India Travel

The Hemingway Tour and Safaris Travel Collection 

BUDDHIST TRAVEL COLLECTION

Day 01 :: Delhi
Meeting and assistance on arrival. On arrival, transfer to hotel. Later city sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi visiting Qutab Minar, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, India Gate War Memorial, Lakshminarayan Temple - Modern Hindu Temple, Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana - cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Chandni Chowk - Shopping centre of Old Delhi.

Day 02 :: Delhi - Varanasi
Transfer to airport for flight to Varanasi. Visit Sarnath, the buried Buddhist city where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. Overnight at hotel.

Day 03 :: Varanasi ? Bodhgaya (240 Km)
Early morning boat excursion on the holy river Ganges to see the bathing ghats. Drive to Bodhgaya. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04 :: Bodhgaya
Full day city sightseeing tour. Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar, reckoned as the most important Buddhist pilgrimage centre, is the place where Lord Sakyamuni (Gautam Buddha) entered into meditation after being moved by the sufferings of mankind. Then there is Chaukramana, the Jewel Walk, where it is believed that the Buddha strolled while in deep thought. Visit the Maha Bodhi, Jagannath temple. Finally, a visit to the Bodhgaya Archaeological Museum is a must for a religious art lover. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05 :: Bodhgaya ? Patna (180 Km)
Drive to Patna enroute visiting Rajgir and Nalanda. Rajgir is a site of great sanctity and significance for Buddhists. The Gridhakuta Hill in Rajgir was the seat from where Buddha delivered many of his sermons. Nalanda is one of the oldest Universities of the World. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 06 :: Bodhgaya ? Kushingar (253 Km)
Drive to Kushinagar emoute visiting Vaishali. At Kolhua in Vaishali, Lord Buddha delivered his last sermon. In Kushinagar, visit the Rambhar Stupa, which marks Buddha's cremation ground. Also visit the Mahaparinirvana temple, which houses the recumbent figure of Lord Buddha. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 07 :: Kushinagar ? Lumbini (173 Km)
Drive to Lumbini. Afternoon visit the site where Buddha was born 2500 years ago. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 08 :: Lumbini ? Balrampur (183 Km)
Drive to Balrampur. Visit the Saravasti, where Lord Buddha spent 24 rainy seasons. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 09 :: Balrampur - Lucknow - Delhi
Drive to Lucknow airport for flight to Delhi. Farewell Dinner. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 10 :: Departure Delhi
Morning tour of the city. Transfer to airport. End of services.