You will be picked up from your hotel in Gaya and driven to Nalanda, which is a 2-hour drive away. Nalanda is one of the world’s oldest living cities. It flourished as an international university under the patronage of Emperors Ashoka and Harshavardhana, who built temples and monasteries here. Nalanda was the first residential university of the world. It attracted scholars from all over the Buddhist world and at its peak had around 2 000 teachers and 10 000 monks staying here. The monasteries here are built on the Kushan style of architecture. There is a large courtyard that is surrounded by cells where the monks lived. Nalanda was destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 12th century. The three libraries here were burnt down. It is said that they had such a large collection of books and manuscripts that the fire burnt for six months. Spend some time walking through the ruins of this ancient seat of learning. Next take lunch at a local restaurant (own expense).

Après le déjeuner, visite de Rajgir, à 16 km de Nalanda. Rajgir était la capitale de l'ancien État de Magadh. Bouddha y a passé de nombreuses années et y a prononcé certains de ses célèbres sermons. Cette ville est également importante pour la communauté jaïne, car le Seigneur Mahavira y aurait également séjourné. Les récits de voyage des anciens voyageurs bouddhistes Huen Tsang et Fa Hian mentionnent également Rajgir. Le pic du Vautour, lieu de retraite préféré du Bouddha, et le fort d'Ajatshatru sont deux sites importants à visiter à Rajgir. À la fin de la visite, vous serez reconduit à Gaya et déposé à votre hôtel.