The Buddhist Trail

It is a panoramic thrill flying into Kathmandu on a clear day. The views of snow-capped mountain peaks sprawling down below you are almost ecstatic, beginning a whole chain of memorable experiences that stay with you for a long, long time. A representative and driver from LuxuryDMC will meet you at the airport and escort you to your designated hotel. The representative will help you check into hotel. At the hotel you will be briefed about your daily activities.

Check In and Overnight at Hotel.

OPTIONAL: MOUNTAIN FLIGHT
One of the must-see landmarks of Nepal is, of course, the highest peak in the world – Mount Everest. An awe-stricken silence comes close to matching the experience of a mountain flight. For one hour, you’ll fly over the Eastern Himalayan Ranges of Nepal where some of the highest peaks in the world including Mt. Everest lie for a surreal feeling as you come face to face with the world’s tallest and most enigmatic of Mountains. Even those visitors who like the rigors of a trek won’t miss the opportunity to “conquer” the mountains in one stunning swoop.

After breakfast visit Namo Buddha & Patan city

NAMOBUDDHA
The famous Buddhist Pilgrimage site where The Lord Buddha sacrifices his body to hungry Tigress and its Cubs. Namo Buddha is a beautiful place, very quiet and pure, with no pollution. It is the right place for meditation and practice. You can see a beautiful sunrise in the morning a wonderful sunset view in the evening. You can enjoy snow-covered Himalayan ranges which look so amazing and pure.

PATAN DURBAR SQUARE
Located 5 km southeast of Kathmandu, the Patan city popularly known as ‘the city of artisans’ accommodates a magnificent square housing the palace buildings of the then royals, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples – a display of Newari architecture that had reached its pinnacle during the reign of the Malla kings. It is filled with wood and stone carvings, metal statues, and ornate architecture, including dozens of Buddhist and Hindu temples, and over 1200 monuments.

Note: The recent earthquake has destroyed few temples in the durbar square premise; several structures have sustained minor damages.


Overnight at hotel

SWAYAMBHUNATH
Said to be around 2000 years old, this Buddhist Stupa sits atop a hillock 02 kilometres west of Kathmandu overlooking the valley. The oldest written reference to the stupa dates from the 5th century, but it could have existed much earlier. Moreover, a legend has it that the stupa evolved spontaneously at the time of the Kathmandu valley’s creation.

Swayamhbhunath is famously known as the ‘Monkey Temple’ owing to the presence of a large number of monkeys around the area.

PHARPING MONASTERY
The Buddhist history says, Milerapa from Tibet took one night shelter in the cave, and accordingly blessed this monastery. Hindus have their version that it was Pancha Pandav who had visited this place.

Overnight at Hotel

Transfer to the airport and fly to Bhairahawa (30 Minutes). Upon arrival, drive to the hotel in Lumbini (45 Minutes).

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in the Terai plains of Nepal is one of the greatest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists. In Buddha's time, it used to be a beautiful garden full of green and shady sal trees (Shorea robusta). The garden and its tranquil environs were owned by both the Shakyas and the clans. The then King Suddhodana, father of Lord Gautama Buddha, was from the Shakya dynasty and belonged to the Kshatriya (warrior caste). Her queen Maya Devi while on her way to her parent's home in Devadaha had been resting under a sal tree feeling spellbound by the natural grandeur of Lumbini. At the meantime she felt labour pains and catching hold of a drooping branch of a sal tree, gave birth to a baby, the future Buddha. It was the month of May in 623 BC.

After checking-in at the hotel commence the sightseeing tour to Lumbini.

ASHOKAN PILLAR
In 1895, a German archaeologist, white wandering about the foothills of the Churia range, discovered the massive stone pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 B.C. to pay homage to the birth place of Lord Buddha. It is said that the Indian Emperor visited Lumbini Garden in the twentieth year of his coronation.
 
The stone pillar bears the following inscription- ‘King Piyadasi, beloved of the gods, having been anointed twenty years, came himself and worshipped saying: "Here Buddha Sakyamuni was born”. He caused a stone pillar to be erected because the worshipful one was born here. The village of Lumbini has been made free of taxes and a recipient of wealth’.
 

 MAYADEVI TEMPLE
The next visible monument in Lumbini is the temple of Maya Devi containing a stone relic depicting the birth scene of Lord Buddha. The relic shows Maya Devi supporting herself by holding on to a branch of a sal tree, and the newborn infant Buddha standing upright on a lotus pedestal. Two celestial figures are engaged in the act of pouring water and lotuses from the heaven, indicated in the sculpture by a delineation of clouds.
The Maya Devi shrine has been worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists since the beginning of the Christian era and is believed to have been built over the foundation of at least one earlier temple or stupa. To the South of the temple is the famous sacred pool of 'Puskarani', which is believed to be the same sacred pool in which queen Maya Devi bathed just before giving birth to Buddha and where the infant Buddha was given his first purification bath. The structure consists of three projecting terraces in descending order and is rivetted with fine brick masonry.

WORLD PEACE FLAME
The eternal World Peace Flame is a major attraction of the Lumbini garden located at the centre of the garden. The flame was lighted on 1st November, 1986 AD by the then Prince Gyanendra Shah. The flame that represents peace and fraternity in the world was brought from the United States of America as part of the celebration of the International Peace Year. The eternal flame can be reached at the end of a 10 minutes walk from the Mayadevi Temple.

Overnight at Hotel.

Proceed for the tour of Tilaurakot & Ramgram.

TILAURAKOT
The ancient ruins of Tilaurakot are situated about five kilometers north of Taulihawa, the present day district centre of the Kapilvastu district. Although there is some controversy surrounding the Tilaurakot ruins, it is generally agreed that the site was the citadel complex of the surrounding Kapilvastu Kingdom which was founded by Suddhodana, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha’s father.

RAMGRAM
This place is believed to be the maternal home of Queen Mayadevi And Prajapati Gautami. Dhatu Stupa containing the relics of the Buddha, one of those eight, lies here. Still unopened, it is the landmark of historic Ramagrama. Legend say it is protected by a Naga. Recent explorations has indicated that there are few more important structural remains around it.

Overnight at Hotel.

After breakfast, drive to the airport in Bhairahawa just in time to connect the flight back to Kathmandu.

Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at hotel

We ensure that you will leave Kathmandu with cherishing memory and an experience of a lifetime. Our representative from Luxury DMC will drive you to the airport in time for your flight back home.