3-Day Varanasi & Bodh Gaya Tour Including Mahabodhi Temple, Buddhist Monasteries, Kashi Vishwanath Temple & More

Day 1: Sarnath Tour & Arrival at Bodh Gaya

On day 1 of your Varanasi to Bodh Gaya trip, our driver will pick you up from the Varanasi railway station/airport and take you to Sarnath. The journey will only take 30 minutes. Sarnath is a sacred location where Lord Buddha shared his first sermon. After a sightseeing tour of its major attractions like the Dhamek Stupa, Ashokan Pillar, and Buddhist monasteries, we will continue the journey to Bodh Gaya. After reaching the hotel and checking in, you will be taken to the Mahabodhi Temple for the evening aarti. Enjoy the divine ceremony with monks chanting and offering prayers. Finally, you will be driven back to your hotel, where you can retire for the night.

Day 2: Bodh Gaya Sightseeing & Return to Varanasi

After relishing a tasty complimentary breakfast, check out of the hotel and join us on a fascinating Bodh Gaya sightseeing tour. First, we will head to the Mahabodhi Temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Counted among the 4 places related to Buddha’s life, the place is a renowned pilgrimage site for Buddhists. You will come across many interesting locations from the main shrine to the meditation hall. Then, witness the Great Buddha Statue—an 80-feet-high structure which is loved by travelers across the globe. You will also see the Bodhi Tree, the direct descendant of the original Bodhi tree under which Lord Buddha sat to meditate.

Next, we will take you on a trip to Buddhist and Tibetan monasteries in Bodh Gaya. Some of the most popular ones include the Burmese Vihara Monastery, surrounded by beautiful gardens, the Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple, which displays the best of Japanese architecture and culture, and the Chinese Temple, which is a masterpiece in Chinese artwork and houses a magnificent Buddha statue.

After visiting the monasteries, we will take you to the Vishnupad Temple—a scenic and significant shrine dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. It is located near the Falgu River, which adds to its beauty and charm among travel lovers. After visiting this prominent Hindu pilgrimage site, we will return to Varanasi. Upon reaching there, we will take you to the Dashashwamedha Ghat for the popular evening Ganga Aarti. Watch the poignant ceremony as high priests chant prayers and hymns, and multi-tiered lamps are lit for the grand aarti.

Finally, our driver will drop you at your hotel in Varanasi where you will check in and enjoy a comfortable overnight stay.

Day 3: Varanasi City Tour

On the final day of the tour, you will enjoy a lip-smacking breakfast and then check out of the hotel. Then, our driver will take you on an adventurous temple tour, beginning with the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is a renowned landmark that houses many attractions, the most popular being its 60-cm-tall Linga! After that, you will visit other temples, including the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple—an ancient temple dedicated to the Monkey God and the 18th-century Durga Mata Temple known for its divine Durga Kund.

Your pilgrimage tour does not end here. As the day approaches its end, we will also take you to the Manikarnika Ghat, which is considered a holy spot for cremation in the Hindu faith. Watch the priests performing traditional rituals as you soak in the deeply spiritual atmosphere around you. After the sightseeing, we will take you back to the railway station/airport or any other location in Varanasi specified by you. After dropping you, the 3-day tour will finally come to an end and you can continue your journey with happy memories of the sacred holiday.