Day
01 : Arrive Mumbai (Previously known as Bombay)
Arrive Mumbai. Our representative will meet you at the airport on arrival.
Transfer to hotel for over night stay.
Day 02 : Mumbai
Morning after breakfast visit Elephanta Caves - one hour boat ride across
Mumbai Harbour brings lush green Elephanta Island. Here, visit some of the
huge and intricately carved Elephanta Caves that date back to the 8th
century. Afternoon, city tour of Bombay - visiting 'Gateway of India'
overlooking the Harbour, the 'Towers of Silence', 'Marine Drive', the
'Colaba Causeway' - the commercial heart of Bombay and the Dhobi Ghat, the
unique and colourful outdoor 'laundry'. Drive upto the Malabar Hill to the
lovely 'Hanging Gardens' and the Kamla Nehru Park from where you will get a
wonderful view of Mumbai and the Arabian Sea, spread out before you. Also
visit Mani Bhawan, a small museum dedicated to the life and works of Mahatma
Gandhi, and the bustling Crawford Market. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 : Mumbai - Aurangabad
Morning transfer to railway station to connect train # 7617 Tapovan Express
dep. Mumbai at 06:10 hrs ar. Aurangabad at 13:30 hrs. Check into hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Aurangabad visiting Bibi-Ka-Muqbara, Aurangabad Caves
and Daulatabd Fort. Overnight at hotel.
Day 04 : Aurangabad - Excursion to Ellora Caves
Morning visit Ellora Caves - 30 kms from Aurangabad lie the finest
rock cut cave temples of Ellora - 10th & 11th century, which encompasses
the three religion - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Of the 34 caves that
are both monasteries and temples, the most remarkable is the magnificent
Kailasa temple. The entire structure was carved out of a monolith and took
over 100 years to complete. (Ellora Caves closed on all Tuesdays). Drive
back to Hotel. Evening free for leisure. Overnight at hotel.
Day
05 : Aurangabad - Jalgaon - Bhopal
After breakfast drive to Ajanta Caves - located 100 kms, a 2½ hour
drive, northeast of Aurangabad in the Waghora valley. These magnificent
rock-cut caves, 30 in number, date from 2nd BC to 7th Century AD. They are
exclusively Buddhist, unique in that they combine three forms of Art -
architecture sculpture and painting. Later transfer to Jalgaon Railway
Station to connect train # 2627 Karnatak Express dep. 16:50 hrs. arr. 23:45
hrs. Transfer to hotel for overnight train stay. (Ajanta caves are closed on
Mondays)
Day 06 : Bhopal - Agra
Sightseeing tour of Saanchi Stupa. A lot of Buddhist travellers across the
world visit this serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries,
temples and pillars dating from 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. Afternoon
connect Train # 2001 Bhopal Shtabadi Express dep. Bhopal at 14:50 hrs arrive
Agra at 20:35 hrs. Transfer to hotel for overnight stay.
Evening transfer to the
Railway station to board overnight Train to Varanasi. (Taj Mahal is closed
on all Fridays)
Day 07 : Agra - Varanasi
Morning sightseeing tour visiting the magnificent Taj Mahal, which is
entirely made of white marble and its walls are decorated with exquisite
Pietra Dura (stone inlay) work. Post lunch tour of the imposing Agra Fort -
built of red sandstone and marble is a hilltop citadel with fabulous
courtyards, fountains and gates. Evening transfer to the Railway station to
board overnight Train to Varanasi. (Taj Mahal is closed on all Fridays)
Day 08 : In Varanasi
Arrive Varanasi in the morning and transfer to hotel visiting Sarnath
enroute, the place where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon. Afternoon
proceed for the city tour visiting various temples including The Vishwanath
Temple, built by the Birlas, was planned by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. The
Bharat Mata Temple houses, instead of gods and goddesses, a huge relief map
in marble of the whole of Indian subcontinent. The Tulsi Manas Temple, built
in 1964, is dedicated to Lord Rama. Evening view "Aarti" ceremony
on the Ghats. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 09 : Varanasi / Bodhgaya (242 Kms / 07 hrs)
Morning take a Boat cruise at the river Ganges to observe the way of life
of pilgrims by the Ghats and later we drive to Bodhgaya. Arrive Bodhgaya and
check - in at hotel. Bodhgaya - most sacred place for Buddhists as it has a
Peepul tree under which Gautama the Buddha attained enlightenment some 2500
years back. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 10 :
In Bodhgaya
After breakfast embark on a sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya visiting Mahabodhi
Temple - depicting the various phases of Buddha's journey towards
enlightenment, showing different aspects of his life; Bodhgaya
Archaeological Museum - houses a small collection of Buddhist sculpture from
the 1st century B.C, to the 11th century A.D; Jagannath Temple close by has
a four armed statue of Shiva in black stone. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day
11 : Bodhgaya / Patna (109 Kms - 4.5 hrs)
After breakfast drive to Patna. Enroute visit Gridhakuta Hill and Bimbisara
Jail in Rajgir. Proceed to Nalnada (14 kms from Rajgir) which was one of the
oldest Universities of the world and International Centre for Buddhist
studies. Arrive Patna. Post lunch city tour visiting Har Mandir Sahib - also
known as Patna Sahib consecrates the place where the 10th Guru of the Sikhs
Guru Gobind Singh was born in 1776; Golghar - is a large dome-like structure
from where one can have a fine view of the Ganga and the surroundings of the
city; Patna Museum - has a rich collection of Mauryan and Buddhist
sculptures, terracotta and other interesting items of the items. Overnight
stay at the hotel.
Day 12 : Patna / Kushinagar (253 Kms - 07 hrs)
Morning drive to Kushinagar, on arrival check - in at hotel. Later we visit
the Rambhar Stupa - which marks Lord Buddha's cremation ground. Our second
stop is Mahaparinirvana temple - which houses the recumbent figure of Lord
Buddha. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 13 : Kushinagar / Saravasti (Balrampur) - (216
Kms - 05 hrs)
Morning drive to Balrampur. On arrival check - in at hotel. Afternoon visit
Sahet-Mahet. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 14 : Saravasti / Lumbini (197 Kms - 4.5 hrs)
Morning drive to Lumbini. Arrive Lumbini and check - in at hotel. Lumbini
is the place where Buddha was born 2500 years ago. Rest of the day at
leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day
15 : Lumbini / Kathmandu (By flight)
Half Day sightseeing of Lumbini and later at 1545 hrs. Transfer to airport
to board flight for Kathmandu (Buddha Air Flight). Arrive Kathmandu at 1620
hrs and transfer to hotel. Kathmandu - surrounded by green hills and
mountains with snow-capped peaks against its northern and eastern background
the Valley is indeed beautiful. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 16 : In Kathmandu
After breakfast embark on a city tour of Kathmandu visiting Pashupatinath
Temple - the most sacred of the Hindu temples in Nepal dedicated to lord
Shiva, built in 1696. Carry on the sightseeing tour of the Patan - a city of
architecture and fine arts. Sometimes known as "Town with a Thousand
Golden Roofs". Visit Tibetan Handicraft center at Jawalakhel to watch
carpet weaving.
Post lunch Sightseeing tour of Swayambhunath - the oldest Buddhist shrine.
Looking east from here, one can see the entire Kathmandu valley spread out
below. A short drive will take to Boudhanath - the worlds largest stupa; a
sight of great reneration to the Buddhist. Continue to Kathmandu Durbar
Square - the temple of the Living Goddess and the old Royal Palace. Finally,
visit Kasthamandup - a temple built from a single tree from which the
Kathmandu derives its name. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 17 :
Kathmandu / Out
Transfer to airport to connect flight for onward destination.
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