Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha, is the centre of holy faith for the millions of Buddhists all over the world. Located in south-western Nepal, Lumbini holds several reminders of Lord Buddha. One of the most important historical sites in Nepal is endowed by nature with rich natural beauty.
It is situated 230 km away from Kathmandu in Rubandehi District of Southern Terai (lowland), at an altitude of 600 ft. above sea level. In 1998, Lumbini was declared as the Fountain of world peace and the pilgrimage for all the peace loving people of the world.
Important places in Lumbini are:
# The Lumbini Garden: This is the site marked by a certain stone pillar erected by the Indian Emperor Ashoka at about 245 B.C. The most important discovery in this place is a stone marked to suggest the exact birthplace of Buddha.
# Mayadevi Temple: This temple, dedicated to the mother of lord Buddha- Maya Devi, was excavated a few years ago. Many sculptures and carving in which the figures and designs are only slightly projecting from their background are seen here.
# Pushkarni pond: This is the pond where Mayadevi is said to have had a bath before giving birth to Buddha.
# Ramagram: It is believed to be the maternal home of Buddha. This is where we can see the biggest stupa, with important relics. It is said that it was built around 600 B.C.
Lumbini has many new monasteries occupied by different nations. Some notable ones are:
# The Myanmar temple, was built with the contribution from Burmese Buddhist. The monastery is an attractive big white structural monument with a golden pinnacle soaring into the sky.
# The China temple, which is a very beautiful pagoda styled temple with many prayer and meditation cells.
# The Korean Temple, is a beautifully set temple having many remarkable images of Buddha.
Besides these, there are others like the Nepal Buddhia Temple and the Dharmaswami Buddhist monastery. Other countries like Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, etc. are also contributing to build more temples and monasteries from different country.
DETAILED ITINERARY:
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1300m.)You will be received by our representatives and will be transferred to hotel. After checking into our rooms, stay Overnight in hotel Kathmandu.
Day 02: Kathmandu valley sightseeing tour.Breakfast at Hotel. Full day sightseeing-Visit 2000 years old Buddhist shrine Swyambhunath, situated on the top of the hill west of the city the most popular and instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. The temple is colloquially known as the “Monkey Temple”. There are many small buildings and shrines down the hillside behind Swayambhunath. Explore the colorful Kathmandu Durbar Square- the Old Royal Palace of Kathmandu, Temple of living goddess Kumari, the Jagannath temple, and 17th century temple known for colorfully painted erotic carvings, Kasthmandap temple a three story temple built from a single tree in 12th century. Lunch: 1300hrs- 1400hrs PM: Patan is often referred to as Lalitpur, which means “city of beauty”. Patan has a long Buddhist History and the four corners of the city are marked by Stupas erected by the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka around 250 BCE. Visit Patan City second largest city of valley including Royal Palace, Bhimsen temple, Manga Hiti, King Yogaendra Malla’s Statue, Krishna temple, Taleju temple 15th century Golden Temple and Mahaboudha Temple known as temple of 10,000 Buddha, Kumbeshwar Temple. Bishwakarma Temple, Uma Maheshwar Temple. Overnight stay at the Hotel.
Day 03: Kathmandu to Lumbini.After taking a nutritious breakfast, we travel overland from Kathmandu to the Lumbini, one of the places with breathtaking views and scenic beauty. The birthplace of Lord Buddha, it is one of the most compelling places to visit in Nepal. Considered as the place of holy pilgrimage, Lumbini falls in the list of World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO.The moment we arrive at Lumbini, we transfer you to the hotel for taking rest after the journey. Check-in and then we go walking through the Sacred Lumbini Garden, the place to visit as it is considered the holy place and the birth place of the Lord Buddha. There remains the Ashoka pillar on the charts too. Visiting the Maya Devi Temple with its bas-relief sculpture depicting Maya Devi also marks this on our Nepal tour journey.
Day 04: Lumbini Sightseeing Tour.After taking our breakfast, we start for the trip by driving away, 27km west of Lumbini. Visiting the important archaeological site, Tilaurkot also remains on our traveling charts. As we know that the ancient palace of King Suddodha (Siddhartha Gautam's father), is a place to visit, we also take you to other sites as well. This is the place you will love to see as it is here the Buddha spent his formative years as a Shakya Prince. Enjoy yourself for a moment to wander around and immerse in the glory of wonderful places. There is also a museum nearby for you to enjoy.
Day 05: Lumbini to Kathmandu.After taking our breakfast, we go to Lumbini via road and back to Kathmandu. Check-in at the hotel is planned thereafter taking the day at your own leisure.
Day 06: Final Departure from Kathamndu.Breakfast at Hotel. Departure to your onward destination.
COST INCLUDED:
# Airport pickup and drop off by our private vehicle.
# 3 star Hotel accommodation with free breakfast.
# All Ground transfer as per above itinerary by private vehicle/flight.
# Professional tour guide on whole day trip in Kathmandu.
# Sightseeing and Monastery fees as per itinerary.
# Farewell dinner in typical Nepali Restaurant with cultural dance show.
# All our government taxes, vat, official expenses & service charges.
Trip Facts:
Destination: Nepal
Location: South-western Nepal
Grade: Easy
Duration: 06 Days
Importance: One of the most important historical sites in the country, UNESCO world heritage site
Known For: Religious historical sites
Attraction: Kapilvastu
Accommodation: Hotel
Transport: Drive or Flight
Group Size: 2 to 15