Buddhist Trail Tour: 7 Days of Sacred Discovery

**Morning:** Fly to Lucknow, and upon arrival, begin your journey on the Buddhist Trail Tour. Drive to Sravasti, a key Buddhist pilgrimage site where Buddha delivered many significant sermons. Here, Buddha famously manifested a thousand-fold expression of himself, seated on a thousand-petaled lotus, with fire and water emerging from his body.

Check in at the hotel in Sravasti for an overnight stay.

After lunch, we’ll explore Sarnath, where Buddha delivered his First Sermon at Deer Park (Rishipattana). Visit key sites including the Buddha Temple, Dhamekha Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, Mulagandh Kuti Vihara, and the Archaeological Museum, which showcases artifacts from the Sarnath site.

In the evening, experience the Ganga Arti at the Ghats or a Buddhist ritual ceremony at the Sri Lankan Buddhist Temple, built with contributions from the AIK World Buddhist Cultural Association Japan and the Sri Lanka Buddhist Foundation. The temple features a domed shrine with a Buddha portrait and ceremonial items, framed by ink paintings on the wall.

Return to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay in Varanasi.

Morning: Visit Saheth in Sravasti, known for its Buddhist stupas and monasteries. Key sites include Gandhakuti, the sacred chamber used by Buddha, and Kosambakuti. Gandhakuti, or the "fragrant chamber," is significant as Buddha's personal retreat, where devotees offer flowers.

Afterward: Drive to Kapilvastu, an important pilgrimage site where Buddha spent his childhood and youth. Once the capital of the Shakya kingdom, the area is rich in Buddhist history and features stupas built by Ashoka and Gupta kings.

Finally: Proceed to Lumbini, renowned worldwide as the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel for an overnight stay.

Morning: Visit the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, believed to be the birthplace of Siddhartha in 563 BC. The temple is surrounded by the remains of ancient monasteries and temples, including ruins from the 3rd century BC. Explore the sacred garden, Ashoka's ancient pillar, and the old stupas. Traditional robed monks can be seen under a Bodhi (pipal) tree adorned with prayer flags. Adjacent to the temple is a sacred pond where Maya Devi is said to have bathed before Buddha’s birth.

Later: Travel to Kushinagar, an essential pilgrimage site where Buddha delivered his last sermon. Once the center of the Mallas dynasty, few ruins from that era remain. Ashoka the Great also constructed many structures at this site where Buddha attained Nirvana.

Arrive and check in at the hotel.

In the afternoon: Visit the Nirvana Temple, situated on a plinth, which houses a reclining Buddha statue made of monolithic red sandstone. The statue, dating back to the 5th century, rests on a large brick pedestal with stone posts and features beautifully engraved inscriptions.

Also visit the Ramabhar Stupa, known as Mukutbandhan-Chaitya, the cremation site of Lord Buddha. Overnight stay at the hotel.

In the morning leave for Varanasi, the oldest living city of the world and is famous as the city of temples. Varanasi or Kashi as it is popularly known is the most important place of pilgrimage for Hindus and the sight of devout praying standing water deep in Ganges. Upon arrival check in at hotel. Later in the afternoon we go to witness Ganga Aarti at Dashasumedh ghat which is performed daily by a group of priests there. It is a unique and unforgettable experience as the ceremony will enchant you with spiritual thoughts and positivity. Overnight stay.

Early in the morning, we go for a boat tour on the holy Ganges. This is an experience for which so many visitors from all over the world come to Varanasi. Sailing on the holy waters of Ganga, you will witness thousands of pilgrims worshipping and having a bath in the holy water. Later, we leave for Sarnath, one of the four most important Buddhist pilgrimage destinations in India. Visit Dhamekh Stupa which is the most wonderful and massive structure at Sarnath. Built partly in brick and partly in stone, the Dhamekh Stupa is 28 meter in diameter at the base and 43.6 meter in height.

The Stupa has a specific significance at Sarnath as it signifies the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon after he attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Here he preached his first discourse to his five former companions. This event is described in Buddhist texts as dharma chakra – pravartana, meaning the turning of the Wheel of Law. The Buddha taught them all that he had learned and thus they also became enlightened. This marked the foundation of the first Buddhist Sangha or the community of monks. The name Dhamekh proves that it certainly has some linkage with Buddha’s Dharma. It is believed that the Stupa was built by Ashoka on the spot where Buddha set in motion the wheel of law.

We finally depart for Bodhgaya and upon arrival check in at hotel for overnight stay.

Full day is dedicated to visit of Bodhgaya. Visit Mahabodhi Temple which is believed to be built by Great Ashoka who visited this site 250 year after the enlightenment of Buddha. The Temple was rebuilt in 7th century A.D. and it has a long history that has seen periods of invasions and destruction. Muslim invaders destroyed the temple in the 12th century but the Burmese kings restored the temple in the 14th century. However, the temple complex was severely flooded and remained buried under silt till 1811. The temple finally received its last and massive restoration and conservation work after it was excavated in 1861.

The main attraction of the temple is Bodhi Tree under which Buddha spent one week after enlightenment. The Tree is considered to be among the oldest and the most venerated tree in the world. The present tree is considered only as the descendant of the original tree. Daughter of Ashoka, Bhikkhuni Sangamitta, took a shoot of the original Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C. where the Lankan king Devanampiya Tissa planted it at the Mahavihara monastery in Anuradhapura where it still flourishes today.

Besides the ancient remains, there are temples or monasteries built by other Buddhist countries like Thailand, China, Sri Lanka, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Taiwan, Bhutan etc. Overnight stay.

In the morning, transfer to Gaya airport to catch flight for onward destination.

Early morning Boat tour on River Ganges to visit Bathing Ghats. We explore Ghats to witness the live rituals of the world’s most important religion. Sailing on the holy waters of Ganga, enjoy the sight of sunrise and at the background you will experience thousands of pilgrims worshipping sunrise and having a bath in the holy water. Return to hotel for breakfast.

Later excursion to Sarnath, one of the four most important Buddhist pilgrimage destinations in India. Visit Dhamekh Stupa which is the most wonderful and massive structure at Sarnath. Built partly in brick and partly in stone, the Dhamekh Stupa is 28 meter in diameter at the base and 43.6 meter in height.

The Stupa has a specific significance at Sarnath as it signifies the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon after he attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Here he preached his first discourse to his five former companions. This event is described in Buddhist texts as dharmachakra – pravartana, meaning the turning of the Wheel of Law. The Buddha taught them all that he had learned and thus they also became enlightened. This marked the foundation of the first Buddhist Sangha or the community of monks. The name Dhamekh proves that it certainly has some linkage with Buddha’s Dharma. It is believed that the Stupa was built by Ashoka on the spot where Buddha set in motion the wheel of law.

While returning to Varanasi, tour of Ganges by boat and experience Aarti ceremony on Ghat there. Overnight stay at hotel.

In the morning, transfer to airport to catch flight for onwards destination.