Old Shakti Peeth in the centre of Nepalgunj, dedicated to Goddess Bageshwori, a form of Durga. Devotees believe Sati's tongue fell here, and the temple sits beside a sacred pond.
🗓️ Best seasonOpen all year. Biggest crowds come at Dashain (Navaratri), and also at Shivaratri and Teej.
🚌 How to reachIn Nepalgunj city centre, a short local ride from the bus park or the Rupaidiha border side.
Image: Illustration - inspired by the place, not a photograph
Wildlife
Bardiya National Park
📍 Bardiya, Lumbini Province
The largest and least disturbed national park in Nepal's Terai. Known for Bengal tiger sightings, one-horned rhinos and wild elephants, with Tharu homestays at the park's edge.
🗓️ Best seasonMid-February to mid-June, the best time for tiger sightings.
🚌 How to reachBy road: go from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, then west on the Mahendra (East-West) Highway. Thakurdwara, the park headquarters, is about 90 km (around 2 hours) from Nepalgunj by car, jeep or bus.
Image: Illustration - inspired by the place, not a photograph
🛕Pilgrimage
Shravasti
📍 Uttar Pradesh
Ancient Savatthi. Buddhist tradition says the Buddha spent about 25 rainy-season retreats here, many of them at the Jetavana monastery, which the merchant Anathapindika gave to him. You can see the ruins of Jetavana, stupas and temples at Saheth-Maheth, and monasteries built by Thai, Tibetan and Korean communities. Shravasti is roughly 40 km from Bahraich.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rupaidiha
A Terai park of forest and grassland in Lakhimpur Kheri district, on the Nepal border. Together with Kishanpur and Katarniaghat it makes up the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. It is home to tigers, Indian rhinos brought back in 1984–85, and large herds of swamp deer (barasingha). Book safaris and stays through UP Ecotourism, as overnight rooms are limited.
🗓️ Best seasonOpen from 15 November to 15 June. It is closed during the monsoon.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rupaidiha
A Terai sanctuary in Bahraich district, right on the Nepal border. It was set up in 1975 and is part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. On boat rides along the Girwa river, a branch of the Karnali, you may see gharials, mugger crocodiles and Gangetic dolphins. Jungle safaris run in registered gypsies, and a guide is compulsory. A wildlife corridor links the sanctuary with Nepal's Bardiya National Park.
🗓️ Best seasonNovember to March. It is closed in the monsoon, from mid-June.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rupaidiha
Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. See the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar and the monastic zone. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March, when it is cooler. Terai summers often go above 40°C.
🚌 How to reachBy road: go from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, then east on the Mahendra (East-West) Highway to Butwal. From Butwal go south to Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar), and from there it is about 22 km to Lumbini by bus or taxi.
Image: Illustration - inspired by the place, not a photograph
🐅🏛️ UNESCO World HeritageWildlife
Chitwan National Park
📍 Chitwan (Inner Terai), Bagmati Province
Nepal's first national park (1973) and a UNESCO site since 1984. See one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers and gharial crocodiles on jungle safaris, and Tharu culture around Sauraha.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March (pleasant, around 25°C). April to June is very hot and July to September is rainy.
🚌 How to reachBy road: go from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, then east on the Mahendra (East-West) Highway to Narayanghat/Bharatpur. The park headquarters at Kasara is 21 km from Bharatpur, and Sauraha is the main tourist base.
The old royal palace square of Kathmandu, with Hanuman Dhoka palace, the tall Taleju temple and Kumari Ghar, home of the Living Goddess Kumari.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November (clearest skies) and spring (March to May). The Taleju temple opens to the public on only one day a year, during Dashain.
🚌 How to reachBy air: regular flights from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu take about 1 hour (Buddha Air, Shree Airlines and others).
Nepal's most revered Hindu temple, where Lord Shiva is worshipped as Pashupati, on the holy Bagmati river. Known for the evening Bagmati Aarati and huge Maha Shivaratri crowds.
🗓️ Best seasonOpen all year. Maha Shivaratri (February or March) brings the biggest crowds of pilgrims from Nepal and India.
🚌 How to reachBy air: regular flights from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu take about 1 hour. The temple is in eastern Kathmandu, near the airport.
Hilltop stupa about 3 km west of Kathmandu, described as the oldest of its kind in Nepal. Visitors call it the 'Monkey Temple', and a long stairway climbs up to it.
🗓️ Best seasonOpen all year. Valley views are clearest from October to November.
🚌 How to reachBy air: regular flights from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu take about 1 hour. The stupa is about 3 km west of the city.
Medieval Newar city about 12 km east of Kathmandu. See the 15th-century Palace of 55 Windows, the Golden Gate in repoussé metalwork and the five-storey Nyatapola temple.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November, and March to May.
🚌 How to reachFly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu (about 1 hour). Bhaktapur is about 12 km further east on the Arniko Highway.
Home of Mount Everest (Sagarmatha), the world's highest peak. Walk through Sherpa villages such as Namche Bazaar, visit monasteries and trek to Everest Base Camp. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November, and March to May. December to February is snowy, and June to September is rainy.
🚌 How to reachFly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu, then fly Kathmandu to Lukla (about 30 minutes) and trek. Another way is a bus from Kathmandu to Jiri, then trek.
📍 Kanchanpur (near Bhimdatta/Mahendranagar), Sudurpashchim Province
Far-western grassland park with the world's largest known population of barasingha (swamp deer). It also has tigers, wild elephants, rhinos and sarus cranes.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March. April to June is hot (up to about 42°C) and July to September is monsoon.
🚌 How to reachBy road: go from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, then west on the Mahendra (East-West) Highway through Attariya to Bhimdatta (Mahendranagar), the park's nearest city.
Nepal's biggest lake, about 10.8 sq km at around 2,990 m. This deep blue alpine lake is the heart of Rara National Park and a Ramsar-listed wetland.
🗓️ Best seasonFebruary to April, and October to November. In winter the lake can partly freeze and it is hard to reach.
🚌 How to reachBy air: direct flights from Nepalgunj to Talcha (Rara) Airport in Mugu take about 35 minutes. Summit Air and Nepal Airlines fly it, and flights often stop for bad weather. From there it is about a 2-hour walk to the lake. Another way is to fly Nepalgunj to Jumla and trek 2 to 3 days.
Old hill town with cobbled lanes and Newari houses. Enjoy the views from Shreenagar hill and visit Rani Mahal, a palace on the Kali Gandaki river.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November for the clearest mountain views. Spring (March to May) is also pleasant.
🚌 How to reachBy road: go from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, then east on the Mahendra (East-West) Highway to Butwal. From Butwal go north on the Siddhartha Highway to Tansen.
Lakeside city where Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) is reflected in Phewa Lake. Take a boat to the Tal Barahi island temple, watch sunrise from Sarangkot and hike to the World Peace Pagoda.
🗓️ Best seasonSeptember to November is the best season, and from October the Annapurna range is usually clear. Spring (March to May) is also good.
🚌 How to reachBy air: Buddha Air flies direct from Nepalgunj to Pokhara (about 30 minutes). In August 2026 it announced flights three days a week (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday) from 16 September 2026, so check before booking. By road: go from Kohalpur on the Mahendra Highway to Butwal, then take the Siddhartha Highway through Tansen to Pokhara.
Image: Illustration - inspired by the place, not a photograph
🧗Adventure
Annapurna Region (Annapurna Conservation Area)
📍 Kaski, Myagdi, Mustang, Manang, Lamjung - Gandaki Province
Nepal's most famous trekking country, with the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Sanctuary trails, rhododendron forests, Tilicho Lake and Manang. It is also home to the snow leopard.
🗓️ Best seasonMarch to May, and September to November.
🚌 How to reachFirst reach Pokhara, the main gateway for the treks. Buddha Air flies there from Nepalgunj on scheduled days, or you can go by road through Butwal and the Siddhartha Highway.
A temple sacred to both Hindus (Lord Vishnu) and Buddhists (Avalokiteshwar), at about 3,800 m. Pilgrims bathe under 108 water spouts and see the ever-burning flame at Jwala Mai.
🗓️ Best seasonMarch to May, and September to November.
🚌 How to reachGo through Pokhara, which you can reach from Nepalgunj by Buddha Air on scheduled days or by road. From Pokhara, fly to Jomsom and walk about 5 hours, or take a bus via Beni and Jomsom on the newer road to Muktinath.
Well-kept Newar hilltop town, nicknamed the 'Queen of the hills'. Thani Mai temple gives a 360-degree view including the Annapurna range, and nearby Siddha Gufa is Nepal's largest cave.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November for the clearest mountain views. Spring (March to May) is also pleasant.
🚌 How to reachFly from Nepalgunj to Pokhara (Buddha Air, scheduled days). From Pokhara it is about 76 km, around 2 hours 10 minutes by bus.
Hilltop Gorkha Durbar, a 16th-century palace where the Shah dynasty began. It is the birthplace of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified Nepal, and Manakamana temple is in the same district.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November for clear Himalayan views. Spring is March to May.
🚌 How to reachFly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu (about 1 hour). Then take a bus to Gorkha, about 4 hours, direct or via Kurintar.
Birthplace of Sita (Janaki). The grand Janaki Mandir is Nepal's largest temple, with 3 storeys and 60 rooms. See also the Vivah Mandap where Ram and Sita are said to have married, and Mithila art.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March, because summers are very hot. The Vivah Panchami festival comes in Mangsir (around November to December).
🚌 How to reachBy road: go from Nepalgunj to Kohalpur, then east on the Mahendra (East-West) Highway to Dhalkebar. Janakpur is about 25 km south of Dhalkebar.
Hill station on the Kathmandu Valley rim at about 2,175 m, 32 km from Kathmandu. Famous for Himalayan sunrise and sunset views, and Everest can be seen on clear days. UNESCO-listed Changu Narayan temple is a short hike away.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to November for the clearest skies. Spring (March to May) is also good.
🚌 How to reachFly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu (about 1 hour), then drive about 32 km to Nagarkot.
Ahmad Shah I founded the walled city of Ahmedabad in 1411. In July 2017 it became India's first city on the UNESCO World Heritage List, known for its pols (gated lanes), wooden havelis and monuments of many faiths. Sabarmati Ashram, on the riverfront, was Mahatma Gandhi's home from 1917 to 1930, and the Dandi Salt March set out from here on 12 March 1930. You can visit Gandhi's cottage, Hriday Kunj, and a museum about his life. The UNESCO listing covers the old walled city only, not the ashram.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Ahmedabad
Image: Illustration - inspired by the place, not a photograph
🏛️🏛️ UNESCO World HeritageHeritage
Rani ki Vav (Queen's Stepwell), Patan
📍 Gujarat
An 11th-century stepwell on the banks of the Saraswati river in Patan. It was built as a memorial, and its building is credited to Queen Udayamati, wife of the Chaulukya king Bhima I. It is designed as an upside-down temple with seven levels of steps and more than 500 main sculptures. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014 and is about an hour by bus from Mehsana.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March. Early morning or late afternoon light shows the carvings best.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Mehsana
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004 in Panchmahal district, about 45 km by road from Vadodara. The park holds the remains of a historic Gujarat Sultanate capital, including the Jami Masjid. On top of Pavagadh hill is the Kalika Mata temple, one of the Shakti Peethas, which you reach by ropeway and a short climb on foot.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Vadodara
The ancient Deer Park near Varanasi, where the Buddha gave his first sermon after enlightenment. You can see the Dhamek Stupa, the remains of the Dharmarajika Stupa, the Mulagandhakuti Vihara and the Ashokan pillar. The Sarnath Museum holds the Lion Capital, which became India's national emblem in 1950. Sarnath was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2026, at the Committee's 48th session.
The white-marble mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, and the nearby Agra Fort was listed in the same year. The Taj Mahal opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset. It is closed to general visitors on Fridays.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March. It is closed on Fridays.
At 182 m, the world's tallest statue. It honours Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Deputy Prime Minister. The statue stands on Sadhu Bet island in the Narmada river at Kevadia (Ekta Nagar), facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam, and a viewing gallery at 153 m gives wide views of the valley. It was inaugurated on 31 October 2018. Open 8 am to 6 pm and closed every Monday for maintenance.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March (cooler months). Avoid Mondays, when it is closed.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Vadodara
A sun temple built in 1026–27 CE, in the reign of the Chaulukya king Bhima I, on the bank of the Pushpavati river about 25 km from Mehsana. It is known for the Suryakund stepped tank, the carved 52-pillar assembly hall, and a sanctum built so the rising sun lights it around the equinox. It is a protected monument of national importance. It is on UNESCO's Tentative List but has not been inscribed. The Modhera Dance Festival (Uttarardh Mahotsav) is held here every January.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March. Visit in January for the dance festival, or around the March and September equinoxes for the sunrise effect.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Mehsana
Somnath stands on the Arabian Sea coast at Prabhas Patan (Veraval, Gir Somnath district) and is revered as the first of Lord Shiva's twelve Jyotirlingas. The temple has been rebuilt many times. The present temple was completed in May 1951 in the Maru-Gurjara style, and an evening light-and-sound show tells its history. Nearby are Triveni Sangam ghat and Somnath beach.
🗓️ Best seasonSeptember to March
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rajkot
The Dwarkadhish temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, stands where the Gomti river meets the Arabian Sea in Devbhoomi Dwarka district. Dwarka is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites, along with Badrinath, Puri and Rameswaram. Janmashtami is the biggest festival of the year here.
🗓️ Best seasonNovember to February, or during Janmashtami
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rajkot
Gir is the last refuge of the wild Asiatic lion. Gujarat's 2025 lion census counted 891 lions across the region, 384 of them inside Gir National Park and Sanctuary. You need a safari permit, booked in advance on the official site (girlion.gujarat.gov.in). The park closes every year from 16 June to 15 October.
🗓️ Best seasonNovember to March is best. The park is open from 16 October to 15 June.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rajkot
The Great Rann of Kutch is a huge seasonal salt marsh. It floods in the monsoon, then dries into a bright white salt desert in winter. Dhordo village, about 86 km from Bhuj, hosts the Rann Utsav tent city every winter, and full-moon nights on the white salt are the main attraction. UNWTO named Dhordo a Best Tourism Village in 2023. You need a separate entry permit to visit the White Rann.
🗓️ Best seasonNovember to February, during the Rann Utsav season. Check the official festival dates before you go.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rajkot
Gujarat's only hill station, on a plateau of the Sahyadri range in Dang district, at about 900 m. Enjoy boating on Saputara Lake and the walk to Sunset Point. Gira Falls and Vansda National Park are nearby. Gujarat Tourism holds the Saputara Monsoon Festival every July and August. Saputara is about 164 km by road from Surat.
🗓️ Best seasonJuly to September for monsoon greenery and the festival. October to February for cool weather.
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Surat
One of the 51 Shakti Peethas, in Danta taluka of Banaskantha district in north Gujarat. The temple has no idol. Instead, devotees worship the sacred Viso Yantra with their eyes closed. Nearby Gabbar hill is considered the goddess's original home. The three-day Bhadarvi Poonam fair (August–September) draws lakhs of pilgrims, many of whom walk there.
🗓️ Best seasonVisited all year round. Biggest crowds come during the Bhadarvi Poonam fair (August–September).
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Mehsana
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, revered as the birthplace of Lord Ram. The consecration (pran pratishtha) took place on 22 January 2024, and public darshan began the next day. In the Ramayana tradition, Ayodhya is linked with Janakpur in Nepal, Goddess Sita's home. Darshan timings have changed several times, so confirm them with the temple trust (srjbtkshetra.org) before you travel.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March (cooler weather)
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rupaidiha
One of India's holiest cities, on the banks of the Ganga. The Kashi Vishwanath temple houses one of Shiva's twelve Jyotirlingas, and the present temple was rebuilt by Ahilyabai Holkar in 1780. Every evening there is a Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, best watched from a boat. Sarnath is about 10 km away.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to March. Avoid the April–June heat.
The place of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, and one of the four holy places he named for pilgrimage. The Mahaparinirvana Temple holds a reclining Buddha statue about 1,500 years old, and the Muktabandhan Stupa marks the cremation site. Kushinagar is on the India–Nepal Buddhist Circuit with Lumbini, Sarnath and Shravasti.
The capital of Uttar Pradesh, popularly called the City of Nawabs. Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula built the Bara Imambara between 1780 and 1784. It has a huge hall with no pillars, and above it is the Bhool Bhulaiya maze, where a guide is recommended. The Rumi Darwaza gateway stands next to it. UP Tourism runs heritage walks through the old Chowk area.
🗓️ Best seasonOctober to February
🚌 How to reachClosest point on our bus network: Rupaidiha
Pilgrimage
