In the Footsteps of the Buddha

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In the Footsteps of the Buddha

The Buddhist Trail

On this tour you visit the major sites associated with the life and teachings of the Buddha. You start at Sarnath, where the Buddha preached his first sermon and then continue to Bodh Gaya where he gained enlightenment. You continue to Rajgir, where he came to meditate during the monsoons; the ancient university site of Nalanda, where he preached; Vaishali, where he gave his last sermon; and Kushinagar, where, lying on a bed under two trees, he died.



Day 1 - Bodh Gaya
Situated 10 km north of Varanasi, it was in Sarnath that Gautama the Buddha preached his first sermon 2500 years ago. The Archeological Museum is worth a visit to view unique Buddha masterpieces. In the afternoon drive from Varanasi to Bodh Gaya. It was here that Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment beneath a bodhi tree and so became the Buddha. On this sacred spot now stands the majestic Mahabodhi Temple.

Day 2 - Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is not so much a town as a true Buddhist working centre surrounded by farmland and rural villages. The main site is the famous Mahabodhi temple built at the spot where Buddha became enlightened. During the last century, Bodhgaya has been rejuvenated by overseas Buddhists, who have built an array of monasteries, temples and shrines. They attract pilgrims to study, meditate and absorb the ambience.

Day 3 - Patna
Today you follow a trail of ancient and modern Buddhist sites by visiting the many shrines and temples at Rajgir, and the extensive ruins of nearby Nalanda, one of the ancient world's first universities. You end the day in Patna, the capital of Bihar. The western part of the city still boasts gracious mansions and administrative buildings, while the area to the east includes the crowded, dusty old city with its bazaars and old mosques.

Day 4 - Kushinagar
From Patna you continue to Kushinagar, stopping en route to visit Vaishali. This is where the Buddha preached his last sermon and announced his approaching Nirvana. Kushinagar is celebrated as the place where the Buddha died and was cremated, and passed into nirvana. A modern temple, with a large "Reclining Buddha" statue, has been built to commemorate this, and various monuments relating to Buddha's last days on earth can be seen.

Day 5 - Varanasi
From Kushinagar you return to Varanasi where your tour ends. Alternatively can you continue to the Nepalese border town of Lumbini, the place where the Buddha was born, and end at Kathmandu.

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This is just one of our holiday suggestions for you. If it's perfect as it is, great! If not, let us tweak it for you, or we could tailor-make your ideal trip including:

  • Where you would like to stay
  • Dates that best suit you
  • Experiences or activities that you fancy
  • As long as you want in each place

Just get in touch and we will start advising and planning with you.

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Price Guide

  • From EUR 503 per person based on two people sharing.

Inclusions

    • Accommodation on twin share basis at selected hotels.
    • Stay on bed & breakfast basis.
    • Transport by private chauffeur-driven airconditioned car.
    • English-speaking local guide for tour of Sarnath & Bodh Gaya.
    • All transfers as per the itinerary.

    Tour price excludes

    • Tips and gratuities.
    • Services, Meals and Drinks other than those mentioned in the itinerary.
    • Laundry, telephone calls and expenditure of a personal nature.
    • Entrance fees (unless specifically mentioned in the inclusions) and extra charges for camera and video.
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Tweakable Holidays

This is just one of our holiday suggestions for you. If it's perfect as it is, great! If not, let us tweak it for you, or we could tailor-make your ideal trip including:

  • Where you would like to stay
  • Dates that best suit you
  • Experiences or activities that you fancy
  • As long as you want in each place

Just get in touch and we will start advising and planning with you.

Email us at info@travellers-palm.com or use our online form to get in touch.

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Bodh Gaya Place of enlightenment

Bodh Gaya is a sacred place for Buddhists from all over the world. It was here that Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment beneath a bodhi tree and so became the Buddha. On this sacred spot now stands the majestic Mahabodhi Temple. Pilgrims from many lands have built their own temples and monasteries which offer meditation courses varying from a week to a month during the winter. The International Meditation Centre also holds courses.

Patna The capital of Bihar

In ancient times Patna, then known as Paliputra, was renowned as one of the great cities of Asia, but today it is a congested urban sprawl, stretching along the banks of the Ganges for many kilometers. Divided in two by the large open Maidan, the area to the west, which was laid out by the British, still boasts gracious mansions and administrative buildings, while the area to the east includes the crowded, dusty old city with its bazaars and old mosques.

Kushinagar The place where the Buddha passed away

Kushinagar, 50 km east of Gorakpur, is celebrated as the place where the Buddha died and was cremated, and passed into nirvana. A modern temple, with a large "Reclining Buddha" statue, has been built to commemorate this, and various monuments relating to Buddha's last days on earth can be seen. In recent years many new temples have been constructed on the site by Chinese, Sri Lankan, Thai, and Japanese Buddhists alongside the ruins of ancient monasteries and stupas.

Varanasi One of the most important pilgrimage places in India

Varanasi is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for Hindus. It's believed that anyone who dies here will be liberated from the cycle of reincarnation, and bathing in the Ganges River is said to cleanse away all sins. The fascinating thing about this mystical city is that its rituals are revealed openly along the many riverside ghats, which are used for everything from bathing to burning the bodies of the dead. It is not the easiest city to appreciate as it is noisy, crowded and polluted, but it is certainly one of the most memorable places you will ever visit.

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Tweakable Holidays

This is just one of our holiday suggestions for you. If it's perfect as it is, great! If not, let us tweak it for you, or we could tailor-make your ideal trip including:

  • Where you would like to stay
  • Dates that best suit you
  • Experiences or activities that you fancy
  • As long as you want in each place

Just get in touch and we will start advising and planning with you.

Email us at info@travellers-palm.com or use our online form to get in touch.

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