UP & Bihar
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar hold the Taj Mahal, the ghats of Varanasi, the courts and kitchens of Lucknow and every major site of the Buddha's life in India. Go October to March, allow 8 to 14 nights, travel by private car and short flights, and plan around winter fog in December and January.
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- Itemised written quoteEvery hotel, car and guide listed
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- Change anythingEvery route is a starting point
UP & Bihar, in brief
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar sit on the Gangetic plain, a flat, fertile belt that has carried more Indian history than any other stretch of the country. Mughal emperors built Agra and Fatehpur Sikri here. The nawabs of Awadh made Lucknow a city of poets and slow-cooked food. Varanasi has been a place of pilgrimage for well over two thousand years, and the river at its feet still sets the rhythm of the day.
Bihar adds the story of the Buddha. He reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, taught on Vulture Peak at Rajgir, gave his last sermon at Vaishali and died at Kushinagar, just across the border in Uttar Pradesh. Nalanda, the great monastic university, lies 12 km from Rajgir. Sarnath, where he first taught, is 10 km from Varanasi. Together these make the Buddhist circuit, and none of it needs a passport stamp beyond India.
We plan this region for travellers who want depth over speed. The Taj Mahal deserves a sunrise and a sunset from two different banks. Varanasi rewards three nights, not one. Lucknow is best understood through its kitchens, and Bodh Gaya through evening meditation once the day pilgrims leave. Our journeys use a private car, a private guide in each city and short flights where the roads are long.
The best rooms are concentrated in Agra, Varanasi and Lucknow, where The Oberoi Amarvilas, ITC Mughal, Taj Nadesar Palace, BrijRama Palace and Taj Mahal Lucknow set the standard. In Bihar the choice is narrower and simpler, and we say so plainly. The season runs from October to March. December and January bring dense morning fog that can delay trains and flights by hours, so we build slack into every winter itinerary.
Why go
Reasons to go, plainly
Enter through the east gate at sunrise, when the marble turns from grey to pink to white over about 40 minutes and the crowds are thin. The monument is closed every Friday, so we plan Agra around Saturday to Thursday visits, with Mehtab Bagh across the Yamuna for sunset.
A private rowing boat at 6 am in winter takes you past 80-odd ghats, from Assi to Manikarnika, as bathers, priests and washermen start their day. Return in the evening for the Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh, watched from the water rather than the crowded steps.
Galouti kebabs, nihari with kulcha, dum-cooked biryani and winter-only makhan malai: Lucknow's Awadhi kitchen is one of India's finest. We pair an old-city food walk in Chowk and Aminabad with the Bara Imambara and a chikankari workshop visit.
The Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marks the spot where the Buddha reached enlightenment. Evenings here are quiet and lamp-lit, with monks from Thailand, Bhutan, Tibet and Sri Lanka chanting around the tree. Phones are not allowed inside the complex.
The red-brick ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara, a UNESCO site, show the monasteries and temples of a university that taught students from across Asia for about seven centuries. Rajgir, 12 km away, has Vulture Peak, the Vishwa Shanti Stupa by ropeway and the hot springs.
Lathmar Holi in Barsana in late winter, Dev Deepawali on the Varanasi ghats in November and the Magh Mela at the Prayagraj Sangam each January and February are among India's great gatherings. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so check current status before you travel.
The map
Where to go in UP & Bihar
- 1Agra
- 2Bodh Gaya
- 3Dudhwa National Park
- 4Fatehpur Sikri
- 5Kushinagar
- 6Lucknow
- 7Mathura and Vrindavan
- 8Prayagraj
- 9Rajgir and Nalanda
- 10Sarnath
- 11Vaishali
- 12Varanasi
The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and the Mughal river bank
The Bodhi tree and the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar
Tigers, rhinos and swamp deer on the Nepal border
Akbar's red sandstone capital on a ridge west of Agra
Where the Buddha passed away, under twin sal trees
Nawabi architecture, Awadhi kebabs and chikankari
Krishna's homeland on the Yamuna, an hour from Agra
The Sangam, the Magh Mela and the home of the Kumbh
Vulture Peak, the peace stupa and the ruins of Nalanda
Where the Buddha gave his first sermon, 10 km from Varanasi
An early republic, Ashoka's lion pillar and the Buddha's last sermon
Dawn boats, evening aarti and the oldest lanes on the Ganges
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginJourneys
Routes through UP & Bihar
Indicative prices per person, twin sharing, at the hotels named. Every route can be changed.
Experiences
Hours worth planning around
Where we book
Stays in UP & Bihar
The closest luxury hotel to the Taj Mahal, about 600 m from the east gate, with views of the monument from every room. Its Mughal-style terraces, …
A large luxury hotel set in Mughal-style gardens a short drive from the Taj Mahal, with a long pool, the Kaya Kalp spa and plenty of …
A small former royal guest house of the maharajas of Benares, set in large gardens in the Varanasi cantonment. With only a handful of suites, it …
A restored early 19th-century palace on Darbhanga Ghat, directly above the Ganges, a short walk from the evening aarti at Dashashwamedh. It is the best place …
A large Taj hotel in the Nadesar Palace grounds in the Varanasi cantonment, with a big pool, gardens and family-friendly facilities, about 30 minutes from the …
Lucknow's leading luxury hotel, in Gomti Nagar near the river, with spacious rooms, a pool and a kitchen known for Awadhi cooking. It is a calm …
A modern, comfortable hotel a short drive from the Mahabodhi Temple, with spacious rooms, a pool and reliable service. It is our usual base in Bodh …
A quiet, Japanese-influenced hotel in Rajgir, built with Buddhist pilgrims in mind, with simple, well-kept rooms and calm grounds. It is the most comfortable base for …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginMonth by month
UP & Bihar through the year
UP & Bihar by travel style
The calendar
Festivals worth the dates
On the full moon of Kartik, the ghats of Varanasi are lined with hundreds of thousands of oil lamps, and the river …
A festival of classical music and dance on the ghats of Varanasi, organised by Uttar Pradesh tourism in the days leading up …
In Barsana, Radha's village, women playfully beat the men of Nandgaon with long sticks as they shelter under shields, amid clouds of …
Every winter a tent city rises at the Sangam in Prayagraj for the Magh Mela, where pilgrims bathe on auspicious days and …
On the full moon of Vaishakha, Buddhists mark the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing. At Bodh Gaya, the Mahabodhi Temple fills with …
A ten-day festival of crafts, food, music and dance held each February at Shilpgram, near the Taj Mahal's east gate. Artisans from …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginGetting there
Arriving in UP & Bihar
Most international travellers arrive at Delhi (DEL) and drive to Agra on the Yamuna Expressway, about 230 km and 3.5 to 4 hours, or take the Gatimaan Express, which runs Delhi to Agra in about 1 hour 40 minutes. Varanasi (VNS), Lucknow (LKO), Patna (PAT) and Gaya (GAY) all have direct flights from Delhi, and Varanasi and Lucknow from Mumbai and Bengaluru as well. Gaya has seasonal international flights from Southeast Asian cities during the pilgrim season. Within the region, the Agra–Lucknow Expressway makes the 335 km drive about 5 hours, and Varanasi to Bodh Gaya is about 250 km by road. Flight routes change each season, so check current status before you travel.
Guides
Read before UP & Bihar
The best time to visit Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is October to March, with October, November, February and March the most reliable. From mid-December …
The Indian Buddhist circuit links Sarnath, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali and Kushinagar across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Allow ten nights by private car, …
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are among India's richest craft regions. The essentials are chikankari in Lucknow, Banarasi silk in Varanasi, marble inlay and zardozi …
In Braj, the country of Krishna around Mathura and Vrindavan, Holi is celebrated for more than a week in late February or March. See …
See the Taj Mahal at sunrise through the east gate on any day but Friday, when it is closed, and again at sunset from …
The Magh Mela is held every January and February at the Sangam in Prayagraj, and every twelve years it becomes the Kumbh Mela. The …
Lucknow's Awadhi cuisine grew from the kitchens of the nawabs and is known for slow cooking, fine kebabs and fragrant biryani. Eat in the …
Nalanda, a UNESCO-listed monastic university active from the 5th century to about 1200, lies 12 km from Rajgir, the ancient capital of Magadha where …
Nine days, eight nights, is enough to see Uttar Pradesh's essentials without rushing: three nights in Agra for the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri, …
Varanasi's 80-odd ghats run for about 6 km along the Ganges. See them from a rowing boat at dawn, walk them in the late …
Shape your own journey Tell us your dates and what you hope to feel. We draw the route around you. Begin Not sure where to start? We match the land to your month, your pace and the people travelling with you. Begin Talk to a planner A first route and an indicative price within one working day. No payment to start. BeginQuestions travellers ask
Questions about UP & Bihar
When is the best time to visit Uttar Pradesh and Bihar?
October to March is the season. October, November, February and March are the most reliable months, with dry weather and days of 20 to 30 °C. December and January are cold and often foggy in the mornings, which can delay trains and flights. April is hot, May and June are very hot, and July to September bring monsoon rain.
Is the Taj Mahal open every day?
No. The Taj Mahal is closed every Friday for prayers at the mosque within the complex. It opens from about 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset on other days. Night viewing is offered on the full-moon night and two nights either side, except Fridays and during Ramadan, with limited tickets. Check current status before you travel.
How does winter fog affect a trip to UP and Bihar?
From mid-December to late January, dense fog can cover the plain until late morning. Trains can run hours late, and early flights into Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi and Patna are sometimes delayed or diverted. We avoid tight train-to-flight connections, prefer midday flights and keep road transfers as the backup. Sightseeing itself is rarely lost, as fog usually lifts by noon.
How many days do I need for the Taj Mahal and Varanasi?
Six nights is the minimum we suggest: two or three in Agra for the Taj at sunrise, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, and three in Varanasi for the ghats at dawn, the evening aarti and Sarnath. With nine nights you can add Lucknow between them, using the Agra–Lucknow Expressway, which makes the journey more relaxed.
Can I do the Buddhist circuit without going to Nepal?
Yes. Six of the main sites are in India: Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali and Kushinagar. Only Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace, is in Nepal. A 10-night journey from Varanasi to Kushinagar covers them all by private car, ending at Gorakhpur airport, about 55 km from Kushinagar.
Are there luxury hotels in Bihar?
Bihar has comfortable hotels rather than true luxury ones. In Bodh Gaya, Marasa Sarovar Premiere and a few pilgrim hotels are the best choices, and Rajgir has the Japanese-run Indo Hokke Hotel. They are clean and well run but simpler than the palace hotels of Agra and Varanasi. We choose the best rooms available and send a guide who knows each site well.
Is it safe to travel in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar?
With a private car, a vetted driver and a private guide, travel here is straightforward. Take normal city care with bags in crowds, especially at the ghats, temples and festivals. We avoid long night drives on rural highways and time road journeys to arrive before dark. Women travellers are comfortable on our itineraries, which use reputable hotels and known guides.
What should I wear when visiting temples and ghats?
Cover shoulders and knees, and carry socks for walking barefoot on hot or cold stone. Shoes come off at temples, mosques and at the Bodhi tree. Some temples, including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Krishna Janmabhoomi, do not allow phones, bags or leather, so we arrange lockers and keep valuables in the car.
How much does a luxury private trip to UP and Bihar cost?
As a guide, a 6-night Taj Mahal and Varanasi journey at The Oberoi Amarvilas and Taj Nadesar Palace starts from about ₹2,90,000 per person, twin sharing, with private car, guides and domestic flights. A 10-night Buddhist circuit using the best available hotels starts from about ₹2,60,000. Festival dates raise prices, so check current status before you travel.