Sarnath in UNESCO club, Uttar Pradesh now plans six-site Buddhist trail

The Uttar Pradesh government is planning a six-site Buddhist trail connecting Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Kapilvastu, Kaushambi and Sankisa, all associated with Buddha's life and teachings. These sites recorded nearly 82 lakh visitors in 2025, including 4.4 lakh foreign tourists, with over 30 lakh visitors from January to June of this year.

Sarnath, where Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon after enlightenment, is the key entry point in the plan, with the Tourism department leveraging its proximity to Varanasi for improved international connectivity. Other destinations have proposed visitor facilities, improved connectivity, interpretation centers and heritage impact assessments.

The government aims to use the UNESCO recognition to strengthen the entire Buddhist circuit, encourage longer journeys across the state, and promote a connected circuit of six destinations.