Your journey will begin in Mumbai and continue to Aurangabad, where you will visit the Ellora and Ajanta Caves. The magnificent world heritage site, Ellora is famous for its rock-cut cave temples that date back to 10th and 11th century. In Ajanta too, you would see the cave temples, but they are much older than Ellora ones and dates from around the 2nd century to the 6th century BC.
After a fantastic heritage walk in the Aurangabad, drive to Jalgaon to board a train for Bhopal. The capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal is the closest city to Sanchi, the nest destination of the tour. Famous for its stupas, monolithic Asokan pillar, temples, monasteries and sculptural wealth, Sanchi is an architectural wonderland. Following a brief visit to the archeological splendor of India, visit Agra to see the beautiful Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Next day, you will board a train for Patna to visit the iconic places like Nalanda, Rajgir and Bodhgaya.
A world heritage site, Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya marks the place where Buddha attained enlightenment. Here you can find structures that date back to 5th century BC. Also here you will see the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha found enlightenment.
Drive to Varanasi to see the place where Buddha gave his famous first sermon after attaining enlightenment, Sarnath. In Sarnath, you will see a 100m-high stupa, which is one of the largest in the world. From Sarnath, drive to Kushinagar, an ancient town where Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death. Spend a day in Kushinagar and then visit Lumbini in Nepal, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, for a short period of time.
In Lumbini, visit the Maya Devi Temple, which marks the spot where Queen Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama. Due to time constraint, you will leave Lumbini and proceed to Sravasti, the last attraction of the tour. In Shravasti, you can see Ananda Bodhi tree and Jetavana, one of the famous Buddhist monastery and Vihara in India. After a day tour in Shravasti, go to Lucknow to board a train or flight to your destination onwards.
Day 01 Arrive Mumbai (By Flight)
Arrive Mumbai airport. Our representative will be at the airport to welcome you. Further he will transfer to the prebooked hotel and will assist you till check in. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 02 Mumbai – Aurangabad (By Train)
After breakfast city tour of Mumbai. Later transfer to railway station for train to Aurangabad.
On arrival meet-assist & transfer to hotel for overnight stay.
Mumbai is a cluster of seven islands and derives its name from Mumbadevi, the patron goddess of the koli fisher folk, its oldest inhabitants. Mumbai pulsates with activity. It is a city that is disciplined by no time frame neither day nor night. Mumbai is also the country´s financial powerhouse, the nation´s industrial heartland, and its economic nerve center. Mumbai houses dazzling shopping arcades, exciting sport activities, night clubs & discotheques, theater & music, gourmet restaurants and interesting sightseeing. Mumbai offers visitors a heady mix of all this and more.
Places Visit: Gateway of India, Prince of Wales Museum, Marine Drive.
Day 03 Aurangabad
After breakfast full city tour of Aurangabad.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Aurangabad is a historical city, situated on the western coast of India. Though it lies in the remote corner of Maharashtra, it manages to attract a lot of tourists every year. The main attractions of the city comprise of the historical sites and religious places, situated in and around its precincts.
Places Visit: Aurangabad Caves, Bibi Ka Maqbara, Panchakki, Jama Masjid, Chauk Masjid.
Day 04 Aurangabad – Bhopal (By Train)
After breakfast transfer to railway station for train to Bhopal.
On arrival meet-assist & transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.
Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh combines scenic beauty, historicity and modern urban planning. It is situated on the site of an 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by Raja Bhoj. Jama Masjid have Gold spikes crown the minarets of this beautiful mosque built in 1837 by Kudsia Begum. Taj-ul-Masajid is one of the largest mosques in Asia, built by Nawab Shahjehan Begum. Upper and Lower Lakes -The Upper Lake is divided from the Lower Lake by an overbridge.
Day 05 Bhopal – Sanchi – Bhopal (By Road) / Bhopal – Agra (By Train)
After breakfast drive to Sanchi. After visit Sanchi transfer to railway station for train to Agra.
Arrive Agra meet assist & transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.
Sanchi- is known for its Stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. The most famous of these monuments, the Sanchi Stupa 1, was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. Great Stupa No. 1The oldest stone structure in India. 36.5 mt in diameter and 16.4 MT high, The Eastern Gateway Depicts the young prince, Gautama leaving his father’s palace on his journey towards enlightenment and the dream his mother had before his birth. Stupa No. 2The stupa stands at the very edge of the hill and its most striking feature is the stone balustrade that rings it.
Day 06 Agra – Delhi (By Road) (205 Kms. / 4 hrs. appx.)
After early breakfast visit Taj Mahal & Fort.
Later drive to Delhi, on arrival city tour of Delhi. Overnight stay at hotel.
Agra -Historians suggest Agra to be the Agravana in the epic Mahabharata. It is expected to be known as Agralapura during the medieval age. An archaeological fact pushes the existence of Agra back to three million years. The Lodhi dynasty ruled over Agra for a long time. It was in the onset of the sixteenth century that the Mughals took over the ruling of Agra from the hands of Lodhis.
Taj Mahal Shah Jahan the great emperor and a great builder constructed Taj Mahal in the loving memory of his beloved wife Anjuman Bano Begum. Shah Jahan met this beautiful girl in his young age and later gets married with her. Red Fort – The construction of the Agra fort was started around 1565 when the initial structures were built by Akbar.
Delhi- India’s capital and a major gateway to the country. New Delhi also reflects the legacy the British left behind. The division between New & Old Delhi is the distinction between the capitals of the British & the Moghuls respectively. Tourist Attractions: Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. Built by Shah Jahan, Chandni Chowk and Rajghat – the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple or the Birla Temple as it is popularly known enshrines Lord Vishnu – the preserver of the Hindu Trinity. Witness the India Gate, the Presidents House & the Parliament, Qutab Minar -Qutubuddin Aibak laid the foundation of Qutab Minar, as a victory tower, in 1199 AD.
Day 07 Delhi – Patna (By Flight)
After breakfast transfer to the Airport to catch the flight for Patna.
On arrival, city tour of Patna.
Patna- is the capital of Bihar and is located on the southern parts of the Ganges. Patna also flaunts immense historical significance and was the center of art and culture during the ancient times. There are many tourist attractions in Patna to catch a glimpse of, some of the prominent ones being.
Visit: Hanuman Mandir. Kumhrar, Takht Shri Harmandir Saheb, Golghar, Patna Museum, Patna Planetarium.
Day 08 Patna – Rajgir – Bodhgaya (By Road) (206 Kms. / 6 hrs. appx.)
After breakfast drive to where the Buddha attained enlightenment and which is one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for the Buddhist. Enroute visit Nalanda and Rajgir.
Nalanda-a great center of Buddhist learning and one of the most famed university citadels of ancient times. Rajgir was once the ancient capital of the powerful kingdom of Maghada. From the out skirts of Rajgir, a historic road leads to Gridha – Kuta or vultures peak where the Buddha preached, here the first Buddhist Council was held after the Lord’s Mahaparinirvana.
Overnight stay in the hotel.
Day 09 Bodhgaya
Buddha – Bodhgaya After breakfast Sightseeing of Bodhgaya. Here under the Bodhi Tree, Shakyamuni Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha, “the Enlightened one” the profounder of one of the great religious of the world. River Nirajnana in which the Buddha bathed after attaining elightment flows quietly outside the tiny hamlet. Overnight stay in the hotel.
Day 10 Bodhgaya – Varanasi (By Road) (250 Kms. / 5 hrs. appx.)
After breakfast drive to Varanasi. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel.
Evening visit river Ganga Ghat to attend the holy Aarti. Overnight stay in the hotel.
Varanasi: It has been known as Kashi and Banaras, its present name is a restoration of the ancient name meaning the city between the two rivers Varun and Asi. The internal city id one of the most important pilgrimages sites in India. Situated on the bank of the sacred river Ganges, Kashi , Vishwanath temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is popularly known as the Golden Temple due to the Golden Plating done on its 15.5 meter high spire.
Day 11 Varanasi – Kushinagar (By Road) (224 Kms. / 5 hrs. appx.)
Early Morning boat tour on River Ganges to visit Bathing Ghats, return to hotel for breakfast.
Later drive to Kushinagar i.e. 265 kms or 07 hrs drive. Upon arrival visit Kushinagar.
Later transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.
Kushinagar- Nirvana Temple: Set in a leafy park at the heart of Kushinagar, the Nirvana Stupa, dating back to the reign of Kumaragupta I 413-55AD, enshrines. Japanese Temple: Built by the Atago Isshin World Buddhist Cultural Association, it consists of a single circular chamber, housing a golden image of the Buddha. Rambhar Stupa: About 1.5 km southeast of the Nirvana Temple, surrounded by rice, wheat and cane fields, lies at the Rambhar Stupa.
Day 12 Kushinagar – Lumbini – Sravasti (By Road) (300 Kms. / 7 hrs. appx.)
Morning visit Mahaparinirvana Temple and Rambhar Stupa.
Later drive to Sravasti 170 kms and 04 hrs drive via visit Lumbini.
Upon arrival transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.
Lumbini, the place where the Buddha was born in 623 BC, is situated in the Terai plains of southern Nepal. For those interested in the treasury of cultural and archaeological riches, Lumbini is the perfect place to be there with a number of stupa, monasteries, meditation centers and bahals courtyard, no other place evokes the time and aura of the Buddha like Lumbini.
Day 13 Sravasti – Lucknow(164 Kms. / 4 hrs) / Lucknow – Delhi (By Flight)
After early breakfast proceed for the sight seeing visit Sravasti Sahet-Mahet capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, an active centre for Buddhism. Later drive to Lucknow and board flight to Delhi.
Arrive Delhi & transfer to the hotel for overnight stay.
Saravasti- This was one of the largest cities in India at the time of the Buddha, and today is the small village of Sahetha-Mahetha, There are few places to see in Saravasti and most of them are associated with the Buddha. The prominent among them is the Jetavana. Angulimala: The dreaded dacoit Angulimal, who used to wear necklace of fingers that were chopped from his victims. Monasteries: There are few Chinese, Tibetan and Thai monasteries, which are a delight to watch. The beautiful among all is the Thai Monastery.
Day 14 Depart Delhi
Early morning transfer to the airport for flight back home.
| City | Night(s) | 5* Hotels |
| Mumbai | 01 | ITC Grand |
| Aurangabad | 02 | Vivanta by Taj |
| Bhopal | 01 | Jehan Numa Palace |
| Agra | 01 | Radisson Blu |
| Delhi | 01 | Radisson Blu |
| Patna | 01 | Hotel Patliputra |
| Bodhgaya | 02 | Bodhgaya Regency |
| Varanasi | 01 | Radisson Blu |
| Kushinagar | 01 | Lotus Nikko |
| Sravasti | 01 | Lotus Nikko |
| Delhi | 01 | Radisson Blu PV |
– Welcome on arrival with fresh flower garlands
– Meet assist at airport
– 13 Nights hotel accommodation as per the program.
– Daily Breakfast and Dinner.
– All Transfers, Sightseeing and Excursions as per itinerary by private vehicle
– Air ticket Delhi – Patna & Lucknow – Delhi in economy class.
– A/C chair car Train ticket for Mumbai – Aurangabad – Bhopal – Agra.
– Entrance fees to monuments.
– Local English / French / German / Italian / Spanish / Chinese / Russian speaking guide.
– Transport, Parking, Gasoline & Toll ways
– All taxes.
– Tips
– International Air Fare
– Visa Fees
– Travel Insurance
– Personal expenses and drinks.
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.