DAY 1| INDIA ARRIVAL & AGRA TOUR
On arrival, you will be welcomed by our representative at New Delhi station/airport. Depart for the historical and romantic city tour of Agra. In Agra, you will visit ‘Taj Mahal’, the epitome of romance, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, Mumtaz, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. You will also visit the majestic Agra fort– where the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan spent his last few years. Check-in the hotel.
Have a comfortable overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 2|AGRA-JAIPUR (4hrs 15mins – 240kms)
Have breakfast at the hotel. Check-out and drive towards Jaipur. En route, visit Fatehpur Sikri – which was once the capital of Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and it is visited by tourists from all over the world throughout the year. The monuments at Fatehpur, with all the stories and anecdotes they hold, are a must visit. After sightseeing at Fatehpur Sikri complete your journey to Jaipur. Check-in the hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore this vibrant and colorful city.
Have a comfortable overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 3| JAIPUR
After early morning breakfast, proceed for the full day tour of the Pink city, Jaipur. Drive to Fort Amber, the former capital of Kachhwaha Rajputs. On the way, you will stop to visit the city’s landmark: the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds). Built during the 18th century, the five-storey building features 953 windows from where the royal women used to see the processions. Next you will visit Amber Fort, which lies on a 400-ft-tall hill and is surrounded by the chain of mountains known as Aravali. The City Palace built in 1734, lies in the center of Jaipur and is now the residence of the royal family of Jaipur and includes the Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal, palaces and other buildings. After that you will visit Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory. The instruments are carved out of stone and marble serving to the sky observation. You will also learn to tie a Jaipuri turban in a variety of ways. Come back to the hotel.
Have a comfortable overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 4| JAIPUR-DELHI (5hrs 30mins – 290kms)
After early morning breakfast, check-out from your hotel and drive back to Delhi. On arrival, check-in to your hotel and proceed for the sightseeing tour of “The Heart of India”, Delhi. Start your day with tour of Raj Ghat. If time permits, shop in the local market of Chandni Chowk. In the afternoon, visit India Gate, Qutub Minar and the Lotus Temple. Drive past the President’s House, Parliament House and the Government Secretariat Buildings. You will be given dinner reservations in Parikrama-The Revolving Restaurant. Enjoy fine dining in the revolving rooftop restaurant. You will then be escorted to Hauz Khas Village which is the clubbing hub of Delhi. Get a glimpse of the Delhi nightlife in here.
Enjoy overnight stay in the hotel at Delhi.
DAY 5| DELHI-BODHGAYA
After breakfast, catch your flight to Bodhgaya. Our representative will escort you to your hotel. Check into the hotel. After lunch, proceed to Bodhgaya city.
“Bodh Gaya is the place where Gautama Buddha attained unsurpassed, supreme Enlightenment. It is a place which should be visited or seen by a person of devotion and which would cause awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence”.
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha-to-be, had been dwelling on the banks of the Nairanjana River with five ascetic followers for six years practicing austerities. Later he realized that austerities could not lead to realization, he abandoned them. His five companions after seeing his failure, deserted him and left for Sarnath.
Dinner & overnight stay at the hotel.
DAY 6| BODHGAYA-RAJGIR-NALANDA-BODHGAYA
After breakfast proceed for sightseeing tour of Rajgiri and Nalanda.
Rajgir was once the capital of Magadha Empire until Ajatshatru’s moved it to Pataliputra (Patna) in the 5th century BC. Rajgir is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site for Steps of Buddha Tour, as Buddha had spent 12 years here and the first Buddhist council after the Buddha attained Nirvana was held here. Visit Ajatshatru’s fort, Venuvana, Swarna Bhandar, the Cyclopean wall. Visit the Peace Pagoda on chair lift.
Rajgir sightseeing includes:
- Gridhkuth Mountain,
- Venuvan,
- Hot Spring,
- Jivaka Amravan, and,
- Bimbisar Jail.
Lunch at local Restaurant in Rajgiri. After lunch proceed for Nalanda University.
Nalanda founded in 5th century BC, was one of the world’s great universities. Visit the remains of the brick built Great Stupa and local archeological museum.
After lunch drive to Bodhgaya and on arrival check-in at hotel. Dinner & overnight at hotel while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
DAY 7| BODHGAYA- VARANASI (6hrs-252kms)
After an early breakfast proceed for the sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya -the most important of four main Buddhist pilgrimage destinations known as Uruvela in the Buddha’s time.
The two major sacred sites in Bodhgaya are the Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree, around which many other temple and monasteries of various Buddhist traditions (Japanese, Tibetan, Bhutanese, Vietnamese, Thai and others) have been built.
Return back to hotel for Lunch. After early check-out and proceed for Varanasi.
Varanasi
Throughout the day and night in pilgrimage season, monks in colorful robes can be seen mediating where the Buddha did, studying Dhama texts, making offerings to the many statues and stupas on the site, and walking around the sacred Mahabodhi Temple.
City tour of the religious town revered both by the Buddhists and Hindus alike. Visit the Mahabodhi Temple, known for its Bodhi Tree where Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha. The tree standing today is believed to have grown from the original Banyan tree under which Lord Buddha mediated.
On arrival check-in at hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.
DAY 8| VARANASI-SARNATH-KUSHINAGAR
After breakfast at the hotel, go down to the banks of the river Ganges and board your private boat to witness the Aarti, a prayer to the mother river conducted every day by five priests on the bank of the river.
Later in the evening, take a walk at local market of Banaras city- one of the world’s oldest living cities. Here you can interact with the local people and enjoy local delicacies.
Visit hidden shrines along the riverside to the historic bathing site called Dasashwamedh Ghat, the ten-horse sacrifice Ghat. It is the main and the most spectacular ghat in Varanasi.
Close to the Dasashwamedh Ghat is the Vishvanath Temple, also called the Golden Temple because of the gold plating at its dome.
Later check out and drive to Kushinagar. Stop Enroute at Sarnath.
Sarnath, 10 Kms. from Varanasi is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples. The remains date back to as far as the 3rd Century BC, emperor Ashoka founded various institutions, Stupas, monasteries and pillar edicts.
Visit the art collection at the Archaeological museum. The main attraction is Ashokan Pillar-the Ashokan symbol of four back to back lions which has been adopted as the state symbol independent India. Also visit the Mahabodhi Buddha temple and walk around the deer park. Later see the monastery ruins area, Dhameka Stupa.
Lunch will be at local restaurant. After lunch continue your drive to Kushinagar. On arrival, check into the hotel. Rest of the evening free for leisure and relaxation.
Dinner & Overnight stay at the Kushinagar hotel while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
DAY 9|KUSHINAGAR-LUMBINI
After Breakfast proceed for sightseeing tour of Kushinagar. Visit Mahaparinirvana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa. Return back to hotel for Lunch.
Here at the age of 80, Buddha passed into Mahaparinirvana (complete nirvana). Buddha was finally freed from the eternal cycle of re-birth. Muktabandhana stupa was built by Malla dynasty to house Buddha’s relics after the cremation.
After early lunch you will check out and proceed to Lumbini.
On arrival visit Lumbini City.
Lord Buddha was born at Lumbini while his mother was on her way to parental home from Kapilavastu- an ancient city in Nepal. Buddha was born during the full moon day in the month of Vaisakh in 623 BC.
On arrival visit 960 Temple in Lumbini.
After sightseeing check into the hotel for overnight stay. Dinner & Overnight stay at the hotel while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
DAY 10| LUMBINI-SRAVASTI (5hrs – 187kms)
After an early breakfast drive to Sravasti. En route, visit Maya Devi Temple and Ashoka pillar-they are the earliest known sculptural remains from India.
On arrival, check into the hotel. After lunch visit Sravasti. At the time of Buddha, Sravasti was the capital Kingdom of Kosala. Buddha spent 24 monsoon seasons in the Jetvana gardens – most famous Buddhist monasteries in India.
Dinner and Overnight stay in Sravasti Hotel while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
DAY 11| SRAVASTI-LUCKNOW (4hrs – 155kms)
After breakfast, visit Jetvana gardens, Angulimala House – Angulimala, a robber and murderer, is one of the most popular scripture in Buddhist history. He converted from a criminal to a saint and was the only former criminal to be accepted into Buddhist monastic order.
Then after lunch drive to Lucknow. On arrival, check into the hotel. Rest of the day is free for leisure and local sightseeing.
Dinner and Overnight stay in Lucknow Hotel.
DAY 12|EXCURSION FROM LUCKNOW
After breakfast, proceed for a full day excursion at Nawabganj Bird Sanctuary–major wildlife sanctuary of Uttar Pradesh. It’s an hour drive from Lucknow city located on Kanpur-Lucknow Highway in Uttar Pradesh. Spread over an area of less than 3 square kilometers is a perfect spot for migratory birds.
After sightseeing, drive back to Lucknow and shop for souvenirs in the local market.
DAY 13| DEPARTURE FROM INDIA
After breakfast, you will be escorted to the airport. Board your flight back home with delightful memories of your trip.
*** YOUR BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE AND GOLDEN TRIANGLE TOUR CONCLUDES***
