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Sonepur

Sonepur

Half dayBest: Nov (fair)Heritage#cattle fair#river#festival
Half day Nov (fair)

Asia's largest cattle fair

Why this weekend?

Sonepur melaGandak riverElephant market
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The day-by-day plan

Day 1Half day · The mela town
  1. Morning drive
  2. Mela ground (season)
  3. Confluence stop
  4. Bridge walk
  5. Return

Geography & terrain

Sonepur spreads at the Gandak's confluence with the Ganga in Saran district, 25 km from Patna — a riverside mela town whose November fair is among the world's greatest, and whose river-flat and bridge country fill the rest of the year with cattle and cotton.

History & culture

The Sonepur cattle fair's history runs over seasons beyond memory — the Sone-Pur mela drew traders of the whole subcontinent to its river-flat; elephants, horses and cattle graded here for centuries, and the colonial railway-era only swelled the fair the town still owns each Kartik.

Where to stay

Budget

₹1,500–3,500/night

Mid-range

₹3,500–7,000/night

Comfort

₹7,000+/night

Things to do

The great fair
🍽️

The great fair

Confluence water
🏖️

Confluence water

Cattle market
🌟

Cattle market

Bridge spans
🌟

Bridge spans

River flats
🌟

River flats

Eat & drink

  • Litti chokha
  • Sattu paratha
  • Thekua (wheat sweets)
  • Kadhi bari

Getting there

Fly
Patna (PAT) / Gaya (GAY)
Train
Patna Junction — on the Howrah–Delhi mainline
Road from Patna
varies by district — 30–300 km
Getting around
Autos and city buses

Budget snapshot

Total
₹6,000–14,000 (2 days)
Per day · Stay
₹1,500–7,000/night
Per day · Food
₹600–1,000
Per day · Transport
₹600–1,000
Per day · Activities
₹1,000–1,400

Month by month

Jan—
Feb—
Mar—
Apr—
May—
Jun—
Jul—
Aug—
Sep—
Oct—
Nov—
Dec—

Practical info

  • Language: Hindi (English understood in tourist spots)
  • Best window: Nov (fair)
  • Connectivity: good 4G in towns
  • UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops

Practical tips

  • The fair runs in late November (Kartik Purnima) — book Patna early
  • The elephants and cattle need respectful distance — no flash
  • Off-season, the confluence and ghats are a quiet riverside walk

Frequently asked questions

As one of Asia's greatest cattle fairs — elephants, horses and commerce on the river-flat each November.

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Around Kartik Purnima (November), swelling the town for weeks.

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As a confluence walk and bridge view, yes briefly — the fair is the town's full story.

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Asia's largest cattle fair

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