India Buddhist Sector with Nepal (12 Days / 11 Nights)
Starting from the holy city of Varanasi, follow the trails of Buddha; a prince who renounced the world to attain enlightenment and became the greatest teacher of the world; all over north India. From his birth place Lumbini in Nepal, to the place where the lord lived to where he attained enlightenment and ultimately where he breathed his last. Meanwhile watch the beauty of the Himalayan ranges from Nepal.
Day 1: Delhi
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 - Wednesday, May 22, 2024
On arrival at Delhi international airport our representative will receive and transfer to the hotel.Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 2: Delhi - Varanasi
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - Thursday, May 23, 2024
Morning transfer to the airport to leave by air for Varanasi. Arrive and transfer to hotel.Afternoon visit to
Saranath , the most important pilgrimage centre for the Buddhistst, it was here that Lord Buddha preached his first sermon unfolding the four noble truths of life giving the eight fold path to Nirvana or enlightenment in 530 B.C. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 3: Varanasi - Bodhgaya
Thursday, May 23, 2024 - Friday, May 24, 2024
Rise early in the morning before dawn.You shall be escorted to the Ghats of Ganges. here board a boat on the shores which will take you to the middle of the flow. From here view the extravaganza of colours as the sun rises over the water.
Also witness the regular rituals performed by the religious on the Ghats and in the waters.
Back to the hotel for breakfast. Post breakfast transfer to Bodhgaya. Upon arrival check-in at Hotel for overnight stay.
Day 4: Bodhgaya
Friday, May 24, 2024 - Saturday, May 25, 2024
Full day sightseeing of Bodhgaya.Here under the Bodhi tree (Tree of Awakening). Shakyamuni Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha, the "Enlightened One", the propounder of one of the great religions of the world. The tree that stands today is believed to have grown from the original Peepal tree under which Lord Buddha meditated. River Niranjana in which the Buddha bathed after attaining enlightenment flows quietly outside the tiny hamlet where the story of Prince Siddhartha ended and the saga of the Buddha began.Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 5: Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Patna
Saturday, May 25, 2024 - Sunday, May 26, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive down to Patna. Enroute lunch in Rajgir at Hotel Hokke via Nalanda university ruins.Nalanda famous as an ancient seat of learning, it is known as one of the best and the oldest university of the world. The excavations undertaken at the site have unearthed a huge complex of a University founded and patronized by the Gupta emperors. The ruins of one of the world's most ancient university. Both the founders of the two religions Buddhism and Jainism, the Buddha and Parsvanath Mahavir, visited Nalanda. The Chinese chronicler Huien Tsang spent many years here both as a student and as a teacher.Rajgir 12 kms south of Nalanda, on the road to Bodhgaya, is located in a verdant valley, surrounded by rocky hills. It is sacred to the memory of founders of both Buddhism and Jainism. Lord Buddha spent many months of retreat during the rainy season here and used to meditate and preach on the Griddhakuta, the hill of the Vultures.An aerial ropeway provides the link with a hilltop stupa built by the Japanese. One of the hills has the cave of Saptkarni, where the first Buddhist Council was held. The Saptkarni cave is also the source of the Rajgir hot water springs that has curative properties and are sacred to Hindus.Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 6: Patna - Vaishali - Kushinagar
Sunday, May 26, 2024 - Monday, May 27, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive down to Kushinagar. Enroute visit Vaishali.Vaishali is a small village surrounded by bannana and mango groves and rice fields and is the oldest known republic state of the world. Vaishali was rich centre for trade and industry. Lord Buddha visited this place frequently and at Kolhua, close by, preached his last sermon.Vaishali is also believed to be the birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the founder of the Jain religion.Overnight stay at Hotel at Kushinagar.
Day 7: Kushinagar - Lumbini
Monday, May 27, 2024 - Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive down to Lumbini.Lumbini : On the full moon day Prince Siddhartha was born in Lumbini under the Sala tree. According to custom, Queen Maya was returning to her parental home for childbirth. On the way, her royal caravan rested here. Today, no trace remains of the ancient village of Lumbini, but an Ashokan column, the famous Rummindei pillar, which commemorated the emperor's visit in 249 BC, still stands to mark the sacred spot.Lumbini's Mayadevi Mandir, an ancient stone relief depicting Budha's birth, dates back to the 2nd century. The marble copy close by depicts the new-born Buddha being blessed by Brahma and Mayadevi, Buddha's mother.Overnight stay at Hotel in Lumbini.
Day 8: Lumbini - Pokhara
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 - Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive to Pokhra. On arrival check in at hotel.The choice of view and vantage points is wide, encompassing a 140 km -(306 miles) section of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri, the 56 kms(35 miles)long Annapurna range, Manalsu, Himalchuli and Machhapuchhare. Overnight stay at Hotel at Pokhra.
Day 9: Pokhara - Kathmandu
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 - Thursday, May 30, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive to Kathmandu. Upon arrival check-in at Hotel at Kathmandu.
Day 10: Kathmandu
Thursday, May 30, 2024 - Friday, May 31, 2024
Morning half day visit Patan also known as Lalitpur, was one of the major Buddhist cities of Asia. It is the city of fine arts enclosed within four stupas said to be built in 3rd century AD, by Emperor Ashoka. Also visit the Tibetan Refugee Camp and the Handicraft centre, where you will witness the hand weaving of Tibetan carpets and moulding of metal statues.Afternoon visit Boudhnath Stupa, one of the biggest in the world of its kind. It stands with four pairs of eyes in the four cardinal directions keeping watch for righteous behaviour and human prosperity. Later, ontoBhadgaon better known as Bhaktapur meaning the city of devotees, this place is the home of medieval art and architecture. This place was founded in the 9th century and is shaped like a conch shell.
Day 11: Kathmandu - Delhi
Friday, May 31, 2024 - Saturday, June 1, 2024
Morning visit Kathmandu city known as Kantipur, the capital of the Kingdom of Nepal. Visit the temple of the Living Goddess who acknowledges the greetings of the devotees from the balcony of her temple residence, the Durbar Square are with its array of temples overlooked by the Hanuman Dhoka Palace, the ancient place of the Nepalese Royalty and onto Swayambhunath a Buddhist stupa, said to be 2000 years old. Later transfer to the airport to leave for Delhi.Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 12: Delhi
Saturday, June 1, 2024 - Sunday, June 2, 2024
Post breakfast, sightseeing of the city. Visit the Rajghat and drive pass the
Red Fort of Delhi. Photo stop at the
India Gate and drive pass the Parliament and the President house. Time free for shopping and last minute souvenirs.Evening transfer in time to international airport for onward destination.
