INDIA - NEPAL - PILGRIMAGE TO BUDDHA LAND (GST)

2024 PILGRIMAGE GROUP PROGRAM TO BUDDHA 'S LAND

DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR MONKS AND BUDDHISTS

VIETNAM - INDIA - NEPAL 7 DAYS 7 NIGHTS

LUMBINI - BODHYA - DEER PARK - KUSHINA

DAY 01: HO CHI MINH CITY - VARANASI (Deer Park)            (3 meals)

23:30 The tour leader will welcome Buddhists at gate D2, column number 12, international departure terminal of Tan Son Nhat Airport to check in for the Indigo Airlines flight to Kolkata.

Morning: Pilgrims complete immigration procedures to India at Kolkata airport , have breakfast and check in for domestic flight to Varanasi.

Noon: Car and tour guide pick you up for lunch at the restaurant. Then, the group moves to the hotel to check in and rest.

Afternoon: Buddhists worship and meditate at:

• Sarnath Deer Park: Where Buddha gave his first sermon after his Enlightenment, the "FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS" to the five brothers of Kondanna.
• Huong That Phat: This is the temple where Buddha stayed for the first three months after he attained enlightenment, during his stay in Deer Park in the first summer of his reign.
• Sri Lanka Temple : Here, Buddhists pay homage to the Buddha's relics and receive blessings from the monks in the temple.

Evening: Pilgrims have dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight in Varanasi.

DAY 02: VARANASI (Deer Park) - SRAVASTI (Sravasti)              (3 meals)

Morning: The pilgrims wake up early and board the boat to watch the sunrise on the Ganges River - just a moment on the river, we will also witness the Noble Truth of Suffering - Birth, Aging, Sickness, Death...

The Buddhist delegation had breakfast and checked out of the hotel. Then, they departed for Faizabad.

Noon: Buddhists have lunch at a restaurant on the road in Faizabad.

Afternoon: The pilgrimage group will have lunch, then continue to worship:

• Jetavana Vihara - where the Buddha preached to the Sangha during 24 rainy seasons.
• Buddhists come together to pay homage to: The Buddha's Incense Hall, the stupa of Venerable Ananda, the stupa of the Holy Monk Sivaly (Dai Loc), the stupa of Venerable Maha Kassapa, the stupa of Venerable Maudgalyayana, the well of the Sangha, the old guest house...
• Ananda Bodhi Tree - planted by Ananda as a symbol of the Buddha's incarnation for Buddhists and lay people to pay homage to during the Buddha's absence or when he was preaching in other places.
• Sudatta Stupa - built on the foundation of Anathapindika's house.
• Angulimala Stupa (Brainless One)  - where Venerable Angulimala was cremated.

Evening: The group has dinner, Buddhists check in to rest in Sravasti.

DAY 03: SRAVASTI (Sravasti) - LUMBINI (              3 meals)

Morning: You will have breakfast and check out of the hotel.

• The pilgrimage group departed to Thai Jamtien Temple: paid homage and received blessings from the monks. Then, completed the exit and entry procedures from India to Nepal.

Noon : The pilgrimage group has lunch at the hotel and checks in.

Afternoon: Car takes the group to visit and pay respect:

• Kapilavastu - where Buddha was born and raised, a magnificent and splendid capital.
• Lumbini Garden - the birthplace of Buddha. The group will pay homage at the most important locations in the garden, which are the birthplace of Prince Siddhartha, the stone pillar of King Ashoka, and the sacred lake.
• The Temple of Queen Maya - built nearly 2,600 years ago, about 240km from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal - is the cradle of Buddhism depicting the scene of Queen Maya giving birth to Prince Siddhartha (Buddha).

Evening: Return to the hotel and have dinner.

Overnight in Lumbini.

DAY 04: LUMBINI - KUSHINAGAR - VAISHALY   (            3 meals )   

Morning: You will have breakfast and check out of the hotel. You will complete exit procedures from Nepal and entry procedures from India.

• The pilgrimage group continued to move to Cau Thi Na.

Lunch: You will have lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon: Car takes the group to visit and pay respect:

• The Great Nirvana Temple - where the Buddha entered nirvana more than 2558 years ago, was built at the holy site of Kusinara to worship the Buddha's relics, and to commemorate the place where the Buddha abandoned his mortal body and entered eternal nirvana. Here, your company will present a set of robes to your delegation for the robe offering ceremony.
• Tra Ti Tower - the place where the Buddha's Golden Body was cremated, from here the relics were divided into 8 equal parts for 8 devout countries.
• Pond: where Anan got water for the Buddha to use last before Buddha entered Nirvana .
• Kesariya Stupa - the largest in the world at 104ft high.

After that, the group continued to move to Vaishaly. Buddhists continued to visit important Buddhist sites associated with the life of the Buddha in Vaishali:

• Ashoka Pillar: Marks the place where Buddha declared his Nirvana after 3 months.
• Anan Stupa: Place of worship of the Buddha entering nirvana.

Evening: You will have dinner and check in to the hotel. Overnight in Vaishaly.

DAY 05: VAISHALY (Vaisali City)   - RAJGIR (Rajgir City)                (3 meals)

Morning: You will have breakfast at the hotel and check out. Buddhists will visit:

• Xá Lợi Tower - one of eight places where Buddha's relics were worshiped after the cremation of Buddha's body at that time.
• Kieu Dam Di Pagoda (Nun Khiet Minh - Kim Lien Pagoda, District 4): Built on the land where the first Buddhist nuns were founded. (If there is a chance, the group will visit)

The pilgrimage group continued to Rajgir City , the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, where the Buddha often went for alms and was the center of Buddhist studies for many centuries. The group visited:

• Nalanda University - the first and largest Buddhist university in the world with an area of ​​49 km2 , was founded in the 4th century. This is the hometown of Sariputta and also the place where he entered nirvana before Buddha.  

Lunch: You will have lunch at the hotel and check in.

Afternoon: Car takes the group to visit and pay respect:

• Relics of King Bimbisara's prison - where the king was imprisoned to death by his son, Crown Prince Ajatasatru, after usurping his father's throne.
• Truc Lam Tinh Xa - considered the first Buddhist temple. This was the place when Buddha was alive.
• Vulture Peak (Gijjhakuta - Ky Xa Quat) - a small mountain shaped like a vulture located in the south of Rajagriha. This is where the Buddha preached the Heart Sutra, the Lotus Sutra and also where the Buddha loved to meditate every day. And this is where the Linh Son Assembly of the Supreme Buddhas took place.
• The cave of Mahakasyapa, Sariputra, Ananda...

Evening: You will have dinner and check in to the hotel.

Overnight stay in Rajgir.

DAY 06: RAJGIR (Rajastri) - BODHGAYA (Bodh Gaya)                (3 meals)

Morning: You will have breakfast at the hotel and check out. The group will depart to visit and pay homage to:

• That Diep Cave - the place where the first sutras were consecrated after Buddha entered nirvana. (If the conditions are favorable, the group will visit)
• Visiting the Ascetic Forest - where Buddha lived and practiced asceticism, marks an important milestone of Bodhisattva Siddhartha before he attained enlightenment.
• Sujata Village - 2km from Bodh Gaya, pay homage to the Sujata Temple to pay homage to the person who offered a bowl of milk porridge to Prince Siddhartha when he was exhausted by the Nilianchan River.
• Ni Lien Thien River - where the Prince dropped his alms bowl and vowed to attain enlightenment.

Noon: You will have lunch at the hotel, check in and rest.

Afternoon: The group moves to worship and pay homage:

• Dai Giac Tower - one of the Four Sacred Sites of Buddhism and the place marking the enlightenment of Buddha Shakyamuni. Here, your company would like to present each Buddhist a set of robes for the robe offering ceremony.
• The Bodhi Tree - where Prince Siddhartha meditated for 49 days to attain enlightenment. Over the past 2,600 years, the Bodhi Tree has been cut down and replanted many times. Today, the descendants of the Bodhi Tree are still growing strongly and remain unchanged from their original location.
• Chinese Temple, Bengal Temple, Thai Temple, Bhutan Temple, Japanese Temple, Big Buddha Statue.

Evening: You will have dinner at the hotel. Then, you will participate in a chanting, meditation and walking meditation session around the Great Stupa of Enlightenment.

Overnight in Bodhgaya.

DAY 07: BODHGAYA (Bodh Gaya) - HO CHI MINH CITY                 (3 meals)

Morning: The group has breakfast. Buddhists arrange to pay homage to the Great Enlightenment Tower and the Bodhi tree before leaving the Buddha's land.

• Buddhists walk and meditate around the Great Stupa and Bodhi tree.
• Attend a Bali chanting session inside the Mahabodhi Temple.
• Pilgrimage group: Meta Thai Temple, An Viet Nam Buddhist Temple , Tibetan Temple .
• You are free to shop for souvenirs.

Noon: Buddhists have lunch at the restaurant and then check out of the hotel.

The group moved to Gaya International Airport to fly back to Vietnam with the scheduled flight of Indigo Airlines to Ho Chi Minh City (transit in Kolkata).

Upon arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport, the pilgrimage group will complete immigration procedures to Vietnam.

The Head of the Delegation said goodbye to the Buddhists and hoped to see them again. End of the program "Tu Dieu Ky"

The order of attractions  may change depending on weather and traffic conditions, but will still be fully guaranteed as per the program.

TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Estimated round-trip airfare by Indigo Airlines - Includes : 07kg carry-on baggage + 30kg checked baggage (maximum 02 pieces)

Depart flight

SGN - KOLKATA: 02:40 - 04:30

KOLKATA - VARANASI: 07:55 - 09:25

Return flight

GAYA - KOLKATA: 16:30 - 17:30

KOLKATA - SGN: 20:30 - 01:40

• Scheduled departure flight - 
• e-Visa India and Nepal.
• 3-4 star standard hotel: 02-03 guests/room.
• Meals and sightseeing expenses according to the program.
• Vehicle transportation according to the program (depending on the number of groups).
• Tour leader & local tour guide throughout the route.
• Travel accident insurance throughout the trip (10,000 USD/case).
• Brand gift. In addition, the company gives the delegation a set of Buddhist robes at Dai Nirvana Temple and gives each Buddhist a set of Buddhist robes at Dai Giac Tower (if you want to bring them home).

TOUR PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

• Passport (must be valid for more than 6 months from departure date).
• Single room surcharge: $200/tour/adult.
• Service charge for bringing alcohol, beer and soft drinks into the restaurant (if any).
• Personal expenses (telephone, laundry, drinks in the mini bar...).
• Costs not mentioned in the item included.
• Food and drinks outside the program.
• TIP for tour guide and driver: 60 USD/guest/tour.
• Vietnam re-entry visa (for foreigners): Contact for consultation.
• Indian entry visa (for foreigners): Contact consultant.
•  Costs incurred in case of flight cancellation.
• Non-refundable fee in case the Indian Embassy refuses to grant a visa: VND 2,500,000/case.
• VAT bill.

NOTES WHEN REGISTERING FOR TOUR

• Due to the nature of the group, the company will be responsible for receiving enough guests to depart on schedule. If the number of guests in the group is less than 15 adults, the company will be responsible for notifying the guests before the departure date and will negotiate a new departure date, or refund the entire amount of money previously registered by the guests. The price may be surcharged if the group departs with less than 15 guests.
• When registering for a tour, please read carefully the program, tour price, inclusions and exclusions, and cancellation conditions in the program.
• Depending on actual conditions, the tour program can change the itinerary flexibly to suit, however, the tourist routes are still fully guaranteed. Flights can change at the last minute depending on airlines and weather.
• Departure schedule may change depending on actual situation. Prices are calculated for current period, prices may change when schedule and quantity change.
• In case guests are 75 years old or older, they must sign a health certificate and be accompanied by a relative between 18 and 55 years old.
• Customers with dual nationality or Travel documents, please notify the tour sales staff at the time of tour registration and submit the original with related documents (if any).
• Children under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent or have a letter of authorization from their parents.
• Pregnant customers please inform the company staff for more information. We do not accept pregnant customers from 6 months or more for safety reasons.
• If you require a single room, please pay an additional fee for 2 adults sleeping with one child. The tour price for children and babies does not include a bed. Children and babies who want to have their own room must pay the same cost as the adult tour price.
• As flights are dependent on the airlines, in some cases flight times may change without prior notice.
• In case you are denied entry to the host country, the company is not responsible.
• The Company is allowed to use your images during the tour to advertise the Company's tourism on the media. If there is any inconvenience regarding this issue, please notify the Company before the tour departs.

TOUR REFUND/CANCELLATION CONDITIONS

Cancel tour immediately after the Embassy or Consulate has issued a visa:  Tour cancellation fee is 100% of tour deposit.

• Please deposit  70%  of total tour price upon registration, the remaining amount must be paid 14 days before departure.
• Cancel tour after registration, customer will be charged  50%  of total tour price.
• Cancel tour 10 days before departure, guests will be charged a penalty of  60%  of total tour price.
• Cancel tour 7 days before departure, guests will be charged a penalty of  80%  of total tour price.
• Cancel tour within 48 hours of departure, guests will be charged a penalty of  100%  of tour price.

NOTE:  The company is exempted from responsibility during the tour if there are force majeure events due to weather, natural disasters, epidemics, strikes, riots, wars or due to delays or cancellations of planes, trains, ships, trams due to weather or technical reasons... leading to the tour being unable to continue, the company will refund the tour fee to you after deducting the costs of services already performed such as visa fees, airfare, accommodation services... and is not responsible for compensating for any other costs.