Land Of The Buddha Tour

Package Name: The Land Of The Buddha Tour

Duration: 10 Nights – 11 Days

Location: Delhi – Agra – Varanasi – Sarnath – Bodhgaya – Rajgir – Nalanda – Patna – Vaishali – Kushinagar – Lumbini – Balrampur – Sravasti – Lucknow – Delhi Departure

Day 01 : Delhi
Welcome to Delhi, the capital of India. You will be received and transferred to your hotel. You have the remaining day to brace up for the excitement ahead.

Day 02 : Delhi
Daylong sightseeing tour of Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) and New Delhi (Lutyens Delhi). The tour covers the rich monumental and cultural heritage that the capital of India is proud of. Overnight at hotel.

Day 03 : Delhi – Agra – Varanasi
Leave Delhi for Agra by road (203 kms / 4 Hrs). Afternoon sightseeing tour of Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal. Evening leave Agra for Varanasi by overnight train.

Day 04 : Varanasi – Sarnath
Arrive Varanasi early in the morning. On arrival check-in at hotel and refresh for a visit to Sarnath – the place where Lord Buddha preached his first Sermon in 590 BC. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Varanasi, visiting Ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Gyanvapi Mosque, Durga Temple, Banaras Hindu University, Ram Nagar, Fort and Museum. Overnight at hotel.

Day 05 : Varanasi – Bodhgaya
Early morning boat – ride on the River Ganges. Thereafter, leave Varanasi by road for Bodhgaya (242 kms / 6 – 7 Hrs) one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centers in the state of Bihar. It was here that Gautama attained enlightenment and became Buddha under the “Bodhi” tree Satabodhi Temple. Overnight at hotel.

Day 06 : Bodhgaya
Morning visit temples in Bodhgaya. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight at hotel.

Day 07 : Bodhgaya – Rajgir – Nalanda – Patna
Leave Bodhgaya for Patna (229 kms / 6 – 7 Hrs) en-route visiting Rajgir & Nalanda. Patna is 2500 year old capital city of Bihar. Rajgir was capital of 6th century Magadha Empire and was revered site of Buddha’s discourses. Buddha spent many years here. Nalanda is world’s oldest university founded in the 5th century. Overnight at hotel in Patna.

Day 08 : Patna – Vaishali – Kushinagar
Morning leave Patna for Kushinagar (253 kms / 8 hrs) en-route visiting Vaishali -located 60 kms from Patna and holds special significance for Buddhist devotees. Kushinagar is the place where Buddha passed into Maha-Parinirvana. Afternoon visit Kushinagar the various stupas and temples. Overnight at hotel.

Day 09 : Kushinagar – Lumbini – Sravasti
Leave Kushinagar by road for Lumbini (170 kms / 4 – 5 Hrs) – the birthplace of Buddha and is located just a few kilometres inside Nepal. Sightseeing tour of Lumbini and thereafter leave for Sravasti by road (225 kms / 6 hrs). On arrival transfer to hotel and overnight stay.

Day 10 : Balarampur – Sahet & Mahet – Lucknow – Delhi
Morning visit to Sahet & Mahet – 15 kms from Balrampur and the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kosala. Sravasti has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Vihar and has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here. After sightseeing leave for Lucknow by road (175 kms). Commence from Lucknow to Delhi by air or train. On arrival check-in at hotel and overnight stay.

Day 11 : Day at leisure
Transfer to international airport for flight to onward destination (Hotel Checkout 12:00 Hrs).

Delhi officially the National Capital Territory of Delhi or NCT, is a city and a union territory of India. It is bordered by Haryana on three sides and by Uttar Pradesh to the east. Beautiful places of Old and New Delhi are Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutub Minar and the Secretarial Buildings.

Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Agra is a major tourist destination because of its many Mughal-era buildings, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri, all three of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Varanasi also known as Banaras or Kashi is a city on the banks of the Ganges in the Uttar Pradesh state of North India. A major religious hub in India, it is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism, and played an important role in the development of Buddhism. The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Ghats, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Gyanvapi Mosque, Durga Temple, Banaras Hindu University, Ram Nagar, Fort and Museum.

Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment under what became known as the Bodhi Tree. For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath.

Nalanda is a great Buddhist centre for more than 1000 years until the monastery, school and library were sacked and burnt by Muslims. The Chinese scholar Hiuen Tsang stayed here for 5 years in the early 7th cent. AD. There were 10,000 monks and students in residence. The remains are still extensive and include the “Great Stupa” with steps, terraces and a few still intact stupas around it.

Rajgir or Rajagriha was the capital of Magadha empire before Pataliputra occupied from 1800 BC. Gridhkuta, the “Hill of Vultures”. It was one of Buddha’s favorite places where he delivered many important sermons. Saptaparni Cave on Vaibhara Hill. The first Buddhist council was held here and Buddha’s teachings were written down for the first time.

Lumbini is the birthplace of Buddha and is located just a few kilometres inside Nepal. Sravasti capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, an active centre for Buddhism. Sravasti has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvan Vihar and has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here.