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Day1 - Arrive Delhi
Traditional welcome on arrival at Delhi international airport and transfer to hotel. |
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Day2 - Delhi
After breakfast, guided tour of historic city of Delhi. The city where one can experience the influence of the many rulers who ruled this region, a city built and destroyed and re-built over seven times. The guided tour takes to the monuments that depict the different eras. The tour includes the magnificent Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Asia's largest mosque, Rajghat - the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi - the "Father of the Nation". Afternoon tour of New Delhi to include Humanyun Tomb, Birla Mandir, Bahai Temple, Qutab Minar, India Gate, President'' House and drive through Connaught Place. Evening, see Son-et-Lumerie at Red Fort (optional). Overnight at hotel. |
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Day3 - Delhi - Lucknow (flight) – Sravasti (surface- 170kms)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Lucknow. Arrive Lucknow and straight proceed to Sravasti (170 kms). Arrive Sravasti, transfer to hotel. Overnight in hotel. |
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Day4 - Sravasti – Lumbini (225 kms)
Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit Sahet Mahet, capital of ancient Kingdom of Kosala, Jetvana Vihar & Buddhist temples. Leave Sravasti for Lumbini. On arrival, transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day5 - Lumbini – Kushinagar (148 kms)
Breakfast at hotel. Take a half day guided tour of Lumbini, declared a World Heritage Site. Visit the Sacred Gardens, Ashoka pillar and Lumbini Museum. Drive then to Kushinagar via Kapilavastu. 91 kms from Lumbini is Kapilavastu, where Lord Buddha spent the formative years of his youth; where he saw suffering and pain, disease and death. Visit the main stupa complex, eastern stupa and the ruins of the palace. Drive onto Kushinagar - the place where Buddha passed into Parinirvana. |
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Day6 - Kushinagar – Varanasi (260 kms / 6 hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Half day guided tour of Kushinagar visiting the Ramabha stupa, which stands, on the spot where the body of the Lord was cremated. Also visit Natha Kumarka Kot enshrining the large recumbent figure of Buddha in the state of Nirvana. Drive to Varanasi. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day7 - Varanasi
After breakfast, a half-day guided tour to Sarnath - the principle centre of Buddhism. It was here around 530 B.C that Buddha preached his 1st sermon after gaining enlightenment. Visit the Choukhandi Stupa, Dhamekh and Dharmarajika stupas. Return to Varanasi. Afternoon visit the ghats and temples. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day8 - Varanasi – Bodh Gaya (242 Kms / 6 hrs)
Breakfast. Drive to Bodh Gaya - one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres. It was here that Gautama attained enlightenment and became Buddha under the "Bodhi" tree. On arrival check into hotel. Evening free for relaxation. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day9 - Bodhgaya – Rajgir (193 kms / 4 hrs & 30 mins)
After breakfast, a half-day guided tour of Bodh Gaya visiting the Bodhi tree, Satabodhi temple, Japanese and Tibetan monasteries along with Magadha University museum are also visited. Enroute to Rajgir, stopover at the Baraliar caves - the earliest examples of rock cut caves. Most impressive craftsmanship of carving and rock inscription can be seen. These caves served as inspiration for the setting of E.M Foresters "A Passage to India". Arrive Rajgir and overnight at hotel. |
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Day10 - Rajgir
Breakfast at hotel. Morning visit Nalanda - the world's oldest university founded in the 5th century. Also visit monasteries and temples with impressive Buddhist & Hindu images. The Institute for research into Buddhism and Pali literature, which houses rare manuscripts, is also worth visiting for the enthusiasts. Archaeological museum is also not to be missed for the rare collections. In the afternoon visit the Indasala caves, where Sakka came to ask the Buddha his eight questions. Return to Rajgir. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day11 - Rajgir
Breakfast at hotel. Half day guided tour of Rajgir the capital of 6th century Magadha Empire. It was revered site of Buddha’s discourses. Buddha spent many years here. Visit Gridhrakula, Sapataparni cave, Ajatsatru fort and Venuvana. Drive to Patna. Overnight at hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day12 - Rajgir - Ratnagiri (600 kms / 9 hrs)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Ratnagiri. On arrival, transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel. |
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Day13 - Ratnagiri
Breakfast. Full day guided tour of the three main Buddhist destinations in Orissa: Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri. At Ratangiri visit the two large monasteries and a huge stupa and at Lalitgiri visit the brick pagodas, stone porches and the prayer halls. Overnight at Hotel. |
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Day14 - Ratnagiri – Bhubaneshwar
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Bhubaneshwar. On the way stop over at the Dhauli, the place where the Emperor Asoka renounced bloodshed and embraced the teachings of Buddhism. Visit the Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda) and the Asokan rock edicts, which were built by the emperor throughout his empire. Arrival at Bhubaneshwar. Overnight at hotel |
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Day15 - Bhubaneshwar – Delhi (flight)
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer in time to the airport to catch flight to Delhi. On arrival, transfer to Delhi International Airport for flight back to home.
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