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Maya Devi Temple,Lumbini
In The lovely Nepal destinations

Lumbini-The birth place of Buddha and origin of Buddhism-Must visit once in lifetime!

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Whoever knows Gautama Buddha and Buddhism will know Lumbini pretty well. It’s in Nepal and close to the Uttar Pradesh border in India and can be easily reached within 3 hours from the Sunauli border near Gorakhpur in India. Many monasteries are based on country-wise architecture, Buddha’s birthplace and the Bodhi tree. It roughly takes a day and will be a beautiful experience.

5 Big Reasons why you must visit Lumbini:

  • Lumbini Museum is a prime attraction which showcases metal sculptures, ancient coins, stamps, potteries, and manuscripts of the Maurya Empire and Kushan Empire. There’s an International Research Institute opposite the museum, where you can read books about Buddhism and Nepal’s history.
Lumbini Museum in rainy weather
Lumbini Museum in rainy weather
  • Many temples and monasteries showcase various Buddhist architecture and cultures in Lumbini. Some of them are Dae Sung Shakya Temple (Korean Temple), Thai Monastery, Great Lotus Stupa (German) Temple, Myanmar Golden Monastery, Thrangu Monastery (Canada), etc.
  • The Maya Devi Temple is the prime reason you will be here as a traveller! It takes us back to 563BC, when Queen Maya gave birth to Gautama. There’s Puskarini pond as well, where Gautama had his first bath. There’s a 6-m tall Ashoka Pillar and a Bodhi Tree at the same spot.
  • Chitwan National Park is nearby and known for the One-Horned Rhino. Do spare time if you have it in hand so that you can explore this beautiful park in Nepal.
Maya Devi Temple,Lumbini
Maya Devi Temple,Lumbini
  • The World Peace Pagoda is another marvel that shows various stages of Buddha’s life. It’s a great place to be in the early mornings or dusk, giving a great view of Lumbini far and wide.

Location: Lumbini is 120 km from Gorakhpur (India) via Sonauli and 200 km from Pokhara(Nepal)

Myanmar Golden Temple,Lumbini
Myanmar Golden Temple,Lumbini

Tourist Attraction on the Spot:

World Peace Pagoda, Monasteries/Temples of different countries, Maya Devi Temple, Museum, Eternal Peace Flame

Tourist Attractions in the Vicinity:

Pokhara, Kathmandu, Muktinath, Tilaurakot, Gotihawa, Kudan, and Sagarhawaare some places you can visit from this place within the country of Nepal.

Ashoka Pillar
Ashoka Pillar

Distance Charts:(From Lumbini)

Panditarama Vipassana Center
Panditarama Vipassana Center

How to Reach Lumbini:

Road Routes:

Lucknow – Gorakhpu – Sunauli (India -Nepal border) – Lumbini – Pokhara

Great Drirung Kagyud Lotus Stupa
Great Drirung Kagyud Lotus Stupa

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

Winter is the best time to be here between September and March. However, summers are hot like the Indian plains, so better avoid that time.

2) If you are planning for summer, make sure you have an umbrella and use rickshaws with a hood to beat the heat. Have water with you at all times. Start early morning/late afternoons.

3)Monasteries and museums have their timings. Do check on the Lumbini government website. Usually, afternoons are better avoided for most monasteries as they are closed. However, late afternoon or early morning, say up to 11 am, is fine for seeing the interiors of a monastery.

4)It’s great to be dressed in courtesy as Lumbini is more of a religious place. Plus, we must follow a few rules like taking off shoes before entering the temple, avoiding photography, etc.

5)Hotels are in good numbers and pretty decent, but not value for money. Still, I feel Lumbini makes for a one-day visit, so it doesn’t cause much of a fuss.

Cambodia Lumbini Buddhist Temple
Cambodia Lumbini Buddhist Temple

6)There is this problem all over Nepal.Some will consider Nepalese currency and some Indian.In most cases they accept both.Please make sure to ask in which currency they need to be paid.Usually the higher price denotes Nepali rupee.(1 INR is 1.6 NPR)

RAIL: Unfortunately, no. You have a rail network in east Nepal, but not near Lumbini. Gorakhpur in India is the nearest one.

You can watch the below video to get a better idea!Do like and share if you find it worth…

AIR:Lucknow in India and Kathmandu/Pokhra are airports in vicinity

ROAD:The easiest way to be here is take a ride from Gorakhpur(India) to Sunauli and from Sunauli to Lumbini.From Nepal side,you’ll need to take a bus from Pokhara in most cases.

Map:

A map to Lumbini from Gorakhpur India
A map to Lumbini from Gorakhpur India

Time to Visit:

The best time to visit will be around late September to early March.

Linhson temple,Lumbini
Linhson temple,Lumbini

Spend Time With:

Family, friends, solo, couple, groups

Food and Lodging:

Hotels are available but in few numbers and with not so many facilities. So online booking isn’t required. Food options are plenty. So you need to find one and eat where hygiene and food are good. Try OYO rooms if you can find decent ones there.

Expense:

For a 1 day trip to Lumbini,following is the expense:

Royal Thai Monastery
Royal Thai Monastery


Food:NPR 100/person/day(3 times a day)
Transport:Trust me,have a cycle or walk around and you’ll cover this place in a day for nearly free of cost-ideally for your comfort you can hire a rickshaw for 600 NPR .to reach here,add 100 NPR from Indian border(Sunauli)
Lodging:NPR 800/day at Lumbini
Entry Fees includes various places (varies):NPR 200(all in all max)

Total: 1400 NPR=900 INR(Can go upto to 2000 NPR(=1300 INR) if rickshaw is considered)

Nearby Attractions(Lumbini) :

A rainy day at Lumbini
A rainy day at Lumbini
Eternal Peace Flame
Eternal Peace Flame
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Pokhara
In The lovely Nepal destinations

Pokhara-The Gateway to Annapurna Trek and Muktinath-towards Beautiful tempting landscape

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Pokhara is the second biggest city after Kathmandu and is equally beautiful, with a better view of the Himalayas and more natural places to see. The view from World Peace Pagoda and Phewa Lake is simply astounding-snow capped mountains at Sunrise are something not to be missed.

Gorkha Memorial Museum and the International Mountain Museum are masterpieces of history. Check them out! Some other beautiful places are Mahendra Gufa, Cave, and Devi’s Falls.

Reasons why you must visit Pokhara:

  • Ready for an adventure like bungee jumping, paragliding and the longest zipline-Pokhara is there for your adventure sports anytime-take a day off and get some adrenaline rush!
Sarangkot Paragliding,Pokhara
Sarangkot Paragliding,Pokhara
  • Shanti stupa, also known as World Peace Pagoda, is a great place to meditate and observe peace watching over Pokhara city, Annapurna range and Phewa Lake on a clear sunny day.
The beautiful Pokhara City
The beautiful Pokhara City
  • Mahendra cave, or Gupteshwor Gufa, is known for Lord Shiva’s statue and beautiful cave views with streams flowing around. Worth a visit for sure!
  • Devi’s Falls is a prime attraction. It’s one of its kind and crystal clear and beautiful. The falls are more pronounced in rains.
  •  Seti River gorge is also a place worth a short trip, but nowhere close to these waterfalls.
  • The mountaineering and Gorkha museum arent to be missed. Both are vast and take time to explore and a lot to understand the history of warfare as well as the mountainous regions of Nepal.

Location: Pokhara is 200 km west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal and about 190 km north of Sonauli-the border of India and Nepal.

Gurkha Memorial Museum
Gurkha Memorial Museum

Tourist Attraction on the Spot:

World Peace Pagoda, Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, Mahendra Cave, International Mountain Museum. Shree Bindhyabasini Temple, Seti River Gorge, Gorkha Memorial Museum, Chambre Gufa, Rupa Lake, Begnas Lake, Devi’s Falls, Phewa Lake

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

Kathamandu,Muktinath,Lumbini and Manang are few places that are great to visit in 6-12 hours of journey.

Seti River Gorge
Seti River Gorge

Distance Charts:(From Pokhara)

Devis Falls
Devis Falls

How to Reach Pokhara:

Road Routes:

Ex India: Lucknow-Gorakhpur-Sunauli(India-Nepal border)-Lumbini-Tansen-Putalibazar-Pokhara

Pokhara as seen from Peace Pagoda
Pokhara as seen from Peace Pagoda

An important note from my experience:

1)Visit Pokhara after monsoons, i.e. September to November, when skies are clear and the Himalayas are visible.

2)April to May should be avoided along with rainy winter seasons as the weather will be gloomy with drizzles and if not rain-the cloud cover is enough to spoil your mood.

3)Most tourist spots have an entry fee between 20 to 100 NPR.So be ready with some spare cash in hand.

4)Public transport is available, but if you expect a smooth buttery tour of Pokhara with public transport, nope-it won’t be. For a few places, taking a private car makes more sense which, have their rates depend on the destination,

Inside Gupteshwar cave, Pokhara

6)There is this problem all over Nepal. Some will consider Nepalese currency, and some Indian. In most cases, they accept both. Please make sure to ask in which currency they need to be paid. Usually, the higher price denotes the Nepali rupee. (1 INR is 1.6 NPR)

Inside Gupteshwar cave,Pokhara
Inside Gupteshwar cave,Pokhara

RAIL: Unfortunately, the rail network is not present in this region

You can watch the below video to get a better idea! Do like and share if you find it worth it.

You can watch the below video to get a better idea!Do like and share if you find it worth…

AIR: Lucknow in India and Kathmandu/Pokhra airports in Nepal are nearby to Lumbini.

ROAD: The easiest way to be in Lumbini is to ride from Gorakhpur(India) to Sunauli and a bus from Sunauli to Pokhara. From the Nepal side, you’ll take a shared car from Kathmandu.

Map:

Patna Sitamarhi Janakpur Kathmandu Pokhara Jomsom Muktinath Map
Patna Sitamarhi Janakpur Kathmandu Pokhara Jomsom Muktinath Map

Time to Visit:

The best time to visit will be around September to November. April-May may be considered but beware of gloomy rainy drizzles-not good for landscape sightseeing.

International Mountain Museum,Pokhara
International Mountain Museum,Pokhara

Spend Time With:

Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups

Food and Lodging:

Hotels are readily available in a reasonable price range. Even food is cheap and easily available.No need to book a stay at Pokhara in advance. If you are still looking for one, you can book from Goibibo, Makemytrip or Yatra websites.

Expense:

For a 1 day trip to Pokhara,following is the expense:

Vindhyavasini Temple,Pokhara
Vindhyavasini Temple,Pokhara

Food: NPR 150/person/day(3 times a day)

Transport: Frankly, you need two days for the public transport scene- that too, not all places- assume NPR 1200-1500 for this -note 1 day of food and stay @1200 NPR gets added- in case you opt for a private vehicle -will cost you 4000 NPR/day.

Lodging: NPR 700/day at Pokhara

Entry Fees include various places (varies): NPR 500(all in all max)

Total: 4500 NPR(Public transport-2 days stay);5700 NPR for private vehicle and one day stay here

Nearby Attractions(Pokhara) :

Phewa Lake,Pokhara
Phewa Lake,Pokhara
Begnas Lake in late afternoon
Begnas Lake in late afternoon
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In The lovely Nepal destinations

Muktinath and Jomsom-Annapurna Circuit delight and a spiritual journey of Janakpur & Sitamarhi

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Muktinath is a part of the beautiful Annapurna Circuit-It’s religious importance and offers staggering views of the Annapurna Ranges. The journey from Jomsom to Muktinath is on another level-its, so beautiful that it can’t be put across in words. A trek of 5-6 days from Muktinath will take you to Manang, which is an equally enchanting-the journey after which can be covered by bus to Pokhara. Janakpur and Sitamarhi are linked to India Mythology The Ramayana, where Lord Ram’s wife was brought up and born respectively-It’s religious significance is enormous!

10 Reasons why you must visit Muktinath and Janakpur/Sitamarhi:

  • Janakpuri (Nepal) has the Janaki Temple and is the birthplace of Goddess Sita and the place of her marriage to the God Ram(at Ram Sita Vivah Mandap). It is regarded as the center of Mithila Culture and is spiritually an essential destination for Hindus.
Muktinath in afternoon
Muktinath in afternoon
  • The Ganga Sagar, Dhanush Sagar, and the Parshuram Kunda are a few essential ponds in the Janakpur city that are sacred to the locals; some are huge in the area.
  • Sitamarhi (India), the birthplace of Devi Sita, is in the state of Bihar in East India, with excellent tourist places like Janaki Temple, Haleshwar Sthan, Bagchi, Mathhukeshwar Sthan, Bodhayan-Sar, and Sabhagachhi Sasaula.
Entrance to Muktinath Temple
Entrance to Muktinath Temple
  • Annapurna Circuit, of which Jomsom and Muktinath are part, has peaks like Annapurna I-IV, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, Manaslu, Tilicho Peak, Pisang Peak, and Paungda Danda of 6000-8000m in elevation. This circuit is voted the best long-distance trek in the world, as it covers a variety of vegetation and climate zones from the tropics to the upper Himalayas, with changes in culture happening rather rapidly.
  • Jomsom sits on the River Kali Gandaki bank, which is the world’s deepest gorge and a must-visit tourist spot.
  • Mount Nilgiri in Annapurna Circuit has a famous lake called Dhumba Lake, which is holy for Buddhists. The mighty Himalayas beautifully surrounds this lake in itself.
  • Muktinath temple is sacred for Hindus, and Muktinath is holy for Buddhists and the place where the great sage Guru Rinpoche, who introduced Buddhism to Tibet, came to meditate.

Location: Muktinath is 170 km from Pokhara-second biggest city of Nepal-takes around 8-9 hours with breaks by public transport with a break journey at Jomsom.

Jomsom Muktinath is one of the most scenic roads
Jomsom Muktinath is one of the most scenic roads

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Muktinath Temple and Bazaar and Annapurna Conservation Area./Janaki Temple; Sita Kund and Temple; Ganga Sagar, Shree Ram Janaki Biwaha Mandap, Haleshwar Sthaan

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Manang, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Tilcho Lake, and Thorong La from Muktinath.

Birth place of Sita Goddess
Birth place of Sita Goddess

Distance Charts:(Muktinath | Janakpur)

Muktinath views in afternoon from temple
Muktinath views in afternoon from temple

How to Reach Muktinath and Janakpur

Road Routes:

Kathmandu-Pokhara-Paudurkot-Khaniyaaghaat-Beni Bazaar-Tatopani Bazaar-Jomsom-Kagbeni-Muktinath

Kathmandu-Bhaktapur-Bhimeshwor-Mithila-Janakpur-Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur-Patna(India)

Muktinath Bazaar(Market) on way to the Temple
Muktinath Bazaar(Market) on way to the Temple

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)The perfect time to be in Muktinath is just after winter, between April and June, and just after rains, that is, September to October. This is when the temperature is suitable, and the views are dazzling!

2)When you are at Muktinath, if you have ample time, get yourself trekking to Manang and from Manang, and get a bus to Pokhara. This will complete the beautiful Annapurna circuit in a week!

3)Roads are drastically pathetic, with dust and mud all over the place between Jomsom and Pokhara. At times, you’ll be on the river bed itself. Watch my video, and you’ll know what I mean. Be prepared for a tiresome journey.

4)Jomsom also offers beautiful scenes of the Himalayas. So use your camera at dawn and sunrise, and you’ll be overwhelmed by the beauty.

5)Janakpur and Sitamarhi are on plains; hence, the best time to visit is between September and March. However, even in April, you can’t stand barefoot in the afternoon in temples and always need an umbrella.

Ram Mandir(Temple),Janakpur
Ram Mandir(Temple),Janakpur

RAIL: Railway is available upto Janakpur.A single dusty road from Pokhara covers Muktinath.

You can watch the below video to get a better idea! Do like and share if you find it worth it…

 AIR: Kathamandu and Pokhara are the nearest airports.

ROAD: There’s a single dusty road from Pokhara via Tatopani and Jomsom to Muktinath. So bear the pain to reach Muktinath! For Janakpur, you can get from Kathmandu and Bihar state of India.

Map:

Patna Sitamarhi Janakpur Kathmandu Pokhara Jomsom Muktinath Map
Patna Sitamarhi Janakpur Kathmandu Pokhara Jomsom Muktinath Map

Time to Visit:

March End to Early June; September-October are the best times to visit Muktinath; for Janakpur, September-Early April is the best months.

Janaki Mandir,Janakpur
Janaki Mandir,Janakpur

Spend Time With:

Family, Friends, Solo, Couple

Food and Lodging:

Hotels are there in Jomsom mainly and are pretty in numbers, are cheap and good to stay with beautiful views. Janakpur has hardly any remaining places, so it’s better to visit in the daytime and return by night. Cheap and good food all over Kathmandu. Refer to Goibibo, MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, and TripAdvisor if you want a booking.

Expense:

For a two-day trip to Muktinath and transit trip to Janakpur/Sitamarhi:

The river beds are raods on way to Jomsom
The river beds are raods on way to Jomsom

Food: NPR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X3

Transport: 2000 NPR by bus Pokhara-Muktinath-Pokhara;1000 NPR-Kathmandu to Janakpur and INR 400-Patna to Janakpur

Lodging: NPR 700/day X1 at Jomsom

Entry Fees: No entry fees.

Jomsom in late evening
Jomsom in late evening

Total: 4600 NPR(INR is 1.6x NPR)

Nearby Attractions(Muktinath | Janakpur)

  • Rajgir(715 | 280 km)
  • Sitamarhi(530 | 55 km)
  • Jomsom(20 | 520 km)
  • Bodhgaya(750 | 300 km)
  • Mansarovar(1020 km)
  • Darjeeling(845 | 780 km)
  • Manang(370 | 430 km)
  • Mathura(1030 | 1000 km)
Ram-Sita Vivah Mandap(Marriage hall),Janakpur,Nepal
Ram-Sita Vivah Mandap(Marriage hall),Janakpur,Nepal
Sita Kund, Sitamarhi
Sita Kund,Sitamarhi
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