Day 1 (Oct. 18 2011)	Everyone meets in Varanasi, India. Our local staff will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner with the group. Radission Hotel, Varanasi. (D.)
Day 2 (Oct. 19, 2011)	Early morning boat ride on the ganges and a visit to the ghats along the river. After breakfast continue to the Deer Park in Sarnath where Buddha taught for the first time. (B., L., D.)
Days 3 Oct. 20, 2011)	Free day in Varanasi. Time to relax and settle in or explore the city. (B.)
Day4 Oct. 21, 2011)	Drive (6 hours) to FPMT’s Root Institute in Bodhgaya. Visit the Mahabodhi Stupa, the site of Buddha’s enlightenment. (B., L., D.)
Day 5 (Oct. 22, 2011)	Visit the cave at Dungeswari, where a meditator had a vision of Mahakala, a wrathful aspect of the Compassion Buddha. Afternoon optional visit to various monasteries. (B., L., D.)
Day 6 (Oct. 23, 2011)	Teaching on pilgrimage with Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi . (B., L., D.)
Day 7 (Oct. 24, 2011)	Drive to Rajgir, in about two hours. Buddha spent 12 years and held his first Buddhist council here after obtaining enlightenment. Walk up Vulture Peak for meditation and teachings where Buddha taught the Heart Sutra. In the afternoon we visit Nalanda. From the 5th to the 12th centuries, Nalanda was an important Buddhist university with 10,000 monks and students in residence. Continue to Patna for overnight at Maurya Patna. (B., L., D.)
Day 8 (Oct. 25, 2011)	All day drive to Kushinagar via Kesariya the largest ancient stupa which the famous Barabodur in Indonesia was modeled after and Vaishali which Buddha visited many times and where the nuns order began. Overnight at Hotel Lotus Nikko. (B., L., D.)
Day 9 (Oct. 26, 2011)	In Kushinagar. After breakfast visit Mahaparnirvana Temple. In the afternoon visit Rambhar Stupa, where Buddha was cremated. (B., L., D.)
Day 10 (Oct. 27, 2011)	All day drive from Kushinagar to Sravasti (8 hours). Overnight at Hotel Lotus Nikko. (B., L., D.)
Day 11 (Oct. 28, 2011)	After breakfast visit Sravasti for puja and meditation where Lord Buddha spent 25 rainy seasons in retreat. (B., L., D.)
Day 12 (Oct. 29, 2011)	All day drive (7 hours) from Sravasti to Lumbini the birth place of Lord Buddha. (crossing the border to Nepal). Overnight Hotel Lumbini Gardens. (B., L., D.)
Day 13 (Oct. 30, 2011)	Visit to the ruins of Kapilavastu, the palace where Lord Buddha grew up, near Lumbini.
Day 14 (Oct. 31, 2011)	Free time in the morning at Lumbini. In the afternoon fly to Kathamndu and transfer to Kopan Monastery and its sister nunnery Khachoe Ghakyil, located on a hilltop outside the town of Boudhanath. Here we begin a meditation retreat with Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi and the staff of Kopan. Overnight Kopan Monastery (B., D.)
Day 15-17 (Nov. 1-3, 2011)	In retreat at the world famous Kopan Monestery with Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi and the monastery staff. Kopan Monastery . (B., L., D.)
Day 18 (Nov. 4, 2011)	In the morning we visit Boudha Stupa, temples, monasteries and village. Boudhanath, the largest stupa in Nepal and one of the most powerful in the world, is also the religious center for Tibetans living in Nepal. In the afternoon we visit Swayambhunath Stupa. Long ago, the Kathmandu Valley was a huge lake. Legend has it that the hill on which the stupa stands, was once an island. There is also evidence that the great Indian Buddhist Emperor, Ashoka, visited the site 2,000 years ago. Kopan Monastery (B., L, D.)
Day 19 (Nov. 5, 2011)	Visit the small village of Pharping, eleven miles south of Kathmandu. Pharping and its many shrines was once an independent kingdom. On the way to Parping we visit Manjushri’s Gorge. On our return, we stop to see ancient statues of Chenrezig, Tara and Manjushri in the center of Kathmandu. Kopan Monastery (B.,L., D.)
Day 20 (Nov. 6, 2011)	The final group activity is a morning puja. Transfer to the airport to depart from Kathmandu or continue exploring the region on your own. (B.)