Lumbini and Tansen

About

Lumbini, in the plains of the south, is where the Buddha was born: a quiet garden with the Maya Devi temple, the Ashoka pillar and a long zone of monasteries built by Buddhist countries from around the world. Above the plains, Tansen is an old Newar hill town on the trade route, with steep lanes, the Rani Mahal palace on the Kali Gandaki and views north to the Himalaya. A journey of calm places, few visitors and long, slow days.

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.

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.

  1. The Maya Devi temple and the birthplace of the Buddha
  2. The Ashoka pillar from the third century BCE
  3. The monasteries of the Monastic Zone, by bicycle or on foot
  4. The steep lanes and old houses of Tansen
  5. Rani Mahal on the Kali Gandaki
  6. Dhaka cloth weavers in Palpa
Jump to

Day by day, night by night

Where we go, how long on the road, and where you sleep each night.
KathmanduSTART · ENDLumbini2 NIGHTSTansen3 NIGHTS
DayThe dayOn the roadThe nightRoom + meals
Day 1 Kathmandu to LumbiniA short flight to Bhairahawa and a half-hour drive to Lumbini; a quiet evening in the garden.
  • Lumbini
 Flight about 35 minutes Lumbini Paid at cost
Day 2 LumbiniThe Maya Devi temple and the Ashoka pillar in the early morning, then the monasteries of the Monastic Zone.
  • Maya Devi Temple
  • Lumbini Monastic Zone
 Short drives or bicycle Lumbini Paid at cost
Day 3 Lumbini to TansenUp from the plains to the hill town of Tansen.
  • Tansen
 About 3 to 4 hours Tansen Paid at cost
Day 4 TansenThe old town, the Bhagwati temple, and a walk to Srinagar hill for the view.
  • Tansen
  • Srinagar Danda
 On foot Tansen Paid at cost
Day 5 Rani MahalA day trip down to Rani Mahal on the Kali Gandaki, and the weavers in the afternoon.
  • Rani Mahal
 About 2 hours each way by road and on foot Tansen Paid at cost
Day 6 Tansen to KathmanduDown to Bhairahawa for the flight, or by road to Pokhara instead.
  • Kathmandu
 About 2 hours, then the flight —
Lodging and mealsAt actual cost, per night, as the lodges charge. Not part of the guide fee; nothing added.
Change the loopAdd a night, drop a stop, end somewhere else: tell me, and I re-plan it with you.
The paceSlow. One long road day, a flight, and days with gentle walking.

Is this tour for you?

Walking, steps, heat and access, honestly.
InterestBuddhist history, quiet towns and crafts.
FamiliesFine; the plains are hot after March.
WalkingTansen is steep; we go slowly.

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's garden is large and flat; it can feel empty and hot at midday.
  • From April to June the plains are very hot.
  • The road to Rani Mahal is rough and the last part is on foot.
  • Bhairahawa flights can be delayed by fog in December and January.

More about this tour

Best time to go

Cool months only for the plains.
  1. GoodJAN
  2. GoodFEB
  3. GoodMAR
  4. HazyAPR
  5. HazyMAY
  6. RainJUN
  7. RainJUL
  8. RainAUG
  9. GoodSEP
  10. BestOCT
  11. BestNOV
  12. BestDEC
Best: clear and mild Good: cool mornings or some haze Warm, hazy and dusty Monsoon: afternoon rain

October to February is comfortable in Lumbini. Fog can cover the plains on winter mornings.

Time of day

Early morningThe Maya Devi temple quietest, monks chanting
EveningTansen's lanes and the view from Srinagar

Festivals worth planning for

Buddha Jayanti (April or May)The Buddha's birthday; Lumbini is full of pilgrims

Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year; I confirm the date when you ask.

Before you go

The small practical things.
Road daysRoads are slow and winding; bring motion-sickness tablets if you need them.
ClothesLight clothes for the lowlands, a warm layer for the hills; shoulders and knees covered at temples.
CashRupees in small notes; cash machines are in the towns, not the villages.
WaterA refillable bottle; most hotels refill it.

Visiting with respect

These are living places of worship, not museums.
  • Walk clockwise around stupas and temples.
  • Ask before photographing people.
  • Take off shoes where you see others do it.
  • Dress modestly in villages and holy places.
  • In the Maya Devi temple, keep silent and do not photograph the marker stone.

Staying away: 5 nights

You pay me only my guide fee. Rooms and meals are paid at what they actually cost, with nothing added by me.
LodgingPaid at cost, as the lodge charges
MealsPaid at cost, where we eat

Where your money goes

Every amount, and who receives it. I charge only my guide fee; the rest is paid at cost.
WhatWho receives itAmountNote
Guide (me)Rujan NeupaneMy city day rate × days, and the overnight allowanceOne rate for 1 to 5 people
Car and driverA local driverWhat the driver chargesPaid at cost
Hotels and mealsThe hotels and restaurantsWhat they chargeYou pay directly; I never add anything
Entrance feesThe sites and parksSee my Entrance fees pagePaid at the gate, at cost
Flights Kathmandu to Bhairahawa and backThe airlineThe airline's fareYou pay the airline, at cost

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.
LumbiniEarly morning light on the pond and the Ashoka pillar.
TansenSrinagar hill at sunrise for the Himalaya on clear days.

The places in detail

The history and stories behind what you will see.

Lumbini

Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, and a World Heritage Site. The Maya Devi temple stands over the place of his birth, beside the sacred pond and the stone pillar raised by the emperor Ashoka in 249 BCE. Around it, the Monastic Zone holds monasteries built by many countries.

Tansen

Tansen, the centre of Palpa district, was a Magar kingdom and later a Newar trading town on the road between the plains and the hills. Its steep lanes, old houses and the dhaka cloth woven here make it a calm place to stay.

Fees

Lumbini’s fee is on my Entrance fees page.

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

Stories from this tour

Frequently asked questions

How do we get to Lumbini?

By a short flight from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa, then about half an hour by car. By road it is a long day.

How long do I need in Lumbini?

One full day and two nights is enough for most people.

What is special about Tansen?

An old hill town with few visitors, steep lanes, local crafts and views of the Himalaya.

When is it too hot?

From April to June the plains are very hot. October to February is best.

Reviews from guests who toured with me are published automatically, exactly as they wrote them. Reviews sent through the open form are checked for spam only.

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Plan it with me

Tell me how you'd like to spend the day. I'll plan the rest around you.

Rujan NeupaneTrekking & Tour Guide · Kathmandu

Send your date, group size and anything you'd like to see or skip, whichever way suits you.

Know your date already? Book me as your guide for this tour

More than 5 of you? Write to me. I guide up to 5 people at one rate. For a bigger group we can talk it through by email. I reply myself, usually within a day. On the trail there is often no network, so it can take a few days.

Verified credentials

My licences and training papers. Open any file to see the original.

Guide Association Membership

Some information on this page comes from Department of Immigration, Nepal · Nepal Tourism Board · UNESCO: Lumbini · Lumbini Development Trust · Nepal Tourism Board.

Written 2 November 2026