Footsteps of Buddha Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: Day 01: Arrival at Kathmandu and transfer to hotel. Overnight in hotel.

Stop At: Thamel, Kathmandu 44600 Nepal
Welcome to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Our representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. On arrival check in- at the hotel where you will be accommodated during your Kathmandu stay. After your refreshment, you will be formally introduced to guide. Overnight stay in Hotel, Kathmandu.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Accommodation in the well-appointed base category room.

Day 2: Flight to Lumbini and religious tour to Lumbini, Tillorakot, Kapilvastu with visit to Boudhanath early morning

Stop At: Lumbini Monastic Site, Taulihawa Road, Lumbini 32914 Nepal
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast check-out at the hotel and drive you for almost 1 and half hours to reach world heritage sites Boudhanath known as little Tibet. Boudhanath is a Buddhist religious complex with a history dating back over 500 years and is now a site of great pilgrimage for Buddhist followers who circle its massive stupa, spin its many prayer wheels and visit its beautiful monastery. The main feature of Boudhanath is its huge hemispherical white stupa with a central golden tower and the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha. After enjoying the tranquil atmosphere and religious vibe of the Boudhanath for almost 1 hour then drive you to Tribhuvan International airport domestic terminal to catch the flight for Lumbini. After arriving at Lumbini; birthplace of Lord Buddha, check-in at the hotel and take some rest for 1 hour along with lunch. Then explore Lumbini; the birthplace of Buddha visiting Lumbini garden, Ashoka pillar, Mayadevi temple, Puskarini pond for almost 2 hours then drive you to Tillorakot; place Gautam Buddha spent his 29 years of life and listed on world heritage sites, Ancient Kapilvastu; The hometown of Prince Siddhartha. The birthplace of two earlier Buddha: Krakuchhanda Buddha and Kanakamuni Buddha, for the more insightful knowledge on Lord Buddha life. Finally, drive you to the hotel. Overnight stay at Lumbini.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch: Bed, Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation in the well-appointed base category room.

Day 3: to Sunauli Border from Lumbini – Kushinagar (180 Kms / approx. 05 Hours.):

Stop At: Parinirvana Stupa and Parinirvana Temple, Kushinagar India
Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast check-out at the hotel and drive you to Sunauli border from where you will be picked up from Sunauli Border and drive to Kushinagar. On arrival check-in at the hotel. Kushinagar - known for its cultural heritage all over the world. It is one of the four holiest places for the Buddhists. At Kushinagar, Great Lord Buddha, founder of Buddhism, delivered his last sermon. Proceed for half-day local sightseeing tour visiting Nirvana Stupa and temple, Mahaparinirvana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa. Back to the hotel by evening. Overnight stay in Kushinagar.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Dinner: Bed, Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation in the well-appointed base category room.

Day 4: Day 04: Kushinagar – Bodhgaya (300 Kms / approx. 06 Hours)

Stop At: Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar 824231, Bodh Gaya 824231 India
Breakfast at the hotel. Post breakfast check-out from the hotel and drive to Bodhgaya – Enlightenment place of Lord Buddha. On arrival check-in at the hotel and relax. Evening visit to Mahabodhi Temple - covers an area of nearly 4.8 hectares and 55 m in height. The sanctum carries a lofty pancharathasikhara of a straight-edged pyramidal design, demarcated into seven storeys by bhumi-amalakas (amalakas occurring at the corners of the sikhara to denote storeys).The sacred Bodhi tree stands to the west of the above temple. It is known as the pipal tree (Ficus religiosa) in India. It is believed that this tree is the direct descendant of the original tree under which Lord Buddha meditated. Back to the hotel. Overnight stay in Bodhgaya.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Dinner: Bed, Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation in the well-appointed base category room.

Day 5: Bodhgaya – Varanasi (250 Kms / approx. 5.5 Hours) :

Stop At: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Breakfast at the hotel. Post breakfast check-out from the hotel and drive to Varanasi. On arrival check-in at the hotel and relax. Standing on the western bank of India's holiest river Ganges, Varanasi, or Benaras, (also known as Kashi) is the oldest surviving city of the world and the cultural capital of India. According to historians, the city was founded some ten centuries before the birth of Christ. The relationship between the sacred river and the city is the essence of Varanasi - 'the land of sacred light'. Varanasi’s associations with Lord Shiva extend to the beginning of time: legends relate how, after his marriage to Devi Parvati, Lord Shiva left his Himalayan abode and came to reside in Kashi with all the gods in attendance. Along the water's edge of Ganga, there are the burning ghats. The most sacred one is Manikarnika, associated with Goddess Parvati; it is in the heart of this city that there stands in its fullest majesty the Vishwanath Temple devoted to Shiva, the Lord of the Universe. Evening free to explore the ghats of Varanasi along with the Ganga Aarti Ceremony. Overnight stay in Varanasi.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner: Bed, Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation in the well-appointed base category room.

Day 6: Day 06: Religious tour of Varanasi and Varanasi – Departure:

Pass By: Varanasi Remembrances, Man Mandir Dashashwmedh D 15/69 Near Shree Cafe, Varanasi 221001 India
Breakfast at the hotel. Post breakfast check-out from the hotel and drive you to the prominent religious hub of Varanasi for the religious tour and you will be transferred to Varanasi Airport to connect your flight for Kathmandu. Overnight stay at Kathmandu.

Meals included:
• Lunch: Bed, Breakfast & Dinner
Accommodation included: Accommodation in the well-appointed base category room.

Day 7: Religious tour of Buddhist religious sites Swoyambhu and Pharping monastery.

Stop At: Boudhanath Stupa, Boudh Boudha, Kathmandu 44600 Nepal
After breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast check-out at the hotel and drive to world heritage sites Swoyambhu; also named as monkey temple located at the top of the hill. Swayambhunath is perhaps the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal. It consists of a very large white stupa with the all-seeing-eye of Lord Buddha plus many small stupas and beautifully carved stone shrines. This is a wonderful place to catch your breath and start to understand and appreciate the deep importance of Buddhist belief to the people of Nepal. We will spend almost 1 hour walking around the Buddhist stupa rotating the prayer wheels and enjoying the amazing scenery of Kathmandu city from the premises of the Buddhist shrine.

Then we will drive you to another destination Pharping monastery taking almost 1 and a half hours. Pharping monastery was the second Buddha guru Padmasambhava to attained enlightenment. He exists two caves for pray: the cave of Asura and the cave of Yanglesho. To the down of the staircase to the cave of Asura, they are an old temple (Vajrayogini). And appreciate the artistic beauty of the monastery and finally, drive to the airport to connect with your 4 pm return flight.

Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.