10 Nights 11 Days Prayagraj Varanasi Ayodhya Chitrakoot Bodhgaya Lucknow Tour Package

Your second day in Lucknow is a deeper exploration of the city's extraordinary heritage — from its architectural masterworks to its legendary cuisine and handcraft tradition.

Morning — Ambedkar Memorial Park

• Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal (Ambedkar Memorial Park) — an extraordinary 107-acre memorial complex built in pink sandstone from Mirzapur quarries; the design draws equally from Buddhist stupa architecture and Indian classical temple tradition; the memorial to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at its centre is surrounded by 14 elephant sculptures symbolising his 14 principles; the scale, symmetry, and craftsmanship make this one of the most visually stunning monumental spaces built in India since independence


• Walk through the surrounding pink-stone galleries depicting Ambedkar's life and the Dalit civil rights movement in India — a powerful and moving museum experience

Mid-Morning — Lucknow Zoological Garden & 1857 Memorial

• Lucknow Zoo (1921) — one of India's oldest and largest zoological gardens; covering 71 acres in the heart of the city; most renowned for its white tigers; an enjoyable break for families


• 1857 Martyr's Memorial (Shaheed Smarak) — a solemn 70-foot obelisk monument commemorating the Indian soldiers who fought in the 1857 uprising; located near the Residency in a beautifully maintained garden

Afternoon — Chowk Old City Food Trail & Chikan Embroidery

• Tunday Kebabi, Chowk (in business since 1905) — the legendary galawati kebab stall founded by Haji Murad Ali; the original recipe is said to contain 160 spices; the melt-in-the-mouth minced mutton kebab has been served to Nawabs and presidents alike; the Chowk branch remains the most authentic


• Prakash ki Kulfi, Chowk — operating since 1900; the original Lucknow kulfi served on clay plates with falooda; considered by many to be the best kulfi in India


• Aminabad Market — Lucknow's historic bazaar district; explore the narrow lanes lined with Chikan embroidery workshops, zardozi (gold thread work) shops, and traditional ittar (perfume) sellers; Chikan is a 400-year-old Nawabi handcraft tradition of white-on-white embroidery on muslin cloth — one of India's finest textile arts; shopping here at source prices is a unique experience


• Imambara Lane — the atmospheric old city lane connecting Chowk to the Imambaras; lined with traditional halwai sweet shops and brass-work vendors unchanged for centuries

Late Afternoon — Janeshwar Mishra Park

• Janeshwar Mishra Park — Asia's largest urban park at 376 acres; a beautifully landscaped green space with cycling paths, boating lakes, and the Cycle City Museum; perfect for a leisurely evening walk before the next day's early departure

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account — recommend: Dum Pukht style biryani at one of Lucknow's classic Awadhi restaurants.

After an early breakfast and check-out, begin your 2.5-hour drive to Ayodhya — one of Hinduism's seven most sacred cities (Sapta Puri) and Lord Rama's eternal birthplace; the closest major pilgrimage site to Lucknow, and one of the most spiritually significant cities in all of India following the consecration of the Ram Mandir in January 2024.

Upon Arrival — Ram Mandir & Ram Janmabhoomi

• Check in to your Ayodhya hotel, freshen up, and proceed directly to the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple (Ram Mandir) — consecrated in January 2024; the 161-foot sandstone shikhara rises over the exact birthplace of Lord Rama; darshan of Ram Lalla in the inner sanctum


• Walk the Ram Janmabhoomi Parikrama Path through the 70-acre complex with Ramayana-carved pillars and the 108-foot Dhwaja Stambha

Afternoon — Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan & Ancient Temples

• Hanuman Garhi (10th-century fort-temple, 76 steps, Bal Hanuman idol in Anjani Devi's lap — Ayodhya's guardian temple)


• Kanak Bhawan (gold-adorned Ram-Sita shrine gifted by Queen Kaikeyi — Ayodhya's most beloved ornate temple)


• Nageshwarnath Temple (Ayodhya's oldest surviving temple, established by Ram's son Kush)


• Treta Ke Thakur (site of Ram's Ashwamedha Yagna; black stone royal family idols from Treta Yuga)

Evening — Saryu Aarti at Ram Ki Paidi

• Witness the magnificent Saryu Aarti at Ram Ki Paidi Ghat; holy dip in the Saryu River; walk the illuminated 750-metre stepped ghat complex at dusk

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

After an early breakfast and check-out, begin your 3-hour drive to Prayagraj — the Sangam city where three sacred rivers meet in a confluence considered the most auspicious bathing spot in all of Hinduism.

Upon Arrival — Triveni Sangam

• Check in to your Prayagraj hotel; proceed to Sangam Ghat and board a motorboat to the sacred Triveni Sangam — the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna & the invisible Saraswati


• Perform Sangam Snan — holy dip believed to cleanse karma across seven lifetimes; float a deep daan on the sacred waters


• Visit Bade Hanuman Ji Temple (Lete Hanumanji) — the reclining Hanuman idol at Sangam that uniquely rises with floodwaters every monsoon

Evening — Sangam Ganga Aarti

• Witness the serene Ganga Aarti at Sangam Ghat — lamp offering ceremony with chanting and flowers at the riverbank; evening street food walk

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

Full breakfast at hotel, then a full immersive day through Prayagraj's extraordinary Mughal, colonial, nationalist, and sacred landmarks.

Morning — Prayagraj Fort Complex

• Prayagraj Fort (1583 AD), Patalpuri Temple, Akshayavat (Immortal Banyan Tree) — venerated for 2,000+ years; Ashoka Pillar (232 BCE) — the same Emperor Ashoka who built the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya (Night 9–10), the Lion Capital at Sarnath (Day 8), and this pillar at Prayagraj — a remarkable thread connecting three sites on this tour

Afternoon — Nehru Legacy & Mughal Gardens

• Anand Bhawan & Swaraj Bhawan (Nehru family national museum; Indira Gandhi's birthplace)


• Khusro Bagh (serene walled Mughal royal tombs garden), Chandra Shekhar Azad Park (1857 memorial park), Shankar Viman Mandapam (South Indian Dravidian temple near Sangam), Mankameshwar Mandir (Yamuna riverside Shiva temple)

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

After early breakfast and check-out, begin your 3-hour drive to Chitrakoot — the sacred Ramayana forest city where Lord Ram, Sita, and Laxman spent 11½ years of their 14-year vanvas (exile). The shortest drive day of this circuit.

Upon Arrival — Kamadgiri Parikrama

• Kamadgiri Parvat Parikrama — 5 km barefoot circumambulation of the sacred hill worshipped as Lord Ram himself; scripturally equal to ten Govardhan parikramas; forest sounds, incense, and barefoot devotees create an atmosphere unlike any urban pilgrimage site


• Kamta Nath Temple and Bharat Milap Mandir (where Bharat met Ram during exile; stone footprints of Ram, Sita, Laxman, and Bharat preserved)

Afternoon — Ramghat, Mandakini & Sati Anusuya

• Ramghat (where Ram, Sita & Laxman bathed daily); Mandakini River Boat Ride (forested Vindhya hills on both banks); Sati Anusuya Ashram (forest ashram walk)

Evening — Ramghat Aarti on the Mandakini

• Thousands of oil lamps on the Mandakini riverbanks — the most intimate aarti on this entire 11-day circuit; many travellers describe it as the single most emotionally powerful moment of the journey

Check in to hotel in Chitrakoot. Dinner on own account.

An early morning at Chitrakoot's extraordinary cave and riverside sites, then the 4.5-hour drive to Varanasi — arriving in time for an evening temple visit and the Ganga Aarti.

Early Morning — Mandakini Holy Dip & Gupt Godavari

• Optional sunrise Mandakini holy dip at Ramghat — one of the four sacred river dips on this circuit


• Gupt Godavari Caves (18 km) — wade through the ankle-to-knee-deep subterranean stream into Ram's forest cave-court; a geological and spiritual marvel unlike anything else in India

Mid-Morning — Sphatik Shila, Janaki Kund & Hanuman Dhara

• Sphatik Shila (Ram's footprints in crystalline quartz on the Mandakini bank); Janaki Kund (Sita's bathing tank during exile); Hanuman Dhara (optional 200+ step climb to the perpetual spring and valley panorama)

Late Morning — Drive to Varanasi

• Depart Chitrakoot by approximately 11–11:30 AM; 4.5-hour drive to Varanasi; arrive approximately 4–5 PM


• Check in to your Varanasi hotel; freshen up

Evening — Kashi Vishwanath & Grand Ganga Aarti

• Brief darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor


• Witness the world-famous Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — seven priests, fire torches, conch shells, Vedic chanting

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

A full day in Varanasi beginning before dawn — and today Sarnath carries special resonance: you visit the Buddha's first sermon site today, and his enlightenment site at Bodhgaya tomorrow.

Early Morning — Sunrise Ganges Boat Ride

• Dawn row boat from Assi Ghat past all 84 ghats as Kashi awakens; optional Ganga Snan; watch the haunting smoke of Manikarnika Ghat rise at sunrise

Morning — Sarnath

• Sarnath (12 km) — Dhamek Stupa (500 CE), Ashoka Pillar (250 BCE) (Lion Capital = India's national emblem — seen first at Prayagraj, again here, and built by the same emperor who built the Mahabodhi Temple you visit tomorrow), Sarnath Museum (optional), Mulagandha Kuti Vihar

Afternoon — Kashi Temple Trail & Kaal Bhairav

• Kaal Bhairav Temple (Varanasi's tantric guardian Kotwal — essential Kashi darshan); Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, Batuk Bhairav Temple, Vishwanath Gali; optional Banarasi silk workshop; Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple

Evening — Ganga Aarti (2nd viewing)

• Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat — the second viewing invariably deeper and more moving; optional rowboat for river-level perspective

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

After early breakfast and check-out, begin your 4.5-hour drive to Bodhgaya — the holiest site in Buddhism: the exact spot where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha approximately 2,500 years ago.

Upon Arrival — Mahabodhi Temple Complex

• Check in to your Bodhgaya hotel; proceed to Mahabodhi Temple (UNESCO; 55-metre spire; built by Ashoka 260 BCE — the same Ashoka whose pillars you have now seen at Prayagraj and Sarnath)


• Vajrasana (Diamond Throne) — the red sandstone seat where the Buddha sat during enlightenment; Sacred Bodhi Tree — a direct descendant of the original Ficus religiosa; sit in meditation as monks from Thailand, Tibet, Japan, and Sri Lanka chant around you


• Cankamana (walking meditation path, 17 lotus-marked steps); Animesh Lochana Chaitya; Muchalinda Lake

Afternoon — International Buddhist Monasteries

• Thai Royal Temple, Tibetan Monastery, Japanese Nipponji Temple, Bhutanese Monastery, Sri Lankan Temple — a living map of world Buddhism within walking distance of the enlightenment site

Evening — Mahabodhi Lamp Ceremony

• Return to Mahabodhi Temple at dusk — thousands of butter lamps illuminate the complex; the gold-lit 55-metre spire reflected in the surrounding moat; multilingual chanting by monks from across Asia

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

Your second and final Bodhgaya day begins before dawn — the most peaceful hour at the world's holiest Buddhist site.

Early Morning — Bodhi Tree Sunrise Meditation

• Sunrise walk to Mahabodhi Temple (5:30 AM) — silent meditation under the Bodhi Tree as the first light filters through the pipal leaves; monks perform morning rituals around you; the most peaceful and profound hour available anywhere on this 11-day circuit

Morning — Dungeshwari Cave Hills (Pragbodhi)

• Dungeshwari Cave Hills (17 km) — where Siddhartha practised severe austerities for six years before enlightenment; three cave temples in the cliff face; the central cave contains an ancient gold-painted statue of the emaciated Buddha — among the most powerful images in world religious art; panoramic countryside views from the hilltop

Late Morning — Sujata Kuti & Niranjana River

• Sujata Kuti — where Sujata offered kheer to the fasting Siddhartha (the meal that broke six years of extreme fasting before enlightenment); Niranjana River — where Siddhartha bathed before crossing to the Bodhi Tree

Afternoon — Vishnupad Temple, Gaya

• Gaya city (17 km) — one of Hinduism's most sacred cities for pitra tarpan (ancestral rites)


• Vishnupad Temple — enshrines Lord Vishnu's 40 cm footprint in solid rock; 30-metre spire on the banks of the Falgu River (the same riverbank alongside which Buddhist pilgrims approach Bodhgaya — the most remarkable Hindu-Buddhist sacred geography in India)


• Optional: Mangla Gauri Temple (one of 18 Shakti Pithas) atop a hill in Gaya

Late Afternoon — Root Institute & Daijokyo Temple

• Root Institute for Wisdom Culture — Tibetan Buddhist meditation centre; optional guided meditation; serene garden


• Daijokyo Buddhist Temple — large modern Japanese temple with an exceptional prayer hall

Return to hotel. Dinner on own account.

Your final morning — the peaceful, contemplative conclusion of India's most complete six-city sacred and cultural grand circuit. Eleven days, six cities, two great faith traditions, four sacred rivers.

Early Morning — Final Mahabodhi Visit

• A final early morning walk to Mahabodhi Temple (5:30–6:30 AM) — sit for 20–30 minutes under the Bodhi Tree as the sun rises; this final meditation, after ten days of continuous pilgrimage across six sacred cities, is described by many travellers as the most integrative and moving spiritual experience of the entire journey


• Walk the Cankamana path one final time; circumambulate the temple; make a final offering at the Bodhi Tree

Morning — Optional Visit & Departure Preparation

• Optional: Korean Temple (Namsangol Korean Buddhist Cultural Centre) or the Mahabodhi Society of India — a peaceful final visit to the international Buddhist community that has gathered around the enlightenment site


• Return to hotel for breakfast and check-out

Departure

• Our driver transfers you to Gaya Airport (GAY) or Gaya Junction Railway Station for your onward journey


• Alternatively, if your onward departure is from Varanasi (VNS) or Prayagraj (IXD), we can transfer you back to those cities (Gaya to Varanasi: 4.5 hrs; Gaya to Prayagraj: ~5.5 hrs) — please inform us at booking

🙏 You have completed India's most comprehensive sacred and cultural grand circuit — Bara Imambara, Ram Mandir, Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj Fort, Kamadgiri, Ramghat, Kashi Vishwanath, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Sarnath, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, Dungeshwari Caves, and Vishnupad Gaya — across six sacred cities, four sacred rivers, the Nawabi heritage of Awadh, and the two greatest pilgrimage traditions of the Indian subcontinent. May the blessings of all six cities travel with you always.