Buddhist Tour with Golden Triangle

Arrive in Delhi to be greeted by our NamasteIndiaTrip tour representative who escorts you to your hotel for a comfortable night’s stay.

Enjoy a hearty North Indian breakfast of parathas or any other item of your choice and board a coach for the city tour that starts with the famous Red Fort that was built in 1638 epitomizing Mughal architecture. Humayun’s Tomb is another splendid monument showcasing Persian architecture and bearing the remains of Humayun. Qutab Minar is next on the agenda. This 73-meter tall tower is the tallest in India and has five storeys. The Lotus temple has a unique design and is the last of the seven major Bahai temples to be built in the world. You also take in the National Museum, Laxmi Narayan temple, President House and Parliament House. Return to your room for rest. You might venture out in the evening to stroll through the bazaars.

Next day after breakfast, we check out and board the coach for the drive to Jaipur. On arrival, you check into your hotel room, freshen up and join the others for a tour to the Amber Fort where you get to enjoy a ride on an elephant. Return to your room for some rest and, if you like, you can go shopping. Jaipur is famous for handicrafts, jewelry and garments.

Today you set out for local sightseeing. The first on the schedule is the famous City Palace where you get to see the splendid lifestyle of the erstwhile Maharajas. It was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh and comprises of the Mubarak Mahal palace, Chandra Mahal palace, the Museum and Durbar in a vast complex that will leave you quite impressed. Next, we proceed to the Hawa Mahal, a marvelous architectural creation with its latticed windows from where the royal ladies would watch proceedings. Climb up and you will notice that the breeze always blows through its corridors. Jantar Mantar is the observatory built my Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. Return to your room for some rest. You might want to venture out to explore the by-lanes and sample the sweets and snacks.

After a Rajasthani style breakfast, you board the coach for the drive to Agra. In a couple of hours you arrive at Fatehpur Sikri, the city Emperor Akbar built but one he had to abandon due to lack of water. You admire the beautiful Gate, palaces within the Fort and the well-ordered layout of what was supposed to become the capital of his empire. Then, you proceed to Agra and check into your hotel. Freshen up and set out on a city tour the highlight of which is a visit to the one and only Taj Mahal followed by a visit to Agra Fort. Return to your room for the night and go out at night to sample Agra’s Mughlai delights and buy some petha-sweets made from ash gourd.

You rise quite early and set out to the Taj Mahal. As the dawn breaks, the sight of the white marble taking on rosy hues is a breathtaking sight. Thereafter the group leaves for Sikandra in the suburbs of Agra, the site of Akbar’s Tomb. Only 1 Km from the tomb you will find the tomb of his wife Mariam. Both mausoleums are quite beautiful with intricately carved screens. In the evening you pack and check out to board the train to Patna. Spend the night on the train.

The train arrives in Patna in the morning and the group checks into the designated hotel. Breakfast and get ready for the local sightseeing trip that takes you the magnificent stupa of Buddha and the Gol Ghar as well as a couple of temples and a stroll through the old city streets. Stay overnight in your room.

Breakfast over the group checks out and boards a coach to travel to Bodhgaya. On the way we stop at Rajgir, a one-time capital of the Magadh Empire is important on the map of Buddhist tourism in India. Buddha stayed here for a number of years and preached from atop the Gridhakut hillock. We visit the rock-cut caves where Buddha used to spend time meditating. For Buddhists, the main attractions are the Gridhakut hillock, the Shanti Stupa displaying statues representing the Buddha’s birth, teachings, enlightenment and death. There are a number of ruins in the vicinity such as the Ajatasatru fort dating back to the 5th century BC and the Saptaparni caves. Next is Nalanda, the site of the world’s oldest university now in ruins. After that you arrive in Bodhgaya, another equally important Buddhist destination because the Buddha attained enlightened at this place.

The day begins with an excursion to Sujata Village. After that we go on to the Mahabodhi temple, the chief attraction of Bodh Gaya. In the complex you will find the descendent of the Mahabodhi tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. Then we move on to the Tibetan Monastery and stroll through the streets lined with stalls selling Buddhist items that you might consider purchasing.

Enjoy breakfast and board the coach for the drive to Varanasi where you check into your room, freshen up and set out. Today you visit Sarnath, about 10 km away. This is where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after enlightenment. Sarnath attractions are the Dhamek Stupa built around 500 AD, the Chaukhandi where Buddha met his disciples, the Ashokan Pillar and a few monasteries.

Breakfast, check out and board the waiting coach for the drive to Kushinagar, the site where the Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. On arrival, you visit the hallowed site and pay your respects to the Lord. Thereafter we proceed to Gorakhpur where you check into your room on arrival and rest for the night.

From Gorakhpur, it is a short drive to Lumbini in Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The group visits the place where the Lord was born under a Sal tree, delivered by Maya the Queen while she was on her way to Kapilvastu. Devotees also pay their respects at the Maya Devi Temple. From here we proceed to Balrampur and stay overnight.

After breakfast, everyone sets out for Shravasti once known as Sahet-Mahet. It is said the Buddha performed many miracles in this place and manifested himself seated on a thousand Petalled Lotus. He stayed here for 24 years and preached without tiring to bring knowledge and light to the world. We visit the revered Anand Bodhi tree under which he meditated and Jetavana, a park that he built with money donated by a merchant. The visit complete, the group boards a coach to drive on to Lucknow where you will stay the night.

Rise early and set out for a morning sightseeing tour of Lucknow taking in the Bara Imambara, a beautiful monument built by Asaf-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Avadh. Next is Rumi Darwaja, a three storey beautiful building, the clock Tower, Asifi Masjid and the Shahi Bavali. In the afternoon you board a flight for Delhi where the tour ends and you can proceed to return home or spend some time shopping.