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
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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
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 HeritagePilgrimage
Pashupatinath Temple
📍 Kathmandu, Bagmati Province
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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