An 8-day India tour to the Maha Kumbh Mela, held once every 12 years, with two nights in a tent at the festival, plus Varanasi, Sarnath, Ayodhya and Lucknow.
Trip highlights
- The Maha Kumbh Mela, India's largest festival and one the world recognises through UNESCO, where pilgrims bathe in the sacred river
- Stay two nights in a tent at the festival and learn from ascetics of many sects
- Varanasi: watch cremations on the banks of the Ganges
- Ayodhya, the city of Rama
- Sarnath, site of the Buddha's first sermon
Highlight places
Led by historiansEvery trip travels with an expert history lecturer who brings each site to life in plain language.
Off the beaten pathCentral Asia, the Middle East, the Himalayas — places most tour companies never go.
Private groups, no rushingRight-sized groups and unhurried time at the places that matter most.
Beyond ordinary travelEvery tour is designed by writers and professional travellers to create experiences that reflect who you are — for travellers who want more than an ordinary holiday.
About this tour
The Spirit of India: Kumbh Mela is an 8-day, 6-night tour to the Maha Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, a Hindu festival held every 12 years and listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Prayagraj lies at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers. The 2025 departure ran 10-17 February.
Guests stay in a tent at the festival for two nights, visit the akharas (monastic orders) and meet sadhus, watch the Ganga Snan bathing, attend a Yajna fire ritual and a lecture on the wisdom of the Vedas. Meals on the tent days are vegetarian.
The route continues to Varanasi (Ganga Aarti, a boat ride on the Ganges, Manikarnika Ghat), Sarnath (Dhamek Stupa), Ayodhya (Hanuman Garhi, Kanak Bhawan and the Ram temple) and Lucknow (Bada and Chota Imambara, Rumi Darwaza). The tour is led by Pongsorn Phoomiwat (Khun Pup) of The Wild Chronicles.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Bangkok (Don Mueang) – Lucknow
Meet at 17:00 at Don Mueang Airport at the AirAsia counters. Fly FD146 at 20:25 and land at Lucknow Airport (LKO) at 22:35 (India is 1 hour 30 minutes behind Thailand), then drive about 45 minutes (27 km) to the hotel.
Day 2Lucknow – Prayagraj (Maha Kumbh Mela)
Drive about 5 hours to Prayagraj, then walk into the tent camp at the Maha Kumbh Mela, whose main purpose is bathing in the Ganges to wash away sins.
- Walk through the akharas, the monastic orders of Hindu ascetics, who set up stalls to meet visitors, perform rituals, give blessings and teach
- Meet sadhus, ascetics who renounce worldly life in search of liberation
Day 3Ganga Snan – Yajna – Wisdom of the Vedas
Walk to the Ganga Ghat to watch the Ganga Snan, the ritual bathing that purifies body and mind. Guests may join; bring your own towel and personal items.
- Take part in a Yajna at the Yajna Shala, an ancient fire ritual descending from the Vedic era in which grain and ghee are offered to a sacred fire
- Attend a lecture on The Wisdoms of the Vedas
Day 4Maha Kumbh Mela – Varanasi – Sarnath – Ganga Aarti
Spend more time at the Maha Kumbh Mela on the riverbank at Prayagraj, where the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet (optional yoga at the tent). Then check out and drive about 3 hours (130 km) to Varanasi.
- Sarnath and the Dhamek Stupa, where the Buddha is believed to have given his first sermon; first built in Ashoka's time and about 44 m tall
- The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, honouring the river with fire and light
Day 5Varanasi – Ganges Boat Ride – Manikarnika Ghat
Take a boat ride on the Ganges, then visit Bharat Mata Temple, with its three-dimensional relief map of India, and Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a Shiva temple over 2,000 years old (viewed from outside only).
- Banaras Hindu University, founded in 1916
- Mumukshu Bhawan, a refuge for those spending their last days in Varanasi
- Manikarnika Ghat, the cremation ghat where rites continue 24 hours a day and which Hindus believe frees the soul from rebirth
- The nearby local market
Day 6Varanasi – Ayodhya
Drive about 5 hours (220 km) to Ayodhya, the city of Rama.
- Hanuman Garhi, a hilltop temple reached by 76 steps, with an image of Hanuman holding Rama and Lakshmana
- Kanak Bhawan, the "Golden Palace" of Rama and Sita
- Shri Ram Janam Bhumi, the temple at the believed birthplace of Rama, built of granite and sandstone
Day 7Ayodhya – Lucknow – Return flight
Drive back to Lucknow (about 3 hours).
- Bada Imambara, built in 1784, with a central hall of more than 50 m spanning without large pillars
- Rumi Darwaza, an 18-metre gateway built in 1784 and inspired by gates in Istanbul
- Chota Imambara, built in 1838 and nicknamed the "Palace of Lights"
Then transfer to Lucknow Airport for FD147 at 23:30.
Day 8Lucknow – Bangkok (Don Mueang)
Land at Don Mueang Airport at 04:25.
Included
- International economy round-trip flights
- Baggage on the international AirAsia flights: one checked bag up to 20 kg and one carry-on up to 7 kg
- Transport and sightseeing vehicle with an experienced driver
- Accommodation as per the program, two guests per room
- Entrance fees as per the program
- Meals as specified in the program
- Experienced local guide
- Experienced Thai lecturer and tour leader
- Travel accident insurance with coverage of 1,000,000 baht per person (subject to the policy)
- Entry visa fee
Not included
- Single room supplement
- Personal expenses such as passport fees, phone, internet, laundry, minibar, special meals outside the program, extra drinks, excess baggage, seat reservations and medical costs for pre-existing conditions
- Tips for tour leader, local guide and driver (recommended 70 USD)
- Donations for the Ganga Aarti ceremony (according to personal belief)
- 7% VAT, 3% withholding tax and other taxes
- Fuel surcharges and airport taxes if the airline raises them
About this tour
Does the Kumbh Mela tour price include flights and the visa?
Do I need an Indian visa and how is it done?
How much is the deposit and when is the balance due?
How much is a single room, and is business class available?
Where do we stay, and how many nights in a tent?
What about food, and is it vegetarian?
Who leads the tour?
Can I cancel?
India: The Spirit of India – Maha Kumbh Mela
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