5-Day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya Tour: Kashi, the Sangam and the Buddha

Our Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour joins three of the holiest places in India. In Varanasi, or Kashi, see the evening Ganga Aarti, take a sunrise boat ride and visit Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon. In Prayagraj, take a boat to the Triveni Sangam, where the Ganga, the Yamuna and the hidden Saraswati meet. In Bodhgaya, pray at the UNESCO World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple, where the Buddha found enlightenment, and visit the Vishnupad temple in Gaya. It is a private tour with your own car, driver and local guides.

Kashi, Prayag and Gaya together make the Tristhali Yatra, a pilgrimage Hindus have made for centuries. Add Sarnath and Bodhgaya, and this is also the heart of the Buddhist circuit. Shamrock Journeys is a trusted India tour operator and has planned private spiritual tours across India since 2002.

Tour at a Glance

Here are the key facts of the 5-day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour.

Tour name: Kashi, Sangam and Bodhgaya
Duration: 5 days and 4 nights
Route: Varanasi (3 nights, with a day trip to Prayagraj), Bodhgaya (1 night)
Starts: Varanasi airport or station. Ends: Gaya airport or station, Patna, or back in Varanasi
Tour type: private tour with car, driver and local guides
Highlights: the Ganga Aarti, a sunrise boat ride, Kashi Vishwanath, Sarnath, the Triveni Sangam, the Mahabodhi Temple and the Vishnupad temple
Best time: October to March

Why Choose This Tour

Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage in one trip: Kashi Vishwanath, the Sangam and Gaya, with Sarnath and Bodhgaya.
Tristhali Yatra: the three holy places of Kashi, Prayag and Gaya, with help for rituals and Pind Daan if you wish.
Two UNESCO-listed and sacred Buddhist sites: the Mahabodhi Temple and the Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath.
Private and flexible: the Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour can start or end where it suits your flights or trains.
Good for families and seniors: a comfortable car, short walks and three nights in one hotel in Varanasi.

Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya Tour Itinerary

This is the day-by-day plan of the Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour.

Day 1: Arrive in Varanasi, Old Kashi Walk and the Evening Ganga Aarti

We meet you at Varanasi airport or station and take you to your hotel. In the afternoon, your guide takes you through the narrow lanes of old Kashi. At sunset, watch the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat from a boat, as priests offer fire, incense and chants to the river.

Shamrock travel tip: keep your bags close in the evening crowd, dress modestly and ask before you take photos of people at the ghats. For more advice, read our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Overnight: Varanasi. Read our Varanasi travel guide.

Day 2: Sunrise Boat Ride, Kashi Vishwanath and Sarnath

Take a boat ride on the Ganga at sunrise, past bathing pilgrims and the old palaces on the ghats, then walk up to the Kashi Vishwanath temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. After breakfast, drive about 10 km to Sarnath to see the Dhamek Stupa, the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar and the Sarnath museum with the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Varanasi

Day 3: Day Trip to Prayagraj and the Triveni Sangam

Today your Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour goes to the Sangam. Leave early and drive about 120 km, about three hours, to Prayagraj. Take a boat to the Triveni Sangam, the meeting of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the hidden Saraswati, where pilgrims bathe and where the Kumbh Mela is held. Visit the Bade Hanuman temple, with its lying statue of Lord Hanuman, and Anand Bhavan, the old Nehru family home, and see Akbar’s fort on the river from outside. Drive back to Varanasi in the evening.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Varanasi. Read about Prayagraj.

Day 4: Varanasi to Bodhgaya and the Mahabodhi Temple

Drive about 260 km, five to six hours, to Bodhgaya in Bihar. In the afternoon, visit the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha found enlightenment, and the Vajrasana, the diamond throne. Stay for the evening prayers, when monks from many countries chant together.

Shamrock travel tip: phones may need to be deposited at the Mahabodhi Temple, and a small camera fee applies. Take off your shoes, walk clockwise around the temple and speak softly. See our Shamrock India Travel Tips.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Bodhgaya. Read about Bodhgaya.

Day 5: Great Buddha Statue, Gaya and Departure

See the Great Buddha Statue and the Thai, Japanese and Tibetan monasteries of Bodhgaya. Then drive about 12 km to Gaya to visit the Vishnupad temple on the Phalgu river, where Hindus perform Pind Daan for their ancestors. We drop you at Gaya airport or station, drive you to Patna, about three hours, or back to Varanasi, about six hours. Your Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour ends here.

Meals: breakfast

What Is Included

Your Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour includes:

Four nights in hotels of your choice, with breakfast
A private air-conditioned car with driver for all transfers, drives and sightseeing
Licensed English-speaking guides in Varanasi, Sarnath, Prayagraj and Bodhgaya
The Ganga Aarti boat ride, the sunrise boat ride and the boat to the Sangam
Monument entry tickets as per the itinerary, taxes, tolls and parking

What Is Not Included

Flights and trains to the start and from the end of the tour
Lunch and dinner
Priest fees for rituals or Pind Daan, temple offerings and camera fees
Personal expenses and travel insurance

Best Time for This Tour

October to March is the best time for the Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour, with cool days for the long drives. Dev Deepawali in Varanasi, the Magh Mela in Prayagraj in January and February, and Buddha Purnima in Bodhgaya are special times, but book early. The Pitru Paksha weeks in September bring many pilgrims to Gaya for Pind Daan. April to June is very hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I stay a night in Prayagraj?

Yes. Our 6-day Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour includes a night at the Sangam and a sunrise boat ride there.

Can you arrange Pind Daan in Gaya?

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

Can I add Ayodhya?

Yes. Ayodhya and the Ram temple are about three hours from Prayagraj. We can add a day to make a Kashi Ayodhya Prayagraj tour.

Where does the tour end?

At Gaya airport or station, in Patna, or back in Varanasi. Choose what suits your flight or train.

Is the Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour good for seniors?

Yes. We use a comfortable car with breaks, keep walks short and help at the ghats and temples.

How much does the Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour cost?

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

More Varanasi Tours

Many guests change the length of their Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour.

Varanasi 3-day tour package: Kashi and Sarnath only.
6-day Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour: a slower pilgrimage with a night at the Sangam.
6-day Varanasi Khajuraho tour: the Ganga and the temples of Khajuraho.
7-day Varanasi Taj Mahal tour: Varanasi and the Taj Mahal.

See all our Varanasi tour packages, 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. Ready to book your Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour? Request your free quote

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