07N / 08D

Buddhism Tour

Upon arrival at Varanasi Airport or Railway Station, our representatives will meet and greet you. Later, transfer to your pre-booked hotel and check-in. After resting, visit the New Kashi Vishwanath Temple (BHU), also known as the Birla Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Mandir, and Shri Mani Mandir. Post-temple tour, take an excursion to the Buddhist town of Sarnath. Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after achieving enlightenment at Bodhgaya and gave his famous First Sermon at the Deer Park here in Isipatana. Sarnath contains the most impressive remains as well as a modern temple. Visit the Mulagandhakuti Vihara, Sarnath Museum, Chaukhandi Stupa, Dhamekh Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, and Monastery. After refreshments, in the evening, experience the Ganga Aarti. It refers to the songs sung to praise the deity by offering lamps. Hindus in India worship the river Ganges as a goddess. Every evening in Varanasi, aarti is performed at Dashashwamedh Ghat. You can watch it from the ghat or from the waterside in a boat. It is a beautiful, resonant, and majestic spectacle with very precise choreography involving rituals performed by several priests, accompanied by the sound of bells, drums, cymbals, Sanskrit mantras, and lamps. Boating on the river Ganga is available for direct payment.

After the Aarti, return to the hotel for an overnight stay in Varanasi.

Early morning at 5:30 AM, visit the Old Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Annapurna Temple, Vishalakshi Temple, and Kal Bhairav Temple, then return to the hotel. After breakfast and checking out from the hotel, drive towards Bodhgaya. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel. After resting, head out to visit Sujata Temple, Sujata Kheerdan Stahal, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, and Monastery.

After completing the sightseeing, return to the hotel for an overnight stay in Bodhgaya.

After breakfast, proceed to explore Bodhgaya, the place where Gautama Buddha attained supreme Enlightenment. Visit the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, and various monasteries.

After sightseeing, return to the hotel for a comfortable overnight stay in Bodhgaya.

After breakfast, depart for Patna, with en-route visits to Rajgir and Nalanda. Rajgir was the capital of the Magadha kingdom and is a pilgrimage site for Jains and Hindus. The Japanese Buddhists have built the massive Viswa Shanti Stupa on Ratnagiri Hill, which can be accessed by a chairlift. The Stupa has statues of Buddha depicting the four stages of his life: birth, enlightenment, teaching, and death. From the hilltop, Jain shrines scattered across 26 distant hills can also be viewed. Griddhakuta, located on Ratnagiri Hill, is another site where Buddha preached. Nalanda is an ancient university town dating back to the days of Buddha and Mahavira in the 6th century B.C. It was home to Nalanda Mahavihara, a monastic university of international repute.

Upon arrival in Patna, check in to the hotel.

Overnight stay in Patna.

After breakfast, drive to Kushinagar, with an en-route visit to Vaishali. It was in Vaishali that Lord Buddha announced his Mahaparinirvana. Continue to Kushinagar, the place where Lord Buddha gave Buddhism to the world. Upon arrival in Kushinagar, check in to the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Mahaparinirvana Temple, where Buddha breathed his last, and the Rambhar Stupa, where Lord Buddha was cremated.

Overnight stay in Kushinagar.

In the morning, drive straight to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Upon arrival, check in to the hotel. Later, visit the birthplace of Buddha, including the Ashokan Pillar, Bodhi Tree, and Royal Thai Buddhist Monastery. This place is not only religiously significant but also holds geographical significance with its combination of natural beauty and peace.

Overnight stay in Lumbini.

In the morning, after breakfast, drive to Sravasti, stopping at Kapilavastu on the way. Kapilavastu is where Gautama Buddha spent his childhood. Continue to Sravasti, known for Buddha’s sermons and miracles. Visit the Angulimal and Sahet Mahet caves.

Return to Sravasti for an overnight stay.

After breakfast, visit Jetavana and the Ananda Bodhi Tree. Then drive to Lucknow. Upon arrival, you will be dropped off at Lucknow Airport/Railway Station for your return or onward journey.