Buddhist pilgrimage tour
Itinerary
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Day 1, Arrive Delhi
Meet on arrival at Airport and transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
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Day 2, Delhi - Agra
After breakfast drive to Agra. En-route visit Mathura, Vrindavan and Sikandra. Arrive Agra transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
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Day 3, Agra - Varanasi (Overnight train)
Early morning visit Taj Mahal at sunrise. Breakfast at hotel, later visit Agra fort. Evening transfer to Railway station for Varanasi. Overnight at board. Taj Mahal, the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658), grandson of Akbar the great, in the memory of his queen Arjumand Bano Begum, entitled 'Mumtaz Mahal'. Mumtaz Mahal was a niece of empress Nur Jahan and granddaughter of Mirza Ghiyas Beg I'timad-ud-Daulah, wazir of emperor Jehangir.
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Day 4, Arrive Varanasi
Morning meet on arrival at Railway station and transfer to hotel, (We may get rooms after 12:00 hrs, but would try to get few rooms at least to wash & change) Later Visit SARNATH (where Buddha delivered his first sermon). Then city tour and some shopping in Varanasi, Overnight stay at hotel. Sarnath enjoys the extraordinary privilege of Lord Buddha delivering his first sermon after attaining enlightenment 2500 years ago. It is about 10 km from Varanasi and holds a number of Buddhist sites that include the famous Dhamekh Stupa, the seat of the holy 'Buddha'. You can also visit the ruins of Dharmarajika Stupa and Mulagandha Kuti Temple, where Lord Buddha is said to have rested and meditated while in Sarnath. The Ashoka Pillar built by the emperor Ashoka is a must see in Sarnath. The Lion Capital on top of this pillar is now the National Emblem of India and stands apart for its excellent artistry and carvings.
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Day 5, Varanasi - Bodhgaya
Early morning drive 8 hours to Bodhgaya. Arrive Bodhgaya transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit Mahabodhi Temple & Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, Niranjana River, Sujata Temple - which is across the Niranjana River & it's 30 minutes walk through the paddy fields. Also visit various other Buddhist Temples in Bodhgaya. Evening transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Bodhgaya is one of the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage center in the world. It was here under a banyan tree, the Bodhi Tree, Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha.
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Day 6, Bodhgaya - Kushinagar
Early morning drive to Kushinagar with hot lunch on way. On arrival checkin at hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Located at 55 km from Gorakhpur, Kushinagar is the place where the Lord Buddha uttered his last words "Behold now, brethren, I exhort you, saying, decay is inherent in all component things! Work out your salvation with diligence!" and left for the heaven. A temple dedicated to the event - the Mahaparinirvana temple, stands testimony to the mournful demise. Among the various Stupas of Kushinagar, Rambhar Stupa needs your exploration for it is the place where Lord Buddha was supposedly cremated.
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Day 7, Kushinagar - Lumbini
Morning after breakfast visit Mahaparinirvana Temple (where Buddha took his last breathe) and Rambhar Stupa (cremation site of lord Buddha), Japan Temple. Afternoon drive 5 hrs to Lumbini (Nepal). While going to Lumbini, stop at India/Nepal border for Visa/Immigration formalities. Later check-in at Hotel. 15 Min. drive from the Nepal Border. Overnight stay at hotel.
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Day 8, Lumbini - Sravasti
Noon visit Lumbini, the Birth place of Lord Buddha. Afternoon drive to Sravasti. On arrival checkin at hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Sravasti situated 134 km from Lucknow and 29 km from Balrampur, Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetavana Gardens. It is sacred to Buddhists because it is here that Lord Buddha performed the Tirthika heretics.
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Day 9, Sravasti - Lucknow
Morning visit Sravasti, where Buddha spent his 24 monsoons, visit Jetavana and Ananda Bodhi Tree, later drive to Lucknow. Arrive Lucknow transfer to Railway station for Delhi. Overnight at board.
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Day 10, Arrive - Delhi - Departure
On arrival at Delhi railway station meet with our representative and transfer to the hotel for fresh-n-up. Later city sightseeing tour of Old & New Delhi. In the evening transfer to the airport to board the flight for onward destination.