Religious
Madhesh
Janakpur
The holy city of Sita, birthplace of the goddess in Hindu mythology, and home to the magnificent Janaki Mandir — a major pilgrimage site for Indian devotees.
70 m altitude
Religious
Lumbini ProvinceLumbini
The birthplace of Lord Buddha and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — a serene pilgrimage park surrounded by monasteries from Buddhist nations worldwide.
Overview
Lumbini is revered as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha — who was born here in 563 BCE. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, the Lumbini Garden contains the Maya Devi Temple marking the exact birth spot, the Ashoka Pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BCE, and the sacred Puskarini pond where the Buddha's mother bathed. Surrounding the central garden, the Lumbini Development Zone contains over 20 monasteries built by Buddhist nations including India, China, Japan, Myanmar, and Korea. The zone is divided into the East Monastic Zone (Theravada) and the West (Mahayana and Vajrayana). Lumbini is approximately 280 km west of Kathmandu and 22 km from the Indian border at Sunauli.
Where you can go next
Common onward connections from Lumbini.
Related destinations
Religious
Gandaki
Muktinath
A sacred site revered by both Hindus and Buddhists at 3,800 metres — pilgrims from across India visit the eternal flame, the 108 water spouts, and the ancient temple.
3,800 m altitude
Religious
Bagmati
Pashupatinath
Nepal's holiest Hindu temple on the banks of the Bagmati River — a UNESCO World Heritage complex of golden spires, cremation ghats, and devout pilgrimage.
1,390 m altitude
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