4 Buddhist Tours For Winter

By Author: Kopila Sen
Total Articles: 25
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People living in the Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and India have been going on a pilgrimage to escape the cold and snow in their places. Rugged and tough Himalayan tribes dressed in their traditional attire throng around the Buddhist monuments in the lower valleys and plains of Nepal and its neighboring Indian territories. The humming of hymns, prostration around the monuments and meditating monks make the Buddhists sites of Nepal and India livelier during the winter months.

A Buddhist tour is not just a pilgrimage but it also gives rich cultural insight, spiritual wellbeing and an opportunity to visit UNESCO listed monuments and natural sites.

Winter months mostly have warm and sunny days with crisp sky and moderate temperature most suitable to travel through the tropical plains. This makes the months of November till March the peak season to go on Buddhist tours.

Here are four Buddhist tours to go on during the winter.

Buddhist Circuit Tour

The Buddhist circuit tour primarily involves visiting the four ...
... key pilgrimage sites associated with Buddha, who was born in Lumbini of Nepal and travels to present day Indian territories in search of enlightenment.

This tour encompasses significant archaeological locations linked to Buddha, including monasteries, votive stupas, and Emperor Ashoka’s inscribed column, which preserve the historical integrity of these sites. The four principal locations included in the tour are Sarnath (where he delivered his first sermon), Bodhgaya (the site of his enlightenment), Kushinagar (the location of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana), and Lumbini (the birthplace of Buddha). Additionally, the tour features visits to extensive monastery complexes and relic stupas found in Shravasti, Vaishali, Rajgir, and Kapilavastu, which are also significant to Buddha's life.

Our Buddhist Circuit Tour starts from the historic Indian city of Varanasi, with convenient flight connections available from various locations. Travelers will then drive to Nepal via the Sunauli border, taking in cultural and heritage sites along the route. In Nepal, visitors will explore Lumbini and can continue on to Pokhara or Kathmandu.

The standard duration of the tour is 12 days, but it can be tailored to fit within a 6-day itinerary, including a flight from Varanasi to Kathmandu.

Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour of Nepal

A Buddhist tour of Nepal offers a unique blend of pilgrimage and the opportunity to engage with the ancient living Buddhist traditions of the Himalayas.

Nepal, nestled in the embrace of the Himalayas, has long served as a revered sanctuary for spiritual practices. Internal conflicts and invasions have hindered the spread of Buddhism in its birthplace, located at the border of India and Nepal. For centuries, this mountainous nation has provided a refuge for Buddhist traditions. The Kathmandu Valley and its surroundings are home to numerous meditation caves, monasteries, and stupas associated with Bodhisattvas, Shiddhas, and the Buddha himself. Notable meditation sites include the caves of Guru Padmasambhava, Milarepa, Naropa, and Tilopa. Among the significant Buddhist pilgrimage destinations outside of Kathmandu are the Maratika cave in Halesi and Namobuddha. Most notably, Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is situated in Nepal. Over 60 archaeological sites have been discovered around Lumbini, including the Tilaurakot palace ruin and the only unexcavated Buddha relic Stupa of Ramgram.

Buddhist tour of Nepal is a 9 days Nepal tour visiting cultural sites around Kathmandu valley, Maratika cave and Buddhist circuit tour of Lumbini.

Footsteps of Guru Padmashambhava

In the life of Padmasambhava ( Guru Rinpoche ) India was his training ground, Nepal was his place of retreat, and Tibet was his place of activity.

It is said that in a previous incarnation, he was the son of a poultry woman named Jadzima, who constructed the Boudhanath Stupa. He made a profound aspiration to be reborn as Guru Padmashambhava in front of this stupa, which is believed to grant all wishes. His initial arrival in Nepal was to practice at Lhundruk Tsek, which encompasses the contemporary pilgrimage sites of Boudhanath and Pashupatinath.

Years later, he returned alongside Mandarava, the princess of Zahor, and together they achieved immortality in the caves of Maratika. Subsequently, Guru Rinpoche visited the self-arisen stupa of Swayambhunath, where he took the Newar princess Shakyadevi as his consort. They then journeyed to the caves of Yangleshö in Pharping, where they attained realization through the practices of Vajrakilaya and Yangdak Heruka.

He also visited the self-arisen Avalokiteshvara in Patan and Kathmandu, among other sacred sites, leaving blessings for future devotees. The meditation caves and holy sites in Nepal that Guru Rinpoche frequented form a significant pilgrimage, allowing followers to trace the footsteps of Padmashambhava, the revered master of Uddiyana.
A pilgrimage tour of Guru Padmashambhava typically spans a week in and around Kathmandu, Nepal.

Pilgrimage of sacred Beyuls

Beyuls, derived from the Tibetan language, refer to hidden valleys (bé – hidden and yul - valley). These secluded and pristine areas are safeguarded by Mahaguru himself. As such, beyuls serve as treasure troves that preserve sacred environments, remaining concealed for generations until the appropriate time arrives, thereby ensuring that their blessings remain vibrant and alive.

Guru Rinpoché explored and identified numerous locations that were particularly conducive to insight and realization. He engaged in extensive practice at these sites, endowing them with his significant accomplishments. While Mahaguru revealed many of these locations in his biographies, he also kept certain places hidden as treasures (termas) for a future time. Among these are the beyuls, which act as safe havens for Dharma practitioners during periods of conflict.

Helambu and Langtang are two beyuls that are easily accessible from Kathmandu and offer basic accommodations. These valleys can be visited within a week in Nepal. Gaining insight into the lifestyle of the inhabitants in these beyuls allows travelers to appreciate the practical aspects of Buddhism, the relationship between the people and their mountainous environment, the philosophies that guide their lives, their dietary practices, and the reasons behind their reputation as some of the most peaceful, content, and friendly individuals in the world.

I am an adventurer from the Himalayas of Nepal. I like trekking and discovering new places. I have a degree in culture and love to read non fiction books. I also write travel journals and blogs.