For the “Footsteps of Buddha Sakyamuni Tour”, Kathmandu may be a convenient starting point but it is also possible to start out from New Delhi in India. A Road-Tour that includes all the mayor sacred places associated with the Buddha Sakyamuni.
   First we go from Kathmandu to Lumbini, Buddha’s birthplace, in southern Nepal. Then, crossing the border to India we go to Varanasi. Outside Varanasi we find Sarnath, where, in the Deer Park, Buddha held His first teaching.
    Then we go east to Bodhgaya, where the most sacred of Buddhist shrines, the Bodhi Tree under which Buddha sat when he became enlightened. Then we visit Nalanda, where Buddha taught the Mahayana scriptures and where today there is a Buddhist University. Finally, before returning to Kathmandu, we visit Kushinagar, where Buddha attained parinirvana.
(All Places can be accessed from varanasi)
   Buddhism: In the 2nd century B.C., a band of wandering monks, selected the rock caves of Ajanta for their cloister and carved lofty well lit shrines and ministries. These Buddhist caves are the most ancient and the most priceless art heritage handed down to India of our day. Carved in these caves are the various events in Buddha's last life and in his previous incarnations, for he is believed to have been born as God, man and even animal, before his final birth, in which he attained salvation. Outstanding episodes from Buddha's life are depicted in exquisite carving and murals. In Ellora, the carvings in the caves present a serene reflection of the Buddhist philosophy.
For 1500 yrs., Ellora has served as pilgrimage site for millions of visitors. At Ellora you will find the greatest concentration of sculpture and cave temple architecture ever created by a man. This world famous ancient religious centre was made in homage to gods of Buddhism, in an inflorescence of concentrated burgeoning forms, constructed by thousands of sculptors under the direction of priest and architect in the Centuries 6th to 10th A.D. carved out from the living rock, nestled within the mile long crescent shaped rock face, these magnificent works of art serve the visitor to India as the essential lesson regarding the great historical and cultural part of the country. It is a site not to be missed, as it holds within it, the essence of India Culture.
    LADAKH:It is a land no other, bounded by two of the world’s mightiest mountain ranges, the Greater Himalayas and the Karakoram. Ladakh is a high altitude desert plateau, sheltered from the rain-bearing clouds of the Indian monsoon by the barrier of the Greater Himalayas.
    Occasionally, some stray monsoon clouds do find their way over the Himalayas and lately this seems to be happening with increasing frequency, but the main source of water remains the winter snowfall. Ladakh lies at the altitude ranging from about 2750 Mts to 7672 Mts.
    The original population may have been the Indo-Aryan race from the Indus. In Eastern and central Ladakh, today’s population seems to be mostly of Tibetan origin and Buddhism traveled to Tibet from Indian Via Ladakh and there are ancient Buddhist rocks engravings all over the region Ladakh is accessible both by road and Air and the main tourist season is from October. At present only Indian Airlines is operating from Ladakh. Leh is the capital of Ladakh.
   Sikkim: Sikkim offers the magical feeling of a Himalayan fairytale land. It is an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow-fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers and forests.
    This former Kingdom is home to three major population groups – Lepcha, Bhutia and Nepalese – providing a colorful composite of cultures, Mt Kanchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world at 8,586 Mts. Dominates the landscape and is revered as Sikkim's guardian deity.
    Sikkim is a state of India and the capital of Sikkim is Gangtok, Places to visit in Gangtok is Enchey Monastery, Institute of Tibetology, DoDrul Chorten. Other places to visit are the Rumtek Monastery, the scared Tsomgo Lake and the framed Nathula Pass on the old caravan trail to Tibet.
    Yumthang (3783 Mts ) is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing on flowers-carpeted meadows against a backdrop of towering peaks. Phodong Monastery one of the six major monasteries in Sikkim; Chungthang (1586 Mts) a scared place blessed by Guru Rinpoche; and Lachung (2,685 Mts) an idyllic valley surrounded by mist shrouded mountains.