Nepal Buddhist Circuit Tour
Code: NPL-TO-BCT
Description
Nepal, being the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is home to many Buddhist pilgrimage sites that invite many pilgrims from all over the world every year. Nepal Buddhist Circuit Tour is a carefully crafted pilgrimage tour to some of the most significant Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal which are accessible through an easy drive. The tour takes you to some of the most ancient and sacred sites of Buddhism and provides you with a firsthand experience of the doctrine of compassion, inner peace, meditation, nirvana, and so forth.
Nepal Buddhist Circuit Tour starts with your arrival in Kathmandu, from where you take a scenic drive to Pokhara along the Prithvi Highway. In Pokhara, you visit the Shanti Stupa also known as World Peace Pagoda, a whitewashed monastery overlooking the Annapurna massif. After exploring Pokhara, the tour moves on to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Lumbini is recognized as one of the most significant pilgrimage sites and is a symbol of world peace. Every year, thousands of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims come to visit Lumbini. Here, you visit the scared garden which contains the birth site of Buddha, the sacred pond where Buddha’s mother—Maya Devi—took a bath before giving birth Buddha, Ashoka Pillar, and Maya Devi Temple. You also visit many other monasteries in Lumbini which are constructed by various countries following Buddhism. The tour moves you back to Kathmandu and takes you straight to Namobuddha, a pilgrimage site situated forty kilometers southeast of Kathmandu. You visit the fabled Namo Buddha Stupa and Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery in Namo Buddha before coming back to Kathmandu to visit Boudhanath. One of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world, Boudhanath is visited by pilgrims from all over the world, and you can see pilgrims from Tibet and Bhutan circumambulating the stupa. The tour finally takes you to Swayambhunath; the main stupa sits on top of a hill and small monuments lie all around the stupa. Both Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are listed as world heritage sites by UNESCO for their cultural importance.
Epic Adventures is well known for its excellent travel packages and great quality of service. Our trips are designed carefully to provide you an unforgettable travel experience in our beautiful country. With constant guidance from our expert tour guides and company representatives, the Nepal Buddhist Circuit Tour we organize is well facilitated to provide you an everlasting spiritual experience.
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION | TIA Kathmandu |
| DIFFICULTY LEVEL | Medium |
| HIGHEST ALTITUDE | 3710 m |
| COST INCLUDES |
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| COST EXCLUDES |
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Important Note: Your safety is of paramount concern while traveling with Epic Adventures. Please note that your leader has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails traveling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee that we will not deviate from it. Weather conditions, health condition of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., 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.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrival to Kathmandu
The trip begins with your arrival in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. Our company representative will welcome you at the airport and then you will be transferred to the hotel for your overnight stay.
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Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara and visit Shanti stupa and excursion of Pokhara Valley|6-7 Hrs
Early in the morning, you head towards Pokhara. Most of the route goes along the beautiful Trishuli River and you will be passing through countless rice fields. After arrival in Pokhara, you will drive straight to Shanti Stupa which lies right above Phewa Lake and hosts panoramic views of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna massifs along with the beautiful peak of Machhapuchhre (6997m). The whole Pokhara Valley can also be seen from Shanti Stupa that was built by a Japanese monk who made 80 whitewashed peace stupas around the world. After spending some time at the Stupa, you will hike down and cross Phewa Lake on a boat. Then you will go around the various sites in the lake city. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Pokhara.
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Day 3: Drive from Pokhara to Lumbini|7-8 Hrs
You leave Pokhara and drive towards Lumbini via Chitwan. The highway goes amid the hills at first and then follows the forests and paddy fields on the flatlands of western Terai to reach Lumbini. Lumbini is a major destination for Buddhist pilgrims as it is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. On reaching Lumbini, depending on the time, you will visit the World Peace Pagoda and other monasteries in the area. Overnight in Lumbini.
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Day 4: Lumbini Excursion |Full Day
Lumbini is filled with historical monuments and religious sites. You begin today’s excursion with a visit to Maya Devi temple and walk around the sacred pond where Maya Devi took a bath before giving birth to Lord Buddha. There is a Bodhi tree adorned with prayer flags nearby the pond where the pilgrims can offer their prayers. The Ashoka Pillar, established by Emperor Ashoka in 249 B.C. with Pali inscription citing Lumbini as Buddha’s birthplace, also stands beside the pond. You will then have a look at the ancient ruins inside Maya Devi Temple where you can also catch a glimpse of a rock with Buddha’s footprint. Afterward, you will explore the architecture of different countries such as China, Germany, Burma, Thailand, and so on which are presented in their monasteries in Lumbini. Overnight in Lumbini.
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Day 5: Drive from Lumbini to Kathmandu to Namo Budhha|8-9 Hrs
Today, you drive back to Kathmandu via the picturesque highway filled with many cities and villages. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will directly head to the Buddhist pilgrimage site, Namo Budhha. In Namo Buddha, you will visit the stupa of Namo Buddha where there are the statue of a tigress and a young prince who, out of unsurpassable compassion, let himself be fed by the tigress and her hungry cubs. Afterward, you will visit Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, situated beside the stupa. You can find many young monks learning Buddhism in the monastery premises. Overnight in Namo Buddha.
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Day 6: Drive back from Namobuddha to Kathmandu|2 Hrs |Visit Swayambhunath & Boudhanath
After breakfast in Namobuddha, you drive back to Kathmandu. As you reach Koteshwor in Kathmandu, you follow the ring road and head towards Boudhanath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. You can see throngs of pilgrims circumambulating the stupa while peaceful Tibetan music is being played in the background by the local music shop. You can rest at a rooftop restaurant and observe the peaceful eyes of Lord Buddha, painted on the top of the stupa. Afterward, you will visit Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple, which is another famous pilgrimage site of the Buddhists in Nepal. Situated on top of a hill, Swayambhunath offers a gorgeous view of Kathmandu city. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.
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Day 7: Departure
The 7-day trip comes to an end. After a fulfilling breakfast at the hotel, our company representative will take you to the airport 3 hours before your flight schedule.
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