Taj Mahal With Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour
Delhi-Agra-Varanasi-Lumbini-Kushinagar

Duration : 09Night / 10Days

DAY 01 : Arrive Delhi

Meet on arrival at Airport and transfer to hotel. After Delhi sightseeing like Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, India Gate, Parliament House. Overnight at Delhi.

Lotus Temple - The structure is made up of pure white marble The architect Furiburz Sabha chose the lotus as the symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. Adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate. Around the blooming petals there are nine pools of water, which light up, in natural light. It looks spectacular at dusk when it is flood lit.

India Gate - At the centre of New Delhi stands the 42 m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe" like archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French counterpart, it commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the World War I. The memorial bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919.

The Parliament house is a cirular colonnaded building . It also houses ministerial offices,numerous committee rooms and an excellent library as well. Conceived in the Imperial Style, the Parliament House consists of an open verandah with 144 columns.

Qutab Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India.

DAY 02 : Delhi - Agra

After breakfast drive to Agra. En-route visit Mathura, Vrindavan and Sikandra. Arrive Agra transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY 03 : Agra - Varanasi (Overnight train)

Early morning visit Taj Mahal at sunrise. Breakfast at hotel, later visit Agra fort. Evening transfer to Railway station for Varanasi. Overnight at board. Taj Mahal, the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658), grandson of Akbar the great, in the memory of his queen Arjumand Bano Begum, entitled 'Mumtaz Mahal'. Mumtaz Mahal was a niece of empress Nur Jahan and granddaughter of Mirza Ghiyas Beg I'timad-ud-Daulah, wazir of emperor Jehangir.

DAY 04 : Arrive Varanasi

Morning meet on arrival at Railway station and transfer to hotel, (We may get rooms after 12:00 hrs, but would try to get few rooms at least to wash & change) Later Visit SARNATH (where Buddha delivered his first sermon). Then city tour and some shopping in Varanasi, Overnight stay at hotel.

Sarnath enjoys the extraordinary privilege of Lord Buddha delivering his first sermon after attaining enlightenment 2500 years ago. It is about 10 km from Varanasi and holds a number of Buddhist sites that include the famous Dhamekh Stupa, the seat of the holy 'Buddha'. You can also visit the ruins of Dharmarajika Stupa and Mulagandha Kuti Temple, where Lord Buddha is said to have rested and meditated while in Sarnath. The Ashoka Pillar built by the emperor Ashoka is a must see in Sarnath. The Lion Capital on top of this pillar is now the National Emblem of India and stands apart for its excellent artistry and carvings.

DAY 05 : Varanasi – Bodhgaya

Early morning drive 8 hours to Bodhgaya. Arrive Bodhgaya transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit Mahabodhi Temple & Bodhi Tree, Great Buddha Statue, Niranjana River, Sujata Temple - which is across the Niranjana River & it's 30 minutes walk through the paddy fields. Also visit various other Buddhist Temples in Bodhgaya. Evening transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Bodhgaya is one of the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage center in the world. It was here under a banyan tree, the Bodhi Tree, Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha.

DAY 06 : Bodhgaya – Kushinagar

Early morning drive to Kushinagar with hot lunch on way. On arrival checkin at hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Located at 55 km from Gorakhpur, Kushinagar is the place where the Lord Buddha uttered his last words "Behold now, brethren, I exhort you, saying, decay is inherent in all component things! Work out your salvation with diligence!" and left for the heaven. A temple dedicated to the event - the Mahaparinirvana temple, stands testimony to the mournful demise. Among the various Stupas of Kushinagar, Rambhar Stupa needs your exploration for it is the place where Lord Buddha was supposedly cremated.

DAY 07 : Kushinagar – Lumbini

Morning after breakfast visit Mahaparinirvana Temple (where Buddha took his last breathe) and Rambhar Stupa (cremation site of lord Buddha), Japan-Temple. Afternoon drive 5 hrs to Lumbini (Nepal). While going to Lumbini, stop at India/Nepal border for Visa/Immigration formalities. Later check-in at Hotel. 15 Min. drive from the Nepal Border. Overnight stay at hotel.

DAY 08 : Varanasi – Bodhgaya

Noon visit Lumbini, the Birth place of Lord Buddha. Afternoon drive to Sravasti. On arrival checkin at hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. Sravasti situated 134 km from Lucknow and 29 km from Balrampur, Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetavana Gardens. It is sacred to Buddhists because it is here that Lord Buddha performed the Tirthika heretics.

DAY 09 : Sravasti – Lucknow

Morning visit Sravasti, where Buddha spent his 24 monsoons, visit Jetavana and Ananda Bodhi Tree, later drive to Lucknow. Arrive Lucknow transfer to Railway station for Delhi. Overnight at board.

DAY 10 : Arrive - Delhi - Departure

On arrival at Delhi railway station meet with our representative and transfer to the hotel for fresh-n-up. Later city sightseeing tour of Old Delhi. In the evening transfer to the airport to board the flight for onward destination.

Cost of the tour:- Per person cost 355 USD

COST INCLUDED

- 2 train tickets A/C 3 tire (from Agra to Varanasi and Lacknow to Delhi ).
- Transportation by A/C Luxury Coach throughout the tour.
- All pick up and dropping facilities from Delhi airport to airport.
- Sightseeing as per the itinerary.
- Mineral water bottle everyday.
- Accommodation on twin sharing basis.
- Breakfast and dinner every day at hotel (veg , non veg , continental meals ).
-Service of Yoga Instructor.
-Catural dance and show at Agra and Varanasi.
-1 time boat ride at river Ganges Varanasi.
-Services of Chinese speaking guide throughout the tour.
-All taxes.
-Drivers T.A. – D.A.
-ALL fuel, and state taxes, parking fee.



COST EXCLUDED

- Any airfare.
- Lunch.
- Any personal expenses like Laundry, STD calls, etc.
-Camera fee & Entrance fee to The Monument.
- Any insurance.
- Any claim & Delay charges due to natural Calamities such as land slide, road blockage, Heavy Rains, etc.
- Or any other things which are not mentioned in cost included column.