Buddha Footprints, India
Sample Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrive at Kathmandu
- Arrive at Kathmandu airport, you will meet our company’s representative, and proceed straight for lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed to visit 2 of the best Buddhist pilgrimates sites in Kathmandu; Swayambhunath & Boudhnath Stupa.
- Swayambhunath: Visit the residential quarter of Mahadev and Parvati temple, Machhender Bahl-holy place for the Buddhists and Hindus, Temple House of Kumari the vestal virgin of the living goddess. Visit Swayambhunath, a 2500-year-old site where it is believed the Radiant lotus of the valley-mythology, settled when the water was drained by Manjushri, the god of wisdom. The 5 Dhyani Buddhas attended by their consorts are enshrined at the base of the stupa.
- Boudhnath Stupa: Visit the temple of Boudhnath, the colossal stupa, one of the largest in the world. This stupa has the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha built by King Mana Deva in expiation of his sins, inset with prayer wheels.
- In evening check in at Hotel
- Buffet Dinner & Overnight at the Hotel in Kathmandu
DAY 2
Kathmandu – Bhairawa
- After breakfast in time transfer to airport to connect flight for Bhairwa.
- Met upon arrival and transfer straight from airport to hotel in Lumbini. Upon arrival check-in at hotel .
- After lunch proceed for the sightseeing tour of Lumbini.
- Lord Buddha was born at Lumbini while his mother was on her way to parental home from Kapilavastu. Buddha was born in Lumbini during the full moon day in the month of vaisakh in 623 BC. He was born under a Sal tree when Mayadevi was going to her maternal town on the occasion of delivery.
- Buffet Dinner & overnight at the Hotel in Lumbini
DAY 3
Lumbini – Sravasti
- After breakfast drive to Sravasti and on arrival check-in at hotel.
- Buffet lunch at Hotel and proceed for city tour
- In the time of Buddha Sravasti was the capital Kingdom of Kosala. It is thought that Buddha spent 24 monsoon seasons in the Jetvana Gardens here.
- Buffet Dinner & overnight at the Hotel in Sravasti
DAY 4
Sravasti – Kushinagar
- After breakfast drive to Kushinagar with packed lunch from Hotel.
- On arrival check-in at hotel.
- Later on proceed to explore the places to visit in Kushinagar.
- Here at the age of 80 Buddha passed into Mahaparinivana. Buddha was finally freed from the eternal cycle of re-birth leaving with us all the wisdom and knowledge of Muktabandhanastupa built by Malla dynasty to house Buddha’s relics after the cremation.
- Buffet Dinner & Overnight at the Hotel in Kushinagar
DAY 5
Kushinagar – Vaishali – Rajgir
- After breakfast drive to Rajgir en-route visiting Kesariya & Vaishali.
- Kesariya Stupa: The stupa is the largest in the world with the height of 104 ft attracts lots of Buddhist pilgrimage around the world. Excavated in 1998 the stupa is rare example of Buddhist architecture and archeological preservation. Stupa competes with that of Borobodur(103 ft) in Java, world heritage site.
- Vaishali was one of the Buddha’s favourite retreats and he came here on many occasions. It was here Buddha delivered the last sermon, indicating that he would be soon departing from the world. Emperor Ashoka erected a huge pillar to commemorate the spot of last sermon. Around one hundred years after he died the second council was held here. It is one of the well-known Buddhist sites in India. Hundreds of Indian monks met in Vaishali to discuss the vinaya rules and to chant a sutras together. Today visitors can see a famous “Lion Pillars” which carved out of single piece of red sandstone and stands 18.3 meter high. Also of great significance are the two stupas which house caskets containing the ashes of the Lord Buddha’s remains.
- Lunch at local restaurant in Vaishali and later on drive to Rajgir.
- On arrival in Rajgir check-in at hotel.
- Buffet Dinner & overnight at the Hotel in
DAY 6
Rajgir – Bodhgaya
- After breakfast proceed for a sightseeing tour of Rajgir & Nalanda.
- RAJGIR, which means ‘house of the king’, is a city and a notified area in the Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. The city of Rajgir was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire. It is about 15 kilometers south of Nalanda and about 30 kilometers from Bodhgaya.
- Gridhakuta – Vulture’s Peak: The hill is listed in Buddhist canonical texts as one of the places where Lord Buddha set in motion his second wheel of law and for three months every year during the rainy season, preached many inspiring sermons to his disciples. A bridle path leads up to the hill but it is much more fun to take the Aerial Chair lift which operates every day except Thursday. It was here that the Buddha delivered two important sutras – the Lotus Sutra and the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom Sutra). As such, it is a major destination for pilgrims in both ancient and modern times.
- Lunch at the Hotel in Rajgir
- Venuvana – Bamboo Grove: This was the king’s first offering to Lord Buddha, he donated the famous Bamboo Grove or Venuvana, the first donation of a park (Arama), to the Buddha and Sangha. The cemetery is believed to be the site of the Venuvana Vihara built by Bimbisara for the Buddha’s residence. In the vicinity of Venuvana is a large pond with a Buddha image at the center. This pond is believed to be the site of the Karanda tank mentioned in Buddhist text as the Karanda kanivapa where the Buddha used to take his bath.
- Continue to NALANDA which is the name of an ancient university. Nalanda is one of the best places to visit in Bihar as it is a place that has been blessed by the presence of the Buddha. It later became renowned as the site of the great monastic university of the same name, which was to become the crown jewel of the development of Buddhism in India. Nalanda was one of his epithets meaning “insatiable in giving”.
- Nalanda University Ruins Archaeological Complex: Nalanda was one of the world’s first residential universities, i.e., it had dormitories for students. It is also one of the most famous universities. In its heyday it accommodated over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers. The university was considered an architectural masterpiece and was marked by a lofty wall and one gate. The Nalanda University attracted scholars from all over the world. Even Chanakya or Kautilya was once a student of this university. It was from this university, the seat of knowledge for the world that the light of knowledge spread all over.
- Continue driving to Bodhgaya. On arrival check in at hotel.
- Buffet Dinner & Overnight at the Hotel in Bodhgaya
DAY 7
Bodhgaya - Varanasi
- After breakfast proceed for the sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya.
- Bodhgaya (also written Bodh Gaya) in north-eastern India is the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment and the most important of four main Buddhist pilgrimage destinations known as Uruvela in the Buddha’s time. The two major sacred sites in Bodhgaya are the Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree, around which many other temples and monasteries of various Buddhist traditions (Japanese, Tibetan, Bhutanese, Vietnamese, Thai, and others) have been built. Every year, millions of Buddhist pilgrims, mainly from Asian countries, flock to Bodhgaya to be inspired, despite negative karma and earn merit by visiting the holy site where the Buddha became Buddha (“Enlightened one”). Throughout the day and night in the height of pilgrimage season, monks in colorful robes can be seen meditating where the Buddha did, studying Dharma texts, making offerings to the many statues and stupas on the site, and circumambulating (walking around) the sacred Mahabodhi Temple. City tour of the religious town revered both by the Buddhists and Hindus alike. Visit the Mahabodhi Temple, known for its Bodhi Tree where Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha. The tree standing today is believed to have grown from the original Pipal tree under which Lord Buddha mediated.
- After lunch at the hotel, drive to Varanasi, and on arrival check-in at the hotel.
- In the evening, go down to the banks of the river Ganges and board your private boat to witness the aarti, a prayer to the mother river conducted every by five priests on the bank of the river.
- Buffet Dinner & Overnight at Hotel in Varanasi
DAY 8
Depart Varanasi by flight
- Early morning boat cruise on river Ganges. The western banks of Ganges has a string of Ghats the chain of stone steps, all built with pavilions, palaces and terraces, most of which are mainly used as Dharamsalas where the pilgrims stay during their visit to the holy city. At dawn the Ghats are abuzz with activity of the devotees performing their ablutions in the river of offering prayers to the rising sun and performing other religious Rituals. A Boat ride along the Ghats gives you vantage views of the activity. The Sunrise of the Ganges is a soul-lifting experience. Later visit the Vishwanath Temple also called the Golden Temple because of the Gold-Plating on its roof.
- After buffet breakfast at Hotel free for personal activities. Later on proceed for the sightseeing tour of Sarnath.
- Sarnath, 10 kms from Varanasi is the fabled place, which bears testimony to its great past where lord Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples, expounding the principles of Buddhism. The remains date back to as far as the 3rd century BC when emperor Ashoka founded various institutions, Stupas, monasteries and pillar edicts. Visit the art collection at the Archaeological museum. The main attractions is the superb capital from Ashokan Pillar-the Ashokan symbol of four back to back lions which has been adopted as the state symbol independent India. Also visit the Mahabodhi Buddha temple and walk around the deer park. Later see the monastery ruins area, Dhameka Stupa.
- Return for Buffet Lunch at Hotel & Later in time transfer to airport to connect flight for onward journey
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