India Pilgrimage & photography tour
In the Buddha’s Footsteps
Ghats, Stupas and Life of Gautama from the Ganges to Himalayas.
Trip at a Glance
- 14 Feb – Delhi
- 15 Feb – Delhi → Varanasi
- 15-17 Feb – Varanasi
- 18 Feb – Varanasi → Bodhgaya
- 19 Feb – Bodhgaya
- 20 Feb – Bodhgaya (Mahakala Caves)
- 21 Feb – Rajgir & Nalanda → Vaishali
- 22-23 Feb – Kushinagar
- 24-25 Feb – Lumbini
- 26 Feb – Chitwan (optional)
- 27 Feb–01 Mar – Kathmandu (optional)
How to Register
- Fill in the registration form (click the box below).
- James will email you a deposit link as soon as we receive it.
- Pay the deposit—your place is locked in.
James Gritz has traveled and photographed the Buddhist circuit 6 times in the last 20 years with a number of his teachers. He is author of the book Footsteps of Buddha – Buddhist Pilgrimage in India and directed the documentary Never Give Up on the 17th Karmapa during the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya in 2009.
Trip at a Glance
Varanasi – Sacred “City of Lights” on the Ganges
Bodh Gaya – Where Buddha attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree
Sarnath – The first turning of the wheel of Dharma
Kushinagar – Where Buddha passed away into the state of Parinirvana.
Vaishali – the Relic Stupa of Vaishali is said to contain the ashes of the Buddha.
Lumbini – Birth place of the Buddha
Price and Payments
1600 € / $1925 ( from the time you land in India)
- Price Includes All accommodation and transportation in India and Nepal,
- Flight from New Delhi to Varanasi, India
- All site fees
Price does not include
- International airfare
- Indian visa fee (we will advise on the entire visa process; a 30-day eVisa will cost ~$25 USD)
- Nepal visa fee (~$30 USD cash, to be purchased at the border)
- Travel Insurance
Deposit $600 required with registration – This is non-refundable as this includes deposits to be paid to hotels, airline tickets and procurement of vehicles in India and Nepal.
The 2nd installment of $500 is due on October 14, 2025 and the balance on November 20, 2025
Packing List
We will provide a suggested packing list in late 2025.
Passport & Visa Requirements
Your passport MUST be valid at least 6 months beyond the end date of the trip (that is, September 20, 2026), and you’ll need three empty pages in the Visas section of your passport (make sure they are in the Visa section, not the Amendment or Endorsement section).
You will need to arrange an Indian visa before you arrive; we will provide you with more detailed information before you apply for your visa. A 30-day eVisa costs $25 USD (as of early 2024) and you can apply 30 days in advance of your arrival.
You will get your Nepal visa upon arrival in Nepal for ~$30 USD in exact change.
About our Hotels
Vehicle & Drive Times
We have carefully chosen each hotel based on comfort, location, and safety. We can say with confidence that these are the very best hotels in each of these locations
We will have our own private Van, with comfortable seats and climate control.. We will stop every ~2 hours (or as needed) for a bathroom break and to stretch our legs.
Our guests traditionally find these rides entertaining and educational because you can witness daily life in rural India unfold in front of you–something not many visitors to India get to experience.
Here are the expected drive times between destinations on our journey:
- Varanasi to Bodh Gaya: ~6 hours (with lunch at a restaurant on the way there)
- Bodh Gaya to Rajgir: ~3 hours
- Rajgir to Vaishali: ~4 hours
- Vaishali to Kushinagar: ~5 hours, broken up with a site visit
- Kushinagar to the border of India and Nepal: ~4 hours
- Border of India and Nepal to Lumbini: ~45 minutes
Gallery
