Kathmandu & Lumbini: 6-Day Buddhist Pilgrimage with UNESCO Sites

Six Days Retracing Buddha's Path Across Nepal's Sacred Sites

You spend two days exploring Kathmandu's UNESCO heritage sites (Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath) with a city guide, then travel to Lumbini to visit the Mayadevi Temple and Holy Pond where Buddha was born. All accommodation, transport between cities, and airport pickup are included, so you move through the pilgrimage without arranging logistics yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu

• Check in hotel
• Explore Thamel tourist area

Day 2: Kathmandu sightseeing tour

• Visit Patan Durbar Square
• Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square
• Visit Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)

Day 3: Travel to Lumbini

• Have breakfast
• Drive or fly to Lumbini

Day 4: Lumbini sightseeing

• Visit Mayadevi Temple
• See Puskarini (Holy Pond)
• Explore Kapilvastu palace remains

Day 5: Return to Kathmandu

• Have breakfast
• Drive or fly back to Kathmandu

Day 6: Departure from Kathmandu

• Have breakfast
• Free time before departure
• Private transport to airport

The experience

"How long until we reach Lumbini?" someone asked on the minibus out of Kathmandu, and our guide smiled: like he'd heard it a hundred times before. The thing is, the drive itself is part of the pilgrimage. You leave the city's noise behind, watch the landscape flatten and shift, and by the time you arrive at the birthplace of Buddha, you've already spent eight hours thinking about why you came. The 6-day Nepal Buddhist pilgrimage tour takes you through the places that matter most: Kathmandu first, where the temples crowd the skyline and the air smells like incense and diesel, then south to Lumbini in the Rupendahi district, where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama around 623 BCE.

Your first two days stay in Kathmandu, based at a 3-star hotel in Thamel. The tourist quarter where you can walk to cafes and shops if you need to decompress between sites. Day two is the heavy sightseeing: Patan Durbar Square with its three main courtyards and the Royal Bath carved in stone, then Kathmandu Durbar Square in the heart of the city, then Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple, perched on a hill where the monkeys are real and the views make you understand why people call it sacred. A city guide walks you through the palace buildings and the pagoda temples. You're not rushing. There's time to sit and look. That night you're back at the hotel.

Day three is the transit day. You either drive eight hours or fly one hour to Lumbini. The choice is yours, and the tour arranges both transport and the logistics. Once there, you're at the actual site: the Mayadevi Temple where the birth is said to have happened, the Puskarini or Holy Pond where the Buddha's mother bathed before his birth and where he had his first wash, the remains of Kapilvastu palace. The temples here are still under construction in places. It's not a museum, it's a living pilgrimage site. You stay overnight at Hotel Peace Palace or similar. Day four is Lumbini sightseeing, and day five is the return journey back to Kathmandu by the same route. Day six is free time until your departure flight, with private transport to the airport included.

The whole thing (accommodation on a bed-and-breakfast basis, all transport between cities, the city guide in Kathmandu, government taxes and service charges) is bundled in. You don't arrange hotels separately or negotiate with drivers at the curb. The tour is built for people who want to move through these sites without the friction of planning transport, booking rooms and timing yourself. It's also wheelchair accessible throughout, and the company asks about dietary needs when you book.

What’s included

Your six days include accommodation at 3-star hotels in Kathmandu and Lumbini on a bed-and-breakfast basis, all transport from Kathmandu to Lumbini by private car or flight (your choice), a city guide for the Kathmandu sightseeing day, entry to Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath, access to Lumbini's Mayadevi Temple and Holy Pond, all government taxes and service charges, and private transport to the airport on your departure day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (26 to 54 years) · Senior (55 to 85 years) · Youth (11 to 25 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Welcome Nepal Treks P.ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to visit Nepal's main Buddhist pilgrimage sites without arranging hotels, transport and timing yourself: the fixed itinerary and included logistics are what make a six-day journey across two cities possible without a second booking.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 25 years); Child (5 to 10 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

How long is the drive from Kathmandu to Lumbini?

Eight hours by car, or one hour by flight. The tour arranges whichever you choose.

What is included in the price?

Accommodation on a bed-and-breakfast basis, all transport between Kathmandu and Lumbini, the city guide in Kathmandu, government taxes and service charges, and private transport to the airport on departure.

Where do you stay in Kathmandu?

A 3-star hotel in Thamel, either Thamel Eco Resort or the Address Kathmandu Hotel.

Is Lumbini really the birthplace of Buddha?

It is claimed to be the place where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who founded the Buddhist tradition. It is one of four major pilgrimage sites connected to Buddha's life.

What is Swayambhunath?

A pagoda temple on a hill overlooking Kathmandu, also called the Monkey Temple because monkeys live there. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Can I fly to Lumbini instead of driving?

Yes. The tour offers both options: eight hours by car or one hour by flight. You choose at booking.

Is the tour accessible for people with mobility issues?

Yes. All areas, surfaces and transportation are wheelchair accessible, and specialized infant seats are available.

What should I bring?

Your passport (number, expiry and country are required at booking). The company will ask about any dietary requirements when you reserve.