1 Week Buddhism Nepal Tour

The Buddhism Nepal Tour commences from today and we shall make it our duty to explore the major Buddhist and UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu valley, Swoyambhunath, and Boudhanath.

Swoyambhunath

The Swoyambhunath stupa stands atop a hill in the Kathmandu valley. From the hotel, it is relatively near. The stupa is an important hub for the followers of Buddhism. Legend has it that this stupa sprouted out of a lotus. On the contrary, historical records state that it was built around the 5th century. Regardless of its origin, the stupa is a great place to learn about the secrets of Buddhism and its effect on the life and culture of locals.

Boudhanath

An equally important Buddhist pilgrim is Boudhanath. This stupa is huge in comparison to Swoyambhunath and is spread out. The dome is draped in white whereas the top is decorated with a cubicle gold structure with eyes that look in every direction. The stupa is often called ‘Little Tibet’. The reason behind its name stems from the fact that it lies on the ancient trade route between Nepal and Tibet. The ambiance in Boudhanath is filled with prayers, incense, and hope. Overnight in Kathmandu.

The journey for today takes us to Nambuddha which is about 43 km from Kathmandu. The monastery sits on elevated land. As a result, it provides astounding views of the green countryside and even the faraway snowy mountains. The monastery is colored in red and yellow and it is also one of the ancient Thrangu Tashi Yangtse monasteries. The history behind Namobuddha is that Buddha, in his ancient life had offered himself to a tigress to satiate its hunger and to prevent it from eating its cubs.

Once at Namobuddha, you can feel the serenity. There are monks here too and you can learn a thing or two about Buddhism from them. Overnight in Kathmandu.

The Buddhism Nepal tour takes us to Lumbini via an airplane. The flight takes at least 45 minutes. Lumbini lies in the Terai region so, therefore, it is pretty hot here. Once we get our stuff, we will head out to visit the Maya Devi Temple.

Maya Devi Temple

The Maya Devi temple is a historic site in Lumbini. It is the place where Lord Gautam Buddha was born. The temple consists of archaeological ruins that date back to thousands of years. In front of the temple lie the Maya Devi pond. It is believed the Lord Buddha’s mother bathed in it. Also, a timber shrine was discovered recently which is another attraction of this temple.

The Ashoka Pillar

Emperor Ashoka ruled India thousands of years ago. The Ashoka Pillar was erected by him when he visited Lumbini in the past. The pillar states the fact that Lord Buddha was born in Lumbini. Overnight in Lumbini.

Lumbini has so many things to offer and we shall take it upon ourselves to explore them.

Monasteries

There are many monasteries in Lumbini that are not only a sight to behold but give profound knowledge of Buddhism too. We shall visit the World Peace Pagoda, Royal Thai Buddhist monastery, Dharma Swami Maharaja Vihar, and the Sri Lankan monastery. These monasteries are all built-in different fashion and reflect the essence of architecture and religion.

Museum

The Lumbini museum dates back to the 1970s and is home to more than 10,000 artifacts. Feast your eyes on the manuscripts, coins, and stamps that depict the life of ancient Lumbini. Observing these artifacts will provide you a thorough idea about the past of Buddhism and where it is heading now. Overnight in Lumbini.

Today is the end of the Buddhism Nepal tour and consequently, we shall head back to Kathmandu via airplane. Upon arriving in Kathmandu, freshen up and head to the Patan Durbar Square. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and we shall visit the Golden temple. It is also called the Hiranya varna Mahavihar and is affiliated with Newar Buddhism.