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From 11 to 27 February 2027

Summary Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1, February 11, 2027, Thursday, São Paulo Flights

Flight

Flights

The day has arrived! Going to Galeão (GIG) and Guarulhos (GRU) in night of October 20, Sunday, for a flight in the early hours of October 21st. Very good flight!

As a rule, airlines in other Brazilian cities require you to check in your checked bag all the way to your final destination, in our case, Delhi. Talking to check-in supervisors at different airlines in Guarulhos, they explained that sometimes the airline systems at different airports in Brazil can't handle check-in all the way to your final destination. Other times, the person checking you in doesn't know how to check in all the way to your final destination. So, talk to the person checking you in; if necessary, call the supervisor and see if you can arrange for your bag to be checked through to your final destination. If that's not possible, no problem. We usually arrive at T2 in Guarulhos, pick up our bag, and continue (a 15-minute walk) to T3. It was also a breeze. Have a great flight!

The day has come to come to India, or Arya Bhumi as Rinpoche calls it, Land of the Nobles, Land of Buddha. Time to go to Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) early this morning. Have a great flight!

The day has come to come to India, or Arya Bhumi as Rinpoche calls it, Land of the Nobles, Land of Buddha. Time to go to Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) early this morning. Have a great flight!

The day has arrived to come to India. Heading to Heathrow Airport (LHR). Terminal 5. Great flight!

Connection at Istanbul airport.

This is a day that travellers always request. After visiting all the regions of our trip together, already being familiar with Kathmandu, a day to enjoy our Tibetan neighborhood, take a walk around the city, go somewhere we haven't been yet, return with more time to one or more places that We visited, having already met and now being able to enjoy a coffee, review a museum, buy a few things, these are possibilities that are always very welcome by our friends, fellow travellers. Count on our support, of course, and enjoy your day in Nepal!

We will see how the group wants to best enjoy the day. We have some suggestions like a walk around the valley. We will listen to how each Traveller prefers to enjoy the day so we can think about how it will be better for the group, to enjoy the whole day together or if some Travellers prefer to have our support for more independent activities.

After all the preparations have been well taken care of over the last few months, it's time to go to the airport for the flights to Nepal!

We have our hotel available until approx. noon in the morning. So, you can choose to fly back home that night, early morning or tomorrow. It's always quite comfortable to go to the airport while we still have our room available to rest, pack our bags and take a shower.

We hope you enjoyed your travel days. May you have great flights back home and come back soon!

Going to the airport could have been the night before, as explained above, this morning or today, depending on your preference. Very good flights! See you soon!

Regarding times and days, flights normally leave Guarulhos SP (GRU) early in the morning, around 1 or 2am that night. Therefore, anyone traveling to São Paulo from other states must make their domestic flight the day before. And anyone going to GRU by car must go to the airport the night before. Guilherme will certainly contact you before you go to the airport and will be available when you arrive at the airport to see if you need any help, making sure you are arriving with complete peace of mind. Have a great flight and see you soon!

If your flight is today, have a great flight!

Day 2, February 12, 2027, Friday, Flights DELHI

Arrival

Briefing

Walk

Flight

Excerpts to be updated on all arrivals:

Welcome to India! In your At the arrival You will be assisted by our local partners who will be waiting with a sign with your name (or with 'Chörten' written on the sign) in the area we agreed on at the airport (as in the image above and on the Arrival in Delhi page). here). We monitor the arrival of each Chörten Traveller, maintaining telephone contact with our airport representatives from before their plane lands until the moment we speak. This is so that you can rest assured that we are monitoring and ensuring that your arrival is being well taken care of.

Transfer to the hotel with assistance (approx. 35 to 45 min), located in a central area, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities. If you arrive at the hotel before 14 pm, we will speak to the hotel in advance and ask, if available, to check in earlier than the hotel's official time. On our first day, we will arrive, adjusting to the time zone and trying, despite the fatigue from the hours of flying, to sleep at the right time. Not during the day, as we would like to due to the time zone we are used to. For these reasons, the suggestion for the first few excursions is that they be quite light on the one hand., as we are still not processing the information very well but we want to stay awake.

Welcome to India! In your At the arrival You will be assisted by our local partners who will be waiting with a sign with your name (or with 'Chörten' written on the sign) in the area we agreed on at the airport (as in the image above and on the Arrival in Delhi page). here). We accompany each Chörten Traveller upon their arrival, maintaining telephone contact with our airport representative team from before their plane lands until the moment we speak. This is so that you can rest assured that we are accompanying you and making sure that your arrival is being well taken care of. Transfer to the hotel with assistance (approx. 100 to 35 min), located in a central area, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities. If you arrive at the hotel before 45 pm, we will speak to the hotel in advance asking, if available, for us to check in earlier than the hotel's formal check-in time. On our first day, we will arrive, adjusting to the time zone and trying, despite the fatigue from the hours of flying, to sleep at the right time. Not during the day, as we would like to due to the time zone we are used to. For these reasons, the suggestion for the first tours is that they be quite light on the one hand, as we are still not processing the information very well but we want to stay awake. After checking in, we usually don't want to have lunch at this time. So, suggestion, we go out for a walk and have lunch later.

arrivals

Arrival at night with reception by Guilherme

In your At the arrival, you will be assisted by our local representatives who, together with Guilherme, will be waiting with a sign with your name (or written Chörten) at the airport. We will talk about the arrival in our briefing (more here), such as that we follow the arrival of each Chörten Traveller. Even if the first flight arrived on time for the connection or on time for the second flight. Transfer to the hotel with assistance, located in a central region, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities. Time to rest so that we can explore the region tomorrow.

Arrival at night with group with Guilherme

Welcome to India! At the arrival of the group will be received by Guilherme at the airport. We will talk about the arrival in our briefing (more here). Transfer to your centrally located hotel, with interesting tours and cultural activities nearby. Time to rest so we can explore India's historic capital tomorrow!

Arrival morning with group with Guilherme

Welcome to India! At the arrival of the group will be received by Guilherme at the airport. We will talk about the arrival in our briefing (more here). Transfer to the hotel located in a central area, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities nearby. Let's see if our hotel will have our rooms available by the end of the morning. Then we can take a walk around the city!

Personalized with tour

Welcome to India! In your At the arrival You will be assisted by our local partners who will be waiting with a sign with your name (or with 'Chörten' written on the sign) in the area we agreed on at the airport (as in the image above and on the Arrival in Delhi page). here). We accompany each Chörten Traveller upon their arrival, maintaining telephone contact with our airport representative team from before their plane lands until the moment we speak. This is so that you can be 100% sure that we are following up and making sure that your arrival is being well taken care of. Transfer to the hotel with assistance (approx. 35 to 45 min), located in a central area, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities. If you arrive at the hotel before 14 pm, we will speak to the hotel in advance asking, if available, for us to check in earlier than the hotel's formal check-in time. On our first day, we will arrive, adjusting to the time zone and trying, despite the fatigue from the hours of flying, to sleep at the right time. Not during the day as we would like due to the time zone we are used to. For these reasons, the suggestion for the first tours is that they be taken quite lightly on the one hand., as we are still not processing the information very well but we want to stay awake.

In your At the arrivalYou will be assisted by our local representatives, who will be waiting at the airport with a sign bearing your name. We monitor the arrival of each Chörten traveller, maintaining telephone contact with our airport representatives even before their arrival. We also ensure they have contacted the hotel to notify them of your arrival so that your room is available as soon as possible, according to the hotel's availability on the day. As soon as you meet our representative at the airport, we will contact you by phone or WhatsApp to see if we can be of any assistance. Our Brazilian travel specialist will be at the hotel awaiting your arrival. Transfer to the hotel with our own vehicle, with assistance, is centrally located, with interesting cultural tour options. For those arriving on a morning flight, a short walk around the hotel area is available in the afternoon.

Customized evening arrival

Welcome to India!

In your At the arrivalYou will be assisted by our local representatives, who will be waiting at the airport with a sign with your name (or written Chörten). We accompany each Chörten traveller upon arrival, maintaining telephone contact with our airport representatives from before your plane lands until the moment we speak. To ensure your peace of mind, we are monitoring your arrival and ensuring your arrival is well taken care of. Transfer to the hotel with assistance, located in a central area, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities. If you arrive at the hotel before 2 p.m., we will speak with the hotel in advance, requesting, if available, an earlier check-in than the hotel's official check-in time. On our first day, we will arrive, adjusting to the time zone, and trying to make the most of the next few days, despite the fatigue from the hours of flying. This will be a great help in making the most of the next few days, ensuring we get enough sleep. We will coordinate your morning start time based on your mood that night. We hope you get a good night's rest that night.

For those arriving on a flight in the morning, possibility of a short walk around the hotel in the afternoon.

Specialist start first day of the program

Now yes, with the At the arrival From the entire group, we'll meet for breakfast and then sit down to quickly review important travel tips for India. Traffic, food, hygiene, cultural issues, logistics, and safety are some of the topics we'll have discussed before the trip, and the specialist, now on-site, will review and clarify any questions so you can make the most of your trip. These are precious minutes that will greatly benefit all the coming days in this country with a vast history, ancient cultures, and a knowledge and worldview that we still don't fully understand from our Western backgrounds and perspectives.

Independent in the morning

Welcome to India! In your At the arrival You will be assisted by the hotel representative who will be waiting with a sign with your name (or with 'Chörten' written on the sign) preferably inside the airport (as in the image above and on the Arrival in Delhi page) here). We accompany each Chörten traveller upon their arrival, maintaining telephone contact with the representative team, in the case of the hotel, at the airport, from before your plane lands until the moment we speak. So that you can rest assured that we are accompanying you and ensuring that your arrival is taken care of. Transfer to the hotel, located in a central area, with interesting possibilities for tours and cultural activities. If you arrive at the hotel before 2 p.m., we will speak with the hotel in advance to request, if available, an earlier check-in than the hotel's official check-in time. On our first day, we will arrive, adjusting to the time zone and, despite the fatigue from the hours of flying, trying to sleep at the right time. Not during the day, as in the time zone we are used to. For these reasons, we suggest that your first excursions be quite light., because we are not yet processing the information very well.

Hiking Suggestion

Talk to your guide, our suggestion is that our first experience in India is a light walk, to the first place we will visit this first afternoon, close to our hotel.

Try to get as much rest as possible on your first night. So arrive for breakfast, for example, about 40 minutes before the café closes (we will confirm the time on the day) to meet the guide for the visits and activities.

Our suggested tours for this afternoon are: Kartavya Path (Rajpath) with India Gate, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Lakshminarayan temple. If you're in the mood for more stuff, we have some extra possibilities in mind. Please let us know and we'll talk.

We will check the city's cultural agenda for the days in Delhi, as a possibility of a special activity, where great artists from the country perform.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

Lakshmi Narayan Temple

Also close to our hotel is the Hindu temple Lakshminarayan, also known as Birla (an important Indian family) Mandir (temple in Hindi). We'll see many Hindu temples during the trip, from the smallest on the sidewalks and in front of houses to the largest, as in this case. These are opportunities to learn and reflect on the knowledge, wisdom, and learning methods that have been practiced for millennia throughout the Asian subcontinent: from the Hindustan River Valley (from Mt. Kailash in Tibet to Pakistan), extending across the Gangetic Plain (from Rishikesh to Kolkata), and across the Himalayas to South India. Take the opportunity to ask your guide about your questions and curiosities about Hinduism, as well as the temple-goers, including the priests. We'll hear varied answers, with different approaches and levels of understanding of this knowledge, from the most beginner to the most accomplished, from the most popular to the most academic.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

Also close to our hotel, a visit to the Sikh temple, a 16th-century religion from the Punjab region of India, is certainly a good option. In the beautiful Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, we will hear their chants (see the translation on the monitors inside the temple), we will observe how they say their prayers in the temple and around the sacred tank. We will also be able to visit the kitchen where volunteers provide meals for thousands of people daily, regardless of social class and religion.

Next to Jantar Mantar, a visit to the Sikh temple, a 16th-century religion from the Punjab region of India, is certainly a good option. In the beautiful Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, we will hear their chants (see the translation on the monitors inside the temple), we will observe how they say their prayers in the temple and around the sacred tank. We will also be able to visit the kitchen where volunteers provide meals for thousands of people daily, regardless of social class and religion.

We will take a walk around the area of ​​our hotel, visit some temples including the Sikh temple, a 16th century religion, and the Punjab region of India, the beautiful Gurudwara Bangla SahibWe will listen to their songs, watch them pray in the temple and around the sacred tank. We will also be able to visit the kitchen where volunteers provide meals for thousands of people every day, regardless of social class or religion.

Let's see how hungry the group is for our first meal in Delhi!

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

Walk

Free day

Free afternoon

Flight

We can also take a walk through one of the parks where locals go for their walks, very beautiful, the Lodi Garden.

A walk around one of the parks where locals go for their walks, very beautiful, with mausoleums of the various sultans of Delhi, the Lodi Garden, is a great option that combines history, nature and the opportunity to observe the daily lives of local residents .

Something a little different that we're going to do today, will be to know the mess of the Main Bazar (main street of the market) of Paharganj. Region (messy) where the small hotels of backpacker travellers are, stores where many foreigners buy products to sell in their countries. In addition to or in the midst of this mess, next to the Paharganj Main Bazar metro station (Ramakrishna Mission metro station) (because on the other side of this long street we have the New Delhi train station), we have the Ashram of Swami Vivekananda and his teacher , Ramakrishna. Swami Vivekananda was a great teacher and exponent of Hindu studies in India and the West in the XNUMXth century. past. Ramakrishna was a great teacher, known for his crazy wisdom, which helps us so much to break some paradigms. Tip: schedule your time with the guide, see the sunset time in Delhi on that day (here), and when you arrive in Paharganj, check the ashram for the exact time for the Aarti, end of day ceremony. Then 'walk around' Paharganj and come back in time for Aarti. Sit there (in the back near the door maybe) for a while and then see if it's time to get back to the mess, eat somewhere with better structure or time to head back to the hotel.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

3th Day 13-Feb-2027 Sat DELHI DELHI

Old Delhi.

Red Fort

We will begin our tour with what is actually one of the many Delhis that existed in different eras and empires in a succession of neighboring cities. The last and eighth Delhi is where we are staying, built by the English, called New Delhi. The seventh was built by Shah Jahan, one of the great Mughal emperors, the same one who built the Taj Mahal, at the time known as Shajahanabad. Today we call it Old Delhi. or Old Delhi. We'll visit the Emperor's great mosque, the Jama Masjid. If you'd like, you can take a walk up to the minaret! From there, we'll have views of the city and the Red Fort. Talk to your guide. He doesn't need to climb the minaret and can keep your backpack (which can't be climbed onto the minaret, so it's always a good idea to have a padlock or not leave any money in it). Just be very careful on the platform up there, please.

Next, we'll stroll through the alleys of its old bazaar. There's a very old shop, passed down from father to son for a long time, selling essential oils (sandalwood, etc.) and incense, called Gulab Singh Johri Mal, which is a worthwhile visit in itself. You can buy a small box of oil along with one of the bottles typical of this Muslim region of Delhi. Following the tour through the alleys of the bazaar, most guides prefer to take a bicycle rickshaw. We highly recommend taking the walking tour, for more exposure and a better view of the bazaar. You'll also have the opportunity to visit a small, ancient Jain temple with beautiful paintings. There's more than one Jain temple in the area; this one is in the small village called Naughara Gali, in Kinari Bazaar. We then continue until we reach the Red Fort, where the important Lahori Gate is located. It was here that important speeches in the history of India took place, such as the independence of this country, today the largest democracy in the world, where ancient values ​​and customs coexist with extremely modern knowledge and technologies.

We will save our visit to one of the Red Forts for the one in Agra, with more history, prettier and better preserved.

We will visit the Red Fort, built in red sandstone and white marble in the 200th century. XVII, also by Emperor Shah Jahan. Used by the Mughal Empire for approx. XNUMX years, we will understand how they lived, with their gardens, rooms, public and private audience halls. We will see that it was also used by the English army.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

Raj Ghat

On the way back to our hotel area, we will pay our respects at the memorial where Gandhi was cremated, the Raj Ghat. We will see what his last words were, a sign of great achievement on his spiritual path. Those who like photographs, look for images taken by Cartier-Bresson, one of the greatest photographers who ever lived, who was in Delhi that day.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

Lunch

See if it's time for a meal, as it will depend a lot on whether there was breakfast (extra on that first day) at the hotel or not (usually not but sometimes we get an open breakfast). So it's possible that at that moment a good meal goes very well, how can it be better after all the visits and walks, okay? Suggestion for a first meal in India: a very good typical Indian food in an old Delhi restaurant that we will recommend.

It will probably be time for a good meal when we are back in the region with the best infrastructure in the city, close to our hotel. Suggestions: a typical South Indian food in a simple place very popular with Indians or a place with North Indian food, the same food as yesterday, in a more sophisticated restaurant. We'll talk.

It will probably be time for lunch. See on the day if you would like to eat in one of the restaurants that we indicated in the previous days, a western food (sometimes we like to vary a little) or even something simpler, like a quiche, in a cafe that we can recommend as well.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

Gandhi Smriti

Another special visit for our day is the last house where Gandhi lived, known as Birla House or Gandhi SmritiWe will learn a little about this important part of this nation's history, including the life and final moments of this great leader, an example of the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) and the culture of peace that continues throughout the world today. The most important parts of the museum today are at the beginning of the visit. So, a suggestion: (1) head to the back of the house where Gandhi was assassinated on the way to the place where he said his daily prayers. Return and take a look at a presentation about Gandhi's life, with photos of his birthplace, until he became the Gandhi we know. Then enter (2) the house through Gandhi's bedroom, where his belongings are displayed. In all the places where Gandhi lived, he had a simple room with belongings like these. (3) On this same ground floor, further into the house, on the right, after a room with a projection and music that Gandhi liked, there is a corridor with black and white photographs recounting Gandhi's life. If you have time, it's interesting. These are the most important parts of the visit. I suggest you continue through the other rooms in a much more concise manner, for a few minutes, including the floor above. There are volunteers available to show you the museum, but it can take a long time. If you'd like their support, ask them to present just two or three sections of the museum, or do a 5-minute summary (which will probably end up being longer). Suggestion: spend a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes on these sections of the museum (after Gandhi's room) so you can use your day for other visits in the city.

Group with Gui

Another special visit for our day is the last house where Gandhi lived, known as Birla House or Gandhi SmritiWe will learn a little about this important part of the history of this nation, as well as about the life and final moments of this great leader, an example of the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) and the culture of peace to this day throughout the world.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• FALSE

4th Day 14-Feb-2027 Sun DELHI DELHI

Lotus Temple

Hare Krishna Temple

Today we will start our day further south of the city, where we will visit the beautiful Lotus TempleBuilt in the shape of its name, it belongs to the Bahá'í religion, founded in the 19th century in ancient Persia. Upon visiting, you'll be invited to remain silent for a moment. This is an interesting opportunity and experience in the midst of this large, bustling city. After visiting the temple, which is sometimes open, further along the exit (before turning right to the street gate), there are stairs leading to an exhibition on the history and work of this religion. It's interesting to take a look and experience brief expositions on its thoughts.

Near the Lotus Temple, we can visit the temple ISKCON. Very beautiful, it's a good opportunity to see how the Hare Krishna movement, which we've already seen in our countries, is practiced in India. Let's just be mindful of their midday closing times (open from 10 a.m. to 13 p.m., then from 16:15 p.m. to 21 p.m.).

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

National museum

Returning to more central Delhi, a very interesting visit in Delhi is the National museum. It's possible to spend many hours or days appreciating each hall and exhibit on the history, arts, and people of India. A good way to take advantage of this opportunity is to visit a main hall and the relics of Buddha. Your backpack must be stored in a cloakroom before entering the museum building (small women's purses or clutches are usually allowed), and then, just before climbing the entrance stairs, be sure to take a look to your left at one of, if not the first, charter of human rights, carved in stone, according to the laws of the great Indian emperor of the 3rd century BC, Ashoka. Just after your entrance, one of the first halls is about Mohenjodaro and Harappa, the cradle of this Indian culture, between 3500 and 1500 BC. Right at the entrance to this hall, there's an interesting comparison of the eras of humanity's ancient civilizations. Next, we have objects from this period, the main ones being: the seal with what must have been Shiva (possibly in the form of Pashupati), the sculpture of the priest's head, and the dancing girl. From there, we walked (please be mindful of your time), without stopping too much, aiming to make the most of our day at the museum, through the other halls (there is an interesting digital exhibition on the Ajanta and Ellora caves further up, as well as a hall on the tribal regions of India and traditional instruments). (3) Now, in a new building on the way out of the museum, we have relics of the Buddha. A very special place to visit and, if you wish, to sit for a few moments. It is common to find practitioners of this Nepalese/Indian master's method (Sakya), sitting in meditation around his relics.

Gui Group

A very interesting visit in Delhi is the National museum. It is possible to spend many hours or days appreciating each hall and exhibits about the history, arts and people of India. A good way to take advantage of this opportunity is to visit the hall of Indo-Saravasti Culture and the relics of Buddha. In this hall we will learn a little about the cradle of Indian culture, with objects from 3500 and 1500 BC, such as the seal with what must have been Shiva (possibly in the form of Pashupati), the sculpture of the head of the priest and the dancing girl. In a new building, we have the relics of Buddha. A very special place to sit for a while and, if you want, do your practice.

We will check the city's cultural agenda for the days in Delhi, as a possibility of a special activity, where great artists from the country perform.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

Kartavya Path (Rajpath)

Near our hotel is the esplanade built by the English in the 20th century, called Kartavya Path (until recently called Rajpath). Here you will find India Gate, a landmark of the city, built in honor of the fighters in the great war, where you can get off to take some photos. On the other side of Kartavya Path is the house of the current president of India.

Close to our hotel is the terrace built by the English in the 17th century. XX, called Kartavya Path (until recently called Rajpath). It contains the India Gate, the city's landmark, built in honor of the combatants in the Great War. We usually end up passing by it more than once during our days in Delhi. Depending on the rules on the day, what has sometimes been possible is for us to arrange with the guide and driver to get off near India Gate to take a photo, the driver goes around, then passes by again to pick us up in a few minutes or parks there. close. Another possibility is, when we pass through Kartavya Path, our driver passes slowly so that we can take photos of the car. See how you prefer, ok? On the other side of Kartavya Path is the house of the current president of India.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• FALSE

5th Day 15-Feb-2027 Mon DELHI VARANASI

Taj Mahal

Flight

Train

Aarti Ceremony

Ganges Sunrise

Sarnath

Durga temple

Benare Universitys

Walk through the ghats

End of free day

Free afternoon

FIRST DAY

General

Today we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world still alive today. After breakfast, we will head to Delhi airport for our flight. flight to Varanasi. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. Time to freshen up in our rooms and then explore the old part of the city, walking through its alleys, ghats on the banks of the Ganges and through a ceremony ancient. The fire puja or Aarti Puja, conducted by Brahmins (a caste of Hindu priests) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is full of music, symbols, mantras, smells, lots of devotion and, for those who study the sacred scriptures, a very deep and sophisticated knowledge about the functioning of the human mind. Time to return to our hotel, with all these impressions, practically the same ones that both Hindu saints and yogis, as well as Buddha Sakyamuni himself, had in this same place during their walks, training periods and teachings. A good rest for a special start to the day, very early tomorrow.

General with 3 days in VNS

Today we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world still alive today. After breakfast, we will head to Delhi airport for our flight. flight to Varanasi. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. Time to freshen up in our rooms and then explore the old part of the city, walking through its alleys, ghats on the banks of the Ganges and through a ceremony Ancient. The fire puja, or Aarti Puja, led by Brahmins (a Hindu priestly caste) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is filled with music, symbols, mantras, scents, intense devotion, and, for those who study sacred scriptures, a profound and sophisticated understanding of the workings of the human mind. It's time to return to our hotel, with all these impressions—practically the same ones that Hindu saints and yogis, including Buddha Shakyamuni himself, experienced at this very spot during their walks, training periods, and teachings.

Tips on the morning tour:

Suggestion: Get a good rest today, not staying up too late, so you can watch the sunrise on the Ganges very early tomorrow morning. Besides the possibility of beautiful light, it's when the pilgrims perform their pujas at the ghats, which is very beautiful to see from the boat. To calculate our departure time from the hotel, we used two main pieces of information: the sunrise time in Varanasi that day (here) and how far the car can go at this time of day (varies a lot from month to month so we asked the guide) so how long will we walk (maximum 5 to 10 min). With this information:

– Sunrise time is a good time to be on the boat, that is, start a boat trip 10 to 15 minutes before sunrise.

It's approximately a 20-minute drive from the hotel to the main ghat (or Dasaswamedh Ghat) very early in the morning, plus the walk, if any.

After sunrise we return to the hotel for breakfast and then we go to Sarnath (the hotel is already halfway there).

General 2

Depending on your flight arrival time and traffic, you might have time to attend the Aarti ceremony in the early evening. If your flight is delayed or you prefer to rest because you started the day very early today and attend tomorrow, that's also a good option. If you have time and prefer, after transferring to our hotel and checking in, it's time to explore the old part of the city through an ancient ceremony. The fire puja, or Aarti Puja, conducted by Brahmins (the Hindu priestly caste) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is full of music, symbols, mantras, scents, deep devotion, and, for those who study the sacred scriptures, a profound and sophisticated understanding of the workings of the human mind. Time to return to our hotel with all these impressions, practically the same ones that Hindu saints and yogis, including Buddha Shakyamuni himself, had in this same place during their walks, training periods, and teachings. A good rest for a special start to the day, very early tomorrow.

from Agra

Today we will wake up very early for our visit to the Taj Mahal. Built by Shah Jahan for his wife, Muntaz Mahal, in the 20th century. XVII, thousands of workers and architects from different regions of the world for XNUMX years used the famous white marble of India and precious stones. Early in the morning, in addition to the possibility of beautiful light, it is also quieter than during the day. Our local guide will tell you several stories surrounding this monument. Return to the hotel for a good breakfast and then transfer to the airport for our flight to what is perhaps the oldest living city in the world to this day. Arrival in Varanasi, transfer to the hotel, check-in, a good meal for tomorrow to take a beautiful tour of the sacred Ganges.

Buddhist places

Today we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world that is still alive today. After breakfast, we will continue to Delhi airport for our flight to Varanasi. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. Time to freshen up in our rooms and then get to know the old part of the city through a millenary ceremony. The fire puja or Aarti Puja, conducted by brahmins (caste of Hindu priests) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is full of music, symbols, mantras, smells, a lot of devotion and, for those who study the scriptures profound and sophisticated knowledge of the workings of the human mind. Time to head back to our hotel, with all these impressions, pretty much the same as Buddha Shakyamuni had in this same spot on his way to Sarnath, for a special start to the day, early tomorrow.

DAY 2

General

We will wake up very early to arrive at Ganges, Before sunrise, we will embark on our rowing boat to ascend the Ganges and witness the sunrise of the sun god, Surya, from our boat. We will observe pilgrims performing their pujas (rituals) at the beginning of their days, in what is the most sacred place for the Hindu tradition. Calmly, guided by the goddess Ganga, we will return along the route we have just taken to a ghat (stairway by the river) a little further on, where we will disembark and have the opportunity to walk through the many alleyways, amidst thousands of small and large temples, in the old part of the city. There is a famous temple in this region, called the Golden Temple or Kashi Vishvanath. Its history is important for understanding the various periods of India's history. But the visit itself is not so much. To visit, we need to leave our belongings outside. Our guides know where to leave them. Honestly, it's not one of the most interesting parts of the tours for many travellers. Each traveller can decide how they prefer to do this!

Sarnath Individuals Custom

Back in our vehicle, we will have a good breakfast at our hotel and then we will continue to SarnathWe'll pass by the site where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met with his five fellow practitioners, and then visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, it's where Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma—that is, where he first taught—approximately 2500 years ago. We'll be able to practice meditation individually, sit for a few minutes, walk, read, or take photographs, as each traveller prefers. We'll visit the Mahabodhi Temple, where there are Buddha's relics (behind the main statue) and a "grandchild" tree of the one where Buddha sat and became enlightened. A simple yet very special visit can always be to visit a school where children from nearby villages, in addition to the usual curriculum, learn meditation, yoga, and how our mind works from an early age. We'll see firsthand the practical results of these tools. It's called the Alice Project School. Many locals know it as the Italian School. Our drivers and guides will help you find it if you'd like to visit.

Sarnath group with gui with 3 days in vns

Back in our vehicle, we will have a good breakfast at our hotel and then we will continue to Sarnath. We will pass by the place where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met with his 5 fellow practitioners and then we will visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, where Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma for the first time, that is, where he taught for the first time, approximately 2500 years ago. We will be able to practice meditation individually, sit for a few minutes, walk, read, take photos, as each traveller prefers. We will visit the Mahabodhi temple where there are relics of Buddha and a “grandchild” tree of the one where Buddha sat and became enlightened. A simple and always very special visit can always be to visit a school where children from nearby villages, in addition to the usual content, learn meditation, yoga and how our mind works from an early age. We will see first-hand the practical results of these tools. We will have the day to enjoy Sarnath calmly and with quality.

There are two temples in Sarnath that might be interesting to visit: the Japanese temple and the Tibetan one. Both can be visited by walking to the Mahabodhi temple.

End of day at leisure (with guide) to enjoy more Sarnath, return to the ghats region of Varanasi, enjoy seeing a spice market or the famous silks of Varanasi.

Experiences and places

Back in our vehicle, we'll have a hearty breakfast at our hotel and then head to Sarnath. We'll pass by the site where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met his five fellow practitioners, and then visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, it's where Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma—that is, where he first taught—approximately 2500 years ago. We can practice meditation individually or together, sitting for a few minutes, walking, reading, taking photographs, as each traveller prefers. We'll visit the Mahabodhi Temple, where there are relics of Buddha (behind the main statue) and a "grandchild" tree of the one where Buddha sat and became enlightened. A simple yet always very special visit will be to visit a school where children from nearby villages, in addition to the usual content, learn meditation, yoga, and how our mind works from an early age. We'll see firsthand the practical results of these tools.

DAY 3

We have one more day to enjoy and get to know the ancient and very special Varanasi. We will visit an important temple Hindu temple, then the small museum and temple of the old University of Benares. It will be a good opportunity to get to know an India with very little contact with foreigners, as is the environment of this university campus. We will continue to see a little more of India, its history, customs and traditions while we do a walking through its alleys and ghats on the banks of the Ganges. End of the day free to explore a little more of the already well-known Varanasi. We have some possibilities of activities in mind for the end of the day, which we will discuss during the trip.

Today we fly back to our well-known Delhi. Last free afternoon to get ready for the trip back to Brazil, walk, visit a place we really like or want to know, buy a souvenir of India or even, if there is in the city's cultural agenda, some presentation of classical Indian music or dance.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

6th Day 16-Feb.-2027 Tuesday VARANASI VARANASI

Taj Mahal

Flight

Train

Aarti Ceremony

Ganges Sunrise

Sarnath

Durga temple

Benare Universitys

Walk through the ghats

End of free day

Free afternoon

FIRST DAY

General

Today we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world still alive today. After breakfast, we will head to Delhi airport for our flight. flight to Varanasi. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. Time to freshen up in our rooms and then explore the old part of the city, walking through its alleys, ghats on the banks of the Ganges and through a ceremony ancient. The fire puja or Aarti Puja, conducted by Brahmins (a caste of Hindu priests) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is full of music, symbols, mantras, smells, lots of devotion and, for those who study the sacred scriptures, a very deep and sophisticated knowledge about the functioning of the human mind. Time to return to our hotel, with all these impressions, practically the same ones that both Hindu saints and yogis, as well as Buddha Sakyamuni himself, had in this same place during their walks, training periods and teachings. A good rest for a special start to the day, very early tomorrow.

General with 3 days in VNS

Today we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world still alive today. After breakfast, we will head to Delhi airport for our flight. flight to Varanasi. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. Time to freshen up in our rooms and then explore the old part of the city, walking through its alleys, ghats on the banks of the Ganges and through a ceremony Ancient. The fire puja, or Aarti Puja, led by Brahmins (a Hindu priestly caste) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is filled with music, symbols, mantras, scents, intense devotion, and, for those who study sacred scriptures, a profound and sophisticated understanding of the workings of the human mind. It's time to return to our hotel, with all these impressions—practically the same ones that Hindu saints and yogis, including Buddha Shakyamuni himself, experienced at this very spot during their walks, training periods, and teachings.

Tips on the morning tour:

Suggestion: Get a good rest today, not staying up too late, so you can watch the sunrise on the Ganges very early tomorrow morning. Besides the possibility of beautiful light, it's when the pilgrims perform their pujas at the ghats, which is very beautiful to see from the boat. To calculate our departure time from the hotel, we used two main pieces of information: the sunrise time in Varanasi that day (here) and how far the car can go at this time of day (varies a lot from month to month so we asked the guide) so how long will we walk (maximum 5 to 10 min). With this information:

– Sunrise time is a good time to be on the boat, that is, start a boat trip 10 to 15 minutes before sunrise.

It's approximately a 20-minute drive from the hotel to the main ghat (or Dasaswamedh Ghat) very early in the morning, plus the walk, if any.

After sunrise we return to the hotel for breakfast and then we go to Sarnath (the hotel is already halfway there).

General 2

Depending on your flight arrival time and traffic, you might have time to attend the Aarti ceremony in the early evening. If your flight is delayed or you prefer to rest because you started the day very early today and attend tomorrow, that's also a good option. If you have time and prefer, after transferring to our hotel and checking in, it's time to explore the old part of the city through an ancient ceremony. The fire puja, or Aarti Puja, conducted by Brahmins (the Hindu priestly caste) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is full of music, symbols, mantras, scents, deep devotion, and, for those who study the sacred scriptures, a profound and sophisticated understanding of the workings of the human mind. Time to return to our hotel with all these impressions, practically the same ones that Hindu saints and yogis, including Buddha Shakyamuni himself, had in this same place during their walks, training periods, and teachings. A good rest for a special start to the day, very early tomorrow.

from Agra

Today we will wake up very early for our visit to the Taj Mahal. Built by Shah Jahan for his wife, Muntaz Mahal, in the 20th century. XVII, thousands of workers and architects from different regions of the world for XNUMX years used the famous white marble of India and precious stones. Early in the morning, in addition to the possibility of beautiful light, it is also quieter than during the day. Our local guide will tell you several stories surrounding this monument. Return to the hotel for a good breakfast and then transfer to the airport for our flight to what is perhaps the oldest living city in the world to this day. Arrival in Varanasi, transfer to the hotel, check-in, a good meal for tomorrow to take a beautiful tour of the sacred Ganges.

Buddhist places

Today we will visit one of the oldest cities in the world that is still alive today. After breakfast, we will continue to Delhi airport for our flight to Varanasi. Transfer to our hotel and check-in. Time to freshen up in our rooms and then get to know the old part of the city through a millenary ceremony. The fire puja or Aarti Puja, conducted by brahmins (caste of Hindu priests) and hundreds of pilgrims from all over India on the banks of the sacred Ganges, is full of music, symbols, mantras, smells, a lot of devotion and, for those who study the scriptures profound and sophisticated knowledge of the workings of the human mind. Time to head back to our hotel, with all these impressions, pretty much the same as Buddha Shakyamuni had in this same spot on his way to Sarnath, for a special start to the day, early tomorrow.

DAY 2

General

We will wake up very early to arrive at Ganges, Before sunrise, we will embark on our rowing boat to ascend the Ganges and witness the sunrise of the sun god, Surya, from our boat. We will observe pilgrims performing their pujas (rituals) at the beginning of their days, in what is the most sacred place for the Hindu tradition. Calmly, guided by the goddess Ganga, we will return along the route we have just taken to a ghat (stairway by the river) a little further on, where we will disembark and have the opportunity to walk through the many alleyways, amidst thousands of small and large temples, in the old part of the city. There is a famous temple in this region, called the Golden Temple or Kashi Vishvanath. Its history is important for understanding the various periods of India's history. But the visit itself is not so much. To visit, we need to leave our belongings outside. Our guides know where to leave them. Honestly, it's not one of the most interesting parts of the tours for many travellers. Each traveller can decide how they prefer to do this!

Sarnath Individuals Custom

Back in our vehicle, we will have a good breakfast at our hotel and then we will continue to SarnathWe'll pass by the site where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met with his five fellow practitioners, and then visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, it's where Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma—that is, where he first taught—approximately 2500 years ago. We'll be able to practice meditation individually, sit for a few minutes, walk, read, or take photographs, as each traveller prefers. We'll visit the Mahabodhi Temple, where there are Buddha's relics (behind the main statue) and a "grandchild" tree of the one where Buddha sat and became enlightened. A simple yet very special visit can always be to visit a school where children from nearby villages, in addition to the usual curriculum, learn meditation, yoga, and how our mind works from an early age. We'll see firsthand the practical results of these tools. It's called the Alice Project School. Many locals know it as the Italian School. Our drivers and guides will help you find it if you'd like to visit.

Sarnath group with gui with 3 days in vns

Back in our vehicle, we will have a good breakfast at our hotel and then we will continue to Sarnath. We will pass by the place where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met with his 5 fellow practitioners and then we will visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, where Buddha turned the Wheel of Dharma for the first time, that is, where he taught for the first time, approximately 2500 years ago. We will be able to practice meditation individually, sit for a few minutes, walk, read, take photos, as each traveller prefers. We will visit the Mahabodhi temple where there are relics of Buddha and a “grandchild” tree of the one where Buddha sat and became enlightened. A simple and always very special visit can always be to visit a school where children from nearby villages, in addition to the usual content, learn meditation, yoga and how our mind works from an early age. We will see first-hand the practical results of these tools. We will have the day to enjoy Sarnath calmly and with quality.

There are two temples in Sarnath that might be interesting to visit: the Japanese temple and the Tibetan one. Both can be visited by walking to the Mahabodhi temple.

End of day at leisure (with guide) to enjoy more Sarnath, return to the ghats region of Varanasi, enjoy seeing a spice market or the famous silks of Varanasi.

Experiences and places

Back in our vehicle, we'll have a hearty breakfast at our hotel and then head to Sarnath. We'll pass by the site where Buddha, after his enlightenment in Bodhgaya, met his five fellow practitioners, and then visit the important Deer Park. A very peaceful place, it's where Buddha first turned the Wheel of Dharma—that is, where he first taught—approximately 2500 years ago. We can practice meditation individually or together, sitting for a few minutes, walking, reading, taking photographs, as each traveller prefers. We'll visit the Mahabodhi Temple, where there are relics of Buddha (behind the main statue) and a "grandchild" tree of the one where Buddha sat and became enlightened. A simple yet always very special visit will be to visit a school where children from nearby villages, in addition to the usual content, learn meditation, yoga, and how our mind works from an early age. We'll see firsthand the practical results of these tools.

DAY 3

We have one more day to enjoy and get to know the ancient and very special Varanasi. We will visit an important temple Hindu temple, then the small museum and temple of the old University of Benares. It will be a good opportunity to get to know an India with very little contact with foreigners, as is the environment of this university campus. We will continue to see a little more of India, its history, customs and traditions while we do a walking through its alleys and ghats on the banks of the Ganges. End of the day free to explore a little more of the already well-known Varanasi. We have some possibilities of activities in mind for the end of the day, which we will discuss during the trip.

Today we fly back to our well-known Delhi. Last free afternoon to get ready for the trip back to Brazil, walk, visit a place we really like or want to know, buy a souvenir of India or even, if there is in the city's cultural agenda, some presentation of classical Indian music or dance.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• With guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• FALSE

7th Day 17-Feb.-2027 Wed VARANASI BODHGAYA

Car trip

Mahabodhi Temple

We will travel Today we will visit the place where Buddha became enlightened, the most sacred site in Buddhism, Bodhgaya. It will take approx. 6 hours with our own vehicle. We will check in to our hotel, have lunch and then visit the main temple complex of the city, the Mahabodhi. It was there that Buddha sat for a few days until he had purified all his obscurations and realized the nature of our mind. We can do the same, sitting near or even under the Bodhi tree, a ficus religisosa (fig tree), in the exact place where Buddha became enlightened. This place is also called the Vajra Seat, the seat of the diamond or the indestructible thunderbolt, as well as our natural condition, our essence. We will be among pilgrims, lay and monastic, from all over the world. Mantras, incense, mind training practices from different traditions for our different mental dispositions. After becoming enlightened, the Awakened One (in Sanskrit: Buddha) contemplated his experience for a few weeks at different points around the Bodhi tree. These places are marked so that we can contemplate the same reflections during our days in Bodhgaya.

We have a car trip after breakfast to Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar. Check-in at our hotel and then we will visit the exact spot where Buddha attained enlightenment after sitting in meditation under the Bodhi tree for 7 days. Shakyamuni Buddha remained in this place for another 7 weeks after his enlightenment, contemplating the experience of enlightenment from our desires, attachments, and aversions, the experience of the natural state of our mind. We will then have the opportunity to enjoy this special place of Buddha's enlightenment, among pilgrims from all over the world, contemplating and putting his teachings into practice through group meditation, individually, reading, walking, photography, whatever is best for each traveller.

Travel by car: approx. 6h

After breakfast we will pick up approx. 6h by road to Bodhgaya, where Buddha became enlightened. A small town concentrated around the Maha Temple, where the Bodhi tree is located. The place pulsates with an intense energy of prayer, when we get close, we want to put our knees to the ground and be part of this immense sacred vortex. We will let each one of you feel free in your own way and with your space, the energy of this place so sacred to all Buddhists in the world.

Walk

Temples

Mahabodhi Temple

Today, if we want, even if it is available for whatever we need, we don't need to use our vehicle. We will walk or we will take a tuk tuk from our hotel to an institute run by a very important Tibetan Buddhist teacher, who offers introductory courses on Buddhism in several languages, from different countries. There is also an allopathic and homeopathic medical clinic for Indian peasants, and very special Universal Education schools. From the Root Institute we will walk to a large statue of Buddha built by the Japanese, then to a Japanese temple and a Bhutanese temple, each with very beautiful and very different styles. A very beautiful monastery that is worth a visit is the monastery of Mingyur Rinpoche, a great master of Tibetan Buddhism. There is a new monastery, a little further away, very beautiful, of Tara too. There are many possibilities. We will see how the group feels that day and we will do that. Including, of course, the main temple, Mahabodhi, which is always worth returning to. There are good lunch and coffee options in the city. We can always reserve the always very welcome and requested free temple, whether for shopping for Buddhist articles, sitting a little closer to the Bodhi tree, reading, walking meditation, taking photos, as each traveller prefers.

Today, if we want, we won't even see our vehicle! We will walk from our hotel passing plantations and temples in different Buddhist regions of the world, which are traditionally built on the holy sites of the Buddha. We will finish our walk to the temple and tree where Buddha became enlightened. End of day off.

Mahakala Cave

Sujata Village

Today we will head to a more remote region on the outskirts of Bodhgaya, to a mountain where there is a cave where Buddha meditated and practiced austerity before becoming enlightened. It will also be an opportunity to observe the rhythm of life in the villages that are more remote from the urban centers. Like all caves of great masters, it is a very special place to practice. After visiting the Mahakala Cave, we will visit the peaceful place where, when Siddhartha practiced eating only one grain of rice a day, the girl Sujata offered rice milk to the Buddha. At this point, as he ate and observed his mind functioning better with his stronger body, Siddhartha realized that it would not be through the extremes of self-indulgence or self-mortification that he would become enlightened, but through the middle path. We will take this opportunity to contemplate these experiences and teachings of the Buddha at these important points in his life.

We will return to Bodhgaya for our lunch and with free time to enjoy the Mahabodhi temple complex, other temples, cafes, walk, read, however each traveller prefers to enjoy this late afternoon.

Today we will visit the beautiful surroundings of Bodhgaya, including the Mahakala cave, the rice fields, and the village of Sujata. Sujata was the peasant woman who offered food to the Buddha when he had been practicing extreme asceticism for seven years. He accepted it, realizing the middle path he should follow from then on. Along the way, there are several small temples, mud houses, and corners consecrated by the faith of the simple people who live there. We will take our time, giving us time to sit, draw, and reflect.

Free day

Today is free, no agenda, no need to use our vehicle, which we can use to, for example, enjoy a little more Root Institute, with its library, video library, bookstore, sometimes guided meditations according to the method of this important lineage. We will be able to talk with a lama, monk or nun about what we have seen in India so far, as well as what we will experience in the next few days. It is a day to also process our experiences with the countless traditions with which we have had contact, millennia of study and knowledge of the mind strongly present in these cultures, peoples and travel, rest a little for tomorrow to hit the road again, to a place that is also very special and most important of Buddhism.

We have today free that we can use to visit, for example, the important Root Institute of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe, like the Monastery of Karmapa, where teachings and retreats are organized frequently. We will get in touch with these international institutes and monasteries and if there are lamas (teachers) in Bodhgaya these days, we will be able to talk to them about what we have seen, talked about, experienced and visited.

This day will be freer for those who want to connect with parts of Bodhgaya that they identified the most, will be able to meditate in the temple they liked the most and be able to do their last shopping in the city. For those who want, we will also visit the monastery of Karmapa and the monastery Shechen which is located near the center.

Flight

We'll say goodbye to our driver and vehicle, who accompanied us during our days in these sacred regions of India. After transfer to the nearby city of Bodhgaya, we'll board our flight back to India's capital, Delhi. We'll have free time for shopping or, for those who are so inclined, a cultural activity at the end of the day.

Today we will transfer to Gaya, a neighboring city where we will catch our flight back to our already well-known Delhi.

Car trip

Flight

Depart early for a drive to Patna Airport, the capital of the state of Bihar and the former largest Indian empire, led by Emperor Ashoka. The journey will take approximately 5 hours.

We'll say goodbye to our driver and vehicle, which accompanied us during our time in these sacred regions of India. After our transfer, we'll board our flight to Kolkata, the closest city en route, and our flight to Bhutan.

Transfer to the hotel for rest and early flight tomorrow morning.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

8th Day 18-Feb.-2027 Thurs BODHGAYA BODHGAYA

Car trip

Mahabodhi Temple

We will travel Today we will visit the place where Buddha became enlightened, the most sacred site in Buddhism, Bodhgaya. It will take approx. 6 hours with our own vehicle. We will check in to our hotel, have lunch and then visit the main temple complex of the city, the Mahabodhi. It was there that Buddha sat for a few days until he had purified all his obscurations and realized the nature of our mind. We can do the same, sitting near or even under the Bodhi tree, a ficus religisosa (fig tree), in the exact place where Buddha became enlightened. This place is also called the Vajra Seat, the seat of the diamond or the indestructible thunderbolt, as well as our natural condition, our essence. We will be among pilgrims, lay and monastic, from all over the world. Mantras, incense, mind training practices from different traditions for our different mental dispositions. After becoming enlightened, the Awakened One (in Sanskrit: Buddha) contemplated his experience for a few weeks at different points around the Bodhi tree. These places are marked so that we can contemplate the same reflections during our days in Bodhgaya.

We have a car trip after breakfast to Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar. Check-in at our hotel and then we will visit the exact spot where Buddha attained enlightenment after sitting in meditation under the Bodhi tree for 7 days. Shakyamuni Buddha remained in this place for another 7 weeks after his enlightenment, contemplating the experience of enlightenment from our desires, attachments, and aversions, the experience of the natural state of our mind. We will then have the opportunity to enjoy this special place of Buddha's enlightenment, among pilgrims from all over the world, contemplating and putting his teachings into practice through group meditation, individually, reading, walking, photography, whatever is best for each traveller.

Travel by car: approx. 6h

After breakfast we will pick up approx. 6h by road to Bodhgaya, where Buddha became enlightened. A small town concentrated around the Maha Temple, where the Bodhi tree is located. The place pulsates with an intense energy of prayer, when we get close, we want to put our knees to the ground and be part of this immense sacred vortex. We will let each one of you feel free in your own way and with your space, the energy of this place so sacred to all Buddhists in the world.

Walk

Temples

Mahabodhi Temple

Today, if we want, even if it is available for whatever we need, we don't need to use our vehicle. We will walk or we will take a tuk tuk from our hotel to an institute run by a very important Tibetan Buddhist teacher, who offers introductory courses on Buddhism in several languages, from different countries. There is also an allopathic and homeopathic medical clinic for Indian peasants, and very special Universal Education schools. From the Root Institute we will walk to a large statue of Buddha built by the Japanese, then to a Japanese temple and a Bhutanese temple, each with very beautiful and very different styles. A very beautiful monastery that is worth a visit is the monastery of Mingyur Rinpoche, a great master of Tibetan Buddhism. There is a new monastery, a little further away, very beautiful, of Tara too. There are many possibilities. We will see how the group feels that day and we will do that. Including, of course, the main temple, Mahabodhi, which is always worth returning to. There are good lunch and coffee options in the city. We can always reserve the always very welcome and requested free temple, whether for shopping for Buddhist articles, sitting a little closer to the Bodhi tree, reading, walking meditation, taking photos, as each traveller prefers.

Today, if we want, we won't even see our vehicle! We will walk from our hotel passing plantations and temples in different Buddhist regions of the world, which are traditionally built on the holy sites of the Buddha. We will finish our walk to the temple and tree where Buddha became enlightened. End of day off.

Mahakala Cave

Sujata Village

Today we will head to a more remote region on the outskirts of Bodhgaya, to a mountain where there is a cave where Buddha meditated and practiced austerity before becoming enlightened. It will also be an opportunity to observe the rhythm of life in the villages that are more remote from the urban centers. Like all caves of great masters, it is a very special place to practice. After visiting the Mahakala Cave, we will visit the peaceful place where, when Siddhartha practiced eating only one grain of rice a day, the girl Sujata offered rice milk to the Buddha. At this point, as he ate and observed his mind functioning better with his stronger body, Siddhartha realized that it would not be through the extremes of self-indulgence or self-mortification that he would become enlightened, but through the middle path. We will take this opportunity to contemplate these experiences and teachings of the Buddha at these important points in his life.

We will return to Bodhgaya for our lunch and with free time to enjoy the Mahabodhi temple complex, other temples, cafes, walk, read, however each traveller prefers to enjoy this late afternoon.

Today we will visit the beautiful surroundings of Bodhgaya, including the Mahakala cave, the rice fields, and the village of Sujata. Sujata was the peasant woman who offered food to the Buddha when he had been practicing extreme asceticism for seven years. He accepted it, realizing the middle path he should follow from then on. Along the way, there are several small temples, mud houses, and corners consecrated by the faith of the simple people who live there. We will take our time, giving us time to sit, draw, and reflect.

Free day

Today is free, no agenda, no need to use our vehicle, which we can use to, for example, enjoy a little more Root Institute, with its library, video library, bookstore, sometimes guided meditations according to the method of this important lineage. We will be able to talk with a lama, monk or nun about what we have seen in India so far, as well as what we will experience in the next few days. It is a day to also process our experiences with the countless traditions with which we have had contact, millennia of study and knowledge of the mind strongly present in these cultures, peoples and travel, rest a little for tomorrow to hit the road again, to a place that is also very special and most important of Buddhism.

We have today free that we can use to visit, for example, the important Root Institute of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe, like the Monastery of Karmapa, where teachings and retreats are organized frequently. We will get in touch with these international institutes and monasteries and if there are lamas (teachers) in Bodhgaya these days, we will be able to talk to them about what we have seen, talked about, experienced and visited.

This day will be freer for those who want to connect with parts of Bodhgaya that they identified the most, will be able to meditate in the temple they liked the most and be able to do their last shopping in the city. For those who want, we will also visit the monastery of Karmapa and the monastery Shechen which is located near the center.

Flight

We'll say goodbye to our driver and vehicle, who accompanied us during our days in these sacred regions of India. After transfer to the nearby city of Bodhgaya, we'll board our flight back to India's capital, Delhi. We'll have free time for shopping or, for those who are so inclined, a cultural activity at the end of the day.

Today we will transfer to Gaya, a neighboring city where we will catch our flight back to our already well-known Delhi.

Car trip

Flight

Depart early for a drive to Patna Airport, the capital of the state of Bihar and the former largest Indian empire, led by Emperor Ashoka. The journey will take approximately 5 hours.

We'll say goodbye to our driver and vehicle, which accompanied us during our time in these sacred regions of India. After our transfer, we'll board our flight to Kolkata, the closest city en route, and our flight to Bhutan.

Transfer to the hotel for rest and early flight tomorrow morning.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

9th Day 19-Feb.-2027 Fri BODHGAYA BODHGAYA

Car trip

Mahabodhi Temple

We will travel Today we will visit the place where Buddha became enlightened, the most sacred site in Buddhism, Bodhgaya. It will take approx. 6 hours with our own vehicle. We will check in to our hotel, have lunch and then visit the main temple complex of the city, the Mahabodhi. It was there that Buddha sat for a few days until he had purified all his obscurations and realized the nature of our mind. We can do the same, sitting near or even under the Bodhi tree, a ficus religisosa (fig tree), in the exact place where Buddha became enlightened. This place is also called the Vajra Seat, the seat of the diamond or the indestructible thunderbolt, as well as our natural condition, our essence. We will be among pilgrims, lay and monastic, from all over the world. Mantras, incense, mind training practices from different traditions for our different mental dispositions. After becoming enlightened, the Awakened One (in Sanskrit: Buddha) contemplated his experience for a few weeks at different points around the Bodhi tree. These places are marked so that we can contemplate the same reflections during our days in Bodhgaya.

We have a car trip after breakfast to Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar. Check-in at our hotel and then we will visit the exact spot where Buddha attained enlightenment after sitting in meditation under the Bodhi tree for 7 days. Shakyamuni Buddha remained in this place for another 7 weeks after his enlightenment, contemplating the experience of enlightenment from our desires, attachments, and aversions, the experience of the natural state of our mind. We will then have the opportunity to enjoy this special place of Buddha's enlightenment, among pilgrims from all over the world, contemplating and putting his teachings into practice through group meditation, individually, reading, walking, photography, whatever is best for each traveller.

Travel by car: approx. 6h

After breakfast we will pick up approx. 6h by road to Bodhgaya, where Buddha became enlightened. A small town concentrated around the Maha Temple, where the Bodhi tree is located. The place pulsates with an intense energy of prayer, when we get close, we want to put our knees to the ground and be part of this immense sacred vortex. We will let each one of you feel free in your own way and with your space, the energy of this place so sacred to all Buddhists in the world.

Walk

Temples

Mahabodhi Temple

Today, if we want, even if it is available for whatever we need, we don't need to use our vehicle. We will walk or we will take a tuk tuk from our hotel to an institute run by a very important Tibetan Buddhist teacher, who offers introductory courses on Buddhism in several languages, from different countries. There is also an allopathic and homeopathic medical clinic for Indian peasants, and very special Universal Education schools. From the Root Institute we will walk to a large statue of Buddha built by the Japanese, then to a Japanese temple and a Bhutanese temple, each with very beautiful and very different styles. A very beautiful monastery that is worth a visit is the monastery of Mingyur Rinpoche, a great master of Tibetan Buddhism. There is a new monastery, a little further away, very beautiful, of Tara too. There are many possibilities. We will see how the group feels that day and we will do that. Including, of course, the main temple, Mahabodhi, which is always worth returning to. There are good lunch and coffee options in the city. We can always reserve the always very welcome and requested free temple, whether for shopping for Buddhist articles, sitting a little closer to the Bodhi tree, reading, walking meditation, taking photos, as each traveller prefers.

Today, if we want, we won't even see our vehicle! We will walk from our hotel passing plantations and temples in different Buddhist regions of the world, which are traditionally built on the holy sites of the Buddha. We will finish our walk to the temple and tree where Buddha became enlightened. End of day off.

Mahakala Cave

Sujata Village

Today we will head to a more remote region on the outskirts of Bodhgaya, to a mountain where there is a cave where Buddha meditated and practiced austerity before becoming enlightened. It will also be an opportunity to observe the rhythm of life in the villages that are more remote from the urban centers. Like all caves of great masters, it is a very special place to practice. After visiting the Mahakala Cave, we will visit the peaceful place where, when Siddhartha practiced eating only one grain of rice a day, the girl Sujata offered rice milk to the Buddha. At this point, as he ate and observed his mind functioning better with his stronger body, Siddhartha realized that it would not be through the extremes of self-indulgence or self-mortification that he would become enlightened, but through the middle path. We will take this opportunity to contemplate these experiences and teachings of the Buddha at these important points in his life.

We will return to Bodhgaya for our lunch and with free time to enjoy the Mahabodhi temple complex, other temples, cafes, walk, read, however each traveller prefers to enjoy this late afternoon.

Today we will visit the beautiful surroundings of Bodhgaya, including the Mahakala cave, the rice fields, and the village of Sujata. Sujata was the peasant woman who offered food to the Buddha when he had been practicing extreme asceticism for seven years. He accepted it, realizing the middle path he should follow from then on. Along the way, there are several small temples, mud houses, and corners consecrated by the faith of the simple people who live there. We will take our time, giving us time to sit, draw, and reflect.

Free day

Today is free, no agenda, no need to use our vehicle, which we can use to, for example, enjoy a little more Root Institute, with its library, video library, bookstore, sometimes guided meditations according to the method of this important lineage. We will be able to talk with a lama, monk or nun about what we have seen in India so far, as well as what we will experience in the next few days. It is a day to also process our experiences with the countless traditions with which we have had contact, millennia of study and knowledge of the mind strongly present in these cultures, peoples and travel, rest a little for tomorrow to hit the road again, to a place that is also very special and most important of Buddhism.

We have today free that we can use to visit, for example, the important Root Institute of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe, like the Monastery of Karmapa, where teachings and retreats are organized frequently. We will get in touch with these international institutes and monasteries and if there are lamas (teachers) in Bodhgaya these days, we will be able to talk to them about what we have seen, talked about, experienced and visited.

This day will be freer for those who want to connect with parts of Bodhgaya that they identified the most, will be able to meditate in the temple they liked the most and be able to do their last shopping in the city. For those who want, we will also visit the monastery of Karmapa and the monastery Shechen which is located near the center.

Flight

We'll say goodbye to our driver and vehicle, who accompanied us during our days in these sacred regions of India. After transfer to the nearby city of Bodhgaya, we'll board our flight back to India's capital, Delhi. We'll have free time for shopping or, for those who are so inclined, a cultural activity at the end of the day.

Today we will transfer to Gaya, a neighboring city where we will catch our flight back to our already well-known Delhi.

Car trip

Flight

Depart early for a drive to Patna Airport, the capital of the state of Bihar and the former largest Indian empire, led by Emperor Ashoka. The journey will take approximately 5 hours.

We'll say goodbye to our driver and vehicle, which accompanied us during our time in these sacred regions of India. After our transfer, we'll board our flight to Kolkata, the closest city en route, and our flight to Bhutan.

Transfer to the hotel for rest and early flight tomorrow morning.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

10th Day 20-Feb-2027 Sat BODHGAYA RAJGIR

Bamboo Forest

Shanti Stupa

Vultures Peak

Today we will travel for approx. 3 hours to Rajgir. We will begin our visits with one of the places where Buddha and his monastic sangha lived for many monsoons, the Bamboo Forest. Since Buddha and his students lived on foot (throughout the places we are visiting), due to the dangers of a trip like this during the rainy season, during these months of each year they stayed in places offered by the kings of different regions. Lunch, check-in at our hotel and then we will continue to the Peace Stupa, or Shanti Stupa, in a beautiful place on top of a mountain, built by a Japanese Buddhist project for world peace, in many places around the world. From the stupa we will walk to the very special Vultures Peak, where Buddha had a hut. This is the location of the important text and teaching called the Heart Sutra, which we will have with us, as well as commentaries by great masters. A very peaceful place, also on a nearby mountain. We can use this special opportunity to train our mind, either by offering incense, as an invitation to do a practice, reading the Heart Sutra and its commentaries. As each traveller prefers to take advantage of this special opportunity and place.

After traveling to Rajgir, we will visit one of the places where Buddha and his monastic sangha (community) lived during many monsoon seasons: the Bamboo Grove. Because Buddha and his students spent their time traveling (through the places we are visiting), and due to the dangers of such a journey during the rainy season, they stayed in places offered by local kings during those months of each year. After checking into our hotel, we will proceed to the Peace Stupa, or Shanti Stupa, a beautiful location atop a mountain, built as part of a Japanese Buddhist project for world peace in many parts of the world. From the stupa, we will walk to the very special Vulture Peak, the site of the important Heart Sutra, a very peaceful spot also atop a nearby mountain. We will offer our incense and contemplate the teachings that Buddha offered in this very place on Prajnaparamita, putting into practice a little more of the instructions of this great master.

Travel by car: approx. 3h

Nalanda University

Shanti Stupa Stupa of relics

Patna

Flight

In the morning, next to Rajgir, we will visit the archaeological site of the very important Nalanda University. For centuries, Nalanda was one of the most important centers of Buddhist studies, attracting students from many parts of the world, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries. Around 10.000 students and 2.000 teachers lived there, and it boasted a library larger than that of Alexandria, for example. Among the many great scholars and masters of Nalanda, known as the Indian pandits, were: Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, and Shantideva. For centuries, many of these yogis were invited by Tibetan kings to cross the Himalayas and bring the study of Buddhism to Tibet. Thus, the Nalanda tradition remains alive to this day, studied and practiced in traditional Tibetan shedras (universities) and monasteries in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, as well as in important universities in Europe and North America, where there is a very rich and important exchange with current neuroscientists, physicists, and educators. We will visit the Nalanda monasteries, as well as temples, important stupas, and its small museum. It is certainly a very special and inviting place to practice observation, reflection, and familiarization with our minds—that is, meditation individually or together, as each traveller prefers—as well as reading excerpts from important texts of this science written in the same place where we will be, in this ancient university.

Visit completed, we will continue the trip for approx. 3:XNUMX and after crossing the Ganges River, we will arrive in Patna, capital of the former Ashoka empire, today from this state called Bihar.

We will continue our journey for approx. 5h to Vaishali. On the way we will pass through Patna, capital of the ancient empire of Ashoka, today of this state, Bihar, and where the Ganges river also passes. Arriving in Vaishali, very close to Patna, we will check in, have a good meal and then take a walk through the small village near our hotel. Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is part of the 8 holiest sites in Buddhism, was perhaps the first example of a republic-type government organization, which Buddha visited numerous times. It was in Vaishali that Buddha ordered the first sanga of female nuns, demonstrated miracles, offered his last sermon (sutra), announced his Mahaparanirvana and was also where the Second Council took place. Today we will visit another Shanti Stupa, like in Rajgir, and a much older stupa, from the Licchavi Empire, which holds relics of Buddha. There is a very pleasant and inviting lawn for our readings, practice and always good conversations.

On the way to Vaishali, we will visit the ruins of the very important Nalanda University. For centuries, Nalanda was a major center of Buddhist studies, attracting students from many parts of the world, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries. It housed approximately 10.000 students and 2.000 teachers, and boasted a library larger than that of Alexandria, for example. Among the many great masters of Nalanda, known as the Indian pandits, were Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, and Shantideva. The Nalanda tradition remains alive today, studied and practiced in Tibetan shedras (universities) and monasteries worldwide. It is also present in important universities in Europe and North America, where there is significant modern exchange with neuroscientists, physicists, and educators. We will continue our journey to Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is one of the eight most sacred sites in Buddhism. Buddha visited Vaishali numerous times; it was there that he ordained the first sangha of female nuns, demonstrated miracles, delivered his last sermon (sutra), and announced his Mahaparanirvana. Walking from our hotel, we will visit the stupa that houses his relics. It was also in this small but important place that Ananda, Buddha's cousin and closest disciple, attained enlightenment on the banks of the Ganges.

Travel by car: approx. 5h

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

11th Day 21-Feb-2027 Sun RAJGIR VAISHALI

Nalanda University

Shanti Stupa

Relics stupa

Patna

Flight

In the morning, next to Rajgir, we will visit the archaeological site of the very important University of nalandaNalanda was for centuries one of the most important centers of Buddhist studies, attracting students from many parts of the world, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries. It housed approximately 10.000 students and 2.000 teachers, and boasted a library larger than that of Alexandria, for example. Among the many great scholars and masters of Nalanda, known as the Indian pandits, were Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, and Shantideva. For centuries, many of these yogis were invited by Tibetan kings to cross the Himalayas and bring the study of Buddhism to Tibet. Thus, the tradition of Nalanda remains alive to this day, studied and practiced in traditional Tibetan shedras (universities) and monasteries in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, as well as in important universities in Europe and North America, where there is a rich and important exchange with neuroscientists, physicists, and contemporary educators. We will visit the monasteries of Nalanda, as well as temples, important stupas, and its small museum. It is certainly a very special and inviting place for us to practice observation, reflection, and familiarization of our minds—that is, meditation individually or together, as each traveller prefers—as well as reading excerpts from important texts of this science written in the same place where we will be, in this ancient university.

Visit completed, we will continue the trip for approx. 3:XNUMX and after crossing the Ganges River, we will arrive in Patna, capital of the former Ashoka empire, today from this state called Bihar.

We will continue our journey for approximately 5 hours to Vaishali. On the way we will pass through Patna, the capital of the ancient empire of Ashoka, now part of the state of Bihar, and through which the Ganges River also flows. Let's see how much time and hunger we have! We will then choose some of the good restaurant options along the way or in Vaishali itself. We will also see if we will have time for any visits or walks at the end of the day.

We will continue our journey for approx. 5h to Vaishali. On the way we will pass through Patna, capital of the ancient empire of Ashoka, today of this state, Bihar, and where the Ganges river also passes. Arriving in Vaishali, very close to Patna, we will check in, have a good meal and then take a walk through the small village near our hotel. Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is part of the 8 holiest sites in Buddhism, was perhaps the first example of a republic-type government organization, which Buddha visited numerous times. It was in Vaishali that Buddha ordered the first sanga of female nuns, demonstrated miracles, offered his last sermon (sutra), announced his Mahaparanirvana and was also where the Second Council took place. Today we will visit another Shanti Stupa, like in Rajgir, and a much older stupa, from the Licchavi Empire, which holds relics of Buddha. There is a very pleasant and inviting lawn for our readings, practice and always good conversations.

It looks like a version with older details to me.

On the way to Vaishali, we will visit the ruins of the very important Nalanda University. For centuries, Nalanda was a major center of Buddhist studies, attracting students from many parts of the world, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries. It housed approximately 10.000 students and 2.000 teachers, and boasted a library larger than that of Alexandria, for example. Among the many great masters of Nalanda, known as the Indian pandits, were Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, and Shantideva. The Nalanda tradition remains alive today, studied and practiced in Tibetan shedras (universities) and monasteries worldwide. It is also present in important universities in Europe and North America, where there is significant modern exchange with neuroscientists, physicists, and educators. We will continue our journey to Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is one of the eight most sacred sites in Buddhism. Buddha visited Vaishali numerous times; it was there that he ordained the first sangha of female nuns, demonstrated miracles, delivered his last sermon (sutra), and announced his Mahaparanirvana. Walking from our hotel, we will visit the stupa that houses his relics. It was also in this small but important place that Ananda, Buddha's cousin and closest disciple, attained enlightenment on the banks of the Ganges.

Travel by car: approx. 5h

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

12th Day 22-Feb-2027 Mon VAISHALI KUSHINAGAR

Shanti Stupa

Relics stupa

Starting our day in Vaishali, after breakfast, we'll take a walk through the small village near our hotel. Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is one of the eight holiest Buddhist sites, was perhaps the first example of a republic-type government organization, which Buddha visited numerous times. It was in Vaishali that Buddha ordained the first female nun, performed miracles, offered his last sermon (sutra), announced his Mahaparanirvana, and was also the site of the Second Council. Today we'll visit another Shanti Stupa, as in Rajgir, and a much older one stupa, of the Licchavi Empire, which houses relics of Buddha. There is a very pleasant and inviting lawn for our reading, practice, and always good conversations.

Near Vaishali, we will continue to the archaeological site of the monastery Kutagarasala, where the stupa of one of Buddha's main students is located. Ananda, his cousin and attendant, played a major role in the first council after Buddha's death, as he remembered all of Buddha's sutras and teachings. It was near Vaishali on the banks of the Ganges that Ananda passed into nirvana. Next to the stupa we will see one of the pillars of Ashoka, the great emperor who supported Buddhism in India and in several other countries in Asia. Time to continue our journey for approximately 5 hours through the Gangetic plain, to Kushinagar, the site of Buddha's Mahaparanirvana.

On the way we will make a stop at the Stupa KesariyaBuilt approximately 1500 years ago on the site where Buddha lived in a previous life, the place of one of his teachers before his enlightenment, where on a previous visit he taught what came to be called the Kalama Sutra. In this teaching, Buddha emphasized the importance of using reason, testing and investigating the teachings on the workings of our mind, in contrast to blind faith and dogma. On his way to Kushinagar, during his last visit, Buddha offered his bowl here to the Lichavis, the inhabitants of Vaishali.

It looks like a version with older details to me.

On the way to Vaishali, we will visit the ruins of the very important Nalanda University. For centuries, Nalanda was a major center of Buddhist studies, attracting students from many parts of the world, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries. It housed approximately 10.000 students and 2.000 teachers, and boasted a library larger than that of Alexandria, for example. Among the many great masters of Nalanda, known as the Indian pandits, were Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, and Shantideva. The Nalanda tradition remains alive today, studied and practiced in Tibetan shedras (universities) and monasteries worldwide. It is also present in important universities in Europe and North America, where there is significant modern exchange with neuroscientists, physicists, and educators. We will continue our journey to Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is one of the eight most sacred sites in Buddhism. Buddha visited Vaishali numerous times; it was there that he ordained the first sangha of female nuns, demonstrated miracles, delivered his last sermon (sutra), and announced his Mahaparanirvana. Walking from our hotel, we will visit the stupa that houses his relics. It was also in this small but important place that Ananda, Buddha's cousin and closest disciple, attained enlightenment on the banks of the Ganges.

Travel by car: approx. 5h

Kutagarasala Vihara

Ananda's stupa

Kesariya stupa

We will end our visit to Vaishali in the morning. We will visit the archaeological site of the monastery. Kutagarasala, where is the stupa One of Buddha's foremost students. Ananda, his cousin and attendant, played a key role in the first council after Buddha's death, remembering all of Buddha's sutras and teachings. It was near Vaishali on the banks of the Ganges that Ananda... Next to the stupa, we'll see one of the pillars of Ashoka, the great emperor who supported Buddhism in India and several other countries in Asia. Time to continue our journey for approximately 5 hours across the Gangetic plain to Kushinagar, the site of Buddha's Mahaparanirvana.

On the way we will make a stop at the Stupa KesariyaBuilt approximately 1500 years ago on the site where Buddha lived in a previous life, the place of one of his teachers before his enlightenment, where on a previous visit he taught what came to be called the Kalama Sutra. In this teaching, Buddha emphasized the importance of using reason, testing and investigating the teachings on the workings of our mind, in contrast to blind faith and dogma. On his way to Kushinagar, during his last visit, Buddha offered his bowl here to the Lichavis, the inhabitants of Vaishali.

Mahapanirvana Site Temple and Buddha Relics
Stupa at Buddha's cremation site

Mahaparinirvana Temple
walk through the temples
Ramabhar stupa

Today we won't need to use our vehicle. We'll walk through the village of Kushinagar, one of the four most sacred sites in Buddhism, as the Buddha himself instructed his students to visit in his final teaching—the Mahaparanirvana Sutra. While walking, we'll visit the temple that stands on the site of the Mahaparanirvana of Buddha, where today there is a statue of the reclining Buddha. We will visit a Myanmar stupa and a small Japanese temple. In the afternoon we will visit the place where Buddha was cremated, a stupa and there is a pleasant lawn to contemplate this important teaching of the Buddha on impermanence, as well as his legacy for the development of the human mind.

Buddha's birthplace

maya devi temple

Today we will head south to Nepal, a still low-lying region, very similar geographically, culturally, and ethnically to the regions we visited in recent days. We will notice small differences due to the proximity and influence of the higher regions of this small and highest country in the world. After completing the formalities at Indian and Nepalese immigration, facilitated by Guilherme, we will go to our hotel for a good meal and a well-deserved rest. Suggestion: try some very good typical Nepalese food! For those who are willing and prefer, we can visit the Maya Devi temple, the birthplace of Buddha. The car trip takes approximately 7 hours.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

13th Day 23-Feb-2027 Tuesday KUSHINAGAR KUSHINAGAR

Shanti Stupa

Relics stupa

Starting our day in Vaishali, after breakfast, we'll take a walk through the small village near our hotel. Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is one of the eight holiest Buddhist sites, was perhaps the first example of a republic-type government organization, which Buddha visited numerous times. It was in Vaishali that Buddha ordained the first female nun, performed miracles, offered his last sermon (sutra), announced his Mahaparanirvana, and was also the site of the Second Council. Today we'll visit another Shanti Stupa, as in Rajgir, and a much older one stupa, of the Licchavi Empire, which houses relics of Buddha. There is a very pleasant and inviting lawn for our reading, practice, and always good conversations.

Near Vaishali, we will continue to the archaeological site of the monastery Kutagarasala, where the stupa of one of Buddha's main students is located. Ananda, his cousin and attendant, played a major role in the first council after Buddha's death, as he remembered all of Buddha's sutras and teachings. It was near Vaishali on the banks of the Ganges that Ananda passed into nirvana. Next to the stupa we will see one of the pillars of Ashoka, the great emperor who supported Buddhism in India and in several other countries in Asia. Time to continue our journey for approximately 5 hours through the Gangetic plain, to Kushinagar, the site of Buddha's Mahaparanirvana.

On the way we will make a stop at the Stupa KesariyaBuilt approximately 1500 years ago on the site where Buddha lived in a previous life, the place of one of his teachers before his enlightenment, where on a previous visit he taught what came to be called the Kalama Sutra. In this teaching, Buddha emphasized the importance of using reason, testing and investigating the teachings on the workings of our mind, in contrast to blind faith and dogma. On his way to Kushinagar, during his last visit, Buddha offered his bowl here to the Lichavis, the inhabitants of Vaishali.

It looks like a version with older details to me.

On the way to Vaishali, we will visit the ruins of the very important Nalanda University. For centuries, Nalanda was a major center of Buddhist studies, attracting students from many parts of the world, especially between the 5th and 12th centuries. It housed approximately 10.000 students and 2.000 teachers, and boasted a library larger than that of Alexandria, for example. Among the many great masters of Nalanda, known as the Indian pandits, were Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Buddhapalita, Bhavaviveka, Chandrakirti, and Shantideva. The Nalanda tradition remains alive today, studied and practiced in Tibetan shedras (universities) and monasteries worldwide. It is also present in important universities in Europe and North America, where there is significant modern exchange with neuroscientists, physicists, and educators. We will continue our journey to Vaishali, which, like Rajgir, is one of the eight most sacred sites in Buddhism. Buddha visited Vaishali numerous times; it was there that he ordained the first sangha of female nuns, demonstrated miracles, delivered his last sermon (sutra), and announced his Mahaparanirvana. Walking from our hotel, we will visit the stupa that houses his relics. It was also in this small but important place that Ananda, Buddha's cousin and closest disciple, attained enlightenment on the banks of the Ganges.

Travel by car: approx. 5h

Kutagarasala Vihara

Ananda's stupa

Kesariya stupa

We will end our visit to Vaishali in the morning. We will visit the archaeological site of the monastery. Kutagarasala, where is the stupa One of Buddha's foremost students. Ananda, his cousin and attendant, played a key role in the first council after Buddha's death, remembering all of Buddha's sutras and teachings. It was near Vaishali on the banks of the Ganges that Ananda... Next to the stupa, we'll see one of the pillars of Ashoka, the great emperor who supported Buddhism in India and several other countries in Asia. Time to continue our journey for approximately 5 hours across the Gangetic plain to Kushinagar, the site of Buddha's Mahaparanirvana.

On the way we will make a stop at the Stupa KesariyaBuilt approximately 1500 years ago on the site where Buddha lived in a previous life, the place of one of his teachers before his enlightenment, where on a previous visit he taught what came to be called the Kalama Sutra. In this teaching, Buddha emphasized the importance of using reason, testing and investigating the teachings on the workings of our mind, in contrast to blind faith and dogma. On his way to Kushinagar, during his last visit, Buddha offered his bowl here to the Lichavis, the inhabitants of Vaishali.

Mahapanirvana Site Temple and Buddha Relics
Stupa at Buddha's cremation site

Mahaparinirvana Temple
walk through the temples
Ramabhar stupa

Today we won't need to use our vehicle. We'll walk through the village of Kushinagar, one of the four most sacred sites in Buddhism, as the Buddha himself instructed his students to visit in his final teaching—the Mahaparanirvana Sutra. While walking, we'll visit the temple that stands on the site of the Mahaparanirvana of Buddha, where today there is a statue of the reclining Buddha. We will visit a Myanmar stupa and a small Japanese temple. In the afternoon we will visit the place where Buddha was cremated, a stupa and there is a pleasant lawn to contemplate this important teaching of the Buddha on impermanence, as well as his legacy for the development of the human mind.

Buddha's birthplace

maya devi temple

Today we will head south to Nepal, a still low-lying region, very similar geographically, culturally, and ethnically to the regions we visited in recent days. We will notice small differences due to the proximity and influence of the higher regions of this small and highest country in the world. After completing the formalities at Indian and Nepalese immigration, facilitated by Guilherme, we will go to our hotel for a good meal and a well-deserved rest. Suggestion: try some very good typical Nepalese food! For those who are willing and prefer, we can visit the Maya Devi temple, the birthplace of Buddha. The car trip takes approximately 7 hours.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

14th Day 24-Feb.-2027 Wed KUSHINAGAR LUMBINI

Buddha's birthplace

Early in the morning today we will head towards the South of Nepal. This region is still low-lying, but geographically, culturally and ethnically very similar to the regions we have visited in recent days. We will notice small differences due to the proximity and influence of the higher regions of this small and highest country in the world. After formalities at Indian and Nepalese immigration, facilitated by Guilherme, we will head to our hotel for a good meal. We suggest some very good typical Nepalese food! After our lunch, we will take a walk to the Maya Devi temple. Place where Buddha was born when his mother, Mayadevi, returned to her parents' village, as is traditional to this day, to give birth to her son. Thus we will complete the four most sacred sites in Buddhism.

Early this morning, we'll head to southern Nepal. This region is still low-lying, but geographically, culturally, and ethnically very similar to the regions we've visited in recent days. We'll notice slight differences due to the proximity and influence of the higher regions of this small, yet highest, country in the world. After formalities at Indian and Nepalese immigration, facilitated by Guilherme, we'll head to our hotel for a good meal. We recommend some delicious, typical Nepalese food! After lunch, we'll take a walk to the Maya Devi Temple. place where Buddha was born, thus we will complete the four most sacred places in Buddhism.

Today we will head towards southern Nepal, a still low-lying region, very similar geographically, culturally, and ethnically to the regions we visited in recent days. We will notice small differences due to the proximity and influence of the higher regions of this small and highest country in the world. After formalities at Indian and Nepalese immigration, facilitated by Guilherme, we will go to our hotel for a good meal and a well-deserved rest. Suggestion: some very good typical Nepalese food! For those who are willing and prefer, we can already visit the Maya Devi temple. place where Buddha was born, thus completing the four most sacred Buddhist sites. The journey takes approximately 7 hours by car.

Kapilavastu

Walk

Buddha's birthplace

After our breakfast, near Lumbini, we will visit the place where Buddha lived during his childhood and youth, Kapilavastu. The then prince Siddhartha was quite protected by his father, with regard to all discomforts and possible suffering. At the same time, with the presence of all the pleasures that our senses can offer us. It was while exploring the surroundings of his house that Siddhartha had four important visions: for the first time he saw a sick person, an old man, a dead person and an ascetic. We will walk through the same places where Siddhartha lived before his enlightenment, from where he continued his Walk, studies and training until he became enlightened in our already known Bodhgaya. Back in Lumbini, we will be able to walk through the region, visiting some temples and, of course, visiting once again the place where Buddha was born. Such an important place that sitting there a little longer, enjoying reading, reflecting and familiarizing yourself, as each traveller prefers, are certainly remarkable and very worthwhile experiences.

After our breakfast, near Lumbini, we will visit the place where Buddha lived during his childhood and youth, KapilavastuThe then-Prince Siddhartha was quite protected by his father, shielding him from all discomfort and potential suffering. At the same time, he enjoyed all the pleasures our senses can offer. It was during explorations around his home that Siddhartha had four important visions: for the first time he saw a sick person, an old man, a dead man, and an ascetic. We will walk through the same places where Siddhartha lived before his enlightenment, from where he continued his journey, studies, and training until he attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya. Back in Lumbini, when we complete the four most sacred sites of Buddhism, we will be able to revisit the place where Buddha was born when his mother, Mayadevi, returned to her parents' village, as is tradition to this day, for the birth of her son. A very special place, sitting there for a few moments, taking the opportunity for reading, reflection, and familiarization are surely memorable and very rewarding experiences.

Today, if anyone is returning to Brazil after we have completed the four most sacred Buddhist sites, please let us know so we can arrange a mini-extension to accommodate your flights. In this case, we will meet with our local representatives who will provide airport transfers and all necessary assistance. With a quick flight to Kathmandu, offering beautiful views of the snow-capped Himalayan mountains on clear days, our local representatives will greet you with a Chörten sign and provide all necessary assistance. Guilherme will accompany you every step of your trip to Kathmandu, maintaining contact by phone. If you are short on time to return to Brazil, we suggest a mini-extension with a relaxed day in Kathmandu, including a visit to the Tibetan quarter where you will be staying, home to the great Boudhnath stupa and numerous important monasteries. If you have more time, we can easily arrange a longer extension as well. Our local representatives will then assist you with the transfer back to Kathmandu airport for your flight back to Brazil.

 The journey to Buddhist Sites in India continues today to Sravasti with Extension 2: here

Transfer to the nearest airport in Lumbini, approx. 20min, and flight to Kathmandu. Weather permitting, with an incredible view of the snow-capped mountains, the highest on our planet: the Himalayas. Arrival in the Kathmandu Valley, transfer to the hotel in the Tibetan neighborhood, with a free afternoon around the great stupa of Boudhnath with assistance.

Transfer to the nearest airport in Lumbini, approx. 20min, and flight to Kathmandu. Weather permitting, with an incredible view of the highest snowy mountains on our planet: the Himalayas. Arrival in the Kathmandu Valley, transfer to the hotel in the Tibetan quarter, with free afternoon with assistance around the large stupa of Boudhnath to acclimate ourselves with this new, also quite special, culture on our trip.

Around the great stupa (Tib: chörten) of boudhanath In our Tibetan neighborhood, dotted with monasteries, you'll find nuns, monks, and lay Tibetans, sometimes great masters, performing their koras (circumambulations), spinning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras, and lighting lamps, especially in the late afternoon and early morning. We'll enjoy a stop at one of the cafes or restaurants to observe and assimilate our first encounter on this trip with these people who, directly or indirectly, keep alive to this day, throughout the world, the legacy of Nalanda University, which we visited a few days ago.

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

We thought about that day and organized it as follows:

• Without guide

• With driver and car

15th Day 25-Feb-2027 Thu LUMBINI LUMBINI

Buddha's birthplace