Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour

LUMBINI - The Holy Place of Birth
The place located in NEPAL, where Prince Siddhartha (Later Lord Buddha) was BORN

BODHGAYA - The Holy Place of Enlightenment
The place located in BIHAR-15 kms from Gaya City- where Prince Siddhartha, attained enlightenment under Bodhi tree & became Buddha "THE ENLIGHTENED ONE".

SARNATH - The Holy Place of First Sermon
The place near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh where after enlightenment Lord BUDDHA PREACHED HIS FIRST SERMON to his five disciples & turned wheel of law.

KUSHINAGAR - The Holy Place of Maha-Parinirvana
The place 56 kms from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, where Lord Buddha stayed last & entered into MAHAPARINIRVANA

Duration: 13 Nights / 14 Days
Places to Visit: Delhi - Agra - Sankisa - Lucknow - Varanasi - Sarnath - Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Patna - Vaishali - Kushinagar - Gorakpur - Lumbani - Kapilvastu - Saravasti - Balrampur - Lucknow - Delhi

Day 01: Arrive Delhi
On arrival meet and assist and transfer to Hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel.

Day 02: Delhi-Agra
After an early Breakfast drive to Agra. (approx 5 hour drive). Arrive at Agra.Check in Hotel, after lunch, proceed for a sightseeing tour of the city. Visit Taj Mahal & the Agra Fort. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 03: Agra-Sankisa-Lucknow
(Drive distances - 425 Kms - 9 to 10 hrs.) After breakfast drive for Lucknow (approx. 9 hour drive). Enroute stop for a visit at Sankisa. Sankisa is located in the present day Basantput village, which is situated in the ruins of an ancient fort. About 500 yards from the village, in a sacred spot is a temple dedicated to Bisari Devi, which stands on a stupa.Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 04: Lucknow-Varanasi
Morning after breakfast, drive to Varanasi (approx. 8 hour drive). Lunch on way. Arrive at Varanasi and check in at hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 05: Varanasi-Sarnath-Varanasi
Early morning leave for a boat ride on the holy river Ganges. Visit by boat the bathing ghats (steps leading to the river) and the cremation ghats, followed by return to the Hotel for breakfast. Later drive to the city for a brief city tour visiting Bharat Mata Temple which houses one of the most perfect relief map of India carved out of marble, Durga Temple. Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon visit to Sarnath. It was at Sarnath, 10 Kms from Varanasi, that the Buddha gave his first sermon to the five disciles; preaching the middle path to find "Nirvana" Realizing the sanctity of the place, emperor Ashoka in the 3rd Century BC lavished riches on it; building and creating some of the finest monuments and legacies for future generations.

Day 06: Varanasi- Bodhgaya
Morning after an early breakfast drive to Bodhgaya (approx 10 hour drive). Enroute enjoy Packed Lunch on way. Arrive at Bodhgaya and check-in at Hotel. Overnight at the Hotel.

Day 07: Bodhgaya
Full day visit to the Madabodhi temple and other temples around. The Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya, under the Bodhi tree, 10 Km. From Gaya, the ancient Hindu pilgrimage center. The tree from the original sapling still stands in the temple premises. It is the most important Buddhinst Pilgrimage center as Buddhism was born here. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 08: Bodhgaya-Rajgir-Nalanda-Patna
Early morning after breakfast drive to Patna (approx. 8 hours drive). Enroute visit Rajgir and Nalanda. Arrive Patna and check in at hotel. Rajgir in Patna district was the ancient capital city of the Magadha Kings.The Buddha often came here to retreat at the Jivkamaravana monastery in a beautiful orchard. Near Rajgir is the Bimbisara Ka Jail, Venuvana, Jarasandha Ka Akhara which are all worth visiting. Though the Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime, this famous Center of Buddhist learning shot to fame much later, during 5th - 12th Centuries in this first residential international university of the world, 2000 teachers and 10000 students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied here.

Day 09: Patna-Vaishali-Kushinagar-Gorakhpur
Early morning after breakfast drive to Gorakhpur enroute visiting Vaishali (approx. 9 hours drive). Lunch on way. Later visit Kushinagar. Arrive at Gorakhpur and check-in at the hotel. Vaishali is very special to a Buddhist. Buddha delivered his last sermon here and announced his impending 'nirvana'. Some of the great incidents in his life also occurred here, like the courtesan Amrapali giving him a mango orchard and later becoming a Buddhist nun. Vaishali is also birth place of Mahavira. Kushinagar is sacred site for Buddhists. It is believed that Buddha attained "Mahapari-Nirvana"; release from the endless cycle of birth and rebirth, at Kushinagar. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 10: Gorakpur-Lumbani
Early morning after breakfast depart by road to Lumbini. Arrive at Lumbini and visit Lumbini, later check in at Hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Lumbini is the most sacred spot for the Buddhist as at this place Lord Buddha was born some 25 centuries ago. It is a piece of heaven on earth and one could see the snowy mountains amidst a splendid garden-embedded with stupas and monasteries. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 11: Lumbani-Kapilvastu-Saravasti-Balrampur
Morning after breakfast drive to Balrampur (approx 8 hours drive). Enroute stop for pack lunch. Also stop at Kapilvastu and Saravasti for a visit. Arrive at Balrampur and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. It was at Kapilvastu, the seat and capital of Sakya clan, amidst opulent surroundings that the young prince Siddhartha grew up. It is here that he, on seeing sorrow and pain, sickness and death, decided to renounce all worldly riches and pleasures to seek truth and the path to salvation. Saravasti is intimately associated with the life of Buddha. It is said to have been founded by the mythological king Sravast. It was in this prosperous city that Buddha spend 24 monsoons. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Day 12: Balrampur-Lucknow-Delhi
(Drive distance - 208 kms / Drive time 5 to 6 hrs.) (Shatabdi Express : DEP : 1520 / ARR : 2145 )Early morning drive to Lucknow (approx 5 hours drive). Continue onward to reach Lucknow railway station to board Shatabdi Express Train to Delhi at 1520. Met at the train station in Delhi and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 13: Delhi
Morning after breakfast, leave for a combined sightseeing of Old & New Delhi. New Delhi: Visit the monument to thousands of martyred soldiers - the India Gate, drive past the Raj Path to see the Government Buildings. Humayun Tomb, Qutab Minar. Old Delhi: Visit to Red Fort and drive past Chandani Chowk (One of the busiest streets in Asia ) and Jama Masjid. Also visit Raj Ghat. Afternoon free for shopping. time free for independent activities or shopping. Evening leave for a special farewell dinner & cultural dance show. Overnight at hotel.

Day 14: Delhi
Depart for Onward Destination.


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