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Pilgrimage, arranged with care.

From guided pilgrimages and day tours to cars, transfers and hotel bookings — everything you need to travel the Buddhist heartlands, arranged from our office in Bodh Gaya. Local knowledge, fair rates, and only a WhatsApp away.

What we do

Everything for your journey, from one desk.

Whether you are here for a single day or a fortnight-long circuit, we handle the tours, the transport and the stays — so you can give your attention to the places, not the logistics.

Pilgrimage · guided

Buddhist pilgrimage tours

Guided journeys across the Buddhist circuit from our home in Bodh Gaya — the Mahabodhi Temple, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Kushinagar, Sarnath and Lumbini, at the pace each place asks for.

  • The classical India circuit & shorter routes
  • Experienced local guides in English & Hindi
  • Any group size, from a couple to a coach
Day tours · local

Bodh Gaya & Gaya sightseeing

Half- and full-day tours of Bodh Gaya's sacred sites — the Mahabodhi Temple, the Great Buddha statue, the international monasteries, and the ghats and temples of nearby Gaya.

  • Sunrise visits to the Mahabodhi
  • Monastery-row and Great Buddha circuits
  • Gaya, Dungeshwari caves & Barabar option
Transport · rental

Car, taxi & coach rental

Well-kept, air-conditioned cars, tempo-travellers and coaches with careful local drivers — hired by the day or for a full multi-city trip across Bihar, UP and beyond.

  • Sedans, SUVs, tempo-travellers & buses
  • Trusted, courteous local drivers
  • By the day or for the whole itinerary
Transfers · 24×7

Airport & railway transfers

On-time pickups and drops for Gaya airport and railway station, and onward transfers to Varanasi, Patna, Rajgir and the Sonauli border for Lumbini.

  • Gaya airport & station pickups
  • Onward to Varanasi, Patna & the Nepal border
  • Round-the-clock, meet-and-greet service
Stays · booking

Hotel & monastery-stay booking

Rooms arranged to your budget across Bodh Gaya — from clean guesthouses and mid-range hotels to heritage stays and the guest-houses of the international monasteries.

  • Budget, mid-range & heritage options
  • Monastery guest-house stays on request
  • Booked around your tour dates
Custom · groups

Custom & group tour packages

Tell us your dates, your places and your budget, and we build the whole trip — tours, transport and stays together — for families, sanghas, temple groups and student trips.

  • Tailor-made itineraries, any length
  • Families, sanghas & institutional groups
  • One point of contact from enquiry to return
Our guides

Trained where the dharma lives.

Every circuit is led by a guide formed inside the tradition — Nalanda, Drepung, Komazawa. They do not perform the dharma; they live it, and let pilgrims walk beside them.

Ven. Tenzin Norbu

Lead guide · India circuit

Twenty-two years of monastic training at Drepung Loseling. Leads our India circuit and the Bodhgaya residencies. Fluent in Tibetan, Hindi, English and Sanskrit.

Aiko Tanaka-roshi

Lead guide · Zen Japan

Sōtō Zen priest, ten years training at Eihei-ji. Leads the Japan circuit and corporate retreats in Kyoto. Trained translator, English and German.

Lobzang Wangchuk

Lead guide · Himalayan Vajrayana

Born in Lamayuru, ordained at Hemis at fourteen, secular guide-trained in Leh. Leads the Ladakh circuit each summer; runs winter teachings at Bodhgaya.

How a journey is made

Four steps, six weeks.

Whether you join a published circuit or commission a private one, the path from first enquiry to first morning at the temple looks the same.

Conversation

A 30-minute call with the planner who will hold your journey end-to-end. We ask about practice, group, season, and what is calling.

Draft itinerary

Within two working days, a draft itinerary — places, pace, monasteries, costs. Iterated with you until the route feels right.

Pre-trip practice

Six weeks of weekly online sessions with your scholar-guide. Reading list, sutra study, and travel logistics together in one call.

The walk

You arrive in Bodhgaya. We take care of everything — transport, monasteries, meals, donations — so you can simply walk and sit.

Frequently asked

Practical matters.

The questions every pilgrim asks. If yours isn't here, write to us and we will answer within two working days.

Do I need to be Buddhist to join a circuit?

No. Roughly half of our pilgrims are not Buddhist by formal commitment. The places we visit and the teachers we walk with welcome anyone who comes with respect and a willingness to listen. The pre-trip reading we provide makes the experience much richer regardless of your starting point.

How physically demanding are the circuits?

The India and Sri Lanka circuits are easy — short walks of 1–3 km a day, mostly flat. The Ladakh circuit involves altitudes of 3500–5300m and requires reasonable fitness. The Japan circuit includes seated meditation periods of 30–45 minutes. We are happy to discuss your specific situation before booking.

What is included in the price?

All accommodation (twin share, boutique heritage stays), all meals, all ground transport, scholar-guide throughout, monastery donations, teaching fees, entrance fees, visa support and travel insurance briefing. Not included: international flights, personal travel insurance, alcohol, optional extra activities.

Can I extend the trip with personal travel?

Yes. Many pilgrims extend with a few days in Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, or Kerala backwaters in the south. We are happy to arrange these extensions through our trusted partners — billed separately from the circuit.

What if I need to cancel?

Full refund up to 90 days before departure. 50% refund up to 60 days. We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation. We are happy to make a single date-change at no charge if circumstances require.

Connect with us

Begin a conversation about your journey.

Whether you are planning a private pilgrimage, a small group retreat, or a corporate dharma circuit — reach us directly. We answer every enquiry within two working days, in the order it arrives.

Speak to us · IST 09:00–19:00 +91 87970 59656 Click to call — or WhatsApp the same number.
Write to walk@bodhidragon.com
Office · SSS Enterprises, 637, GBRC Rd, Maunia, Bodh Gaya, Bihar 824231 · India
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