BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE 5 Days

Bodhgaya | Varanasi | Kushinagar | Lumbini

Buddhist Pilgrimage Essence Circuit 2025 / 2026
Duration

5 Days 4 Nights

Group Size

10 PAX Private Group

Departure

Bangkok

Countries

Thailand · India · Nepal

Core Attractions

Starting From

USD 360

per person | private group of 10 pax

“Walk the same sacred earth the Enlightened One walked.”

Tour Overview

Experience the most sacred pilgrimage of a lifetime on this focused 5-Day / 4-Night Buddhist Essence Circuit, departing from Bangkok (BKK). Thoughtfully designed for a private group of 10 pilgrims, this circuit visits the four most important sites of the Buddha’s life: his Enlightenment at Bodhgaya, his First Sermon at Sarnath / Varanasi, his Parinirvana at Kushinagar, and his Birthplace at Lumbini, Nepal. A spiritually profound, logistically seamless journey with expert Buddhist guides, comfortable hotels, and deep opportunities for meditation, offering and personal reflection at every sacred site.

Duration

5 Days / 4 Nights

Group Size

10 Pax (Private Pilgrimage)

Departure

Bangkok, Thailand (BKK)

Countries

Thailand · India · Nepal

Sacred Sites

4 Major Buddhist Holy Sites

Transport

Private AC Vehicle + Flights

Accommodation

3–4 Star Pilgrim-Friendly Hotels

Meals

Daily Breakfast + Dinners (as listed)

Guide

Buddhist-Specialist Expert Guide

Best Season

October to March

5-DAY DETAILED ITINERARY

All ground transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle. Buddhist-specialist English-speaking guide throughout India & Nepal.

Day 1: Departure — Arrival at the Seat of Enlightenment

The journey begins at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, where your group of 10 pilgrims is welcomed by the Prime Value Tours coordinator. After a connecting flight to Gaya International Airport, you will arrive in the holiest city of Buddhism — Bodhgaya — the place where Prince Siddhartha attained Enlightenment beneath the sacred Bodhi Tree over 2,500 years ago.

  • Group assembly at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) — Prime Value Tours coordinator meets all 10 pilgrims with name boards; group check-in and baggage assistance
  • Pre-departure briefing: pilgrimage orientation, sacred site etiquette, packing reminder
  • Flight: Bangkok (BKK) to Gaya (GAY) — approx. 4–5 hrs via preferred airline (IndiGo / Air India / Thai Airways with connection)
  • Arrival Gaya International Airport — warm welcome by Buddhist-specialist local guide
  • Private AC vehicle transfer to Bodhgaya (12 km, approx. 20 mins)
  • Check-in: Bodhgaya Regency / Royal Residency / Sujata Hotel (3–4 Star) — freshen up and change
  • Late afternoon: First sacred visit to Mahabodhi Temple complex — approach the most important Buddhist monument in the world at golden hour
  • Bodhi Tree viewing — the direct descendant of the original tree under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment; deeply moving first encounter
  • Group pradakshina (clockwise circumambulation) of the Mahabodhi Temple — incense and flower offerings distributed
  • Evening group meditation in the temple precinct, led by the guide
  • Welcome vegetarian dinner at hotel — guide’s orientation talk, overview of the full 5-day sacred journey

Meals: Dinner | Accommodation: Bodhgaya Regency / Royal Residency / Sujata Hotel, Bodhgaya

Begin with the most sacred morning ritual of the entire pilgrimage — dawn prayers under the Bodhi Tree — before a comprehensive tour of the Mahabodhi complex. Then drive to Varanasi and proceed directly to Sarnath, the Deer Park where the Buddha set the Wheel of Dharma in motion with his First Sermon, before witnessing the breathtaking Ganga Aarti ceremony on the sacred river.

  • 4:30 AM SUNRISE MEDITATION at Mahabodhi Temple — dawn prayers under the sacred Bodhi Tree as temple bells ring and monks chant — the most spiritually powerful experience of the journey
  • Full guided tour of Mahabodhi Temple UNESCO World Heritage Site:
    1. Vajrasana (Diamond Throne / Enlightenment Throne): the exact spot of the Buddha’s Enlightenment
    2. Animesh Lochana Stupa: where the Buddha stood and gazed at the Bodhi Tree in gratitude during the second week
    3. Ratnachankama (Jewel Walk): the jewelled promenade where the Buddha walked in meditation during the third week
    4. Muchalinda Lake: the serpent king who sheltered the Buddha during the rains; serene and beautifully landscaped
    5. Sujata Stupa (nearby): where the village girl Sujata offered rice pudding to Siddhartha, ending his years of austerity
  • Hotel breakfast, check-out and luggage loading
  • Drive Bodhgaya to Varanasi (approx. 250 km, 5–6 hrs via NH-2) — private AC vehicle with rest stops
  • Arrival Varanasi — check-in: Hotel Clarks Varanasi / Ramada Plaza (4 Star), freshen up
  • Dashashwamedh GhatGanga Aarti Ceremony (evening, approx. 6:30 PM) — the spectacular fire ritual with hundreds of brass lamps, incense and conch shells performed by pandits on the ghats of the holy Ganges
  • Sunset boat ride on the sacred Ganges — floating candle (deepdan) offering ceremony from the boat, watching the Aarti from the holy river
  • Dinner at a recommended Varanasi restaurant — North Indian & local Banarasi cuisine

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner | Accommodation: Hotel Clarks Varanasi / Ramada Plaza Varanasi, Varanasi

The day begins before dawn with a boat ride on the Ganges — witnessing Varanasi waking up in one of the world’s most extraordinary scenes. Then drive to Kushinagar, the deeply moving site where the Buddha breathed his last breath and entered Mahaparinirvana — Final Release — in the Sala grove at the age of eighty. One of the four most sacred sites in all of Buddhism.

  • Pre-dawn Ganges boat ride (5:00 AM): witness Varanasi awakening — pilgrims bathing, priests performing morning rituals, sunrise over the sacred river — one of the most extraordinary spiritual spectacles on earth
  • Ghats walk: Manikarnika Ghat (the eternal cremation ghat — fire never extinguished for 3,500 years), Harishchandra Ghat, Assi Ghat
  • Return to hotel: breakfast and check-out
  • Drive Varanasi to Kushinagar: approx. 260 km, 5–6 hrs via NH-29 — private AC vehicle with comfort stops
  • Enroute stop: optional lunch in Gorakhpur (approx. halfway)
  • Arrival Kushinagar: check-in at Lotus Nikko Hotel / Hotel Lilavatee / Pathik Niwas or similar (3–4 Star)
  • Parinirvana Temple: magnificent 6.1-metre gold reclining Buddha statue (5th century CE original), depicting the Buddha in Mahaparinirvana
  • Main Parinirvana Stupa (Nirvana Stupa): ancient mound over the sala grove where the Buddha passed away; surrounding monastery ruins
  • Mathakuar Shrine: 10th-century black-stone seated Buddha in Abhaya mudra (gesture of fearlessness)
  • Ramabhar Stupa (Mukutbandhan Stupa): cremation site of the Buddha’s physical remains; sacred mound where the pyre was lit
  • Group circumambulation: walk around the stupa at sunset — incense and flower offerings
  • International monasteries: Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Myanmar and Tibetan temples — global community of devotion
  • Evening meditation: candlelight prayer at the Parinirvana compound — deeply reflective closing to the day
  • Dinner at hotel: group reflection sharing with guide on the significance of Kushinagar

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner | Accommodation: Lotus Nikko Hotel / Hotel Lilavatee / Pathik Niwas, Kushinagar

On the final full day of the pilgrimage, the group crosses from India into Nepal to reach Lumbini — the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the man who would become the Buddha. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, the sacred garden of Lumbini contains the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar, the sacred Pushkarini pond and the extraordinary international monastic zone with temples from over 20 countries.

  • Final prayers at Parinirvana Temple: sunrise circumambulation of the stupa
  • Travel to Sonauli / Nautanwa Border Crossing: 55 km, approx. 1.5 hrs
  • India–Nepal border crossing: assistance from Prime Value Tours staff
  • Nepal visa-on-arrival facilitation: USD 30 / 15 days for most nationalities; Thai passport holders enter visa-free
  • Drive to Lumbini: 28 km, approx. 45 mins
  • Check-in: Hotel Kasara Lumbini / Buddha Maya Garden Hotel / Hotel Lumbini Garden (4-Star)
  • Maya Devi Temple: exact birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, featuring the Nativity Sculpture
  • Sacred Marker Stone: birth spot confirmed by ASI and UNESCO excavations
  • Pushkarini (Sacred Pond): Queen Maya Devi performed ablutions and the newborn Buddha was bathed
  • Ashoka Pillar (249 BCE): Emperor Ashoka’s pilgrimage inscription in Brahmi script; 7.2 meters tall
  • Eternal Peace Flame: symbolic group candle-lighting ceremony for world peace
  • East Monastic Zone: Myanmar Golden Temple, Chinese Zhong Hua Monastery, Korean Temple, Sri Lankan Monastery
  • West Monastic Zone: Wat Thai Lumbini (Thai Theravada Monastery), Lanna-style Thai temple
  • Royal Thai Pavilion: elegant Thai Buddhist architecture and sacred murals
  • World Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa): gleaming white Japanese stupa for group circumambulation and prayers
  • Lumbini Museum: 2,600 years of Buddhist history and artefacts
  • Farewell dinner: candle ceremony, sharing of pilgrimage experiences, merit dedication, and group blessings by guide

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner | Accommodation: Hotel Kasara Lumbini / Buddha Maya Garden Hotel, Lumbini, Nepal

The final morning allows one last sacred visit to Maya Devi Temple at dawn before departing from the birthplace of the Buddha. The pilgrimage comes full circle as the group returns to Bangkok, carrying the merit, peace and spiritual renewal of having walked in the footsteps of the Enlightened One.

  • Dawn meditation at Maya Devi Temple (5:30 AM): final sunrise prayers at the birthplace of the Buddha; early morning is most peaceful and sacred
  • Morning Tilaurakot (optional): 20 km from Lumbini — ruins of Kapilavastu Palace where Prince Siddhartha spent his first 29 years
  • Nigrodharam & Kudan Stupa: brief visit in the wider Lumbini zone if time allows
  • Hotel breakfast & check-out
  • Group photo: Ashoka Pillar and Maya Devi Temple — treasured memory of the sacred pilgrimage
  • Drive to Bhairahawa (BWA): Gautam Buddha International Airport, approx. 20 km, 30 mins
  • Departure flight: from Bhairahawa (BWA) or transfer to Kathmandu (KTM, 280 km) for wider flight options to Bangkok (BKK)
  • Alternative routing: drive to Gorakhpur (India) and fly via Delhi/Kolkata to Bangkok if Bhairahawa flights unavailable
  • Arrival Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK): warm farewell by Prime Value Tours team
  • Personalized pilgrimage mementos: photo album, Buddhist blessing cord (sai sin), merit-dedication certificate, souvenir gift pack
  • Tour concludes: sacred memories, accumulated merit and deep inner peace travel home with every pilgrim

Meals: Breakfast | Accommodation: — (Departure Day)

Accommodation

DESTINATION / LOCATION NIGHTS / DURATION RECOMMENDED PROPERTY CATEGORY / STAR RATING
Bodhgaya, India 1 (Night 1) Bodhgaya Regency / Maya Heritage Hotel 3–4 Star
Varanasi, India 1 (Night 2) Hotel Pinacle / Hotel Mudra/HWH 4 Star
Kushinagar, India 1 (Night 3) Roya Residency / Om Residency / Maitteyi 3–4 Star
Lumbini, Nepal 1 (Night 4) Hotel Land Mark Lumbini / Redsun Hotel 4 Star

What's Included & Not Included

Included in Your Package Not Included
  • Return airfare Bangkok (BKK) to/from Gaya (GAY) — economy class
  • 4 nights accommodation (3–4 Star, twin/double sharing)
  • Daily breakfast (4 mornings)
  • Dinners as per itinerary (4 evenings — Days 1, 2, 3 & 4)
  • Private air-conditioned vehicle for all ground transfers
  • Buddhist-specialist English-speaking guide — all 5 days
  • All monument & museum entrance fees (Mahabodhi Temple, Sarnath / Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath Museum, Parinirvana Temple, Ramabhar Stupa, Maya Devi Temple / Lumbini Sacred Garden)
  • Evening Ganga Aarti boat ride on the sacred Ganges, Varanasi
  • Floating candles (deepdan) offering ceremony
  • India–Nepal border crossing assistance at Sonauli
  • Nepal tourist visa-on-arrival facilitation
  • Welcome gift pack, pilgrimage merit certificate & photo album
  • Pre-departure pilgrimage briefing kit (visa guide, packing list, site booklet)
  • WhatsApp/LINE group coordination for all 10 pilgrims
  • 24/7 Prime Value Tours emergency pilgrimage helpline
  • Personal travel insurance (mandatory — highly recommended)
  • Indian e-Tourist Visa fees (apply at indianvisaonline.gov.in)
  • Nepal visa fees (USD 30 at Sonauli border — most nationalities)
  • Tips & gratuities (guide, driver, hotel staff)
  • Camera / video permit fees at certain monuments
  • Personal temple donations and incense / flower offerings
  • Lunches (guide recommends local restaurants daily)
  • Beverages — all pilgrimage sites are sober/dry zones
  • Personal laundry, minibar & telephone charges
  • Expenses arising from flight delays or force majeure events
  • Optional 5-Star hotel upgrades
  • Medical expenses and travel vaccinations
  • Porter charges at hotels

Important Travel Information

Dress Code Wear modest, loose-fitting clothing at all sacred sites — long trousers/skirt, covered shoulders. White or saffron robes are welcomed and respected by local monks. Always remove shoes before entering temples and stupas. Carry a cloth bag for shoes.
India Visa Apply for an Indian e-Tourist Visa (e-TV) online at indianvisaonline.gov.in at least 4–5 days before departure. Single or double entry available. Cost approx. USD 25–80 depending on nationality. Passport must be valid for 6 months beyond travel.
Nepal Visa Nepal Tourist Visa is available on arrival at Sonauli border for most nationalities — USD 30 for 15 days. Thai passport holders enter Nepal visa-free. Bring 2 passport photos and USD in cash. Prime Value Tours staff assist at the border.
Health Consult a travel doctor 4–6 weeks before travel. Recommended vaccinations: Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Tetanus/Diphtheria. Drink bottled water only throughout the trip. Carry personal medicines, antidiarrheal tablets and basic first-aid kit.
Climate October to March is ideal — pleasant 20–28°C afternoons, cool 8–14°C mornings. Carry a light jacket or shawl for early morning 4:30 AM temple visits in Bodhgaya and Lumbini. April–June is extreme heat (40°C+). Avoid July–September (monsoon).
Currency Use Indian Rupees (INR) throughout India; Nepalese Rupees (NPR) in Nepal (1 INR ≈ 1.6 NPR). Exchange Thai Baht at Gaya Airport on arrival. ATMs available in Varanasi and Bodhgaya — carry cash for Kushinagar (limited ATMs).
Sacred Conduct Clockwise circumambulation (pradakshina) at all stupas and temples. Mobile phones on silent or off at prayer areas. No photography inside main shrine rooms without guide's permission. Leather items (belts, bags) may need to be left outside some temples. Maintain mindful silence at key sacred moments.
Merit-Making Flowers, incense sticks, and butter lamps for offering are available at all major sites for a small donation (INR 20–100). A group merit-making puja ceremony with a resident monk can be pre-arranged by Prime Value Tours at Bodhgaya or Lumbini — a profoundly beautiful addition to the pilgrimage.

Booking Process & Terms

Booking Steps Payment & Cancellation
  1. Submit pilgrim group inquiry — names, travel date, dietary needs
  2. Receive personalised itinerary & quote within 24 hours
  3. Review, customise and confirm programme with your group
  4. Pay 30% deposit — booking officially confirmed
  5. Receive pre-departure kit: visa guide, packing list, site booklet
  6. WhatsApp / LINE group created for all 10 pilgrims + guide
  7. Day 1: Prime Value coordinator meets group at BKK Airport
  8. Post-tour: photo album & merit certificate delivered
  • Deposit: 30% on booking confirmation
  • Balance: 60 days before departure date
  • Cancel 60+ days before: 80% refund
  • Cancel 30–59 days before: 50% refund
  • Cancel under 30 days: Non-refundable
  • Force majeure: full credit note issued
  • Payment: USD / THB / bank transfer
  • Minimum group: 10 pax to confirm tour

CONTACT US — BEGIN YOUR SACRED JOURNEY