takes you to the Mahabodhi Temple complex: the golden Buddha in the main shrine, the Bodhi Tree, the Vajrasana or Diamond Throne, and the seven sacred spots where the Buddha spent the weeks after enlightenment, such as the Animesh Lochan Chaitya and the Muchalinda lotus pond. Stay for the evening chanting, when monks from many countries pray together under the tree.

Shamrock travel tip: remove your shoes, walk clockwise around the temple and speak softly. Phones may need to be deposited, and a small camera fee applies. Carry socks for the stone floors. For more advice, read our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Overnight: Bodh Gaya. Read our Bodh Gaya travel guide.

Day 2: Day Trip to Rajgir and Nalanda

Day 2 of the Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package goes deeper into the Buddha’s life. Drive about 80 km, about two hours, to Rajgir, the old capital of the Magadha kings. Take the ropeway to the white Vishwa Shanti Stupa, the Peace Pagoda, and walk to Griddhakuta, the Vulture Peak, where the Buddha gave many teachings. See the Venuvana bamboo grove and the hot springs. If time allows, visit Ghora Katora Lake, a quiet lake ringed by hills with a large Buddha statue in the middle. It is reached by an electric cart or a tonga, as cars are not allowed close to the lake. After lunch, drive about 15 km to Nalanda to see the brick ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the museum and the Xuanzang Memorial Hall. Drive back to Bodh Gaya in the evening.

Shamrock travel tip: the walk up Vulture Peak has steps and little shade, so carry water and a hat, and start early. The Nalanda museum is closed one day a week, so we plan around it. See our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Bodh Gaya

Day 3: Monasteries, the Great Buddha Statue, Gaya and Departure

On the last day of your Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package, start with a quiet morning at the Mahabodhi Temple. Then visit the monasteries of Bodh Gaya: the golden Thai Monastery, the Japanese Indosan Nipponji temple, the Royal Bhutan Monastery and the Tibetan temples. See the 80-foot Great Buddha Statue, and cross the river to the Sujata Stupa. On the way to the airport or station, visit the Vishnupad temple in Gaya on the Phalgu river. Your Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package ends here.

Meals: breakfast

What Is Included

Your Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package includes:

Two nights in a hotel of your choice in Bodh Gaya, with breakfast
A private air-conditioned car with driver for all transfers and sightseeing
A licensed English-speaking guide in Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda (Hindi, Thai, Japanese or other languages on request)
Monument entry tickets as per the itinerary, taxes, tolls and parking

What Is Not Included

Flights and trains to and from Gaya
Lunch and dinner
The Rajgir ropeway ticket, camera fees, offerings and priest fees for Pind Daan
Personal expenses and travel insurance

Best Time for This Tour

October to March is the best time for our Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package, with cool, dry days for the walks at Rajgir and Nalanda. From December to February, Bodh Gaya fills with monks for the great Monlam prayer festivals. Buddha Purnima, in April or May, is the most special day of the year, but book early. April to June is very hot, and July to September is the monsoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are 3 days enough for Bodh Gaya?

Yes. Our Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package covers the Mahabodhi Temple twice, the monasteries, the Great Buddha Statue, Rajgir, Nalanda and Gaya.

Can I start or end in Patna?

Yes. Patna is about three hours from Bodh Gaya and has more flights. We can also visit Nalanda on the way to Patna.

Can I join a meditation course?

Yes. Tell us early, and we will help you book a short course or a morning session at a meditation centre.

Can I add Varanasi and Sarnath?

Yes. Varanasi is about five to six hours by road. See our 5-day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour.

Do you arrange Pind Daan in Gaya?

Yes. Tell us in advance, and we will book a trusted priest at the Vishnupad temple.

How much does the Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package cost?

The price depends on your hotel, the number of travellers and the season. Tell us your dates and we will send a clear quotation.

More Buddhist and Spiritual Tours

Want more than our Bodh Gaya 3-day tour package? Choose a longer tour.

5-day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour: Kashi, Sarnath, the Triveni Sangam and Bodh Gaya.
6-day Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour: the same holy places, with a night at the Sangam.
Varanasi 3-day tour package: the Ganga Aarti, Kashi Vishwanath and Sarnath.

We also plan customised Buddhist circuit tours with Sarnath, Vaishali, Kushinagar and Lumbini. Read our Varanasi travel guide, see our spiritual tours of India and our cultural tours of India. We are one of the best tour operators in India, and we also plan the best North India tours. Request your free quote

Plan Your India Holiday with Shamrock Journeys

Shamrock Journeys is a trusted India tour operator and holiday planner. Since 2002 we have designed private India tour packages, family tour packages, honeymoon tours and cultural tours for travellers from around the world.

Recognised and trusted: Recognised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Member of PATA, TAAI, IATO and ADTOI.

Tell us your travel dates and we will send you a personal itinerary. Request your free quote