Senior citizens today are going out and
about and how. Their lifestyles have
gone through a radical change and now they want
to explore the world a la their younger counterparts with as much as exuberance
and verve. Travelling is fun and breaks
the pattern of regular humdrum life. Seniors are no longer satisfied in
exploring same old places, in fact now they believe in exploring the less
traveled road, to the exotic places that they haven’t been able to travel to
when they were young. Inciting their wanderlust
is one thing but planning organized tours is another thing altogether.
Organized tours are arranged by tour operators and it may be single tours or
group tours. Take a look at some of the importanttips for elderly people here.
Travel to Lumbini – An Exotic Place to Explore by Senior Travelers
Have you ever
hit the road to Nepal? This charming place abounds in natural beauty. There are beautiful places in Kathmandu Valley such as Lumbini whose places speaks of heritage and beauty. From ancient temples to the local exotic flavor Nepal encompasses all
your travel desires!
Nepal is truly an enchanting country
swathed in high Himalayan peaks, sweeping river valleys and bountiful cultural
and architectural heritage, wonderful traditional festivals, rich flora, and fauna and simple and down-to-earth people
who will bowl you over with their simple demeanor
and friendly smiles.
Lumbini can be reached via Gorakhpur in Uttar
Pradesh by train ( you can try the Mahaparinirvan Express Tourist train). Take
a bus or a shared taxi from there and the drive is for two and half hours.
Another quick option is to fly from
Kathmandu, it takes 45 minutes to Bhairawa or Siddhartha Nagar as it is also
known as.
The Star Attractions at Lumbini
One of the foremost places to visit is
confusingly termed as "Lumbini Museum Area". This is not only a traditional building but has an open area that includes a Lumbini temple, The Ashokan pillar, the sacred
pond, and of course how can we forget the colorful Bodhi tree.
Lumbini Temple or the Temple of Mayadevi:
Saunter inside the temple that is built over the spot where Buddha was born
Mayadevi pond: This is the pond where
Buddha's mother bathed before giving birth to him.
Bodhi Tree: Situated beside the sacred
pond wrapped in prayer flags.
Ashoka Pillar: This stone pillar edict is
dedicated to emperor Ashokan Buddhist Temples.
Ancient BC temples to modern day temple Lumbini Museum: Lumbini is known as one
of the most important religious sites in the world. But the atmosphere is all
casual and relaxed in the place. People move about casually and in quaint rickshaws,
which transports people from one place to another. There is a peaceful quiet atmosphere that most
people enjoy in Lumbini.
If you have a penchant for Buddhist temples,
then Lumbini is certainly the place to visit. For the rest of you devoting half
a day is quite enough. But if you want to explore the area you can spend the
better part of the day exploring the place around. There is one-third of the temples/monasteries that
are still under construction. The popular ones are
still open for you to explore. The Lumbini Development Zone is an
expansive rectangle area. The southern half of the
place is completely devoted to Buddha's birthplace and ancient temple
foundations. The northern half, however,
is divided into two sections, a west and east section. In the west, there are
the Mahayana and Vajrayana monasteries while the east section
houses the Theravadin monasteries.
Where to Stay at Lumbini
Most
of the accommodation options are located
by the Lumbini Bazar and it is situated right opposite
to the Lumbini Development Zone. The right time to visit is during the Buddhist
festivals as then you will hardly find any empty hotel rooms. Of course, there are hotel options available on
the outskirts of Lumbini but the prices are not what you can term as cheap.
If you are not able to find accommodation
in Lumbini itself, the next nearest town can pass muster,
the place is known as Bhairahawa. You can explore more options along the
Taulihawa Road. Avail the discounts at some of the hotels along Lumbini Bazaar,
especially in the off season.
Give this ancient place a dekko and you
won’t be disappointed for sure. Get help from a traveling guide for sexagenarian. With its wide number of attractions, Lumbini’s popularity as a popular
tourist destination cannot be undermined.
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