Tour Profile: 5 nights 6 days
4 days in Ktm
2 days in Lumbini

TCN now brings you the opportunity of visiting Nepal to see Buddhism in its historical perspective and to discover how a philosophy of tolerance, non-violence and love for all creatures great and small preached by a Sakya prince over two thousand five hundred years ago has enriched the lives of peoples all over the world.

Day 01
Upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu we are met and assisted by TCN staff and transferred to your hotel.

Day 02
We start our pilgrimage tour with a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square, the palace of the Malla and then the Shah kings of Nepal. Places of interest here are the Kasthamandup, a medieval rest house said to give Kathmandu its name, Kumari Temple, abode of the virgin goddess. From here we visit Swoyambhunath Stupa one of the most important center of Buddhist learning in Nepal. The stupa is located on top of a hill overlooking Kathmandu valley. From here we visit Bodhnath stupa, possibly the largest stupa in the world and the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.

In the afternoon we take a 45-minute drive to Namobuddha, situated atop a hill near the old town of Dhulikhel. This place is celebrated as the meditation site of Nama Buddha, a Buddha incarnate of ancient times. There is also a legend that the incarnate offered a starving tigress about to devour a helpless child his own limbs so that both the tigress and the child might be saved.

Day 03

After Breakfast today we visit Patan famous for its arts and crafts. Pilgrimage highlights are Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, a beautiful monastery and Mahaboudha, a replica of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. From here we visit the Tibetan cultural center first founded by the Tibetan refugees of the late fifties and now an exhibition-cum-shopping complex of carpets, jewellery and many interesting souvenirs.
We take the domestic service of Royal Nepal Airlines to the southern bordercity of Bhairahawa. Here we'll be met by our guides and driven 21 kms. (13 miles) to the west to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. We then take our pilgrimage tour of Lumbini Gardens where Lord Buddha was born. Temple of Maya Devi, Buddha's mother depicting the nativity scene of Buddha and the Ashoka Pillar, built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka to mark his pilgrimage to Lumbini in 240 B.C. are the highlights here.

Day 04

Lumbini-Tilaurakot-Lumbini Today we take an excursion to Tilaurakot (27 kms or 17 miles) to the west, the ancient capital of Kapilavastu, the kingdom of the Sakya dynasty in which family Lord Buddha was born. The ruins of a palace is found here which clearly shows the gate through which Lord Buddha walked out of his palace renouncing all worldly possessions in the quest for Niravana. We return to Lumbini/Bhairahawa after the full-day excursion and spend the night at our hotel.

Day 05
Lumbini-Kathmandu Breakfast We drive to Bhairahawa after breakfast and catch the flight back to Kathmandu. We have the rest of the day free for shopping and walking around the interesting streets of Kathmandu. We spend the night in Kathmandu at a hotel.

Day 06
We are free until our transfer to the airport for our departure flight.