These tours are scheduled on fixed dates in the year. Dates and details of fixed-date tours can be seen in the table at the bottom of this page. Generally, these tours are scheduled during the Indian winter months (October-March) as travelling outside these times can be difficult due to heat or rain from April-September. If you would like to discuss travelling outside the winter months, this can also be arranged through our tailor-made tours service, although we do advise travelling between October-March if at all possible.
On Dhammayatra Classic pilgrimage package you will be taken on a guided tour of the most important Buddhist holy sites in India, including Bodhgaya (where the Buddha was Enlightened), Sarnath-Varanasi (site of the Buddha’s first teaching and a famous holy place on the River Ganges), Shravasti (site of the Jeta Grove where the Buddha spent many rainy seasons), Kusinara (where the Buddha died), Nalanda (site of an ancient Buddhist university), and Rajgir (where the Buddha gave many important teachings).
Visits to the Buddhist sites will include lectures and opportunities for meditation, reflection, sutra reading and ritual practice. In addition, the group will visit temples and monasteries from the Chinese, Japanese, Thai and other Buddhist traditions.
The actual duration of pilgrimage will be 11 Nights and 12 days. For example the day 1 will be the day to receive you at airport/railway station of 1st day of the itinerary. The last day is the day of drop at the airport/railway station for your further travel. If you have a return ticket from New Delhi (or Kolkata or Mumbai) then we recommend you to plan extra 3 days for clearing jet-lag and travel time to and from holy sites from the international airport.
All our tours are guided, so you will have constant access to an expert guide and trip leader, as well as a driver, 24 hours a day. The guide may be Manidhamma or another experienced tour leader (you will be informed prior to booking). They will stay with you at the same accommodation, so you will be well looked after. You’ll also have access to the internet throughout the tour, depending on mobile phone signals, and international calling facilities. These are provided for a small fee, if required.
Fixed-date tours are a mixture of budget and luxury trips. (For more information on these, please view our pages on budget and luxury trip details.) They also vary in duration. If these dates do not match your requirements, then please explore our tailor-made tours service.