Nepal is multicultural nation on the world, asides from a discovery of harmony of Buddhism and Hinduism and other Religion, you are granted a chance to trace back to the life of the founder of Buddhism in Lumbini, which is believed to be a birthplace of Buddha. Siddhartha Gautam, the prince was born in the Kingdom in Nepal who later found the enlightenment in India and came to be known as Gautam Buddha. Beautiful Buddhist monasteries and Stupas over the relics have become an inseparable part of Nepalese & Indian art, culture and architecture. Nalanda was once a world center for Buddhism and its philosophy until it disappeared suddenly in 13th century except for the small kingdoms in the hilly tracts.
Early 20th century saw re-emergence of Buddhism and even today some of the famous pilgrimage sites in India & Nepal related to Buddhism attract large number of devotees and visitors every year. Most of them are situated around the River Ganges. The significant sites to be visited as great Buddhist centres are Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Shravasti, Kushinara Sankashaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Sanchi stupa and other cave temples as in Ajanta and Ellora.
Lumbini is the birthplace of Buddha and the site is marked by ruins a great stupa and pillar by Emperor Ashoka. Buddha finally got enlightenment in Bodhgaya, when he was 29 years old, under the Bodhi tree, which seems to have eternal life as it keeps sprouting even after destroyed completely.
The Mahabodhi temple and a monastic order looking after the three monasteries are things of interest here. Sarnath monasteries from 3rd century B.C. to the 1st century C.E. are in ruins now. The key factors of Buddhism such as the four noble truths and the philosophy of moderation were taught here. There is Shravasti, where there are several legends about Buddha’s miracles said to be performed there and there is Sankashaya, where there are no temples and monasteries but is still a revered place because it was here that Buddha was said to be descended from the Tushita Heaven. Nalanda, Rajgir, Sanchi Stupa, Amravati, and cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora are the preferred Buddhist pilgrimage spots in Buddhist circuit.
Glimpse of outline Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1345m) airport TIA and transfer to hotel.
Day 02: Full-day Sightseeing tour around Kathmandu.
Day 03: Full-day Sightseeing tour Bhaktapur and Patan
Day 04: Drive Kathmandu to Pokhara
Day 05: Full-day Sightseeing Pokhara Valley.
Day 06: Sarankot, Peace stupa and boating at Fewa Lake
Day 07: Drive Pokhara to Lumbini
Day 08: Drive Lumbini to Kathmandu
Day 09: Kathmandu to Nagarkot
Day 10: Nagarkot to Kathmandu
Day 11: Final Departure
Note: The above information is a guide and standard template of what we provide. Our Nepal Buddhist Pligrimage Tour can be customized at your request to accommodate your specific requirements. You can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. The leader will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required tour any date.
Today arrival in Kathmandu airport (TIA) you will be greeted by a representative from Yala Adventure. After completing your custom formalities (Visa, etc) pick up your luggage and look for our representative with a Yala Adventure display board at the arrival gate. You will be then transferred to hotel. After check in, you can take a rest, hang around in the city, or visit our office – it all depends upon your interests and condition. In the evening we will organize a Welcome Dinner at an excellent traditional Nepalese Restaurant where you will enjoy a Nepalese cultural program as well as a fine meal. Overnight at hotel.
After an early breakfast, you are ready to do sightseeing tour in 4 major places in Kathmandu – Swoyambhunath (Monkey temple), Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Kathmandu durbar squire. We begin today’s sightseeing tour with a visit to Swoyambhunath a 2500-year old site where, it is believed, the Radiant Lotus of the valley-mythology, settled when the water was drained by Manjushri, the god of Wisdom. The 5 dhyani Buddha’s attended by their consorts are enshrined at the base of the stupa. (Non-Hindus are not allowed inside Swayambhunath temple) then continues tour into Boudhanath it is the world,s largest stupa and of Tibetan Buddhist Culture in Nepal. Antique shops where you can buy things of your interest relating to Buddhist surrounded the monastery. After Boudhanath your next spot is The Pashupatinath temple stands along the side of Bagmati River. It is the holiest Temple for Hindus. Many people from different part of Asia visit this Temple. Temple dedicated to lord Shiva, is also a site for Hindu cremation. During the festival Shiva Ratri temple crowed by devotees. Afternoon visit Kathmandu durbar squire, Hanuman Dhoka, the ancient royal residential quarter, Mahadev and Parvati Temple, Machhender Bahl-holy place for the Buddhists and Hindus, Temple House of Kumari, the vestal virgin or the living goddess. Walk around the local bazaars. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast we take you to Bhaktapur old durbar squire where you will witness unique culture and finest display of craftsmanship. Bhaktapur is the only place in Nepal which has remained untouched by western culture. Lion Gate, Golden Gate, Art Gallery, Statue of King Bhupatindra, Nyatapola Temple and fifty-five windowed Malla Palace are the living prides of Bhaktapur and you will tour around all these places and drive you to Patan durbar squire to explore Patan Durbar Square, Mahaboudha Temple, Kumbeshwor temple, Krishna Temple, Golden Temple and many other places of Patan, you feel as if Patan has been unveiled before you as an open museum showcasing intricately carved windows, intrinsic roof struts, statues of gods and goddesses, temples designed in pagoda style with erotic carvings and repoussé metalwork facades and many other exquisite facets. You will also get to see handicraft centre in Patan. Overnight at hotel.
It takes about five hours drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. It is 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu. As you climb out of the Kathmandu valley, only to quickly descend again to the Trisuli River, you follow upstream to its junction with the Marsyangdi River. You follow the Marsyandi gently up through heavily terraced fields and small hill towns to the Seti River that takes you directly into Pokhara. Having pleasant weather, Pokhara is tourist’s paradise with full of natural as well as cultural heritage sites such as lakes, caves, temples of Buddhist and Hindus along with mountains. You can observe views to the north across the hills and Phewa Lake to the white peaks of the Annapurna and Lamjung ranges. This drive will take most of the morning, leaving much of the afternoon to fall in love with its beauty. You can also fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara which takes about 30 minutes. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast the sightseeing starts inside the valley of Pokhara. The sightseeing places are as follows: Old bazzar of Pokhara city, Bindhayabasini temple, Seti George, Buddhist monastery, Pokhara regional museum which displays the traditional things of western Nepal, Devis Fall, Gupteshwor Cave, Tibetan refusee camp, Barahi temple which lies in the central part of the lake Fewa etc. Overnight at hotel.
Today you will wake up early in morning, you will go to Sarankot which is very famous viewpoint for sunrise and sunset. On the other hand it is popular spot to view the gigantic and snowcapped Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. It is nearly 1 hour drive to go and back. Then, in the afternoon visit to Peace Stupa, nearly one and half hour hiking to the top then descend to the lake Fewa for boating. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast drive to Lumbini (Lord Buddha’s birth place). Drive takes about 6 hours. On the way visit Tansen hill town for short tour around. After that continue drive to Lumbini. Upon arrival meet and transfer to hotel. Afternoon sightseeing of Maya Devi Temple and Ashokan Pillar followed by various Buddhist Temples. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast drive to Kathmandu. It takes about 7/8 hours. Lunch will be at River Side Spring resort Kurintar. After lunch continue drive to Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast visit Bouddhanath Stupa, one of the world’s largest Stupa built in the fifth century AD. It looms 36 meters high and presents one of the most fascinating specimens of Stupa design with hundreds of prayer wheels and 108 small images of Buddha all around. After that, we visit Kopan Monastery. After the tour, drive to Nagarkot The sunrise and sunset from this popular hill resort present you the breathtaking view of the Eastern Himalayan Range including Mt. Everest which can be seen on a clear day. It is a scenic drive with lots of lovely quaint little houses and paddy fields which takes about one and half hours. Afternoon short leisure walk and catch the sunset. Overnight at hotel.
Kopan Monastery had its beginnings in the Solukhumbu region of the Himalayan Mountains. In 1971 Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the reincarnation of the Lawudo Lama, a yogi of the tiny hamlet of Lawudo, fulfilled the promise of the previous Lawudo Lama to start a monastic school for the local children. The school was called called it Mount Everest Center. Twenty five monks moved down from the mountain to Kopan in 1971 – prompted by the harsh climate at an altitude of 4000 am, which made study barely possible in winter. Now Kopan is a thriving monastery of 360 monks, mainly from Nepal and Tibet, and a spiritual oasis for hundreds of visitors yearly from around the world. Nearby is Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery, home to 380 nuns. Both the monastery and the nunnery are under the spiritual guidance of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and the care of the abbot, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lhundrup Rigsel. And it is the wellspring of the FPMT, a network of some 140 centers and activities world-wide, themselves expressions of the Buddha activity of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Awake in the morning to the cold but stunningly spectacular dawn. The first ray of the sun firing the peak glimmering red, slowly lighting the Himalaya range. Mt Everest in the fareast and Langtang and the Dhaulagiri peak in the west. After breakfast, drive to Pharping. Lunch in the city centre. After lunch visit transfer back to hotel and free to explore market area and shopping. Overnight at hotel.
Pharping is identified with the sacred site of Yanglesho, where Guru Padmasambhava attained the level of a Mahamudra vidyadhara. There are two major practice caves in Pharping blessed by Guru Rinpoche. Above Pharping is the wel-known Asura cave. This Cave Temple is the retreat center where the monks from Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery complete the traditional three-year retreat. Secondly, one should visit the Yanglesho cave. The exact number of existing monasteries in Pharping is not recorded but it is an a established fact that recent Tibetan incomers have built no fewer than 25 additional monasteries in this area.
Pharping also has a number of temples and retreat centres, including the important Vajrayogini Temple, Chatral Rinpoche’s Monastery, and the Palyul Retreat Centre, which is the residence of Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche and home to the Rigpa Shedra. Last but not least is Choling Monastery. The name of Padmasamba, the founder of Lamaistic School of Buddhism in Tibet is closely associated with the town of Pharping.Visitors to Pharping should plan to spend a minimum of half day to visit some of these exceptional locations.
Today your all tour programmed are ending, it’s say goodbye, after having your breakfast,you will drive transfer to International airport, for your Final Departure flight next destination, wonderful country of Nepal.
