Grand Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour: Path to Enlightenment

12 Days Duration

Experiences

Instant Booking

About This Tour

Follow in the footsteps of the Buddha on a 12-day pilgrimage through some of the most sacred Buddhist sites in India and Nepal. Beginning in Varanasi and Sarnat...

Duration: 12 Days · Tour type: Private · Activity level: Easy · Accommodation: Included · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: No · Cities: Patna, Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Rajgir, Nalanda · Languages: English

Know before you go: STROLLER OR PRAM ACCESSIBLE; PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY; INFANTS MUST SIT ON LAPS; INFANT SEATS AVAILABLE; Not wheelchair accessible; Not suitable for pets; Hotels used or similarVaranasi x 1 nights3* - Meraden Grand/ Amaya Hotel4* - Rivatas by Ideal/ Palace On Ganges5* - Radisson Hotel/ Gateway Hotel TajBodhgaya x 2 night3* - Hotel Taj Darbar/ Hotel Mahamaya4* & 5* - The Royal Residency/ Lotus Nikko HotelPatna x 1 night3* - Hotel Patliputra Ashok/ Patliputra Exotica4* - Lemon Tree Premier/ Hotel Gargee Grand5* - Maurya Hotel/ The PanacheKushinagar x 1 nights3* - Hotel The Ideal/ Hotel Adelphi Grande4* & 5* - The Royal Residency/ Lotus Nikko HotelLumbini x 1 nights3* - Hotel Nirvana/ Lumbini Bamboo Resort4* & 5* - Buddha Maya Hotel/ Lumbini Hokke HotelSravasti x 1 night3* - Hotel Pawan Palace/ the sravasti residency4* & 5* - Lotus Nikko Hotel/ Hotel PlatinumBodhgaya x 1 night3* - Hotel Taj Darbar/ Hotel Mahamaya4* & 5* - The Royal Residency/ Lotus Nikko HotelLucknow x 1 nights3* - Sapna Clarks Inn/ Hotel Lineage4* - Lemon Tree Hotel/ La Place Sarovar Portico5* - Renaissance Hotel/ Hyatt RegencyAgra x 1 nights3* - Howard Plaza the Fern/ Atulyaa Taj4* - Radission Hotel/ Crystal Sarovar Premier5* - Trident Hotel/ Courtyard by MarriottDelhi x 2 nights3* - Madhuban Hotel/ Meridian Plaza4* - The Royal Plaza/ Country Inn & Suite Saket5* - Le Meridien/ The Claridges

About Lucknow

India

Lucknow

A city steeped in mythical histories and regal past, imbued with Mughal majesty and sprawled over the Gomti banks, Lucknow is best explored with the help of a local guide.

Explore Lucknow India All destinations

What's Included

Breakfast
Assistance on arrival at the airport.
11 Nights' accommodation (if option selected) in selected price category hotels.
Private AC car/van for airport transfers, sightseeing, and excursions as per the program.
English speaking tour guide on sightseeing days (local guide in each city), as per the program
Monument entrances and activity charges mentioned in the itinerary.
Bottled drinking water in the car.
Government taxes.

Not Included

Any flight ticket.
Camera charges at monuments if any.
Expenses of personal nature like liquor, laundry, tips, telephone, fax, internet, etc.
Gratuities and optional activities.

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrive - Varanasi (Flight)On arrival at Varanasi airport assistance and transfer to hotel.Later visit Sarnath - Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message of the middle way to nirvana after he achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya, and gave his famous first sermon at the deer park here in Isipatana. In the 3rd century BC, Emperor Ashoka erected magnificent stupas and monasteries here, as well as an engraved pillar. When Chinese traveller Xuan Zang dropped by in AD 640, Sarnath boasted a 100m-high stupa and 1500 monks living in large monasteries. However, soon after, Buddhism went into decline, and when Muslim invaders sacked the city in the late 12th century, Sarnath disappeared altogether. It was only ‘rediscovered’ by British archaeologists in 1835. Also visit Sarnath Museum (closed on Friday) and Stupa.Banaras Hindu University - established in 1916 with over 30,000 students residing in campus, it is the largest residential university in Asia.Overnight at hotel.
2

Day 02

Varanasi - Bodhgaya (255kms/ 5hrs)Early morning boat ride on river Ganges and walking tour of bathing Ghats.Varanasi is a city dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.Breakfast at Hotel, drive to Bodhgaya check in at hotel.Overnight at hotel.
3

Day 03

BodhgayaBreakfast at hotel. Bodhgaya - considered one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, it's dominated by the ancient brick Mahabodhi Temple Complex, built to mark the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath a sacred Bodhi Tree. A direct descendant of the tree sits within the complex today, along with six other sacred sites, including a lotus pond.Visit Mahabodhi Temple for SIL & Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, Niranjana River, Sujata Temple - which is across the Niranjana river & it's 30 minutes walk. Visit other Budhist Bodhgaya. Rest time free and easy to relax. Overnight at hotel. Visit Mahabodhi Temple for SIL & Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, Niranjana River, Sujata Temple - which is across the Niranjana river & it's 30 minutes walk. Visit other Budhist Bodhgaya. Rest time free and easy to relax.Overnight at hotel.
4

Day 04

Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Patna (170kms/ 6hrs)Breakfast at hotel, drive to Patna enroute visit Rajgir - the vulture Hill, hot spring in Rajgir, world peace Stupa, Bamboo's Garden.After that visit Nalanda to the ruins of world oldest University. Continue drive to Patna, check in at hotel.Overnight at hotel.
5

Day 05

Patna - Vaishali - Kushinagar (225Kms/ 6hrs)Breakfast at hotel, drive to Kushinagar enroute visit Vaishali stupa and Ashoka Pillar.Continue drive to Kushinagar check in at hotel. Later visit Maha Parinirwana Temple (where Buddha took his last breath) and Rambhar Stupa (cremation site of Lord Buddha) & Japan Temple.Overnight at hotel.
6

Day 06

Kushinagar - Lumbini (180Kms/ 5hrs)Breakfast at hotel, drive till Sonauli border from here our Nepal vehicle will take you to Lumbini. Arrive Lumbini check in at hotel.Lumbinī is the place where, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BCE. Gautama, who achieved Enlightenment some time around 528 BCE, became the Buddha and founded Buddhism.Visit Maya Devi Temple, Ashokan Pillar, Chinese Maitreya Temple, Myanmar Golden Temple, Shanti stupa & Great Drigung Kagyud lotus Stupa.Overnight at hotel.
7

Day 07

Lumbini - Sravasti (225Kms/ 6hrs)Breakfast at hotel, drive till Sonauli border from here your Indian driver will take you to Sravasti. On arrival check in at hotel rest time free and easy to relax.Overnight at hotel.
8

Day 08

Sravasti - Lucknow (170Kms/ 4hrs)Breakfast at hotel, visit Sravasti, where Buddha spent his 24 monsoons. Visit Jetavana Monastery, Shobhnath Temple, Balrampur, Saheth and Ananda Bodhi Tree. Afternoon drive to Lucknow check in at hotel.Overnight at hotel.
9

Day 09

Lucknow - Sankasiya - Agra (350Kms/ 7hrs)Breakfast at hotel, drive to Agra. Enroute visit Sankasiya Stupa and Pillar.Arrive Agra check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax.Overnight at hotel.
10

Day 10

Agra - Delhi (210Kms/ 4hrs)Breakfast at hotel, visit world famous Taj Mahal (closed on friday), Agra Fort and Baby Taj.Afternoon drive to Delhi check in at hotel. Rest time free and easy to relax.Overnight at hotel.
11

Day 11

DelhiBreakfast at hotel visit National Museum (Monday closed), drive Past India Gate, parliament house and President House. Visit Qutab Minar & Humayun Tomb.Overnight at hotel.
12

Day 12

Delhi – Departure (Flight)Breakfast at Hotel, as per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.

Meeting Point

Meeting point: Pickup service provided in Varanasi. · Tour start: Pickup service provided in Varanasi. — Tour ends at the same location as the start point.