India Travel Itinerary

The two images were taken from the Lonely Planet India guide book. This is to give you an idea where the various places are without having to refer to another map of India.

Overall India


The Buddhist circuit traces the footsteps of Buddha. Only the important sites are described.



Day 1
17 December 2009, 2.30pm flight from KLIA LCCT To Kolkata. Flight takes about 4 hours and arrive at 3.50pm local time. From airport, take taxi to Howrah Railway Station. Leave luggage at left baggage center. Take tour of surrounding areas. Board 11.30pm train for Bodhgaya.

Day 2
Arrive at Bodhgaya at 6.15am. After breakfast take taxi to visit temple sites namely Mahabodi Temple, the place where Buddha attained enlightenment. Visit surrounding temples build by the Governments of China, Burma, Thailand, Japan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. For the first night, may consider spending a night meditating in front of the Bohdi tree of the Mahabodi Temple.

Day 3
Still at Bodhgaya, will visit surrounding areas such as Nalanda (ruins of the Buddhist University) and Rajgir (Vulture's peak where Buddha goes for his mediation). Overnight at the Burmese Temple or local hotel (2 or 3 stars grade).

Day 4
Depart for Varanasi by train at 2.55pm and arrive at Varanasi Railway Station at 6.36pm. Arranged for hotel pick-up and stay overnight at Ganpati Guest House. Will take a night tour around the temples along the Ganges river.

Day 5
In the morning, take a boat ride along the Ganges river and take a "bath" if possible. Late morning, leave for Saranath by bus or taxi which is 12KM away. Saranath is the place Buddha gave his first sermon. At 11.30pm leave Saranath for Gorakhpur by train.

Day 6
Arrive at Gorakhpur at 6.45am. Proceed to take bus or taxi to Sunauli, the border town to travel to Lumbini, Nepal. Lumbini is the place where Buddha was born. There are also many temples build by Governments of China, Japan, Thailand and Myamar. Overnight at Lumbini.

Day 7
From Lumbini depart back to Sonali at 7am and then to Gorakhpur by bus or taxi. From Gorakhpur head for Kusinara which is 56KM away, the place where Buddha passed into Nirvana. Overnight at the Japan Sri Lankan Temple.

Day 8
Depart Kusinara at 7am for Gorakhpur to catch the 10.10am train from Gorakhpur to Kolkata. Spend the rest of the day on the train.

Day 9
Arrive at Kolkata at 4.15am. Wait for daybreak and have breakfast at restaurants near the station. Take half day tour of Kolkata (including visit the Hare Khrishna Temple). Depart for Airport at 1pm, after lunch to catch the 4.35pm flight back to KLIA LCCT. Arrive at KLIA LCCT 22.55pm local time. Arrive on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to my Christian friends.