About guided walking tour to Sarnath – a Buddhist trail:
This is a guided walking tour to Sarnath, where the Lord Buddha preached his first sermon and set the Dhammachakka – the wheel of law in motion.
Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD,
and today it presents the most expansive ruins amongst all the places on the Indian Buddhist trail.
The Museum at Sarnath contains important findings from the excavations in this area.
In modern times, several temples have been built in Sarnath and are also worth visiting..
How the tour works:
Sarnath is about 30 minutes drive from Varanasi. We will pick you up from your hotel by car for this excursion, and drop you back at the end. The tour covers the following highlights of Sarnath:
Chaukhandi Stupa : This site marks the actual spot where Buddha, returning after his enlightenment, met the five ascetics who had left him earlier in disgust. These five (known as the Panchavaggiya) went on to become his first five disciples.
Dhamek Stupa complex : This stupa marks the site of the deer park (Migadaya) where the first sermon (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) was delivered. It is considered auspicious to walk around the great Stupa in a clock-wise manner. There is a Jain temple in the complex, dedicated to Shreyansanath, the eleventh Jain Tirthankara. You can also see the pre-Ashokan Dharmarajika Stupa (although only the foundations remain).
Mulgandha Kuti Vihara : These ruins mark the place where the Buddha spent his first rainy season in meditation. Nearby is the modern Mulgandha Kuti Vihar temple, built by the Sri Lankan Mahabodhi Society. It houses excellent frescoes by the Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu. You can also see the sacred Bodhi Tree in the compound. A sapling from the original Bodhgaya tree (under which prince Siddartha attained Enlightenment) was planted in Sri Lanka, from where a sapling was brought here. Behind this is the Deer Park, which is maintained as an open animal park and still attracts deer.
The Archaeological Museum : This is a must-visit museum, where findings from the site have been displayed. Highlights include the Lion Capital of Ashoka, the Ashoka Chakra, colossal standing images of Bodhisattva, statues of Tara, etc. Statues of several Hindu deities found at the same site are also displayed here.
Read More : Buddhist circuit tour packages
Duration, Cost and other information:
Total duration: 4-6 hours depending on your interests. If you are interested in Buddhism and wish to spend the whole day at Sarnath, it is possible to do so. You can spend more time in some of these places, and also visit additional places, such as the temples built by various Buddhist communities around the world (including Thailand, Japan, Tibet, and Myanmar)
When: All days of the week, except Fridays (the Museum is closed on Fridays). Starting at 9 am from your hotel.
Start Place: Your hotel
End Place: Your hotel
Price of walking tour: INR 3000/- for first person and INR 1800/- on second onwards.
For group booking – Kindly mail us at - heritagewalk1@gmail.com
Includes :
- Pickup and drop to hotel by private A/c Cab
- Well Experienced tourist guide(English/Hindi speaking*)
- Mineral Water bottle(one bottle per person)
Not Included:
- Personal Expenditure like tip, Pooja, donations etc
- Tourist guide speaking other languages(like Thai, Chinese, Japanese and many more) We can provide such guide with extra language charges of 350 INR for first person and 150 for second onwards.
Note –
- Min 2 pax is required.
- Wear sport shoes and be comfortable when walking!