Arrival in Kathmandu

TIA - Upon arriving at Kathmandu airport (TIA), a representative from Accessible Adventure Trekking will warmly welcome you. After completing your customs formalities (Visa, etc.), collect your luggage and look for our representative holding an Accessible Adventure display board at the arrival gate. You will then be transferred to Hotel Kathmandu Suite Home or a similar category hotel.

Explore Boudhanath, Monasteries at Boudha & Kapan Monastery

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - Today, we visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest stupas globally and a significant Buddhist pilgrimage site. The unique octagonal Mandala design features hundreds of prayer wheels and 108 images of the Buddha set into niches around the massive structure. Boudhanath is also renowned for over 50 Tibetan Gompas or monasteries, often referred to as ‘Little Tibet.’ The Kapan Monastery at Kapan Hill, a few kilometers north of Boudhanath, is also known as the Nepal Buddhist Mahayana Centre. Kapan Monastery follows the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism under Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s guidance. Nearby, the Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery houses about 400 nuns. Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

Boudhanath Stupa - Located 8 km east of downtown Kathmandu, Boudha is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Kathmandu’s most prominent landmarks. Visible upon landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, it is the largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley. The 36-meter-high stupa of Boudha is immense and dominates the area’s skyline. With numerous monasteries surrounding it, Boudha is the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. Built in the shape of a mandala to replicate Tibet’s Gyangtse, the stupa was renovated by Licchhavi rulers in the 8th century. The stupa’s location is intriguing as it once lay on the ancient trade route to Tibet, where Tibetan merchants rested and offered prayers for centuries. It is a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists worldwide. On each side are the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha, symbolizing awareness. The canopy has 13 stages.

Kopan Monastery - Just north of the ancient Buddhist town of Boudhanath is Kopan Hill, rising from the terraced fields of the Kathmandu Valley and visible for miles. Dominated by a magnificent bodhi tree, it was once home to the astrologer to the king of Nepal. This hill is now home to Kopan Monastery, a monastery in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism under Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s guidance. The air is clean, and the view across the valley is magical.

It is home to 360 monks, lamas, teachers, and workers. The monks come from all areas of Nepal and Tibet, with ages ranging from seven to sixty years old. They have devoted their lives to studying and practicing the teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni, with special emphasis on the teachings of Lama Tsong Khapa, the founder of the Gelug Lineage.

Visitors from around the world come here to attend courses and enjoy the spiritual atmosphere for study and practice.

Visit Swoyambhunath & Drive to Pokhara

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - We drive to Swoyambhu Stupa in the morning, one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the world with over 2000 years of history and a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. According to legend, the civilization of Kathmandu Valley itself begins with Swoyambhu, which means “the self-existent.” It is said that Bodhisattva Manjusri came across a beautiful lake while traveling and saw a lotus with a thousand golden petals, diamond pistils, ruby anthers, and a lapis lazuli stalk. The legend also says that the lotus seed was planted on a full moon night by Bipaswi Buddha himself. Over time, Santikarcarya, the king who became a monk, raised the first stupa on the holy site. After visiting Swayambhunath, we make a 6-hour drive to Pokhara in the afternoon to visit some Buddhist sites there. Overnight stay in Pokhara.

Swayambhu - Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as the “Monkey Temple,” is located on a hilltop in the northwest of Kathmandu Valley. It is a peaceful place where a beautiful panoramic view of Kathmandu city can be observed. It is said that the glory of Kathmandu Valley began here. Swayambhunath is the holiest and most religious place for both Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal. It is said to have evolved spontaneously when the valley was created out of a primordial lake over 2000 years ago. It has numerous shrines and monasteries on its premises.

Swayambhu literally means “self-existent one” or “sway update.” According to translations from an inscription dating back to 460 A.D., it was built by King Mandev in the 13th century. The stupa sits atop the hill, and the exceedingly steep stone steps leading up to the shrine are quite a challenge. However, there is also a road going up almost to the top. Swayambhu is perhaps the best place to observe religious harmony in Nepal.

Pokhara: World Peace Pagoda, Malepatan Gumba, Hyangja Tibetan Refugee Camp

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - Today, we visit some Buddhist landmarks in Pokhara and enjoy nature’s majesty. The massive Buddhist stupa of World Peace Pagoda was constructed by Buddhist monks from the Japanese Nipponzan Myohji organization on a narrow ridge high above Phewa Tal. Besides being a cultural monument, the site is also famous for the panoramic view it offers of the Pokhara Valley. We cross Phewa Lake on a boat and then hike to the Stupa. Then we visit the Malepatan Gomba or monastery at Malepatan. We then hike to Hyangja, the site of a Tibetan refugee camp where refugees fled Tibet after the Cultural Revolution in China. You may try Tibetan foods, bargain for curios, and acquaint yourself with Tibetan culture. The Tashi Palkhiel monastery follows the Karma Kagyu tradition. Overnight stay in Pokhara.

World Peace Pagoda - Shanti Stupa in Pokhara was built by Nipponzan-Myōhōji monk Morioka Sonin with local supporters under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujii, a Buddhist monk and the founder of Nipponzan-Myōhōji. Shanti is a Sanskrit word meaning peace, also widely used in Nepali and Hindi languages, and Shanti Stupa means Peace Pagoda. Shanti Stupa shrine was built as a symbol of peace. Situated at the height of 1100 meters on Anadu Hill, Nichidatsu Fujii laid the foundation stone along with relics of the Buddha on 12 September 1973. Nepal has two of the eighty peace pagodas in the world: Shanti Stupa in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, and Shanti Stupa in Pokhara. Shanti Stupa in Pokhara has also become a tourist attraction. It provides a panoramic view of the Annapurna range, Pokhara city, and Fewa Lake.

Tibetan Refugee Camp - The four official Tibetan settlement camps in Pokhara are a small world in themselves. These refugee camps were built for the thousands of Tibetan refugees who settled in Nepal after the Chinese takeover. They sell beautiful handmade jewelry, trinkets, carvings, and carpets for visitors to showcase the beauties of Tibet. This is a popular place where tourists come to buy souvenirs.

Matepani Gumba - Matepani Gumba was established in 1960 A.D. by Nyeshang people who migrated to Pokhara from Manang. Situated on a small hill, east of Pokhara city, the monastery is about five kilometers from downtown Pokhara. Visitors can get there by local transport. The monastery has striking scenic beauty and is an ideal vantage point to view the valley and Mt. Fishtail. Several eye-catching wall paintings, magnificent monuments, and a huge statue of Lord Buddha in meditation flanked by Guru Rinpoche and Karmapa are an astonishing sight. The statues are about 11 ft. tall. No entrance fee is charged to visitors. The monks are very hospitable and pleased to receive visitors regardless of caste or religion.

Drive to Lumbini

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - We drive to Lumbini today – about 290 kilometers southwest from Pokhara, taking about 6-7 hours. We bid farewell to the Himalayas in Pokhara and head toward the flat land of Nepal’s Terai. Generally, the weather gets hot and humid in the plains except in winter. Lumbini is perhaps the most important Buddhist pilgrimage site – the place where Buddha was born. If we reach Lumbini around sunset, we can stroll in the local market to glimpse the local lifestyle.

Full Day Explore Lumbini

Lumbini - Lumbini (or Lumpini, Lumphini) means “the lovely.” Located in the southern Terai Plain of Nepal, only about 7 km from India, Lumbini is a small country, world-famous as “the Birthplace of Lord Buddha” and one of Nepal’s seven UNESCO World Heritage sites. Because it is where Queen Māyādevī gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama (Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism), today, Lumbini is a celebrated and most important pilgrimage site for Buddhists worldwide. When Sakyamuni was 35 years old, he achieved enlightenment, becoming the Buddha and founding Buddhism. According to legend, many significant Buddhist events occurred under a Sal tree. As a site pivotal to the life of the Buddha, Lumbini is also the base of modern Buddhist renaissance and a unique museum of international Buddhist temples, where over 20 countries constructed representative temples in monastic zones.

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - Lumbini is one of the world’s major religious, architectural, and historical places. We devote today’s time to visiting as many places and sites in Lumbini as possible. The area is vast, with monuments, temples, and ancient sites making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. First, we visit the Mayadevi temple, built on the exact spot where Buddha was born. We spend some time wandering around the gardens. We also visit the museum and peace pagoda. Some important landmarks and monuments in Lumbini include Ashoka’s Pillar, erected by Emperor Ashoka (249 BC) on the spot of Buddha’s birth, which also has the oldest inscription in Nepal. There are many Buddhist Temples founded by devotees from different countries: Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Burmese, Korean, etc.

Visit Tilaurakot & Drive back to Kathmandu

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - In the morning, you will visit Tilaurakot, where Lord Gautam Buddha spent his first 29 years. After that, we head back toward Kathmandu today – a journey of about 300 kilometers on the winding mountain road. The journey takes about 6-7 hours. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Sightseeing in and around Pharping (Dakshinkali/ Gorakhnath cave) and Chobhar

Pharping - Pharping is a small yet expanding town about 23 km southwest of Kathmandu, on a hill above the main valley. Pharping is known to Tibetans as Yangleshö and sometimes as Phamting, as some say it is the birthplace of the Phamtingpa, the heart-son of Naropa. Chatral Rinpoche explains that the ‘Indian Phamting’ (Tib. rgya gar pham thing) gets its name from the presence of the great hood of the Naga king Lhakmachen or Shesha, marking it as a site of his power. Thus, scholarly experts of the past used to call it Phanathingu (Tib. pha na thinggu), which means ‘the nine hoods.’ Eventually, it was pronounced Phamting. Generally, the sacred site of Yangleshö refers to the entire area of Pharping.

Drive to Namo Buddha

Namo Buddha (Stupa) - Namobuddha is one of the most important religious sites for Buddhists after Kathmandu’s Swayambhunath and Bouddhanath. It is located on a picturesque hill, 45 km along the Banepa, Panauti route. The religiously significant Namobuddha, surrounded by a serene environment and green hills, is gaining fame as an important Buddhist pilgrimage site. The site is also gaining a reputation as a tourist destination, with more and more foreign tourists visiting each year. A huge festival is organized here on the full moon day of Baisakh (May), the Birthday of Lord Buddha. Thousands of devotees, both Buddhist and Hindu, gather here for the festival. Tourists are also attracted to the artistic monasteries and the idol of “Sacrifice to the Tigress” located around the hilltop, famous for viewing sunrise and sunset.

Transfer to airport for your final departure

Accessible Adventure Pvt. Ltd. - The trip concludes – our airport representative will drop you at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight departure from Nepal.

• Transfer by private car/van.
• English-speaking tour guide, with expenses covered.
• Twin sharing accommodation in a three-star hotel with breakfast.
• All-inclusive meal package for field staff.
• All government taxes, VAT, and official charges included.
• Supporting ground staff services like Driver, Helpers, etc.
• Guided city tour and sightseeing as per itinerary.

• meals in Kathmandu
• International airfare
• Nepal entry visa: you can obtain a visa easily upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. (a multiple-entry tourist visa good for 30 days can be obtained by paying US $ 40 or equivalent foreign currency. Similarly, multiple-entry tourist visas for 90 days can be obtained by paying US $ 100. Please bring 2 copies of passport-size photos.
• All cold drinks such as: alcoholic beverages, mineral water, Coke, Fanta, juice, etc.
• Tips for trekking staff and driver (Tipping is appreciated but it is not mandatory)

The Buddhist pilgrimage tour in Nepal is a favorite among travelers who are in search of peace and tranquility. Nepal is a central hub for Buddhism, as it is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, born to Maya Devi. This sacred land offers a variety of Buddhist tours. Key holy sites included in this tour are the Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa, Namo Buddha, and Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Nepal has a significant Buddhist community, and visitors can enjoy their holiday by engaging with these communities at every monastery and stupa visited. The tour includes visits to the largest Buddhist stupa, Boudhanath Stupa, the “Monkey Temple” Swayambhunath Stupa, and several historical durbar squares. The journey will also take you to the hilly region of Namo Buddha, renowned for its stunning Himalayan views. The highlight of the tour is “Lumbini,” where you can explore various monasteries named after different countries, the historic Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar, and more. Enjoy a trip rich in historical significance.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.