Lumbini Tour

Arriving in Kathmandu counts as the first day of the Lumbini tour, you will land at the Tribhuvan International Airport where you will also get your tourist visa. After you arrive at the airport, the airport officials will guide you to the immigration booth where you have to fill out a tourist visa application.

If you decide to fill out an online form, you will receive a barcode after filling out the form which you have to print out and bring along to present at the immigration booth. This is a better alternative to filling out physical application forms during the busy travel seasons.

Duration

30 mins

Max Altitude

1300m

Meals

Breakfast

Accommodation

Hotel

On the 2nd day of the trip, you will travel to the holy site of Lumbini via a short 45-minute flight. From Kathmandu, we will move after having a tasty morning breakfast at the hotel you stayed at.

Our Lumbini tour guide will make sure that you have carried all your belongings and also ensure timely departure so as not to miss the flight due to any issues.

Meals

Breakfast

Accommodation

Hotel

Finally, the day has arrived, you will travel to the holy site of Lumbini. The 3rd day of the Lumbini tour will fully be comprised of walking around the Lumbini Heritage site, here’s detailed information about the day.

Mayadevi Temple

The center of Lumbini is the Mayadevi Temple. The Nativity Sculpture, the remnants, and the Marker Stone associated with Lord Sakyamuni Buddha’s birth are housed there. The Marker Stone shows the exact birthplace and the Nativity Sculpture shows the birth event of the Lord Gautam Buddha.

The structural remnants of the Mayadevi Temple date back to various stages of the temple’s construction and renovation over the ages, according to archaeological findings. Collecting the burnt bricks from his journey to Lumbini in 249 BC, Emperor Asoka constructed a platform to protect the Nativity Tree, which was the spot where Prince Siddhartha was born to Mayadevi.

The Maya Devi temple has a different entrance and ticketing than the other parts of the Lumbini temple site. There is a brief security check as well, but nothing overly thorough. Since this is the most important Buddhist site in the world, a little security is needed.

The ruins of an old tree shrine dating back approximately 550 BCE were found in November 2013 by a global group of archaeologists excavating beneath the temple. The location may represent the first examples of Buddhist buildings as well as the earliest archeological proof of Lord Gautama Buddha’s life, according to the experts’ theories.

Coningham, one of the lead excavators, claims that the temple is the world’s oldest Buddhist shrine. The researchers’ assumptions received extensive coverage all around the globe.

Bodhi Tree

Under an old pipal tree to the west of the main temple, the Buddha sat for seven days following the Enlightenment. Only the current tree is regarded as a direct descendant of the ancient tree. Originally grown from seeds produced by the ancient Bodhi tree, many holy trees can be found in India and other nations.

As per the history of Buddhism, the Bodhi tree—which is closely associated with the Buddha’s accomplishments—became the main object of devotion, even though the Vajrasana was the precise location of the enlightenment. The Bodhi Tree’s parts such as the leaves and seeds were sought after by pilgrims as good fortune for their residences and monasteries.

Also, guests are welcome to stay around for a little while to experience the serene and spiritual atmosphere created by the large, old tree, which is thought to have calming properties. Additionally, one has the option to express prayers and make wishes. Wishes expressed while tying a vibrant prayer flag are frequently granted, according to local belief.

The image of Gautama Buddha sitting in meditation beneath a robust peepal tree comes to mind when anyone thinks about the sacred Bodhi tree. Buddha gained nirvana and was freed from illusions, rage, and self-indulgence beneath one of the aforementioned trees.

Mayadevi Pond

The Sacred Pond, also called Puskarini, is 25 paces southwest of the Marker Stone. It is here that Mayadevi is said to have taken a bath prior to having Prince Siddhartha. This is where the first purifying wash was given to the young prince.

In their travelogues, the ancient Chinese explorers Fa-Hsien and Hiuen Tsang, both mention the Sacred Pond and the sacred bath where the infant Prince Siddhartha was bathed.

The pond was there before Prince Siddhartha was born, most likely in the form of an oval. It was renovated in size and shape with a brick embankment during the excavations conducted by Keshar Shumsher in 1933–1939 AD. The current pond is 24.90 meters by 24.85 meters by 4.83 meters in size.

Maya Devi Pond is a rather straightforward but aesthetically pleasing square-shaped construction with steps all around to reach the water’s surface. The site of Lord Buddha’s birth is now home to a magnificent temple, with the Maya Devi Pond directly in front of the shrine. The temple complex offers tourists a peaceful atmosphere and is kept up fairly nicely.

It is thought that these remnants are the ruins of historic stupors and temples that were covered in brick pavilions. The Ashok Pillar, constructed by Emperor Ashoka as a tribute to Gautama Buddha’s path to enlightenment and his words of wisdom, is another noteworthy landmark in this area.

Ashoka Pillar

Although the exact date of Buddha’s conception is unknown, it is known that the pillar was built by the emperor Ashoka in 249 BCE, which was roughly 300–400 years following the birth of Buddha. As the leader of the Mauryan empire, Ashoka reigned over the majority of modern-day India.

As per history, Ashoka’s predecessors took the path of violence and savagery to conquer other regions. However, it is reported that after learning the full depth of his savagery from the widow of one of the defeated, he embraced Buddhism and began living a life devoid of violence.

After such an eye-opening event, Ashoka went on a building spree, erecting many pillars in the name of Buddha. Out of the 19 pillars, the most significant one is obviously the one in Lumbini as it holds the information on Buddha’s birth. Most of the other pillars lie in India.

Numerous historical documents make reference to the pillar, which is thought to have been restored and reconstructed in the eleventh or twelfth century. After being rediscovered in 1896 by archaeologists from Nepal, it has undergone additional renovations. The script on the pillar, which is thought to be the earliest in Nepal, contains text in Brahmi writing and states that Ashoka paid a visit to this holy site when he was 29 years old.

When it was discovered that this was the birthplace of the Buddha, a stone pillar and railing were constructed. The Emperor got the residents of Lumbini Village released from certain taxes and granted them exclusive access to the eighth section since the holy Buddha was born here.

Lumbini Museum

It was thought that a pillar discovered in Rupandehi in 1896 by Alois Anton Führer and General Khada Samsher Rana marked the location of an Ashoka visit to Lumbini. Ashoka was a renowned Indian emperor who controlled nearly the whole Indian subcontinent from approximately 268 to 232 BC. The pillar’s inscription stated that Ashoka traveled to Lumbini in order to observe the site of the Buddha’s birthplace.

A global panel commissioned distinguished Japanese designer Kenzō Tange to design a masterpiece for Lumbini at the beginning of the 1970s. His goal was to transform Lumbini into a place where people may envision world peace while also honoring the teachings of the Buddha and his path to enlightenment.

The International Research Institute and the Lumbini Museum were situated at the gateway to the Sacred Garden, marking the beginning of the pilgrims’ walk.

Tange’s modernity and traditional Japanese architecture combined to create the museum’s unique curved design, which sought to integrate buildings into their natural surroundings and reflect the identities of its people.

The museum is situated at the gateway of Lumbini’s Sacred Garden Area, the most famous archeological, cultural, and spiritual destination in all of Nepal. The Gautam Buddha display is housed in multiple rooms and features important Buddha imagery, artifacts, statues, and photographs. The museum has a section dedicated to traditional clothing and ceremonial wear that draws inspiration from Lumbini culture.

Even though there isn’t much signage at the museum, efforts are being made to transform it into a modern learning environment by 2022. You can pause to look at the gorgeous sight of Tange’s museum in front of the pool.

It can be quite difficult to walk for half an hour from the entrance to Maya Devi Temple in the sweltering summer heat of Nepal due to the vast size of the complex. When visiting sacred places, we recommend you put on easily removed shoes or slippers.

Meals

Breakfast

Accommodation

Hotel

After an exciting day in Lumbini, we will travel back to Kathmandu, to indulge in a day sightseeing tour. Today, our tour guide will take you to a bunch of different sites in and around Kathmandu.

The sites we will visit today include historical and religious places such as Bouddhanath, Swayambhunath, Royal Palace, Patan Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, and more. We will recommend you a bunch of sites from which you can choose the ones you want to visit. Or you can add your own sites to the day sightseeing itinerary.

During your sightseeing trip in Kathmandu, some of the sites we will visit requires tickets. These tickets are in place as a source of funding for the maintenance of those sites. Our travel package will not cover this expense.

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Breakfast

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On the 5th day of the trek, you will depart from the amazing land of Nepal, and back to your home. One of the best things you can do on your last day is to leave us with constructive feedbacks that help us get better.

After everything has been done, we will drop you off at the airport as per your flight schedule.

Meals

Breakfast

Accommodation

Hotel