Dear Sangha! We are pleased to inform you how we can support you in your journey to and in Lumbini, and that we have a unique offer to combine your journey to Lumbini with a pilgrimage.
Basic Information:
The opening of the Thousand Buddha Temple will take place on November 22, 2024. After that, from November 23 to 28, there will be the annual November seminar with Rinpoche, and from November 29 to December 1, the Tara seminar.
The introductory Pujas by the monks and nuns will begin on November 19.
Therefore, we recommend arriving in Lumbini on November 18.
Travel:
Please enter your travel plans under your first name here if you have already booked. This way, others who do not want to fly alone can find possible flights, and a shared flight to Lumbini (from Kathmandu) may be arranged:
Link to the table
There are two routes you can take, and we can assist you with both.
The easiest way:
From Kathmandu to Lumbini
You can find good and reasonably priced flights through checkfelix.com or skyscanner.com with Turkish Airlines, Etihad, or Emirates for the flight to Kathmandu.
You can either spend some time in Kathmandu – we recommend the Boudanath area, where our monastery is also located. There are many guesthouses and hotels available: booking.com.
On November 18, there are several flights from Kathmandu to Lumbini. These can also be booked in Nepal. We will try to arrange a shared flight.
Accommodation in Lumbini:
In Lumbini, Gomde has reserved the Padma Hotel. It is a simple accommodation but is within walking distance of the monastery (distances in Lumbini are often large). There are up to 80 beds available, 40 of them in double rooms with 8 places.
Please contact us at office@gomde.eu if you need accommodation at the hotel in Lumbini.
What you need for the journey:
A detailed packing list will follow at a later date. For now, you should focus on the following:
- Visa for Nepal – Austria / Germany
- Visa for India (if you are joining the pilgrimage)
- Travel insurance: Book part of your journey with your credit card if you have insurance through it, or take out travel insurance.
- Vaccinations
- Flight booking
Coordination and Information:
Please note that our coordination activities are not the services of a travel agency or tour operator.
We want to support and facilitate the journey for our dear Dharma siblings.
Travel with Pilgrimage through India:
The meeting point in Bodhgaya is November 11, 2024.
From there, we will begin a 7-day pilgrimage to all the significant life sites of the Buddha: Bodhgaya – Varanasi/Sarnath – Kushinagar – Lumbini.
We will be accompanied by nuns from Nagi Gompa.
Travel to Gaya or Patna (e.g., via Delhi or Bangkok)
You can find good and affordable flights through checkfelix.com or skyscanner.com with Turkish Airlines, Etihad, or Air India for the flight to Delhi. You can either book a direct ticket (which is more expensive) or re-check yourself at the domestic airport in Delhi (the airport transfer is simple).
Accommodations on the Pilgrimage:
The accommodations on our journey will be simple. We will stay in “Vihars” (pilgrim accommodations) and hotels. Please be prepared for a non-European standard.
We will spend 3 nights in Bodhgaya at the Burmese Vihar, 2 nights in Varanasi (near Sarnath), and one night in Kushinagar.
Costs:
Please budget 50–100 Euros per day for accommodation, food, entrance fees, and bus travel. A more detailed cost breakdown will follow later.
As we will visit many sacred sites, you will often have the opportunity to give donations—to our monastery, practitioners, or in the form of light offerings, etc. We also advise you to bring a budget according to your means for this purpose.
For the organization and guidance provided by the Gomde team, we kindly ask for a donation according to your means and the level of support you require.
We are very much looking forward to a blessed, inspiring time together, in Lumbini and on the way there!
