Buddhist Tour

Delhi*Saravasti*Lumbini*Kushinagar*Vaishali*Bodhgaya*Rajgir* Nalanda*Varanasi*Delhi  

Day To Day Itinerary:

Day 01  – ARRIVE DELHI  

Arrive Delhi Airport after Immigration & custom formalities, Yatra Exotic Routes will meet you holding placard & transfer you to the hotel. Arrive hotel check in & relax. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 02: DELHI – LUCKNOW (BY FLIGHT)

 LUCKNOW SRAVASTI (BY ROAD 180 KMS / APPROX 03 HRS)

 

After early breakfast check out & transfer to Airport to board for the flight to Lucknow. Arrive Lucknow & drive to Sravasti, capital of an ancient kingdom by the same name, is sacred to the Buddhists because it was here that Lord Buddha confounded his critics with a million  fold manifestation of himself, seated on a thousand-petalled lotus, as fire and water emanated from his body. The capital of Kosala Mahajanapada in the ancient times, Sravasti is also known as Sahet-Mahet. During the annual vassavasa, the city hosted the Lord for 25 years ( during the rainy seasons). The presence of Lord Buddha in Sravasti led his Sangha advance to congregate into one place. Sravasti is also renowned for the magical feats showed by Lord Buddha, sitting on a lotus, and for the other many stories that are linked with Buddha. 

Upon arrival Check in to the Hotel.

Lunch at the Hotel

Dinner and Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 03 : SRAVASTI – LUMBINI – KUSHINAGAR (BLD)

 Breakfast at Sravasti. 

Drive to Kushinagar enroute visit Lumbini.

Lumbini is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal, near the Indian border. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi is said to have given birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Buddha Gautama founded the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha lived between roughly 563 and 483 BCE. Lumbini is one of four magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha, the others being at Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Sarnath. Buddha is said to have lived till the age of 29. At other sites near Lumbini, earlier Buddhas were, according to tradition, born, achieved ultimate awakening and finally relinquished earthly form.

Upon arrival check-in to the Hotel.

Kushinagar is situated in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about 51 km from Gorakhpur. Kushinagar is famous for the Mahaparinirvana (death) of Lord Buddha and has been included in the famous Buddhist trail including Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Lumbini. This small sleepy town, with its tranquil and unimaginable beauty, absorbs visitors into an introspective mood. Kushinagar

Lunch & Dinner at Hotel.

Overnight at Kushinagar.

DAY 04: KUSHINAGAR – VAISHALI – BODHGAYA (BLD)

 Breakfast at Kushinagar 

Drive to Bodhgaya enroute visit Vaishali. 

Vaishali – be lived to be the first republic of the world, having an elected body of representative’s holds special significance for Buddhist devotes. At Kolhua, Lord Buddha delivered his last sermon, hinting at his impending departure from the mortal world. Vaishalli is famous for Amrapali, the beautiful dancer and courtesan of Vaishali, who offered Buddha a mango orchard and impressed by his teachings became a nun (Bhikshu) in turn. Later Emperor Ashoka erected a huge Pillar to commemorate the spot of the last sermon. 

Lunch at Vaishali Residency.

Continuous drive to Bodhgaya. On arrival transfer to hotel.

Dinner and Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 05: BODHGAYA – RAJGIR – NALANDA – BODHGAYA

 After breakfast at hotel drive to Rajgir.

Rajgir – was the ancient capital of the Magadh Kings. Buddha often came here. Rajgir is an important place of pilgrimage for Hindus as the temple complex here is to the Sun God.

Lunch in Rajgir.

Nalanda – Later drive to Nalanda – the centre of one of the oldest known universities of the world, its ruins show that over 2000 teachers and 10000 students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied here. The Chinese chronicler Huien Tsang spent many years here both as a student & teacher. An international centre for Buddhist studies also functions here. 

Evening return to Bodhgaya, relax at hotel.

Dinner & overnight at hotel. 

DAY 06: BODHGAYA –VARANASI

 

After breakfast at hotel, visit Bodhgaya.

 Bodh gaya is replete with location which have been purified with the presence of Buddha himself. The Ajapala Nigrodha tree is one such location. It is believed that a shepherd boy planted this tree to protect the Lord. Gautama is supposed to have spent the entire duration of the fifth week practicing meditation under this tree Located right in front of the majestic Mahabodhi Temple, the Ajapala Nigrodha tree is a prime attraction for tourists and Buddhists followers. Visit  Mahabodhi Temple: The temple stands in the east to the Bodhi Tree. Its architectural effect is superb. Its basement is 48 square feet and it rises in the form of a slender Pyramid till it reaches its neck, which is cylindrical in shape. The total height of the temple is 170 ft. and on the top of the temple are Chatras which symbolize sovereignty of religion. Four towers on its corners rise gracefully giving the holy structure a poise balance. This sacred edifice is like a grand banner unfurled by time to proclaim to the world the pious efforts of the Buddha to solve the knots of human miseries, to ascend above worldly problems and to attain transcendental peace through wisdom, good conduct and disciplined life.

After sightseeing of Bodhgaya, Lunch at hotel later drive to Varanasi. 

Varanasi – Varanasi, once known as Benares or Banaras and Kashi, is a historical city in northern India. The city is sacred to Hindus and also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. In many ways Varanasi epitomizes the very best and worst aspects of India, and it can be a little overwhelming. However, the scene of pilgrims doing their devotions in the River Ganges at sunrise set against the back drop of the centuries old temples is probably one of the most impressive sights in the world – definitely a must see destination on any trip to northern India.  

Lunch and dinner at Varanasi.

DAY 07: VARANASI- DELHI ( FLIGHT)

 

Early morning boat excursion on the Holy River Ganges to see the Bathing ghats and crimination sites. Watching people bathing and worshiping at the ghats is one of the most extraordinary experiences of a visit to India. 

Excursion to Sarnath, is the blessed locale where more than 2,500 years ago Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon, after attaining Nirvana. The five disciples who had followed him were surprised to see the mesmerizing glowing countenance of Buddha, who convinced them and delivered his first sermon before them, now termed Dharmachakra Pravartan. 

Evening transfer to airport for flight to DELHI 

Arrive Delhi & transfer to the hotel, Check in & relax.

Dinner & overnight at hotel.

DAY 08:  DELHI DEPARTURE (BY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT )

After breakfast check out from the hotel & proceed for the city tour of Delhi.

Visit Raj Ghat” the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, & drive past Red fort The magnificent Red Fort built of red sandstone dates from the very peak of the Mughal power. 

 After Lunch at local restaurant, proceed for city tour of New Delhi. The tour to Imperial Delhi will include a visit to the Qutub Minar which is the tallest stone tower in India.  The Qutub Minar was started in 1199 AD by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak and completed by the sultan’s successor and son-in-law, Iltutamish. The building is 72.5 m high and has 379 steps from the bottom to the top. The Minar is tapering with the diameter of the base is 14.3 m while at the top floor it is2.7 m.  The Qutub Minar is still the highest stone tower as well as one of the finest Islamic structures ever raised in India. The tour also includes a drive past the Parliament buildings and the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President’s residence.

Also visit the Sikh temple called Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.

GURUDWARA SHRI BANGLA SAHIB is situated in the Delhi City. Built in the sacred visit of SHRI GURU HARKARISHAN JI to delhi.

Dinner at Local restaurant & tranfer ontime to the Airport for the internatinal fight to home.

*****Tour Ends*****