Letstravail
Travel planning content.
Buddhist
buddhist site
113 m
Peak season
Mahabodhi Temple
Buddha (site of enlightenment)
Location
Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Darshan
5:00 AM – 9:00 PM (daily)
Best time
October, November, December
Difficulty
easy
Est. cost / person
₹8,000
About Mahabodhi Temple
The Mahabodhi Temple marks the exact spot where, around 500 BCE, Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment under a peepal tree and became the Buddha. The current temple structure dates to the 5th–6th century Gupta period. The descendant of the original Bodhi Tree stands in the courtyard.
Darshan & Aarti
Darshan timings
- · 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM (daily)
Aarti schedule
- Morning Prayers — 5:30 AM (Chanted by monks)
- Evening Prayers — 6:00 PM (Meditative atmosphere)
🚌 How to reach
By Air
Gaya International Airport (12 km)
Direct international flights from Bangkok, Yangon, Colombo during winter Buddhist season.
By Rail
Gaya Junction (16 km)
Major railway junction with trains from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai.
By Road
NH-19 (Grand Trunk Road).
- Patna: 110 km · ~3h · NH-83 via Jehanabad
- Varanasi: 245 km · ~5h · NH-19
Last mile: From Gaya station: taxi (₹300–₹500) or shared auto. Temple is walking distance from all Bodh Gaya hotels.
Estimated expense (per person)
| Delhi–Gaya return train | ₹2,200 |
| Stay (2 nights, mid tier) | ₹4,500 |
| Meals (3 days) | ₹900 |
| Local transport | ₹400 |
| Total | ₹8,000 |
Add ₹4,000 for full Buddhist Circuit (Nalanda + Rajgir day trip).
Gallery
📍 Nearby attractions
Nalanda University Ruins
Ancient Buddhist university, UNESCO site
Rajgir
Buddha's Gridhrakuta hill sermons