ROUTES · 7-DAY · EASY
Buddhist Circuit Road Trip.
Follow the Buddha's footsteps — from enlightenment at Bodh Gaya to first sermon at Sarnath to final Nirvana at Kushinagar. The most important Buddhist pilgrimage road trip in the world.
Buddhist Circuit Road Trip
Follow the Buddha's footsteps — from enlightenment at Bodh Gaya to first sermon at Sarnath to final Nirvana at Kushinagar. The most important Buddhist pilgrimage road trip in the world.
Highlights
Logistics
Start Varanasi (well-connected airport). Hire car with driver — Bihar roads require local knowledge. AC car ₹3,000-4,000/day with driver.
Day by Day
Evening Ganga Aarti. Settle in.
Sarnath morning. Drive to Bodh Gaya afternoon.
Mahabodhi Temple. Bodhi Tree. International monasteries.
Rajgir hot springs. Nalanda ruins afternoon.
Ashoka Pillar. Buddha's last sermon site.
Long drive. Reclining Buddha evening.
Jetavana monastery. Circuit complete.
Route Map
Destinations on this route
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Guides
Visa, scams, food, packing.
Everything the guidebook won't tell you — written for India in 2026.
Blog
Field notes from the road.
Long-form reads on regions, festivals, and the offbeat circuit.
Road trips
Curated multi-day routes.
Driving itineraries with day-by-day stops, distance, and difficulty.
Collections
Themed reading lists.
Wettest places. Sacred lakes. Solo-female-safe. Curated cuts.
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The Window
Our weekly newsletter, archived.
One honest spread, every Sunday. The full back catalogue.
Skip list
What we'd skip — and what we'd do instead.
Overhyped places with honest alternatives.
First trip
Planning your first time in India.
Safety, scams, what to wear, food survival, solo female travel.