Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour

Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, one of our representatives will warmly receive you at the airport and escort you to your hotel. Once at the hotel, you’ll meet your tour guide and discuss the trip in detail. Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu.

On the first leg of the cultural tour, you’ll head to one of the major Buddhist sites in Kathmandu valley. You’ll drive southeast through the Araniko Highway from Kathmandu to Namo Buddha via the Newar town of Dhulikhel. You can explore the religious site of Namo Buddha and also enjoy the majestic panorama of mountains as you converse with the student monks living in the monastery. Overnight stay at the monastery hostel in Namo Budhha.

Today, you’ll drive back to Kathmandu city and head straight to Boudhanath Stupa. There you can witness one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world and can also relish the local Tibetan cuisines, including Salt Tea. You can find many Buddhist pilgrims circumambulating the stupa. Afterward, you’ll drive further east towards the hilltop monastery, Kapan Monastery. One of the premier Buddhist teaching centers, Kapan Monastery organizes meditation camps each year which attract a large number of Buddhism enthusiasts. Overnight at Kapan Monastery.

The day will begin by paying a visit to another popular Buddhist pilgrimage site which is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lying atop a hill in the center of Kathmandu city, Swayambhunath is one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the country. After enjoying a panoramic view of Kathmandu from the top of the hill, you will drive 5km northwest to White Monastery (Druk Amitabh Monastery), which lies in the forested area of Nagarjuna Hill. Ranked among the largest monasteries in Nepal, the oldest relic found in the site dates back to 1200 AD. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

After touring the Kathmandu valley, you’ll embark on a long road journey to the southwest of Nepal. You’ll depart early and drive 260km to the religious site of Lumbini located in Rupandehi district in the Terai region of Nepal, close to the Indian border. Enjoying varieties of landscapes from lush hills to snaky rivers too wide paddy fields, you’ll pass through the popular towns of Narayangadh, Kawasoti, and Butwal en route. Overnight stay at a hotel in Lumbini.

Today, you’ll indulge in a complete cultural tour of Lumbini. The tour begins with the visit to the ancient site of Maya Devi Temple which is also known as the exact birth site of Gautama Buddha. The temple stands adjacent to a sacred pond, Bodhi tree, and a garden. The site was visited by Emperor Ashoka in 3rd BCE who built the popular Ashoka Pillar in the temple’s vicinity. Today, it remains one of the major tourist landmarks in the area. Afterward, you’ll head out and explore the nearby sacred garden, stupas, and archaeological sites. Lumbini also houses a white stupa ‘Peace Pagoda’ built by Nipponzan Myohoji monks. Overnight at a hotel in Lumbini.

Leaving the serene Lumbini behind, you’ll retrace your path and drive back to Kathmandu. You’ll drive along the plain landscape of Terai through Mahendra Highway and cross numerous forested areas, colorful towns, and massive rivers. You’ll then drive through Prithvi Highway until reaching Kathmandu. Once at Kathmandu, you’ll be escorted to your hotel for the overnight stay.

Today you’ll be driven to Tribhuvan International Airport to catch your flight back home.