Following in the footsteps of Lord Buddha, Buddhist spiritual tours in India provide a calm examination of his life and teachings. Four major pilgrimage sites are the focus of the Buddhist Circuit: The spiritual center of Bihar is Bodh Gaya, where Buddha obtained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree. October through March is the ideal time to visit. His first speech is given at Sarnath, which is close to Varanasi and has historic stupas and monasteries. He achieved Mahaparinirvana in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, which attracts pilgrims with its reclining Buddha statue. Lumbini completes the quartet from his birthplace, just across the Nepal border.

Beyond this, Tibetan Buddhist experiences can be had in the Himalayan splendor in monasteries like Hemis and Thiksey in Ladakh, which are at their height in the summer. Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim combine spirituality with breathtaking scenery. While Rajgir and Nalanda in Bihar emphasize early Buddhist study institutions, the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra display ancient Buddhist art.