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Buddhist Tour of India & Nepal

DESTINATION : Kathmandu – Kolkata – Patna – Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Varanasi - Sarnath - Kushinagar - Lumbini - Sravasti - Lucknow – New Delhi - Agra
DURATION : 11 Nights / 12 Days

Day 01 Arrive Kathmandu
Arrive into Kathmandu and check in to your hotel.

Day 02 Katmandu
In the morning see the Temple of Swayambhunath also known as monkey temple and offer prayers. See the temple at Boudhnath that is shaped like a mandala. Also visit the nearby Pashupatinath temple on the banks of the river.

Day 03 Kathmandu
In the morning leave for the visit of Patan and Bhaktapur. Later visit the Kathmandu durbar square and see the temple of the living goddess the Kumari

Day 04 Kathmandu - Kolkata
Leave for Kolkata by flight in the morning. Upon arrival visit the Nirmal Hriday : Mother Teresa’s home for the destitutes. Visit the temple of Goddess Kali at Kalighat. Also see the Victoria Memorial built in the early 20th century. Worth a visit is the Governor’s house built during the British rule and is a perfect example of Victorian architecture.

Day 05 Kolkata - Patna - Nalanda - Rajgir - Boudhgaya
Upon arrival in Patna continue drive to Boudhgaya. Visit Nalanda and Rajgir enroute.

The ruins of the world’s earliest known university can be seen in Nalanda. Today the university is in complete ruins as in the 12th century the muslim invader had plunderedthe rich library and burnt down the texts and this served as a death knell to Buddhism in India.

Continue towards Rajgir a short distance away (15km). Rajgir was once the ancient capital of the powerful kingdom of Maghada. From the out skirts of Rajgir, a historic road leads to Gridhakuta or vultures peak where the Buddha preached, here the first Buddhist Council was held after the Lord's Mahaparinirvana.

Overnight hotel in Boudhgaya.

Day 06 Boudhgaya - Varanasi
After breakfast in your hotel proceed for a city tour of Boudhgaya where the Buddha attained enlightenment and which is one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for the Buddhist. The city tour introduces us to the Tibetan monastery with the Wheel of Law instated by Lord Buddha and the Bodhi tree under which the prince of Kapilavastu became Buddha. Also see the Mahabodhi temple at Boudhgaya. Later proceed to Varanasi enroute visiting Sarnath where Buddha preached his first sermon to his first disciples. Also visit the nearby ruins of the erstwhile university of the Buddhist era.

Day 07 Varanasi - Kushinagar
Early in the morning (0500hrs) we take you to banks of the river Ganges where we board a boat to see the morning ablutions of the Hindus from the security of our boat. The boat ride starts from Dasashwamedh Ghat and ends at Manikarnika Ghat along the sacred Ganges. Varanasi is the world’s most ancient city and the home of Hinduism. The sunrise on the riverfront is spiritually uplifting as seen from the boat, crowded eith temples and people and its labirynth of streets. It was earlier called Kashi. The present name is derived from the fact that it is at the confluence of the two rivers Varuna and Asi that flows across the city.

See the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvyapi kund and the mosque attached to it. Also visit the Benares Hindu University the largest residential university in India with more than 3000 residential students

Return to your hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast drive to Kushinagar and upon arrival visit the temple where Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana.

Day 08 Kushinagar - Lumbini
Drive to Lumbini in the morning and offer prayers at the site where Buddha was born.

Day 09 Lumbini - Srawasti
In the morning drive to Srawasti where Buddha spent 24 rainy days. Reach by early afternoon and visit the temple built in remembrance of Lord Buddha

Day 10 Srawasti - Lucknow - New Delhi
Drive to Lucknow and catch your Shatabdi train to New Delhi. Arrive New Delhi and relax for the night.

Day 11 New Delhi - Agra - New Delhi
Early in the morning leave for Agra by Shatabdi express (2 hrs). Upon arrival in Agra visit the Taj mahal and the Red Fort. In the evening take your train back to Delhi. Upon arrival in Delhi relax for the night.

Day 12 New Delhi - next destination
Start a full-day tour of Old and New Delhi after breakfast.

OLD DELHI - A sightseeing tour of Old Delhi would entail visiting the Raj Ghat - the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; Jama Masjid - the largest mosque in India and the Red Fort - once the most opulent fort and palace of the Moghul Empire.

Enjoy the cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to Chandni Chowk.

NEW DELHI - An extensive sightseeing tour of New Delhi would include a visit to the Humayun’s Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive along the ceremonial avenue - Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House, the President’s Residence, Lotus Temple and would end with a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave.

In the evening a farewell dinner awaits you and then off to the international terminal for your onward journey.

Tour ends

This tour includes:

1. Daily breakfasts

2. All sight seeing and tours mentioned in the itinerary

3. Rickshaw ride in the old city of Delhi

4. Overnight stay in the hotels mentioned

5. Air conditioned car / coach with chauffeur

6. All arrival / departure transfers by air-conditioned vehicles

7. All applicable taxes

8. Early morning boat rides on river Ganges in Varanasi

9. Airfare for the sectors: Kathmandu / Kolkata / Patna