Bodh Gaya Day Tour: Mahabodhi Temple & Buddha Statue

Mahabodhi's sacred grounds tour: temples, Buddha statue, and ancient Gaya shrines in 8 hours

A private eight-hour day tour of Bodh Gaya and Gaya with hotel pickup covers the Mahabodhi Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site marking where Buddha attained enlightenment), the 64-foot Great Buddha Statue, Vishnupad Temple on the Phalgu River, and Mangla Gauri Temple. The tour includes bottled water and runs without a guide unless you arrange one separately at checkout; you choose which restaurants to stop at for lunch and can adjust how long you spend at any site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sightseeing in Gaya and Bodhgaya

• Visit Mahabodhi Temple and Bodhi Tree
• See the Giant Buddha statue
• Explore a beautiful temple with sculptures
• Visit centrally located temple with architecture
• Tour the Royal Bhutan Monastery
• Visit Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple
• Visit Sujata Garh and Sujata Temple
• Visit Vishnupad Temple in Gaya
• Visit Mangla Gauri Temple in Gaya
• Have lunch at a restaurant in Bodhgaya

The Experience

The day starts with hotel pickup and heads straight to the Mahabodhi Temple, a much-rebuilt Buddhist shrine marking the spot where Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment. The Bodhi Tree grows inside the temple grounds. You'll leave phones and gadgets at a free mobile locker near the entrance—cameras are allowed for an extra fee—so you move through the temple without the usual distractions. From there, the route takes you to the Great Buddha Statue, a 64-foot sandstone and red granite figure seated in meditation pose on a lotus, completed in 1989 and consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama. The total structure stands 80 feet tall and took seven years and 12,000 masons to build.

The tour then covers Sujata Garh and Sujata Temple, the place where Buddha was offered sweet curd and rice by a woman named Sujata, before moving to the Royal Bhutan Monastery with its detailed artwork depicting stages of Buddha's life, and the Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple, built in 1972 and now one of the most visited shrines in Bodh Gaya. You'll stop for lunch at a restaurant of your choice in Bodh Gaya. The afternoon takes you across to Gaya for Vishnupad Temple on the Phalgu River banks, an ancient Hindu shrine with a 40-centimeter footprint of Vishnu carved into basalt, and Mangla Gauri Temple, one of eighteen major Shakti Peethas and dating to the 15th century.

Since this is a private tour with no guide included by default, you set the pace and decide how long to linger at each stop. If you want someone to explain the history and significance of each temple, you can add a guide at checkout. Bottled water comes with the tour. Public transportation is available nearby if you prefer to explore on your own between stops.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport between all temples and shrines in Bodh Gaya and Gaya.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• free mobile locker for phones and gadgets at the Mahabodhi Temple.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Abram Travels

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to set your own pace at each temple without a fixed schedule or a guide's commentary—the private vehicle and flexible timing let you linger where the sites matter most to you. Add a guide at checkout if you want the history and significance explained; without one, you move through the temples at your own rhythm and choose where to eat lunch.

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Top questions

What is the Mahabodhi Temple and why is it important?

The Mahabodhi Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bodh Gaya marking the location where Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment. The Bodhi Tree, sacred in Buddhism, grows inside the temple grounds. The temple has been rebuilt and restored many times but remains one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in Buddhism.

How tall is the Great Buddha Statue and what is it made of?

The Great Buddha Statue stands 64 feet tall in a meditation pose seated on a lotus, with the total architectural structure reaching 80 feet. It is built from sandstone blocks and red granite, completed in 1989 and consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama. It is one of the largest Buddha statues built in India.

Can I bring my phone and camera inside the temples?

Phones and other gadgets are not allowed inside the Mahabodhi Temple but can be left free of charge at a mobile locker near the entrance. Cameras are permitted inside the temple for an extra fee.

Where do I eat lunch during the tour?

You choose which restaurant in Bodh Gaya you'd like to stop at for lunch during the tour. The driver will take you to your preferred location, so you can pick a place that suits your taste and dietary needs.

What is the difference between booking with and without a guide?

The tour price includes hotel pickup, transport between sites, and bottled water, but does not include a guide by default. If you want someone to explain the history and religious significance of each temple and shrine, you can arrange a guide at an additional charge at checkout.

How much time do I spend at each temple?

Since this is a private tour, you control how long you stay at each site. You can spend more time at temples that interest you most and move quickly through others, making the itinerary flexible to your preferences.