Duration: 10 Nights / 11 Days
Destination Covered: Delhi – Varansi – Bodhgaya – Patna – Kushinagar – Lumbini – Sravasti – Lucknow – Delhi
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
Day 01: Arrive Delhi
Traditional welcome by our executive on your arrival at Delhi’s airport followed by transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Delhi.
Day 02: Delhi
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today morning explore and experience the capital of Muslim India between the 12th and 20th centuries, the Old Delhi. We shall stop at the Red Fort for a photo shoot and then take a Rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of the Old Delhi up to the nearby Jama Masjid Mosque, the largest in India, has a courtyard that can hold 25,000 worshippers. The pay a poignant visit to Rajghat, the site of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation and a memorial to this humble man who so changed the world.
In the afternoon we explore India’s bustling capital city the New Delhi visiting the Vijay Chowk, “Victory Square”, stopover at the Presidential Palace with its intriguing combination of classical and Indian design elements and the India Gate memorializing Indian soldiers who died in World War I. Then travel far back in time at Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from 1570 AD and the first garden-tomb on the Indian sub-continent and lastly visit the Qutab Minar, the tallest brick minaret in the world.
Overnight at hotel in Delhi.
Day 03: Delhi – Varanasi (By Flight)
Morning after breakfast in time transfer to the airport to connect your flight to Varanasi, the “Holy City of India,” on the banks of the sacred River Ganges. Since the 6th century BC, devout Hindu pilgrims have flocked to Varanasi from all over India to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges in the belief that doing so washes away sins and cleanses one of all evil. At Varanasi airport our representative will meet and assist you for transfer to hotel.
Evening we take you to the Ganges to view the spectacle of evening prayers on the great “ghats,” stairways leading down to the river, and the ritual of “putting the river to sleep”. You’ll always remember the twinkle of numerous diyas (tiny lamps), as they are set afloat on the river.
Overnight at hotel in Varanasi.
Day 04: Varanasi
Breakfast at the hotel.
You’ll know that sunrise is a special time on the Ganges as, during an early Morning Cruise on Ganges, you view thousands gathering on the ghats to bathe in its sacred waters as the day begins performing their daily morning rituals. Return back to hotel for breakfast.
Later we proceed for the city tour visiting Benaras Hindu University – which is one of the largest and oldest university in north India and the New Vishwa Nath Temple in the university complex. Then we visit the Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple and the Bharat Mata Temple.
In the afternoon visit Sarnath – the place where the Buddha turned the Wheel of Law and delivered His First Sermon. See the Chowkandi and Dhamek Stupas, the ruins of 9th and 10th century monasteries and temples, the temple built by the Mahabodhi Society in 1931, and the Tibetan Temple. Visit the famous Sarnath Museum.
Overnight at hotel in Varanasi.
Day 05: Varanasi – Bodhgaya
Morning drive to Bodhgaya. On arrival in Bodhgaya and check in at the hotel.
Balance of the day free.
Overnight at hotel in Bodhgaya.
Day 06: Bodhgaya
After breakfast and visit to Bodhgaya.
Bodhgaya: The holiest of spots of Buddhism, as it was here under the Bodhi Tree, that Gautama, Prince of Kapilvastu, attained Nirvana and became the Buddha, the enlightened one. The tree that stands today is believed to have grown the original one under which Lord Buddha meditated.
Visit the Mahabodhi Temple, which is in the complex surrounded by relics of the Jataka tales immortalizing stores of the blessed ones life and his previous incarnations, monasteries and shrines, which are offering of devotees from Japan, Thailand, Burma, China, Tibet and Sri Lanka.
Overnight at hotel in Bodhgaya.
Day 07: Bodhgaya – Patna
Today morning check out and start your drive to Patna en-route visiting Rajgir and Nalanda. On arrival in Patna check in at hotel.
Rajgir was the ancient capital city of the Magadha kings. It is a site of great sanctity and significance for Buddhists. The Gridhakuta Hill in Rajgir was the seat from where Buddha delivered many of his sermons. After Buddha reached “pari-nirvana” his followers met at the Saptaparni cave in Rajgir, the first Buddhist council ever held. It was here that the teachings of the Buddha were recorded for the first time. The places of interest are Bimbisara ka jail, Jarasandha ka akhra, Swamabhandar cave, Viswa Shanti Stupa, the famous hot water springs and ruins of the old fort.
Nalanda – Though Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime, this famous centre of Buddhist learning shot to fame much later, during 5-12th centuries. Hiuen Tsang stayed here in 7th century and has left detailed description of the excellence of education and purity of monastic life practised here. In this first residential international university of the world, 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from all over the world lived and studied here. Visit the ruins and the museum.
Overnight at hotel in Patna.
Day 08: Patna – Kushinagar
After breakfast visit the Buddhist museum.
Later start your drive to Kushinagar. Upon arrival check into the hotel. In the evening visit the temples at Kushinagar.
Overnight at hotel in Kushinagar.
Day 09: Kushinagar – Lumbini
Breakfast and visit the site where Buddha attained Maha Nirvana. At the place where he passed away is a large statue in Maha Nirvana posture. There is also a stupa at the place where his last rites were performed.
Then drive to Lumbini after completing visa formalities at Indo-Nepal border. Upon arrival check into the hotel.
Overnight at hotel in Lumbini.
Day 10: Lumbini – Sravasti
Breakfast at hotel.
Then visit Lumbini: the birthplace of Lord Buddha, a Royal and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of the Kapilvastu. At the time of his birth his mother was enroute to her parent’s home but she gave birth at Lumbini, which was meant to be just a resting place for the night. Here there are still exist a small pond where the queen bathed her newborn child, and it is believed that 7-lotus flower blossomed and these he took seven steps.
Later proceed with your drive to Saravasti (Cross India Nepal-Border). Upon arrival check into the hotel. Afternoon visit Saravasti: Saheth-Maheth or Saravasti it was known in ancient times, was here where Buddha confounded his critics with a million fold manifestation of himself, seated on thousands pettaled lotus, as fire and water emanated from his body. In the third rainy season after his enlightment, the Buddha visit Saravasti, and stayed at the beautiful pleasure garden, Jetvana, a gift of devotion from the rich merchant Sudatta, who built numerous shrines, monasteries, store houses and wells of which only the ruins remains today.
Overnight at hotel in Sravasti.
Day 11: Sravasti – Lucknow – Delhi (By Flight)
Today after breakfast check out and drive to Lucknow. On reaching Lucknow you will be dropped at the airport to connect to Delhi.
On reaching Delhi you will change the terminal at the airport to connect for your late night flight back home.