On The Path of Buddha

Let us take you to the spiritual journey away from the chaos of every day mundane life. On this tour it is not a religion that we wish to showcase but a system of philosophy and code of morality.

" O-Bhikshus' after my death when people and members of new generation comes and ask you then tell them that here the Buddha was born, here he attained the full enlightenment , here he turned the wheel of Dharma twelve times , and here finally the Buddha entered into Parinirvana. (The Buddha)

Centuries have gone by, but his teachings still stand and are followed all over the world.

DAY 01. ARRIVE DELHI
Arrive Delhi. You will be met by our representative outside the customs enclosure and then escorted till hotel for an overnight.

DAY 02. IN DELHI
Morning after breakfast proceed for the city tour of Old and New Delhi. Drive past the opulent Red Fort. Visit Jama Masjid - the biggest mosque of Asia, Rajghat - memorial site of Mahatma Gandhi and later enjoy a rickshaw ride through the busy streets of Chandni Chowk, the shopping center of Old Delhi. Later in the afternoon proceed for the tour of New Delhi and visit Humayun's Tomb - the mausoleum of Emperor Humayun, Qutab Minar built by Qutab-ud-din Aibek. Drive past the secretarial offices, Parliament. Visit the India Gate - war memorial and Connaught Place, the city center. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 03. DELHI - VARANASI BY AIR
Morning in time transfer to airport to connect flight for Varanasi. You will be met on arrival and escorted till hotel enroute visiting Sarnath - where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. Also visit the Sarnath museum. (Sarnath museum is closed on every Friday)
Check in at the hotel and later in the evening proceeds to the ghats to witness the Puja (Aarti) ceremony. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 04. VARANASI - BODHGAYA (257 KMS/161 MILES)
Early morning proceed to the ghats of river Ganges and embark on a boat cruise. It is a spiritually uplifting sight. Multitudes of devotees come to the river to pay homage to the Sun God. Pass the bathing ghats where thousands of pilgrims immerse themselves in the holy waters of the River Ganges, and the burning Ghats where cremations are conducted.

Return to the hotel for breakfast and continue the surface journey to Bodhgaya, set in sylvan solitude on the banks of river Niranjana (now called Falgu) is Bodhgaya. It is one of the most sacred places for the Buddhist as well as Hindus. Here, under the Bodhi tree (Tree of awakening), Shakayamuni Gautama attained supreme knowledge.  Arrive early evening and check in at the hotel. Overnight.

DAY 05. BODHGAYA - RAJGIR - NALANDA - PATNA (185 KMS/116 MILES)
Morning visit "The Mahabodhi Temple" - It is the greatest and the most sacred shrine to the glory of Lord Buddha and is marked by stone lotuses and a soaring tower. Different aspects of the Buddha are depicted on its walls. Along the stone built balustrade he is shown as in one of his previous births. The Bodhi Tree - is on the western side of the temples. A raised platform marks the spot where the Buddha sat in meditation and where he attained Nirvana.

66 Kms from Bodg Gaya, Rajgir is 12 Kms south of Nalanda on the road to Patna and is located in the verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills. It was in Rajgir that Buddha delivered some of his famous sermons and converted king Bhimbisara of the Magadha Kingdom and countless other to his creed. Nalanda - Famous as an ancient seat of learning. The ruins of one of the world's most ancient university. Founded in the 5th Century AD, this great seat of learning flourished until the 12th Century. The Chinese Chronicler Hiuen Tsang spent many years both as a student and as a teacher. Continue drive to Patna. Evening at leisure and overnight in Patna.

Day 06. PATNA - VAISHALI - KUSHINAGAR (305 KMS/191 MILES)
Morning post breakfast proceed to Kushinagar via Vaishali. It is 60 Kms from Patna, on the left banks of the Gandak River, is spiritually supreme; Lord Buddha visited this place frequently and at Beluva, close by, preached his last sermon. To commemorate the event, Emperor Ashoka, in third century BC erected one of his famous lion pillars here. A hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha, Vaishali hosted the second great Buddhist council. Two Stupas were erected to commemorate this event. Continue on your drive to Kushinagar.
Arrive late evening and check in at the hotel. Overnight.

DAY 07. KUSHINAGAR - LUMBINI (169 KMS/107 MILES)
Kushinagar is the place that the Buddha chose for his Mahaparinirvana, or final exit from earth. Kushinagar or Kushinara as it was known, was the capital of the Malla republic, one of the republican states of northern India during 5th & 6th centuries BC. During his lifetime the Lord traversed the dusty plains of the Ganga valley, subsisting on whatever he collected as alms, and pausing to rest only during the rainy season. In 543 BC on the full moon night, the master lectured to the sangha at the village, Beluva, near Vaishali, on the impermanence of all living things, and said that his own life on earth was soon to end.

Later drive to Lumbini grove, the sacred site of Lord Buddha's birth is today a small village in Nepal, 27 Kms from Sonauli on the Indo-Nepal border. The sacred site of the Buddha's birth is at the southern end of Lumbini grove. Excavations have revealed a series of rooms and stone slab, which is now believed to mark the exact location at which the Buddha was born. Three hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana, Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and erected a pillar there. This pillar though broken, still remains at the site.
Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 08. LUMBINI - KAPILAVASTU - SRAVASTI (203 KMS/127 MILES)
The little village of Piprahwa, 93 Kms from Lumbini via Sonauli on the Indian side, is identified as Kapilavastu, the capital of the Sakyas, where the Buddha spent the first thirty years of his life.

We continue on our drive to Sravasti that is situated in Gonda district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Sravasti that is also called Sahet-Mahet. Sravasti (ancient Savatthi) was the capital of Kosala Mahajanapada and was the biggest town in the gigantic plains during the Buddha's lifetime.

Saravasti was host to the Master for 25 years. It was also in Sravasti that the Lord performed the only miracle of his life in response to challenge from six non-believers. The Lord levitated on thousand petalled lotuses, causing fire and water to leap out of his body and multiplied his person in the air.
Arrive late evening and check in the hotel. Overnight.

DAY 09. SRAVASTI - LUCKNOW (236 KMS/148 MILES)
Early this morning you will visit the ancient city of Sravasti, venerated by Buddhists and Jains alike, is at present, a collection of ruins called Sahet-Mahet. This twin name is applied to distinct groups of remains. Sahet is the site of the famous Buddhist Monastery anciently known as Jetavana Vihara after prince Jeta's donation to the sangha, which lay outside the limits of the ancient city. The latter is identified with modern Mahet. The ruins at Sahet consist of Plinths and foundation of Monasteries and stupas, all Buddhist. Continue on your drive to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh to connect train to Delhi.

LUCKNOW - DELHI BY RAIL
Arrive Delhi and proceed directly to International terminal to connect flight for onward destination or stay for another night in Delhi.

DAY 10. LEAVE DELHI
In time transfer to International terminal to connect flight for onward destination.