Nepal India Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour with Taj Mahal

Day 1: Your country – Kathmandu Airport – Kathmandu

Highlights: Visit Thamel area + Kathe Simbu Stupa

02.00pm: Arrive at Kathmandu Airport.

03.30pm: Pick up from airport and transfer to hotel.

04.30pm: Check in. Rest & relax. Free & easy after check in.

05.45pm: Visit Kathe Simbu Stupa on foot. NOTE: Our tour guide will bring you there by foot.

06.45pm: Return from sightseeing to Thamel. NOTE: You can explore Thamel at your own leisure. NOTE: Dinner at own expense.

Day 2: Kathmandu

Highlights: Visit 2 x UNESCO World Heritage Sites + Kopan Monastery + Dinner with Nepalese Cultural Dance Performances.

07.00am Breakfast at hotel.

08.00am Pick up from your hotel in Kathmandu Daily tours begin. Visit:

• Boudhanath Stupa – The largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet. NOTE: UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE.
• Kopan Monastery – It is the most famous Buddhist monastery in the Kathmandu Valley.
• Swayambbhunath Stupa, the Monkey Temple – one of the oldest Buddhist Stupa in Valley
• Kathmandu Durbar Square. NOTE: UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

02.00pm: Lunch at China Town restaurant.

3.00pm: Return to hotel after lunch. Rest & relax. Free & easy until pick up for dinner.

06.00pm: Pick up for dinner. Dinner at Gokarna House Restaurant with Nepalese cultural dance performances.

08.00pm: After dinner, back to hotel. Rest & relax.

Day 3: Kathmandu – Pokhara

Highlights: Travelling to Pokhara by with mountains and rivers as backdrops. Amazing views on the road.

06.00am: Breakfast at hotel. Check out hotel.

07.00am: Pick up from your hotel. Transfer to Pokhara by private vehicle (bus/van/car). NOTE: It may take up to 8 hours to reach Pokhara.

09.30am: Tea break at Highway Restaurant at own expenses.

10.45am: Lunch break at Mugling Restaurant.

11.45am: Continue the drive to Pokhara.

02.00am: Arrive in Pokhara. Check in hotel. Welcome Drinks. Rest and relax.

04.30pm: Pick up from hotel for Pokhara sightseeing tours:

• Davis Fall – A waterfall located at Pokhara in Kaski District. An interesting aspect is the water from the fall flows about 500 feet through the natural tunnel at a depth of 100 feet from ground level.
• Mahadev Cave – Across the road from Davis Falls, this venerated cave houses a huge stalagmite worshipped as a Shiva’s Lingam.
• Tibetan Refugee Camp & Tibetan Monastery
• World Peace Pagoda Sunset Tour – Standing on top of the Ananda hill, Shanti Stupa adds more beauty to the Pokhara Valley. It is a perfect holiday place providing a clear view of the Himalayan range of mountains, Phewa Lake and Pokhara City. The hilltop provides a splendid view of sunrise and sunset. Tripadvisor has ranked Shanti Stupa as the second top attraction in Pokhara.

06.30pm: Return to hotel.

07.30pm: Pick up from the hotel. Dinner at Lan Hua Restaurant.

08.30pm: Return to hotel after. Rest & relax.

OPTIONAL: Travel to Pokhara by domestic flight. Additional charge: USD100. You can opt to fly instead of take a van from Kathmandu. It is faster and more comfortable than taking the van. You will be dropped off at the Kathmandu Domestic Airport. Our staff will drop you at the departure gate in Kathmandu Domestic Airport. The flight to Pokhara will take about 30 minutes. During your flight, you will see the amazing views of mountains like: Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, Annapurna, Fishtail, etc.

Our tour guide will pick you up from the Pokhara airport. After checking into your hotel, you will have lunch at your own expense. You will have some free time, so you can opt to join some of the activities below:

10.00am: Visit Barahi Temple & Phewa Lake. You can do boating on Phewa Lake. NOTE: At your own expense

10.55am: Back to hotel. Rest and relax and wait for other friends if they are coming via overland.

Day 4: Pokhara

Highlights: Sarangkot Sunrise Tour + Free & easy Day! Paragliding Tour is OPTIONAL!

05.00am: Pick up from Hotel for sunrise tour to Sarangkot.

05.30am: Arrive at Sarangkot and sunrise view with splendid mountains views. Description:Sarangkot (1592m) is the highest view point for a sunrise in Pokhara. You can reach Sarangkot easily via a 30-minute drive from Pokhara, and you will need a mere 5 minutes to hike up to the main view point. You will see the mountains like the Annapurna I, II, III, Hiunchuli, Fishtail, Manaslu, etc.

06.30am: Drive back to Pokhara.

07.00am: Back at hotel. Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, free and easy.

NOTE: Lunch & Dinner will be at own expenses.

OPTIONAL: Paragliding Tour – Additional charge of USD100 without photos and videos, USD120 with photos and videos. Description: You will begin your 45-minute paragliding tour after a short briefing by the pilot. Pokhara in Nepal is the world’s best paragliding spot in the world with amazing view of Annapurna range of mountains and beautiful landscape around Pokhara valley, the virgin Mt Fishtail (Machhapuchhre), Lamjung Himal, Annapaurna Himal, Dhaulagiri (The highest mountain in this region, Himchuli, Phewa Lake, Rice field, rivers and settlements.

11.30am: Return to hotel after paragliding. Free and easy.

Day 5: Pokhara – Lumbini

Highlights: N/A

06.15am: Morning call.

06.45am: Breakfast at the hotel.

07.15am: Drive to Lumbini (9 hours).

12.30pm: Lunch at Nanglo West Restaurant (Tansen).

01.30pm: Continue the drive to Lumbini.

04.00pm: Arrive at your hotel in Lumbini. Check in. Rest and relax.

06.00pm: Dinner at hotel. Free and easy after dinner.

Day 6: Lumbini

Highlights: Birth Place of Buddha, visiting monasteries and temples

07.00am: Breakfast at the Hotel.

08.00am: Start the Lumbini sightseeing tour by rickshaw or car. Visit following Monasteries/ Temples:

• Mayadevi Temple – Birthplace of Lord Buddha
• Sacred Garden
• French Temple
• German Temple
• Chinese Temple
• Nepal Temple
• Singapore Temple
• Thai monastery
• Korean Temple

11.45am: Return to hotel. Lunch en route. Rest and relax.

03.30pm: Pick up from hotel and continue the sightseeing tour. Visit following Monasteries/ Temples:

• Japanese Temple
• Malaysian Temple (under construction)
• Library
• Sri Lankan Temple
• Vietnam monastery and etc

06.00pm Return to hotel

07.00pm Dinner at the hotel. Rest and relax after dinner.

Day 7: Lumbini – Kushinagar NEPAL to INDIA

Highlights: Visit Buddha’s Mahaparinirva place and different temples

05.45am: Breakfast at the hotel.

06.30am: Depart to India – Nepal border: Sunauli.

07.15am: Arrive at Nepal – India border. Enter India after clearance of immigration.

07.45am: Drive to Kushinagar.

11.45am: Arrive at Kushinagar. Check in one of the monasteries at Kushinagar.

12.45am: Lunch at Yama Cafe. Rest and relax after lunch.

02.00pm: Begin the sightseeing tours. Visit:

• Cambodian Temple
• Thai Temple
• Parinirvana Stupa
• Japanese Temple/Sri Lanka Temple
• Buddha Museum
• Meditation Park
• Mahaparinirvana Temple

06.00pm: Back to hotel, rest and relax.

07.00pm: Dinner at the Yama Cafe. Rest and relax after dinner.

Day 8: Kushinagar – Agra

Highlights: N/A

06.00am: Wake up. Breakfast at hotel.

07.00am: Transfer to Agra. NOTE: This is a 14 hours journey.

10.00pm: Arrive at Agra. Check in hotel. Rest and relax. NOTE: Lunch & dinner will be at your own expense.

Day 9: Agra

Highlights: Visit one of the 7 wonders of the World “Taj Mahal” and Agra Fort

06.30am: Breakfast at the hotel

07.00am: Visit Taj Mahal. Time needed: 3 hours.

10.00am: Return to hotel.

11.00am: Lunch at hotel

01.00pm: Visit Agra Fort

03.00pm: Back to hotel. Free and easy! NOTE: Lunch & dinner will be at your own expense.

Day 10: Agra - Lucknow

Highlights: Visit Capital of Uttar Pradesh

06.30am: Breakfast at hotel.

07.00am: Transfer to Lucknow.

05.00pm: Arrive at Lucknow. Check in hotel.

NOTE:

• You can visit the local market on foot.
• Lunch and dinner will be at your own expense.

Day 11: Lucknow - Varanasi

Highlights: Visit the holiest Hindu city in India.

06.00am: Wake up. Breakfast at hotel.

07.00am: Transfer to Varanasi. NOTE: It is 9-hour journey.

12.00pm: Lunch en route. NOTE: At your own expense.

01.00pm: Continue the journey to Varanasi.

06.00pm: Arrive in Varanasi. Check in Hotel Vibhav Harsh. Welcome Drinks. Rest and relax.

06.30pm: Visit Ganga’s river bank for the evening Aarti. NOTE: Aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, in which light from wicks soaked in ghee (purified butter) or camphor is offered to one or more deities.

NOTE:

• You can visit local market at your own leisure after dinner
• If we have good weather and arrive on time in Varanasi, we will visit Sarnath on the same day. It is 15km away from Varanasi.
• Lunch and dinner will be at your own expense.

Day 12: Varanasi (Breakfast)

Highlights: Visit the holiest Hindu city in India

07.00am: Breakfast at the hotel.

08.00am: Daily sightseeing tour. It is 3 hours program. We will visit the places of interest and museum. We also visit a local school for charity.

12.00pm: Return to Hotel. Free and easy.

05.00pm: Boat Tour in Ganga River and see the evening Aarti. NOTE: Lunch and dinner will be at your own expense.

Day 13: Varanasi – Bodh Gaya via Sarnath (Breakfast)

Highlights: Sarnath (The Deer Park in Sarnath is where Buddha first taught the Dharma) and Bodh Gaya: the Place where Buddha obtained enlightenment.

06.00am: Breakfast at hotel.

07.00am: Visit Sarnath. It is 13 km from Varanasi. Visit:

NOTE: The Deer Park in Sarnath is where Buddha first taught the Dharma

• Dhamekh Stupa
• Chaukhandi Stupa
• Mulagandha Kuti Vihara monastery
• Asoka Pillar
• Sri Digamber Jain temple
• Thai Temple
• Japanese Temple
• Chinese Temple
• Bruma Mandi
• Indonesia Temple
• Deer park
• Bodhi Tree

09.30am: Transfer to Bodh Gaya

12.30am: Lunch en route near Sasaram at own expenses

01:15pm: Continue our journey to Bodh Gaya

03.15pm: Arrive at Sasaram. It is the third most famous city in this area according to the locals

04.15pm: Arrive in Aurangabadh. Tea break.

04.45pm: Continue the drive to Bodh Gaya.

07.00pm: Arrive at Bodh Gaya. Check in hotel. Welcome drink. Rest and relax

08.00pm: Dinner at the hotel. Rest and relax after dinner.

Day 14: Bodh Gaya

Highlights: Bodh Gaya: The place where Buddha obtained enlightenment, and visiting different stupas, temples, and monasteries.

06.00am: Be ready at the hotel’s lobby to visit:

• Mahabodhi Temple
• Bodhi Tree
• Sacred Pond
• Meditation Garden
• Sri Lanka Temple
• Tibetan Monastery

08.30am: Visit: Sujata Kuti. NOTE: Sujata Kuti was built in the memory of Sujata (the tribal women who offered kheer to the starving Gautama Buddha. This Kuti is a stupa that stands as a tribute to the woman’s generosity.

09.00am: Return to hotel.

09.45am: Breakfast at the hotel. Rest and relax after breakfast. Free and easy time. NOTE:Lunch at own expense.

02.00pm: Pick up from hotel. Visit:

• Great Buddha Statue
• Indosan Nippon Monastery
• Burmese Vihar
• Bhutan Monastery
• Chinese Monastery

06.30pm: Visit Mahabodhi Temple for the evening view. NOTE: You will have great evening view and you can meditate inside the Mahabodhi Temple.

08.30pm: Return to hotel. Tour ends. NOTE: Lunch and dinner will be at your own expense.

Day 15: Bodhgaya – Kolkata

Highlights: Visit India’s oldest city. Beautiful sights and scenery during the journey.

Mode of Transportation: Based on availability, we will either the bus or train. Either option will take about 11 hours.

07.00am: Breakfast in the hotel.

08.00am: Check out hotel. Pick up from hotel and proceed directly to Kolkata. The journey on road will take about 11 hours. NOTE: Lunch en route at own expense.

07.00pm: Arrive in Kolkata. Check in hotel. Rest & relax. NOTE: Lunch and dinner at your own expense. Free & easy after check in to hotel.

Day 16: Kolkata – Depart to your own country

Highlights: Mother Theresa House + Victoria Memorial

07.00am: Breakfast at the hotel. Free & easy. NOTE: Lunch at own expense.

01.00pm: Check out hotel. Pick up from hotel. Visit:

• Victoria Memorial
• Mother Theresa House
• Park Street market for shopping
• New Market for shopping

Free and easy until transfer to airport at 9.30pm. NOTE: Lunch and dinner at your own expense.

09.30pm: Depart to airport.

10.40pm: Check in airport.

00.40pm: Depart to your own country.