Arrival at Bodhgaya Airport. Meet and greet by Bugfree representatives and transfer to the hotel.
Lunch at the hotel.
Visit Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, and Thai Temple.
Overnight at the hotel in Bodhgaya.
Breakfast at the hotel. Local restaurant in Rajgir.
Explore Rajgir's historical sites, including Ajatshatru’s Fort, Venuvana, Swarna Bhandar, the Cyclopean Wall, and the Peace Pagoda, as well as Gridhakuta Peak, Hot Springs, Jivaka Amravan, and Bimbisar Jail; then, visit Nalanda to see the remains of Nalanda University and the Great Stupa.
Return to Bodhgaya and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, and Neranchara River. Proceed to Sujata Village. Visit the Mahabodhi Temple and explore the holy site where Buddha attained enlightenment.
Arrive in Varanasi and check-in at the hotel for an overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel. Local restaurant in Sarnath.
Early morning boat ride on the Ganges to witness the Aarti ceremony. Visit the Vishwanath Temple (Golden Temple) and explore the narrow lanes and markets of Varanasi.
Visit Sarnath, the site of Buddha’s first sermon. Explore the Archaeological Museum, Ashokan Pillar, Dhamek Stupa, and monastery ruins. Drive to Kushinagar.
Check-in at the hotel in Kushinagar for overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit Mahaparinirvana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa in Kushinagar. Visit the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini. Explore the Maya Devi Temple and the Sacred Garden.
Check-in at the hotel in Lumbini for overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit Maya Devi Temple and Ashoka Pillar in Lumbini. Explore the Jetvana Garden, where Buddha spent 24 monsoon seasons, and the monastery ruins.
Drive to Sravasti, the ancient capital of the Kosala Kingdom.
Check-in at the hotel in Sravasti for overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit Jetvana Garden, Angulimala House, and nearby Buddhist sites.
After lunch, drive to Lucknow.
Check-in at the hotel in Lucknow for overnight stay.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Lucknow Airport for your flight to Delhi.
On arrival for your Steps of Buddha Tour at Bodhgaya Airport, meet and greet by Bugfree representatives, later drive to Bodhgaya Hotel. On arrival wash and change and have lunch in 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. Realizing that austerities could not lead to realization he abandoned them. His five ascetic companions disgusted at his seeming failure, deserted him and left for Sarnath.
Later Visit Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhi Tree, and Thai Temple etc.
Dinner & overnight at hotel.
Morning after breakfast proceeds for sightseeing tour of Rajgiri and Nalanda.
Rajgir was the capital of Magadh Empire until Ajatshatru 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, 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.
After an early breakfast proceed for the sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya.
Bodhgaya (also written Bodh Gaya) in north-eastern India is the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment and 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, Tibeten, Bhutanese, Vietnamese, Thai and others) have been built.
Every year, millions of Buddhist pilgrims, mainly from Asian countries, flock to Bodhgaya to be inspired, despite negative karma and earn merit by visiting the holy site where the Buddha became Buddha (“Enlightened one”).
Visit Mahabodhi Temple and drive to Neranchara River, Sujata village.
Return back to hotel for Lunch. After early check out and proceed for Varanasi.
Varanasi
Throughout the day and night in the height of pilgrimage season, monks in colourful robes can be seen mediating where the Buddha did, studying Dhama texts, making offerings to the many statues and stupas on the site, and circumambulating (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 Pipal tree under which Lord Buddha mediated.
On arrival check-in at hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.
Morning breakfast at the hotel. Later 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 take a walk at local market and narrow lane of Banaras city, Glimpse of one of the world’s oldest living cities. You will be able to interact the local people, ask questions and sample local delicacies.
Few tourists ever wind their way through the bazaars in the Northern Gullis of the old city where you will find hidden alleys leading directly through the sacred zone of Banaras to the oldest Ghats of the city. Winding through the street of the Bengalis, visiting hidden shrines and the vistas of life along the riverside to the historic bathing site called Dasashwamedh, the ten-horse sacrifice Ghat.
Visit the Vishwanath Temple also called the Golden Temple because of the Gold-Plating on its roof.
Later check out and drive to Kushinagar. Stop Enroute at Sarnath.
Sarnath, 10 Kms. from Varanasi is the fabled place, which bears testimony to its great past where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples, expounding the principles of Buddhism. The remains date back to as far as the 3rd Century BC when emperor Ashoka founded various institutions, Stupas, monasteries and pillar edicts.
Visit the art Collection at the Archaeological museum. The main attractions is the superb capital from 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.
Visit Mahabodhi Buddha temple and walk around the deer park. Later see the monastery ruins area, Dhamekh Stupa, Archaeological museum etc.
Lunch will be at local restaurant. After lunch continue your drive to Kushinagar. On arrival check into the hotel. Rest of the evening free at leisure and relaxation.
Dinner & Overnight stay at the Kushinagar hotel while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
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. Buddha was finally freed from the eternal cycle of re-birth leaving with us all the wisdom and knowledge of Muktabandhanastupa 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. Buddha was born in Lumbini during the full moon day in the month of Vaisakh in 623 BC. He was born under a Sal tree when Mayadevi was going to her maternal town on the occasion of delivery.
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.
After an early breakfast drive to Sravasti. Morning Visit Maya Devi Temple, Ashoka pillar etc.
On arrival check into the hotel.
After lunch visit Sravasti. In the time of Buddha Sravasti was the capital Kingdom of Kosala. It is thought that Buddha spent 24 monsoon seasons in the Jetvana gardens here.
Dinner and Overnight stay in Sravasti Hotel while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
DAY 7- |SRAVASTI- LUCKNOW BY DRIVE
Morning after breakfast, Visit Jetvana Garden, Visit Angulimala House and house opposite.
(Please see place à https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fosdA-1iPYs )
Then after lunch drive to Lucknow. On arrival check into the hotel. Rest of the day free at leisure and Local Sighseeing.
Dinner and Overnight stay in Lucknow HoteL while in Steps of Buddha Tour.
Morning after breakfast, Visit Jetvana Garden, Visit Angulimala House and house opposite.
(Please see place à https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fosdA-1iPYs )
Then after lunch drive to Lucknow. On arrival check into the hotel. Rest of the day free at leisure and Local Sighseeing.
After an early breakfast drive to Lucknow Airport. Arrive airport and connect flight for Delhi and further onward destinations.
Get suffused in a spiritual journey that will take you to some of the prominent Buddhist sites in India. The Buddhist Tour Packages will cover Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Rajgiri, Nalanda, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Sravasti, and Lucknow.
Most of the destinations covered in this journey stands as a testimony to the various events that occurred in the life span of Lord Buddha.
A beautiful quote by the Lord himself “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” Buddha
The best time is October to March, when the weather is pleasant for travel and sightseeing.
You will stay in comfortable hotels with modern amenities, ensuring a relaxing experience after sightseeing.
