Heard about Buddha or been following his teachings to live a happy life? Want to visit the sacred birthplace of Buddha?
Lumbini Pilgrimage Tour is the best designed tour to pay a pilgrimage to the birth place of Buddha. After a day of exploring some incredibly beautiful Buddhist spiritual and other sites in Kathmandu valley, the trip goes to explore Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha. While in Lumbini you will explore Mayadevi temple to see the mark of his birth that Buddha left when he was born on a piece of stone. You can wander around and visit monasteries of different traditions from around the world.
Overview
The incredibility of the mountains, nature, culture and spirituality is blended in this single trip and you can experience them all at their best. Driving around the country to go to those places also brings a great insight about how Nepal looks like and how people live here. You can enjoy the views of Langtang, Manaslu, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri range of the Himalayas during the trip. In addition to the view of the Himalayan peaks, you can also experience a rich and diverse cultural experience as you go around on the trip. This is the trip that makes your holiday awesome.
Highlights
- Cultural sightseeing tour of Kathmandu
- Visit the sacred garden where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was born.
- Explore the Mayadevi Temple, an ancient shrine marking the exact spot where Buddha was born.
- See the Ashoka Pillar, erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC
- Visit the World Peace Pagoda, a symbol of peace and unity
- Immerse yourself in Buddhist history at the Lumbini Museum
- xplore different monastic zones representing diverse Buddhist nations.
- Enjoy cultural performances and rituals by Buddhist monks
Itinerary
Today is the day of your arrival in Kathmandu, Nepal. As soon as you come out of the Kathmandu airport, you will find our representative waiting for you in the waiting area right outside the arrival lounge. You will be warmly greeted and welcomed by the representative and led to the vehicle. Our vehicle will take you to the trip hotel, most of the time in Thamel, that is 20-30 minutes’ drive, depending upon traffic, from the airport.
After you check into the hotel, you can take relaxing time on your own as there are no activities scheduled for today, except our trip briefing meeting. We will let you know about the briefing timing upon your arrival.
Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel. We come to take your for a wonderful cultural heritage tour of Kathmandu valley. As part of the tour, we are going to visit four of the UNESCO Heritage monuments in Kathmandu valley. The places we visit today are incredible mixture of culture, history, spirituality, art and stories. Overnight in Hote.
Swoyambhunath
Believed to have been created on its own, this Budhhist stupa is the oldest of all the monuments in Kathmandu valley. Standing atop a small hillock, Swoyambunath, known as monkey temple amongst tourists, provides a fascinating view of the valley, surrounding hills and snow-capped mountain at the distance on a clear day.
Patan Durbar Square
One of the three medieval palace squares, Patan Durbar Square holds its medieval art and architectural grandeur. Amazing skill of the artisans is evident in each and every building that stands in the square. The square comprises of medieval palace, temples and museum.
Pashupatinath
This site is the most sacred Hindu temple area in the country. But, as the temple is strictly a Hindu only area, non-Hindu tourists go there to watch the unique Hindu cremation rituals on the bank of River Bagmati. The death rites of Hindu family there are so engrossing and heart-touching which make you feel the moment. It’s not any kind of intrusion in being there and watching somebody being cremated in an open ground. It’s a great cultural experience.
Boudhanath
This giant Buddhist stupa is considered as the biggest one in the world. This small square with giant shrine has a powerful presence of the spiritual vibrations. It’s an important pilgrimage site for the people following Tibetan Buddhism.
After the tour, we drive to Nagarkot, 32 kilometers east of Kathmandu, to stay overnight.
It is the day that we drive to Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha. A whole day overland journey lies ahead for us. The journey goes through beautiful rural settings. The highway stretches first through middle hills of Nepal along the river banks to meet plain land in Chitwan. From Chitwan onwards the journey is on the flat plain in most of the stretch. Once we reach Lumbini and check into our hotel, we can laze around to release the stiffness and tiredness of sitting whole day on vehicle.
We are on a spiritual pilgrimage of the birth place of Buddha. We explore sacred places in Lumbini today. Our exploration of the area will take us to visit the Sacred Garden, Mayadevi temple, Pushkarini (the sacred Pond), World Peace stupa, monastic zone, and museum. The full day exploration of Lumbini will bring us to a closer understanding of life of Buddha. It is an amazing day of paying respect to the person who propounded a way to the happy life.
After a day of amazing spiritual immersion in Lumbini, it is time to explore and learn some historical and archaeological facts related to Buddha and his life. Being born as the crown prince of Kapilvastu, Buddha spent 29 years of his life there before leaving everything behind in search of the happiness. We can find many interesting facts about his life. After the exploration, we return back to Lumbini to stay overnight.
We fly back to Kathmandu from Lumbini today. We are avoiding long day of road journey along the same highway this time so that we can save some time to wander around in Kathmandu. Once we are in Kathmandu, we go to hotel and spend the whole day at leisure on our own. Finding relieving massage, good food, souvenir shopping, and wandering around can keep you busy for the day.
A farewell dinner is scheduled for this evening. We will let you know the departure time for dinner once we reach Kathmandu.
The final day of the trip, we drive you to airport for your scheduled flight homebound or other destination. We will pick you up 3 hours prior to your flight schedule.
The Trip Cost Includes
- Airport Pick and Drop in Kathmandu by Private vehicle.
- Welcome/Farewell dinner with cultural program.
- Tourist Standard Hotel Accmmodiation in Kathmandu for 3Nights & Lumbini 3Nights with B/B Basis.
- Private transportation to and from the starting and ending points of the tour.
- Lumbini - Kathmandu Flight Ticket with Airport Tax.
- Guided UNIESCO World Heritage Sites Tour in Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and Pokhara with entrance permit.
- Professional & highly expertise government licensed holder English Speaking Tour Guide.
- All expenses of the Guide that includes Food, Accommodation, Salary, Insurance, Equipment during your travel period.
- Comprehensive First Aid Kit.
- Arrangement of all rescue and evacuation promptly, in Worst Condition
- Group Touring Gears.
- Tour Map, Friends Adventure Team's special Souvenir.
The Trip Cost Excludes
- Meals in Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara and Nagarkot (Includes in Full Board Tour).
- Any packed food/snacks, aerated drinks, energy drinks, mineral water, alcohol, cigarettes, chocolates, nutria-bars.
- All desserts, sweet things like chocolate, cake, pie, pudding.
- Items of personal nature, Laundry Expenses.
- Clothing, Packing Items or Bags, Personal Medical Kit, Personal Trekking Gears.
- Any additional staff other than specified.
- Medical and Travel Insurance and Emergency rescue by any means of Transportation including Helicopter evacuation if required.
- Rescue, Repatriation, Medicines, Medical Tests and Hospitalization expenses.
- Airfare of international flights.
- Nepal entry visa fee (Visa issuance is easy at the arrival).
- Gratuities to guide, porters and driver (Not mandatory but expected as customizetripomary thank you for the service).
- Any other item not included in "Cost Includes" Section.
Frequently asked Questions
Nepal is famous for places like Kathmandu (the capital), Pokhara, Chitwan National Park, and Everest Base Camp. These spots offer stunning natural beauty and cultural experiences.
The best time to visit Nepal is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) when the weather is pleasant, and trekking conditions are excellent.
Yes, most visitors need a visa to enter Nepal. You can get a tourist visa upon arrival at the airport or apply for one at the Nepalese embassy in your home country.
Yes, Nepal is generally safe for tourists. However, it’s essential to take usual precautions, like avoiding isolated areas at night and securing your belongings.
Nepal offers various activities such as trekking, mountaineering, wildlife safari, cultural tours, and adventure sports like paragliding and rafting.
Nepali cuisine is diverse and flavorful, with staples like dal bhat (lentil soup with rice), momo (dumplings), and various curries. Don’t miss trying local teas like chiya and traditional desserts like sel roti.
Yes, some trekking routes in Nepal can be done independently. However, for remote or challenging treks, it’s advisable to hire a guide or join a group for safety and navigation.
Pack lightweight and breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, a first aid kit, insect repellent, a reusable water bottle, and a good quality backpack. Don’t forget essentials like sunscreen and a hat.
Respect the local culture by dressing modestly, removing your shoes before entering homes or temples, asking for permission before taking photos of people, and being mindful of local customs and traditions.
The currency in Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). While major cities and tourist areas accept credit cards, it’s advisable to carry cash, especially in rural areas where card payments might not be accepted.
Yes. Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you are used to and at times you can just lose connection.
Yes, there are ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) available in many cities and popular tourist areas in Nepal. However, it’s important to note that in more remote or rural areas, ATMs might be scarce. When you plan your Nepal tour, especially if you are trekking or traveling to less populated areas, it’s a good idea to carry enough cash with you.
Credit cards work in big cities and tourist spots, but it’s like having a backup plan. In smaller towns and local markets, it’s better to have cash (Nepalese Rupees) to make your purchases smoother.
Chitwan is like a nature’s paradise! You can see elephants, rhinos, tigers, and a variety of birds. It’s like stepping into a real-life jungle book.
Nepal’s weather is like a rollercoaster, but in a good way! It varies from hot and humid in the lowlands to chilly in the mountains. Summers (June to August) are warm, and winters (December to February) can be quite cold, especially in the mountains.
Absolutely! Nepal is like a veggie paradise. Many of our traditional dishes are vegetarian. You can enjoy dal bhat, momo, and various curries, all deliciously meat-free.
Yes, Nepal welcomes volunteers with open arms! There are various opportunities, from teaching in schools to helping in conservation projects. Volunteering is like becoming part of our community, sharing skills, and making a difference.
