Rajgir and Nalanda from Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya · 12 hrs · Cab included · Pickup from your stay
From ₹2990 for the whole vehicle, up to 8 people. The price is per car, not per person.
Vehicles
- Swift Dzire: Sedan. Best for a couple or a small family. ₹2990 for the vehicle.
- Tata Sumo: Rugged 8-seater. The most room for the money. ₹3490 for the vehicle.
- Innova or Ertiga: The comfortable one on a long hill day. ₹4990 for the vehicle.
The two great sites north of Gaya, in one long day
Rajgir is where the Buddha spent many rainy seasons and gave many of his sermons, and Nalanda, a few kilometres on, is the ruin of the university that grew up around his teaching. From Bodh Gaya they are about two hours away by road, and they are the day trip almost every pilgrim makes.
It is a long day, and it works best in a fixed order. Vulture's Peak first, while it is cool and quiet; the ropeway to the Peace Pagoda when it opens at ten; and Nalanda in the afternoon, with time for the museum across the road. The museum shuts on Fridays and the ropeway closes now and then for maintenance or a festival, so we check both against your date when we confirm.
You book the car and driver for the whole day at one flat price, for two of you or eight. There is no app cab to call in Rajgir and nothing to get you back to Bodh Gaya in the evening, which is the plain reason this day is sold the way it is.
Your day, stop by stop
1. Griddhakuta, Vulture's Peak
The rocky hilltop where the Buddha is said to have given some of his best-known sermons, reached by a stepped path from the road. There is a small brick terrace at the top where pilgrims sit, and in the early morning it is very quiet.
2. Rajgir ropeway and the Vishwa Shanti Stupa
The ropeway lifts you up Ratnagiri hill to the white Peace Pagoda built by Japanese Buddhists in 1969, with four gilded Buddhas set into its sides. Single open chairs or eight-seat cabins, and a long view over the Rajgir hills.
Ropeway ticket at the counter
3. Nalanda Mahavihara
The excavated ruins of the monastic university that taught for some eight hundred years, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site: monastery cells, lecture halls and the great stepped temple mound. Red brick in every direction and very little shade.
Entry ticket at the ASI counter, and a guide if you want one
4. Nalanda Archaeological Museum
Across the road from the ruins, the bronzes, stone sculpture and seals found in the digs. Small, cool and worth forty minutes. Closed on Fridays.
Entry ticket at the museum
5. Pawapuri Jal Mandir (optional)
A white marble Jain temple in the middle of a lotus pond, reached by a long causeway, where Mahavira is believed to have attained nirvana. A short detour on the way back, taken if the day has time for it.
In your price
- Private vehicle with driver for the full day
- Pickup and drop at your stay in Bodh Gaya
- Fuel, tolls, driver allowance and parking
- Ropeway and museum days checked against your date
- GoExplorer support number for the day
Not included
- Ropeway and entry tickets
- A guide at Nalanda
- Meals
- Anything personal
What you pay on the day
- Ropeway ticket at Rajgir
- Entry tickets at the Nalanda ruins and museum
- A guide at Nalanda, if you want one, agreed at the gate
- Lunch and anything personal
Who this suits
Pilgrims and anyone interested in early Buddhism or Indian history. The path up Vulture's Peak is steps and a steady climb; palanquins are sometimes offered at the bottom for those who cannot walk it, and the rest of the day is flat. Four hours in the car makes it long for small children. The sedan seats four, the Sumo eight and the Innova six, each at one flat price for the car.
What to bring
A hat, water and sun protection for Nalanda, which has almost no shade. Shoes you can slip off at shrines, a layer for the early start in winter, and cash for the counters.
Heat, fog and ropeway closures
Summer heat and winter morning fog are normal here and are not a cancellation; fog may slow the drive out. If the ropeway is closed on your day, there is a walking path up Ratnagiri, or the day runs without it. If roads are closed by flooding or an official order, you get a full refund or a free reschedule.
Cancellation
- More than 24 hrs before: Full refund
- Within 24 hrs: 50% refund, or reschedule free once
- No show: No refund
Safety and the operator
Run by a licensed local ground operator, one driver per vehicle, commercially registered and insured. The path on Vulture's Peak is uneven stone in places; take it slowly and carry water. On the ropeway chairs, follow the attendants' instructions and keep bags on your lap.
Questions
Is the price per person?
No. It is one price for the whole vehicle for the day. Eight of you in the Tata Sumo pay ₹3,490 between you, not each.
Is anything closed on certain days?
The Nalanda museum is closed on Fridays; the ruins are open. The Rajgir ropeway runs daily but shuts for maintenance and on some festival days, and when it does the stupa is still reachable on foot. We check both when we confirm your date.
Do we have to stop at Pawapuri?
No. It is a short detour on the way back and entirely optional. Tell your driver at Nalanda and he will either go there or head straight home.
Can we stay overnight in Rajgir instead?
Not on this booking, which is a day out from Bodh Gaya and back. If you want to break the journey, ask us before you book.