Buddhist Nepal in 8 Days
Photo: Sumitbhatt222, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
About
Eight quiet days with the Buddhist places of Nepal. The great stupas of Boudha and Swayambhu, where Tibetan and Newar Buddhism live side by side; the courtyard monasteries of Patan; a night at Namobuddha, a hilltop monastery east of the valley; then Lumbini, where the Buddha was born, and Tilaurakot, the ruins of the old Shakya capital nearby. Time to walk the kora, sit in a prayer hall, and ask about what you see. For pilgrims and for anyone curious; no belief needed.
A private journey
Your holiday in Nepal, travelled your way
Namaste, and welcome to Nepal. A week or two here can feel like a race when you are one of thirty on a coach. With your own guide it becomes a journey: the same face every morning, a car that stops for tea in a village, a slow day when you need one, and someone who knows the country and wants you to feel at home in it. I would like you to go home feeling that Nepal was kind to you.
- Time to sit
- No hurry at the stupas: walk the kora, sit in a prayer hall, ask your questions.
- A night on the hilltop
- At Namobuddha we stay for the evening and the morning prayers, after the day visitors have gone.
- Short flights, not long roads
- The plains are reached by plane, so your days are spent in the places.
- Just you, and the people you came with
- No strangers to wait for, no group to keep up with.
- The same guide from the first day to the last
- You never start again with someone new.
- Rest days when you want them
- We add one, or move the plan, whenever you need it.
- The country between the places
- Villages, rivers and roadside tea, not only the famous sights.
- Someone to look after the details
- Tickets, permits, rooms and roads are arranged for you, so your mind is free.
With warmth, Rujan Neupane
Along the way
What this day is known for.
- The kora around Boudha at dawn and at dusk
- Swayambhu, and the old courtyard monasteries of Patan
- A night at Namobuddha, with the morning prayers
- Lumbinithe Maya Devi temple, the Ashoka pillar and the sacred garden
- Tilaurakot, the ruins linked with the Shakya palace of Kapilavastu
- Time to sit in monasteries of many countries in Lumbini's monastic zone
Day by day, night by night
Where we go, how long on the road, and where you sleep each night.| Day | The day | On the road | The night | Room + meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Day 1 · Arrive, the evening kora at BoudhaI meet you at the airport or your hotel. In the evening we walk around the great stupa of Boudha with the people at prayer, and visit one of the monasteries around it.
|
About 30 minutes from the airport | Kathmandu, near Boudha if you like | Boudha entry; dinner |
| Day 2 | Day 2 · Swayambhu and PatanSwayambhu in the morning, when the pilgrims walk around it. Patan's Buddhist courtyards in the afternoon: the Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar) and other old monasteries among the houses.
|
Short drives inside the city | Kathmandu | Entry tickets; lunch |
| Day 3 | Day 3 · To NamobuddhaEast out of the valley through Dhulikhel to Namobuddha, a monastery and stupa on a hilltop. Local tradition says a prince gave his body here to a starving tigress. The evening and night at the monastery.
|
About 2 hours by car | Namobuddha, the monastery's guest house or a lodge nearby | Guest house; meals |
| Day 4 | Day 4 · Morning prayers, back via BhaktapurThe monks' morning prayers, then a walk down through the villages before the car takes us to Bhaktapur for the afternoon, and back to Kathmandu.
|
About 2 hours by car in all | Kathmandu | Bhaktapur entry; lunch |
| Day 5 | Day 5 · Fly to LumbiniA short flight to Bhairahawa and a short drive to Lumbini. In the afternoon the sacred garden: the Maya Devi temple, the marker stone of the birthplace, the Ashoka pillar and the pond. The evening prayers under the trees.
|
35 minutes by plane; 30 minutes by car | Lumbini, near the sacred garden | Flight; Lumbini entry |
| Day 6 | Day 6 · The monastic zoneA slow day among the temples and monasteries built by Buddhist communities from many countries, by bicycle or on foot, with time to sit in the ones you like. The World Peace Pagoda at the north end.
|
Bicycle or short rides | Lumbini | Bicycle; donations |
| Day 7 | Day 7 · TilaurakotWest to Tilaurakot, the ruins of an old walled city that many identify with the Shakya capital, Kapilavastu, where Siddhartha grew up. The pillars of Niglihawa and Gotihawa on the way, if you wish.
|
About 1 hour each way by car | Lumbini | Car; entry |
| Day 8 | Day 8 · Fly to KathmanduA last early morning in the sacred garden, then the flight back to Kathmandu, where the tour ends.
|
35 minutes by plane | Flight |
Is this tour for you?
Walking, steps, heat and access, honestly.Not sure? Tell me who is coming, and I'll tell you honestly. Write to me
The honest downsides
What I'd want to know before booking.- Lumbini is very hot from April to June and foggy on winter mornings.
- The Namobuddha guest house is basic and cold in winter, and takes visitors only when it has room.
- Tilaurakot is an excavated site: low walls and foundations, not a standing palace.
- Flights to Bhairahawa can be delayed by fog in December and January.
Photos from this tour
More about this tour
Best time to go
Most comfortable from October to March; hot in Lumbini from April to June.- HazyJAN
- GoodFEB
- GoodMAR
- HazyAPR
- HazyMAY
- RainJUN
- RainJUL
- RainAUG
- HazySEP
- BestOCT
- BestNOV
- GoodDEC
In December and January Lumbini's mornings are often foggy, which can delay the flights. Buddha Jayanti (April or May) brings many pilgrims and great heat.
Time of day
Festivals worth planning for
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year; I confirm the date when you ask.
Before you go
The small practical things.Visiting with respect
These are living places of worship, not museums.- Walk around stupas, prayer wheels and monasteries clockwise.
- Ask before photographing monks, nuns or people at prayer; many prayer halls do not allow photos.
- Take off your shoes and hat before entering a prayer hall; do not point your feet at an image of the Buddha.
- Dress with shoulders and knees covered.
Staying away: 7 nights
You pay me only my guide fee. Rooms and meals are paid at what they actually cost, with nothing added by me.Where your money goes
Every amount, and who receives it. I charge only my guide fee; the rest is paid at cost.| What | Who receives it | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guide fee | Rujan Neupane | My day rate × 8 days, plus my overnight allowance × 4 nights away from Kathmandu | For your whole private group |
| Flights Kathmandu–Bhairahawa and back | The airline | The airline's price | Paid at cost |
| Car and driver | The driver or car company | Agreed before the tour | Paid at cost |
| Entry tickets | Paid at the gate | Official price | See Entrance fees |
| Rooms and meals | The hotels and guest houses | What they charge | You pay them directly, or I book at their price |
| Donations | The monasteries | As you wish | Never expected |
I don't sell packages. I guide, and I help you arrange the rest (rooms, transport, permits) at what it actually costs. If you would like it all put together as one package, ask me: I make one only on your request, and we confirm it by email.
Photo notes
From a guide who is also a photographer.The places in detail
The history and stories behind what you will see.The Buddhist places of Nepal
Nepal is where the Buddha was born, and the Kathmandu Valley has been a centre of Buddhist life for more than two thousand years. This tour visits the great stupas of the valley, a hilltop monastery, and the places linked with the Buddha’s birth and early life on the plains.
Boudha and Swayambhu
Two of the great stupas of the Kathmandu Valley, both part of its World Heritage Site. Boudha is the centre of Tibetan Buddhist life in Nepal; Swayambhu, on its hill, is sacred to Newar Buddhists and Hindus alike.
Lumbini and Tilaurakot
Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama. The pillar set up by the emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE records his visit. About 27 km to the west, the excavated city of Tilaurakot is identified by many with Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya clan where Siddhartha grew up. See UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal.
Entry tickets are at the official price: see entrance fees in Nepal.
My promises
Written down, so you can hold me to them.- No pressureAsk me anything. Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing, and I will never rush your decision.
- Nothing hiddenEvery cost is written down before you pay anything, and nothing is added later without your agreement.
- Your day, your paceWe stay longer where you want to, and skip what doesn't interest you.
- Reviews as writtenEvery review here is published as the guest wrote it. I don't edit reviews or remove critical ones.
Before you go
What I would read first, from my own guides and tours.Guides to read first
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a Buddhist?
No. Everyone is welcome at these places. I explain what you see, and you take part as much or as little as you like.
Can we join a meditation or a puja?
Often, yes: some monasteries welcome visitors at their prayers. I ask on the day; it is their choice.
Can we stay overnight in a monastery?
At Namobuddha, when the guest house has room. I check before your dates.
Why fly to Lumbini?
By road it is 8 to 10 hours each way. The flight is about 35 minutes. We can drive instead and add Chitwan on the way.
Is the guide fee for each person?
No. One rate for your whole private group of 1 to 5 people.
Can we add Pokhara?
Yes. Pokhara's Tibetan villages and the World Peace Pagoda fit well; it adds two or three days.
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