Buddhist Circuit Golden Tour

Our representative meets you at the international airport in Delhi and transfers you to your hotel.

Today we visit the main landmarks of New Delhi. We begin at India Gate, a war memorial dedicated to the 70,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died between 1914 and 1921 in the First World War. We stop at Humayun's Tomb, the resting place of the Mughal Emperor Humayun, built in 1569 by Persian architects. Next is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the residence of the President of India, the world's largest democracy. It was first designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and built by thousands of labourers. The Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) was also designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens and took six years to complete. Extensive gardens surround the building. We also visit the city's business centre, known for its Georgian-style buildings, international chain stores, old cinemas and Indian restaurants. After New Delhi, we travel to Jaipur, the city of forts.

After breakfast, we go to the Amber Fort, where you can ride up on the back of an elephant. We then continue into Jaipur city to see its main monuments. These include the Hawa Mahal, built in 1799 AD, which has 953 windows and is said to resemble the crown of Krishna, and the Chandra Mahal, with its mixture of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture. You also see the Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum. At a rug and gem workshop, the workers explain how rugs and gems are made. We then visit the Jantar Mantar Observatory, which has the world's largest stone sundial, and you can buy souvenirs in the Johari Bazaar.

From Jaipur we travel to Agra, stopping on the way at Fatehpur Sikri, a small city in northern India known for the group of red sandstone buildings at its centre. We then continue to Agra.

The best-known landmark in Agra is the Taj Mahal, regarded around the world as a monument to love. It was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The white marble mausoleum took about 20 years to complete and involved thousands of artisans and architects. After exploring Agra, drive to Delhi and fly to Varanasi. Our representative meets you at Varanasi airport and transfers you to the hotel. In the evening, you can watch the evening ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat before returning to the hotel.

Varanasi is a major religious city that attracts thousands of pilgrims every day. The day begins at the ghats with an early morning boat trip on the Ganges. Afterwards, we return to the hotel for breakfast. During the day, we visit the Deer Park at Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon and where you can see deer. You can still see the ruins of the Dharmarajika Stupa and the Dhamek Stupa.

After breakfast, drive to Bodhgaya, which takes approximately 5 hours, and visit the Mahabodhi Temple.

Bodhgaya is where Prince Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, attained enlightenment beneath a Bodhi tree. The small town is one of the most important places for Buddhists, and many pilgrims come here each year for prayer, study and meditation. Its sights include the Mahabodhi Temple, the Bodhi tree and the Great Buddha Statue. Travel to Rajgir to see the Buddhist statues and the nearby hot springs. From Rajgir, continue to Nalanda, the site of a large ancient Buddhist monastery. Afterwards, return to Bodhgaya.

After breakfast, we travel to Kushinagar, visiting Vaishali on the way.

After breakfast, we visit the Mahaparinirvana Temple, which many believe is the place where Gautama Buddha died. Inside is a 6-metre reclining statue of the Buddha. We also visit the Ramabhar Stupa, then travel to Lumbini, Nepal.

Today you explore Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. Visit the Mayadevi Temple, dedicated to the mother of the Buddha. Lumbini has many excavation sites, with ancient ruins, artefacts and temples, including the ruins of the old city. Other notable landmarks include the Myanmar Golden Temple, the World Peace Pagoda, various monasteries, and the ancient Ashoka Pillar, whose inscriptions confirm that Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha.

After breakfast, we set off for a full day of sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley, visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. Afterwards, we drive to the hill station of Nagarkot.

Early in the morning, we watch the sunrise from the hill station of Nagarkot. Nagarkot is a quiet place away from the city, with fresh air and green hills, and a backdrop of snow peaks including the Annapurna range and the Jugal range. We return to Kathmandu via Bhaktapur. You spend the night in Kathmandu, with a cultural show and dinner.

We transfer you to Kathmandu airport for your flight home. Alternatively, you can extend the trip to visit Pokhara, Chitwan National Park, Bhutan or Tibet.