The Grand Tour of Bihar
Ten days, famous and hidden, west to east
The Kaimur forts, the Buddhist heartland, the capital, the Ganga towns and Mithila — the complete arc of Bihar's history and landscape, with a slack day built in for the place you fall in love with.
- Length
- 10 days / 9 nights
- Start
- Varanasi in, Darbhanga or Patna out
- Pace
- Steady
- Theme
- Everything
- For
- Travellers with time who want the whole story
- Sleeps in
- Sasaram · Bodh Gaya · Rajgir · Patna · Darbhanga · —
- Comfortable
- ₹3,500–5,500
- Premium
- ₹9,000–15,000
Budgets per person, two sharing, car and driver included. Flights excluded.
Part of Spiritual Bihar, Forts, Tombs & Ruins, Arts & Living Culture, Temples of Bihar, Bihar in Winter, Buddhist Circuit, Sikh Circuit, Ramayan Circuit, Gandhi Circuit
Day by day
How the 10 days run
Day 2 · sleep in Sasaram
Rohtasgarh Fort
The plateau fort, or the Kaimur waterfalls in monsoon.
Rohtas · best October – February; avoid monsoon (road impassable)
Day 3 · sleep in Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya
Drive east via Barabar caves; Mahabodhi at dusk.
Gaya · best October – March; December and January for teachings
Day 4 · sleep in Bodh Gaya
Gaya
Mahabodhi at dawn; Gaya's ghats and Brahmayoni; back to Bodh Gaya.
Gaya · best October – March; Pitru Paksha (Sept/Oct) for the great fair
Day 5 · sleep in Rajgir
Rajgir
Ropeway, hot springs; Pawapuri's Jal Mandir in the afternoon.
Nalanda · best October – March
Day 6 · sleep in Rajgir
Nalanda
Ruins at opening; Nature Safari skywalk in the afternoon.
Nalanda · best November – February
Day 7 · sleep in Patna
Patna
Drive to Patna; Bihar Museum, Patna Sahib, the Ganga Path.
Patna · best October – February; Chhath (Oct/Nov) is extraordinary
Day 8 · sleep in Darbhanga
Vaishali
Vaishali's pillar and stupa; Kesaria if ambitious; on to Darbhanga.
Vaishali · best November – February
Day 10 · sleep in —
Bhagalpur
Early drive to Bhagalpur for a late dolphin boat and silk — or a slack day in Mithila; depart.
Bhagalpur · best October – March
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