Gaya Ji is where Hindu families come to perform Pind Daan for their ancestors. Bodh Gaya, about 16 km away, is where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and most travellers cover both in one trip. Our Gaya tour packages range from a one-day sightseeing tour to a 17-day India and Nepal Buddhist circuit, with prices starting at ₹7,500 per adult plus 5% GST.
Choose by the number of days you have and the city you are starting from. Every package includes a private vehicle with a driver for sightseeing. Multi-day tours add hotel stays on double sharing with daily breakfast.
The Bihar cabinet approved the name Gaya Ji for the city in May 2025, so you may see either name while planning.
Gaya Tour at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|
| Starting price | ₹7,500 per adult, plus 5% GST |
| Tour length | 1 day to 17 days |
| Start cities | Gaya, Patna, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Delhi |
| Main places | Vishnupad Temple, Falgu River, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree |
| Best time | October to March; Pitru Paksha for Pind Daan |
| Gaya to Bodh Gaya | About 16 km by road |
Gaya Tour Packages: Price, Duration and Route
| Package | Duration | Route | Starts | Price per adult |
|---|
| Gaya Sightseeing Tour | 1 day | Gaya and Bodh Gaya | Gaya | ₹8,500 |
| Baidyanath Jyotirlinga with Gaya Tour | 4 days / 3 nights | Patna, Deoghar, Gaya, Patna | Patna | ₹7,500 |
| Prayagraj Ayodhya Varanasi Gaya Tour | 5 days / 4 nights | Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Bodh Gaya, Gaya | Prayagraj | ₹14,000 |
| Varanasi Sarnath Bodh Gaya Tour | 5 days / 4 nights | Varanasi, Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Gaya, Varanasi | Varanasi | ₹15,900 |
| India and Nepal Buddhism Tour | 17 days / 16 nights | Delhi, Patna, Vaishali, Rajgir, Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Kathmandu, Delhi | Delhi | ₹57,000 |
These are starting rates and do not include 5% GST. Rates are higher in peak season and around festivals, so confirm the final quote before you pay.
Flight and train tickets are not part of any package. The India and Nepal tour has three flight sectors (Delhi to Patna, Lumbini to Kathmandu, Kathmandu to Delhi) that are charged separately.
Which Package Suits You
One-Day Gaya Sightseeing Tour
This tour starts and ends in Gaya. It covers Vishnupad Temple in Gaya, then the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodhi Tree and the monasteries in Bodh Gaya. Barabar Caves and Dungeshwari Caves are on the list too, but both are outside town and one day rarely fits everything. Tell us your priorities when you book.
Baidyanath Dham with Gaya (4 days from Patna)
A road trip that begins and ends in Patna. Day 2 is darshan at Baba Baidyanath Dham in Deoghar, Jharkhand, followed by the drive to Gaya, which is roughly 245 to 275 km and takes about 6 hours. Day 3 is kept for Pind Daan, Vishnupad Temple, Akshayavat, Mangla Gauri Temple and Bodh Gaya.
Gaya Tour Packages from Varanasi and Prayagraj
The Varanasi Sarnath Bodh Gaya Tour gives you two nights in Varanasi with Ganga Aarti, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and an afternoon at Sarnath. Day 3 is the drive to Bodh Gaya, about 250 km and 5 to 6 hours. Day 4 covers Vishnupad Temple in Gaya before the return to Varanasi.
The Prayagraj Ayodhya Varanasi Gaya Tour starts with Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj. It continues to Ayodhya for Ram Janmabhoomi, Hanuman Garhi and Kanak Bhawan, then to Varanasi and Bodh Gaya. The last morning is in Gaya for Vishnupad Temple and the Falgu River.
India and Nepal Buddhism Tour (17 days)
This one is for pilgrims who want the full Buddhist circuit. It covers Vaishali, Rajgir, Nalanda, two nights in Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Lumbini and Kathmandu, starting and ending in Delhi.
Shorter routes are on our Buddhist tour packages page, and our Buddhist tour in India site covers the wider circuit.
Gaya Tour Package Cost and What it Includes
The final price depends on your group size, the vehicle and the hotel category. Our vehicles seat from 4 (Dzire sedan) to 12 (Tempo Traveller). Ask for a written quote that names all three.
Included in Multi-Day Packages
- Hotel stay on double sharing
- Daily breakfast
- Private vehicle for sightseeing as per the itinerary
- Driver allowance, fuel, parking and state taxes
The one-day tour has no overnight stay. Check your quote for exactly what it covers.
Not Included
- 5% GST
- Flight and train tickets
- Entry fees and camera fees at monuments
- Boat rides
- Meals other than breakfast
- Priest fees and puja material for Pind Daan
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
- Extra costs caused by weather, road blocks or other delays
Pind Daan in Gaya: What the Tour Covers
Pind Daan is the offering of rice balls (pind) for departed ancestors, and Hindu tradition holds Gaya as the foremost place for it. The rites take place on the banks of the Falgu River and at Vishnupad Temple, led by a local priest whom the family engages. Many families also visit Akshayavat. Some go on to Pretshila and Ramshila hills.
For a Gaya Pind Daan tour, pick the Baidyanath Jyotirlinga with Gaya package, which keeps a full day for the rites. On the other packages, ask for a Pind Daan slot when you enquire so the Gaya day can be planned around it.
Pitru Paksha Dates and Rates
- The package price does not cover the priest's dakshina or the puja material. Agree the amount before the rites begin.
- Pind Daan is performed in Gaya throughout the year, so you do not have to wait for Pitru Paksha.
- Pitru Paksha is the busiest fortnight. Bihar Tourism listed the 2026 Pitru Paksha Mela for 25 September to 10 October.
- By the Hindu calendar, Pitru Paksha in 2027 falls on 16 to 29 September. Check the official mela schedule before fixing your dates.
- Package rates listed here do not apply during festival periods. Book rooms and vehicles well ahead.
Places Covered in Gaya and Bodh Gaya
Gaya and Bodh Gaya are two separate towns in the same district. The Hindu sites are in Gaya and the Buddhist sites are in Bodh Gaya.
| Place | Where | What to know |
|---|
| Vishnupad Temple | Gaya, on the Falgu River | Built around a footprint in rock that devotees revere as Lord Vishnu's. Queen Ahilyabai built the present temple in 1787. |
| Falgu River Ghats | Gaya | Pind Daan and tarpan are performed here. |
| Akshayavat | Gaya, near Vishnupad Temple | A sacred banyan tree visited as part of the Pind Daan rites. |
| Mangla Gauri Temple | Gaya | A hilltop temple counted among the Shakti Peethas. |
| Mahabodhi Temple | Bodh Gaya | A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. The brick temple is 50 m high and dates to the 5th or 6th century. Emperor Ashoka built the first temple here in the 3rd century BC. |
| Bodhi Tree | Inside the Mahabodhi complex | Regarded as a direct descendant of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. |
| Great Buddha Statue | Bodh Gaya | Known locally as the 80 Feet Buddha. |
| Monasteries | Bodh Gaya | Thai, Japanese, Bhutanese, Tibetan and Chinese temples, each built in its own national style. |
| Dungeshwari Caves | Outside Bodh Gaya | Where the Buddha is believed to have meditated before he came to Bodh Gaya. |
| Barabar Caves | North of Gaya | Rock-cut caves from the Mauryan period. |
Temple Rules to Know
Leave your phone behind at both main temples. Mobile phones, cameras and electronic gadgets are prohibited inside Vishnupad Temple, according to Bihar Tourism. Phones are not allowed inside the Mahabodhi Temple complex either, and visitors deposit them at a locker counter near the entrance.
For more on the city, see our Gaya travel guide. Stay options are listed under hotels in Gaya and hotels in Bodh Gaya.
How to Reach Gaya
- By air: Gaya International Airport is about 7 km from Bodh Gaya. Patna is the larger airport, roughly 115 to 135 km from Bodh Gaya by road.
- By train: Gaya Junction is the main station. It is about 17 km from the Mahabodhi Temple, by the temple management committee's figure.
- By road: Most tours reach Gaya by private car from Patna or Varanasi.
Road Distances and Drive Time
| Route | Road distance | Usual drive time |
|---|
| Gaya to Bodh Gaya (Mahabodhi Temple) | About 16 km | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Gaya to Rajgir | About 70 km | About 2 hours |
| Gaya to Patna | About 100 km | 2 to 3.5 hours |
| Bodh Gaya to Varanasi | About 250 km | 5 to 6 hours |
| Gaya to Deoghar (Baidyanath Dham) | 245 to 275 km | About 6 hours |
Distances are approximate and vary with the route taken. Drive times depend on traffic and road work.
Best Time to Visit Gaya
October to March is the most comfortable period for temple visits and sightseeing.
For Pind Daan, many families plan around Pitru Paksha, which falls in September or October each year. Expect crowds and higher rates in that fortnight. If you are travelling with elderly parents in summer, keep the outdoor rites for early morning.
How to Book
- Send your travel dates, number of travellers and start city through the enquiry form, on WhatsApp or by phone at +91 88260 94899. Other ways to reach us are on the contact page.
- We send an itinerary and a quote, usually within 12 hours.
- Check the hotel, vehicle and inclusions in writing.
- Pay the advance to confirm, using any of our payment options. Our terms set the advance at 20% of the tour cost, though it can vary by itinerary, and the balance is due at least 10 days before departure.
The steps are explained in more detail on our how to book page.
Cancellation and Refunds
On a private tour, our terms apply a 10% processing charge on the booking amount, plus whatever the hotels and transporters charge us. Bookings for peak pilgrimage season are non-refundable. Refunds take 2 to 8 weeks, and credit card payments carry a 3% surcharge. The full policy is on our Terms and Conditions page.
Why Book with Pilgrimage Tour
- We have planned pilgrimage tours since 2006. Our head office is in New Delhi.
- Every tour runs in a private vehicle: a Dzire sedan, Ertiga, Innova, Innova Crysta or a 12-seat Tempo Traveller, depending on your group. The full list is on our transport page.
- Our registrations are listed on the About Us page.
- Guest feedback is on our reviews page.
