Pashupatinath ↔ Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Circuit

Kathmandu → Kathmandu / Varanasi

Highlights

• Connect Nepal's holiest Shiva shrine with India's oldest living city — a circuit of cosmic liberation.
• Shiva Jyotirlinga Pilgrimage · 7 days / 6 nights
• Small group, guide-led

Day-by-day itinerary

1. D1

   Pashupatinath — Lord of All Beings

   Begin at Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu — a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the Bagmati River. Witness the morning rituals, see the golden-roofed temple's intricate Nepali architecture, and observe cremation ceremonies on the Arya Ghat (from designated viewing areas for non-Hindus). Visit the Guhyeshwari Shakti Peeth nearby — one of the 51 Shakti Peeths where Sati Devi's yoni fell. Explore the surrounding forest where sadhus in ash-smeared bodies meditate. Only Hindus may enter the main temple sanctum; others can view from the opposite bank. Best time: year-round, but avoid monsoon (June–August).

   Kathmandu / Varanasi As per plan

2. D2

   Kathmandu Sacred Valley

   Visit Boudhanath Stupa — one of the world's largest spherical stupas and a center of Tibetan Buddhism. Climb to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) for panoramic valley views. Explore Patan Durbar Square's ancient temples. These sites deepen the understanding of Nepal's unique Hindu-Buddhist syncretism before crossing into India. Evening: take a flight from Kathmandu to Varanasi (1 hour 15 minutes) — Buddha Air and other carriers operate regular flights.

   Kathmandu / Varanasi As per plan

3. D3

   Varanasi — The Eternal City

   Arrive in Varanasi, India's oldest continuously inhabited city. Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple — the golden Jyotirlinga rebuilt in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar. Walk the narrow lanes of the old city, visit Annapurna Temple, and reach Dashashwamedh Ghat for the evening Ganga Aarti — one of the world's most spectacular daily rituals with synchronized fire offerings, bells, and Vedic chants. Rise early for a dawn boat ride on the Ganges, witnessing pilgrims performing their morning ablutions. Varanasi is believed to grant moksha to those who die here — the city's intensity reflects this ultimate spiritual aspiration.

   Kathmandu / Varanasi As per plan

4. D4

   Sarnath and Return

   Visit nearby Sarnath where Buddha gave his first sermon — a reminder of the Hindu-Buddhist interconnectedness of this region. Explore the Dhamekh Stupa and the excellent Archaeological Museum. Return to Kathmandu by flight (1 hour 15 minutes). Alternative return: cross at Sunauli border by road (8–10 hours from Varanasi to Kathmandu). For those seeking extended pilgrimage, continue to Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam) — approximately 3 hours from Varanasi — before returning.

   Kathmandu / Varanasi As per plan

Price includes

• Local storyteller guide
• Stays as per itinerary
• Daily breakfast
• All ground transfers

Make it yours (upsells)

Everything apart from the trip itself is an upsell — tick what you want.