Terai
Lumbini
In the plains near the Indian border, the place where Siddhartha Gautama is said to have been born some 2,600 years ago: a sacred garden, and a large park where each Buddhist country has built its monastery.
- Region: Terai
- Time needed: 1–2 days
- Entry: 700 NPR (≈ €4) per day
- From Kathmandu: 35 min by plane (Bhairahawa)
At a glance
Lumbini is one of the four great Buddhist pilgrimage sites, with Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar, all three in India. According to tradition, Queen Maya Devi gave birth here to the future Buddha around the 6th century BC. The Indian emperor Ashoka had a pillar erected here in 249 BC: its inscription is the oldest evidence of the site.
Around the sacred garden stretches a 4.8 by 1.6 km zone designed by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange (the sacred garden itself is UNESCO-listed): dozens of monasteries built by Buddhist countries and communities from all over the world, each in its own style. People come for the serenity rather than the spectacle; a full day is enough, and a night there lets you see the garden at sunrise.
Lumbini is far from everything else (8 to 11 hours by bus from Kathmandu or Pokhara): it's a stop for trips of two weeks or more, or for those crossing the nearby Indian border.
Don't miss
- The Maya Devi temple and the stone said to mark the exact spot of the birth.
- The sacred garden at sunrise: monks at prayer, flags under the Bodhi tree.
- Cycling from one monastery to the next, from the Burmese golden temple to the great German stupa.
- The calm, rare in Nepal.
Less good
- Far from the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara: a full day's journey.
- Very hot from April to June, cold fog in December–January.
- The site is huge and has little shade; some parts are still under construction.
In pictures
What to see
The conservation fee (700 NPR (≈ €4) per day for non-SAARC foreigners, official Lumbini Development Trust rate) covers the sacred garden and the Maya Devi temple; allow about 800 NPR (≈ €5) with the camera fee. Tickets at the counter or online. The monasteries are free.
Sacred garden
Maya Devi temple
A white building protects the foundations of successive temples and, at the back, a stone said to mark the exact spot of the birth, as well as a worn bas-relief showing the birth of the Buddha. Take off your shoes at the entrance; photos are forbidden inside.
- Time
- 30 min to 1 hour
Sacred garden
Ashoka pillar, sacred pond, Bodhi tree
Next to the temple: the pillar erected by Ashoka in 249 BC and its inscription, the pond where Maya Devi is said to have bathed before giving birth, and a large sacred fig covered in prayer flags, where pilgrims and monks meditate.
- Time
- 1 hour
- When
- At sunrise
West monastic zone
Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries
The monasteries of China, South Korea, Vietnam, Germany (the great lotus stupa of the Drikung Kagyu lineage)… and their murals. Many are open to visitors during the day, in silence.
- Time
- 2 to 3 hours, by bike
East monastic zone
Theravada monasteries
The golden temple of Myanmar, the monasteries of Thailand, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, more sober. North of the canal, the Japanese World Peace Pagoda and the eternal peace flame.
- Time
- 1 to 2 hours, by bike
Planning your visit
In one day
The sacred garden early in the morning, back to the hotel in the midday heat, then the monastic zone by bike in the late afternoon, as far as the Peace Pagoda at sunset.
With an extra night
Tilaurakot, about 27 km west, is thought to be the site of the Kapilavastu palace where the future Buddha grew up: brick ruins in the countryside and a small museum. Half a day by taxi.
On to India
The Belahiya border post (Sunauli on the Indian side) is about an hour's drive away, to continue to Varanasi or Bodhgaya. Get your Indian visa in advance; to enter Nepal that way, see Visa Nepal.
Getting there
Plane to Bhairahawa
Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar) is about 30 min by taxi from Lumbini.
Bus from Kathmandu
Morning tourist buses (around 7 am) and night buses, to Lumbini or Bhairahawa. Long: the flight is often worth it.
From Pokhara or Chitwan
Tourist bus from Pokhara; from Sauraha, a local bus with a change or a private car arranged by your hotel. See Chitwan National Park.
Getting around locally
Bike
The best way to explore the monastic zone: rent one at the entrance or in the village, about 200 NPR (≈ €1.2) a day.
Electric rickshaw
Tours of the zone with stops at the monasteries, about 600 to 1,200 NPR (≈ €3 to €7) depending on length; negotiate.
Where to stay
Lumbini Bazaar
The small village at the southern entrance of the site: guesthouses and simple hotels, restaurants. The most convenient for being in the sacred garden at sunrise.
Hotels in the zone and Bhairahawa
A few more comfortable hotels on the edge of the site, and a wider choice in Bhairahawa, 30 min away near the airport. Some monasteries also host pilgrims for a donation: ask on site.
When to come
bestpossiblenot advised
From October to March the climate is mild. In December and January fog often covers the plain in the morning and it's cold, before the sun breaks through. From April to June the heat often exceeds 40 °C: visit at dawn and late in the day. The monsoon (July to September) brings humidity and mosquitoes.
Festivals
| Buddha Jayanti | April–May The Buddha's birthday, at the full moon: pilgrims from all over the world, processions and offerings at the Maya Devi temple. Hotels full. |
The date follows the lunar calendar and changes every year.
Good to know
You get your visa on arrival, at Kathmandu airport or at the border: form, fees and pitfalls to avoid on our dedicated site.
Visa Nepal →Fancy a few days of walking? Poon Hill, Mardi Himal, Langtang… permits, guides, transport and day-by-day itineraries on our trekking site.
Trek Nepal →Comments
A question, recent information (prices, opening times, transport), your own experience? Share it here.
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