Tour Code: IH/BC/02
Trip Duration: 4 Nights / 5 Days
Destination: Kathmandu- Lumbini
Activities: Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour
Hotel Category: Standard/ Superior Standard/ Deluxe
Transportation : A/C Private Transfer/ Domestic Flight
Starts & Ends in : Kathmandu
Discover the birthplace of the Great Teacher, the Enlightened One, Tathagata – Shakyamuni Buddha…
This tour takes you to Lumbini –the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the ‘Light of Asia’, and Kathmandu, an ancient city that has been an important centre of Buddhist learning since time immemorial.
That Lord Buddha was a real and not a mythical figure has been proved by archeological findings and the inscriptions on the Ashokan Pillar discovered at Lumbini. A stone slab unearthed by archeologists inside Maya Devi Temple marks the exact spot where Lord Buddha was born. At the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lumbini, we visit the Maya Devi Temple, Puskarini Pond (where Lord Buddha received his ritual bath), Sacred Garden and monasteries built by Buddhist nations. The itinerary also includes a short trip to Tilaurakot in Kapilvastu, located a few hours’ drive from Lumbini. At Kapilvastu, the erstwhile capital of Sakya dynasty, we visit the ruins of King Shuddhodana’s (Lord Buddha’s father) palace where Lord Buddha spent his early years.
In Kathmandu, visit Boudhanath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world and Swoyambhunath, a hilltop shrine sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus.
Kathmandu
3 Hours Before Flight Time
Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu
Day 2 – Drive/Fly Lumbini – Visit Maya Devi Temple, Puskarini Pond, Sacred Garden
Day 3 – Lumbini Monastery visit (Prayers / Meditation), Kapilvastu(Tilaurakot)
Day 4 – Drive/Fly Kathmandu – Afternoon visit Boudhanath & Swoyambhu *
Day 5 – Depart Kathmandu
Day 1 – Arrive Kathmandu
Transfer from airport to hotel. A representative from our office will be there to receive you at the Tribhuvan International Airport. At the hotel, you will be briefed on your itinerary.
Day 2 – Drive/Fly Lumbini – Visit Maya Devi Temple, Puskarini Pond, Sacred Garden
After an early breakfast we depart for Lumbini. The overland journey takes about 6 to 7 hours. By flight, it takes about thirty five minutes from Kathmandu to reach Bhairahawa Airport. From Bhairahawa Airport, Lumbini is just an hour’s drive away.
After checking in at our hotel, we have some refreshments. Later in the afternoon, we proceed to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lumbini. Here we visit the spot where Lord Buddha was born (Maya Devi Temple), the Puskarini Pond where he was given his first ritual bath, Ashoka’s Pillar and the Sacred Garden.
Day 3 – Lumbini –AM: Monastery visit (Prayers / Meditation), Afternoon – Drive(29km) to Tilaurakot, Kapilvastu
After an early breakfast we visit the many monasteries that have been built by Buddhist countries around the archeological ruins of Lumbini. We offer prayers and spent a quiet hour meditating. Later, we take a short drive and visit Tilaurakot in Kapilvastu, the erstwhile capital of Sakya dynasty. Prince Siddharth, who later became Gautama Buddha, belonged to the royal house of the Sakyas. We visit the ruins of King Shuddhodana’s (Lord Buddha’s father) palace. Lord Buddha is believed to have spent his early years in this palace.
Day 4 – Drive/Fly Kathmandu – Afternoon visit Boudhanath & Swoyambhu *
We drive or fly back to Kathmandu. After refreshments at our hotel, we head to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. A protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, Boudhanath Stupa is regarded as the most important centre of Tibetan Buddhism outside Tibet. Buddhists believe that the remains of Kasyapa Buddha (Lord Buddha’s previous incarnation) were interred at the spot where the stupa is built. Light butter lamps and visit the nearby Tibetan monastery.
Next, we head to Swoyambhunath Temple. Located on a hilltop, Swoyambhunath is regarded as the first temple in Kathmandu valley. According to local folklore, the Bodhisattva Manjushri built a temple here after draining the water that inundated Kathmandu valley. There are Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples in the vicinity of the stupa. Enjoy a 360 degree view of Kathmandu Valley from the temple. Evening, enjoy a traditional Nepali feast and a lively Nepali cultural programme.
(* Note: Boudhanath & Swoyambhu tour will be organized either on the first day or on the fourth day, based on your flight schedule.)
Day 5 – Depart Kathmandu
Our representative will drop you at the airport on time to catch your return flight.
