Rajgir (with Nalanda)
Ancient hills and hot springs, Nalanda ruins 12km away
Best time to visit Rajgir (with Nalanda)
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, best avoided
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: November to February
- Shoulder: March and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to September
Rajgir (with Nalanda) season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Cool, comfortable weather for walking between the hills and the Nalanda ruins. Best months by far.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Severe plains heat makes the hilltop ropeway and open ruins uncomfortable by mid-morning.
Monsoon June to September Do not go
Humid and wet; the hot springs feel a lot less appealing when it's already sticky outside.
Autumn October to November Prime time
October keeps the tail of the rains and the mugginess; November turns cool and dry, enough to pair the peace pagoda with the zoo safari.
What Rajgir (with Nalanda) is actually like
A pilgrim/history stop more than a backpacker hub - quiet, early evenings.
Getting to Rajgir (with Nalanda)
Rajgir has its own station; 1.5hr from Patna by road/rail.
Practical ways in: flighttrainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Doable solo with some planning
- Altitude
- 73 m
- State
- Bihar
- Coordinates
- 25.0170, 85.4160
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Rajgir (with Nalanda)?
November to February is peak season in Rajgir (with Nalanda). March and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to September. October keeps the tail of the rains and the mugginess; November turns cool and dry, enough to pair the peace pagoda with the zoo safari.
How many days do you need in Rajgir (with Nalanda)?
2 days is the usual stay. A pilgrim/history stop more than a backpacker hub - quiet, early evenings.
How do you get to Rajgir (with Nalanda)?
Rajgir has its own station; 1.5hr from Patna by road/rail. Practical ways in: flight, train and road.
Is Rajgir (with Nalanda) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Barabar Caves
Bihar
India's oldest rock-cut caves, mirror-polished by Mauryan masons
50 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly under an hour by road
-
Kakolat Falls
Bihar
Forest waterfall with a cold bathing kund under Nawada's hills
50 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly under an hour by road
-
Bodh Gaya
Bihar
Where the Buddha attained enlightenment - Mahabodhi Temple
70 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Vaishali
Bihar
Ashokan lion pillar standing where the Buddha last preached
150 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Munger
Bihar
Fort town on a Ganga bend and home of the Bihar School of Yoga
150 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Parasnath Hill (Shikharji)
Jharkhand
Jharkhand's highest hill and Jainism's holiest summit walk
210 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly about 5 h by road
-
Sasaram & Rohtasgarh Fort
Bihar
Sher Shah's tomb on a lake, and a lost fort up on the plateau
190 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly about 4 h by road
-
Deoghar (Baidyanath Dham)
Jharkhand
Jyotirlinga at the end of the 105 km Sultanganj kanwar walk
190 km from Rajgir (with Nalanda), roughly about 4 h by road
More places to visit in Bihar
- Barabar Caves Bihar
- Bodh Gaya Bihar
- Kakolat Falls Bihar
- Kesaria Stupa Bihar
- Madhubani (Mithila art villages) Bihar
- Munger Bihar
- Sasaram & Rohtasgarh Fort Bihar
- Vaishali Bihar
- Valmiki Nagar (Valmiki Tiger Reserve) Bihar
- Vikramshila (Antichak) Bihar