Buddhist Circuit Tour - Nepal and India

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    Buddhist Circuit Tour - Nepal and India Highlights

    Buddhist Circuit Tour Package program is starting and ending in Nepal. We also can make a tour itinerary starts in India and end in Nepal or vice versa. In any kind of tour plan, we include four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites, Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Khushinagar.    

    Buddhist Circuit Tour includes places of high significance holy sites of Buddha. Lumbini Nepal the place of Lord Buddha was born, Bodhgaya India the place of his Enlightenment, Sarnath India the place of his first sermon, and Khushinagar India he reaches to Nirvana. Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar are the primary pilgrimage places of Buddhist Circuits associated with the life and teachings of the Lord Buddha. The greatest impetus to Buddha's teachings came from the Indian King Ashoka who went on great pilgrimage places visiting the important sites that are directly associated with his life, in the Footsteps of Lord Buddha. Primary amongst these holy places are Lumbini in Nepal, and Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar in India. There are other places of lesser significance on the Footsteps of Lord Buddha visitor circuit associated closely with Buddha's life. Amongst these are Buddha's monsoon retreats of Vaishali, Rajgir, and Sravasti in India, and his early home at Tilaurakot in Kapilavastu Nepal.

    Buddhist Circuit Tour

    Lumbini: Lumbini is in southern Nepal, where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Prince Siddhartha. It is just a 59-kilometer distance from the Shakya capital of Kapilavastu. Pilgrimages focus on the sacred garden which contains the site of the birth. Sacred Lumbini garden is a world heritage site with monasteries from many Buddhist countries in their own style of arts and architecture. Over 25 international Buddhist monasteries are here to study Buddhism, meditation within the garden. The Pashkarni pond in Lumbini is a holy pond where Maya Devi took a holy dip just before giving birth to the Lord Buddha and also infant Buddha was given his first purification bath here. The Ashoka pillar and The Mayadevi temple are the most-visited sacred sites in Lumbini.

    Bodhgaya: It was in Bodhgaya in Bihar of India, that Prince Siddhartha found Enlightenment (nirvana) under the bodhi tree after meditating for 49 days. No longer a bodhisattva (mentor), he became Lord Buddha, the Enlightened One. The Vajrasan throne donated by King Ashoka now builds as Mahabodhi Temple is the primary of the homage Buddhist pilgrimage site in Bodhgaya. The holy Bodhi tree, The Animeshlochana Chaitya, The Ratnachankramana, The Ratnagaraha, The Ajapala Nigrodha Tree, Rajyatna Tree, and Muchhalinda pond are the visiting spots for pilgrimage. Many Buddhist countries have built temples or monasteries around the complex.

    Sarnath: Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath India after achieving enlightenment, about 13 km north-east from the ancient holy city of Varanasi the confluence of the holy Rivers Ganges and the Varuna. It was here that the Buddha established his first disciples (sangha) to promote his new doctrine. The splendid Dhamekha Stupa at Sarnath was originally erected by King Ashoka, as it was the famous lion capital pillar, now the proud symbol of India. This city is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the fourth places of Buddhist pilgrimage to which his devout followers should visit if they wanted to visit a place for that reason.

    Khushinagar: Lord Buddha fell ill and left this world in 543 BC at Khushinagar. His mortal remains were preserved in eight commemorative Chortens, and then further distributed by King Ashoka into 84,000 stupas across his kingdom and beyond. Kushinagar is closed to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh of India, and nearby Nepal.

    Buddhist Circuit Tour - Nepal and India Itinerary
    • Day 01:Arrive Kathmandu (1,350m) Transfer to hotel and overnight
    • Day 02:Kathmandu visit Namobuddha and Patan Durbar squire. Overnight at hotel
    • Day 03:Fly to Lumbini. Visit Lumbini Garden and surrounding. Transfer to Hotel for overnight.
    • Day 04:Visit Kapilvastu, Sagarhawa, Gotihawa, Kudan and Niglihawa. Overnight at Hotel
    • Day 05:Drive to Vaishali/Patna (Patilputra – Capital of Ashokan) via Kesharia. Overnight at Hotel
    • Day 06:Drive to Bodhgaya via Nalanda & Rajgir. Overnight at hotel
    • Day 07:Full day sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya, visit Mahabodhi Temple & Bodhi Tree, Niranjana River, Sujata Kuti, Big Buddha Statue and overnight at hotel
    • Day 08:Drive to Varanasi, continue to Sarnath visiting Dhamekha Stupa, Buddha’s first teaching, Mulgandha Kuti & Ashokan Pillar and overnight at hotel
    • Day 09:Drive to Kushinagar. Visit Mahaparinirvan Temple, Cremation Stupa and overnight at Hotel
    • Day 10:Drive Kushinagar to Lumbini. Late afternoon flight to Kathmandu and overnight at Hotel
    • Day 11:Day in Kathmandu. Sightseeing tour of Pharping, Bouddhanath & Swyambhunath. Overnight at Hotel
    • Day 12:Departure.
    • Day 01:Arrive Kathmandu (1,350m) Transfer to hotel and overnight

      Arrive at Tribhuban international airport Kathmandu. Representative from Nepal highland treks receive and transfer you to Hotel. The distant between airports to the hotel is not more than 7 kilometer.  

    • Day 02:Kathmandu visit Namobuddha and Patan Durbar squire. Overnight at hotel

      Drive to Namo Buddha which is about 40 kilometer from Kathmandu. The Shakyamuni Buddha is believed to have fed his own flesh to a starving tigress. Visit the Monastery and Stupa. Afternoon visit Patan Durbar Square. Back to hotel and overnight 

    • Day 03:Fly to Lumbini. Visit Lumbini Garden and surrounding. Transfer to Hotel for overnight.

      After breakfast in Hotel, fly to to Bhairahawa airport and drive to Lumbini. Afternoon visit Lumbini Garden, visit Ashoka Pillar, Maya Devi Temple, Sacred Pond and different monasteries inside the Maya Devi Garden. Pilgrimage are quietly mediate under the big tree near Pond

    • Day 04:Visit Kapilvastu, Sagarhawa, Gotihawa, Kudan and Niglihawa. Overnight at Hotel

      Visit other interesting Buddhist Sites near Lumbini. Tilaurakot or Kapilvastu is capital of Shyakyamuni where Buddha was burn.  Sagarhawa, Gotihawa, Kudan and Niglihawa which are related with Buddhism and it’s significant.  

    • Day 05:Drive to Vaishali/Patna (Patilputra – Capital of Ashokan) via Kesharia. Overnight at Hotel

      Drive to Nepal India boarder, Gorakhpur. Further drive to Vaishali Patna. Visit Kesharia on the way driving. Vaishali was visited by Buddha in many occasions. Several important monasteries and shrines were described by the Chinese pilgrim Faxian in the 5th century. After the death of Buddha, the second great council of Buddhist was held at Vaishali to provide rules of conduct.   

    • Day 06:Drive to Bodhgaya via Nalanda & Rajgir. Overnight at hotel

      Bodhgaya is about 144 kilometer drive from Vaishali Patna. Visit Rajgir which is an ancient city in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. Surrounded by hills, it's known for its holy sites. Remains of the Cyclopean Wall, which encircled the city centuries ago, still stand in the center. Close by, Venu Vana park was once home to a monastery built for Buddha. The shield-shaped Japanese Temple contains a huge Buddha statue. Nearby there are hot springs believed to have medicinal properties

    • Day 07:Full day sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya, visit Mahabodhi Temple & Bodhi Tree, Niranjana River, Sujata Kuti, Big Buddha Statue and overnight at hotel

      Today full day at Bodh Gaya. Visit Bodhi tree, Animeshlochana Chaitya, The Ratnachankramana, The Ratnagaraha, The Ajapala Nigrodha Tree, Rajyatna Tree and Muchhalinda pond. Also visit different monasteries built by many Buddhist countries around the complex

    • Day 08:Drive to Varanasi, continue to Sarnath visiting Dhamekha Stupa, Buddha’s first teaching, Mulgandha Kuti & Ashokan Pillar and overnight at hotel

      It is about 250 kilometer drive take about 6 hours time to reach Varanasi and again another 13 kilometer north west to Sarnath. Visit Dhamekha Stupa, Buddha’s first teaching, Mulgandha Kuti and Ashokan Pillar. Sarnath is near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers.  

    • Day 09:Drive to Kushinagar. Visit Mahaparinirvan Temple, Cremation Stupa and overnight at Hotel

      It is about 220 kilometer drive and takes about 6 hours. Khusinagar, the place of Buddha’s death or went to Nirvana. visit Mahaparinirvana Temple (where Buddha took his last breathe) and Rambhar Stupa (cremation site of lord Buddha) and Japan Temple. Evening back to hotel. Dinner & overnight stay at a hotel.

    • Day 10:Drive Kushinagar to Lumbini. Late afternoon flight to Kathmandu and overnight at Hotel

      After breakfast in Hotel, start driving to Lumbini Nepal. It is about 142 kilometers takes 4 to 5 hours. Reach at Lumbini and transfer to Bhairahawa airport. Evening flight to Kathmandu and transfer to hotel and rest.  

    • Day 11:Day in Kathmandu. Sightseeing tour of Pharping, Bouddhanath & Swyambhunath. Overnight at Hotel

      Full day visiting around Buddhist sites in Kathmandu. The biggest Buddhist stupas Swoyambhunath and Pauddhanath and Pharping. Pharping is 19 kilometers south from Kathmandu. Visit Buddhist monastery and make round of pilgrimage sites. Drive back to Kathmandu and rest of the time is free for shopping and walking around the market

    • Day 12:Departure.

      We depart to international airport for your final departure. It is important to reach international airport three hours before of your original flight time

    Cost Details
    Includes
    • All arrival and departure arrangement
    • Ground transportation in private car/ van/hiace or bus as per group size
    • English speaking guide in entire tour
    • Sightseeing and its entrance fees
    • Accommodation in tourist standard hotel as per clients request of its standard
    • Flight ticker of Kathmandu Lumbini (Bhairahawa airport) Kathmandu
    • Every morning breakfast
    • Government taxes and service charge
    Excludes
    • Nepali visa and Indian visa cost
    • Lunch and Dinner in entire tour
    • Extra activities mentioned than itinerary
    • Personal expenses
    • Any tipping
    • Any international flight 
    Useful Information

    Nepal and India visa information in a Buddhist circuit tour
    In this tour, it should be multiple Indian visas already issued in your passport that prepared in your country. You will not have enough days to apply and get it in the Indian embassy in Nepal. Nepal visa is on arrival. It is beneficial to fill the online form and get a print of it using this link.  https://nepaliport.immigration.gov.np/on-arrival/IO01 . Online info only valid for 15 days, make sure you have to fill this form accordingly. This is only to make easy access of getting a Nepali visa on arrival. Not compulsory to fill firm previously.  

    Accommodation in this tour
    Accommodation in this tour can be a simple hotel till super deluxe 5 star hotels. The cost of this tour mentioned in our webpage is based on 3-star category hotels in the entire tour. If you want to upgrade hotel accommodation to 4 stars or to 5 stars, we can provide it as per your wish. Breakfast every morning is including in the Hotel at the same cost. We also will provide you hotel names on different nights at the time of tour confirmation.  

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