6-Day Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj Tour: Kashi, the Buddha and a Night at the Sangam

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

Kashi, Gaya and Prayag together make the Tristhali Yatra, a pilgrimage Hindus have made for centuries, and Sarnath and Bodhgaya are 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 6-day Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour.

Tour name: Kashi, Bodhgaya and Sangam
Duration: 6 days and 5 nights
Route: Varanasi (2 nights), Bodhgaya (1 night), Varanasi (1 night), Prayagraj (1 night)
Starts: Varanasi airport or station. Ends: Prayagraj airport or station, or Varanasi
Tour type: private tour with car, driver and local guides
Highlights: the Ganga Aarti, a sunrise boat ride, Kashi Vishwanath, Sarnath, the Mahabodhi Temple, the Vishnupad temple, the Triveni Sangam and a sunrise boat ride at the Sangam
Best time: October to March

Why Choose This Tour

A night at the Sangam: time for a holy dip, the evening aarti on the river and a quiet sunrise boat ride.
Tristhali Yatra: Kashi, Gaya and Prayag, with help for rituals and Pind Daan if you wish.
Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage in one trip: Kashi Vishwanath, Sarnath, the Mahabodhi Temple and the Sangam.
A slower pace: the Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour has one more day than our 5-day tour, so the drives are easier.
Good for families and seniors: a comfortable car, short walks and help at the ghats and temples.

Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj Tour Itinerary

This is the day-by-day plan of the Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj 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: Varanasi to Bodhgaya and the Mahabodhi Temple

Today your Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour goes to Bodhgaya. 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 4: Great Buddha Statue, Vishnupad Temple in Gaya and Back to Varanasi

See the Great Buddha Statue and the Thai and Japanese 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. Drive back to Varanasi, about six hours, and rest in the evening.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight: Varanasi

Day 5: Varanasi to Prayagraj and the Triveni Sangam

Drive about 120 km, about three hours, to Prayagraj. Take a boat to the Triveni Sangam for a holy dip and prayers where the Kumbh Mela is held. In the afternoon, 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. In the evening, watch the aarti on the banks of the Sangam.

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

Day 6: Sunrise at the Sangam and Departure

If you wish, take a quiet boat ride to the Sangam at sunrise, when the two rivers show their different colours. After breakfast, we take you to Prayagraj airport or station, or drive you back to Varanasi, about three hours, for your flight or train. Your Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour ends here.

Meals: breakfast

What Is Included

Your Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour includes:

Five 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 in Varanasi 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 Bodhgaya Prayagraj 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

Is there a shorter version?

Yes. Our 5-day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour visits Prayagraj as a day trip from Varanasi.

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 after the Sangam to make a Kashi Ayodhya Prayagraj tour.

Where does the tour end?

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

Is the Varanasi Bodhgaya Prayagraj 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 Bodhgaya Prayagraj 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 Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour.

Varanasi 3-day tour package: Kashi and Sarnath only.
5-day Varanasi Prayagraj Bodhgaya tour: the same holy places, with Prayagraj as a day trip.
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 Bodhgaya Prayagraj tour? 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