India Buddhist Pilgrim Circuit: Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Rajgir, Vaishali, Lumbini and Sravasti Complete Guide 2026
Browse more guides: India travel | Asia destinations TL;DR I planned my Buddhist Circuit run across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and across the Sonauli border into Nepal over 12 days. The eight Mahasthana Buddha-life sites cluster between Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Rajgir, Vaishali, Sravasti, Sankisa and Lumbini. October to March is the cool window. Budget runs USD 10 to 25 a day on monastery beds, while a packaged Buddhist Pilgrim Train pass sits near USD 200. Why Visit the India Buddhist Circuit in 2026 I keep coming back to this route because the eight Mahasthana sites trace the 80-year life of Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, born around 563 BCE and entering parinirvana around 483 BCE. Four major sites anchor the loop: Bodh Gaya for the enlightenment in 528 BCE, Sarnath for the first sermon, Kushinagar for the parinirvana, and Lumbini across the Nepal border for the birthplace. Four minor sites round it out: Rajgir, Vaishali, Sravasti and Sankisa. Together they form th...