Eleven Directions

Shakyamuni Buddha discovered the truth of overcoming suffering and bringing happiness to the individual, family and society. Before he died, the Buddha suggested that it would be of great benefit to those who are interested in his teachings to make a pilgrimage to the places associated with his life.

We have an opportunity to travel in the company of Shantum Seth, an experienced and renowned guide on the Buddha's path, who has been leading pilgrimages since 1988. A Buddhist scholar and practitioner, he is an ordained Dharma teacher in the Zen tradition of the Vietnamese Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. As we journey, Shantum shares stories and teachings of the Buddha, and the practices of daily meditation and mindfulness. In this way the Buddha comes alive not only as a historical person, but in the here and now, someone who is relevant to our lives today.

Together we visit the actual sites where the historical Buddha was born, spent his childhood, attained enlightenment, taught, meditated and where he passed away. We travel along the fertile plains of the Ganges, beautiful with its mustard and lentil fields, to the lush 'terai' that leads to the foothills of the Himalayas. We visit the remains of ancient monasteries and stupas, museums with exquisite art, living temples and villages that have changed little since the time of the Buddha 2,500 years ago. We take a boat ride, stop at mango groves, visit Hindu temples, Muslim mosques, visit schools, and meet and mingle with pilgrims from all over the world.

The pilgrimage has all the ingredients of a truly memorable journey, widening our perceptions and consciousness. It is an opportunity not only to deepen our knowledge and practice of the Buddha and his teachings but also to get an insight into an India that few penetrate. On this journey we touch a culture and civilization that are both ancient and contemporary. We take an inner and an outer journey through a fascinating and mysterious India.

India herself is a great teacher. Shantum, who has been an advisor to the United Nations Development Program on a number of social development and environmental program in India, shares the underlying structures and subtleties of Indian society so that the travelers get a real sense of our living and ancient cultures. We visit homes of both villagers and city dwellers, and have an opportunity to share ideas and stories with local people. This journey is not only intellectually stimulating, exposing the mind to challenging ideas and diverse lifestyles, but also spiritually transformative.

Normally there are 8-20 people on each journey, which allows for greater individual attention in the context of a supportive sangha and also makes it possible to cater to personal needs and interests.

Peepal** Pilgrimage 2019: In the Footsteps of the Buddha (14 days beginning and ending in New Delhi - February 12 to February 25, 2019 – US$ 5950

Half Peepal** I Pilgrimage 2019: In the Footsteps of the Buddha (9 days beginning and ending in New Delhi - February 12 to February 20, 2019 - US$ 3950

Half Peepal** II Pilgrimage 2019: In the Footsteps of the Buddha (9 days beginning and ending in New Delhi - led by Dharmacharya Shantum Seth - February 17 to February 25, 2019 - US$ 3950

Peepal Pilgrimage 2019:
This journey will begin in New Delhi on the 12th of February 2019 at 12.00 noon. We will fly to Varanasi/Sarnath later in the evening. Thereafter we travel by our own private coach to Bodh Gaya, Nalanda/Rajgir, Vaishali, Kesariya, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Kapilavastu and Sravasti. From Sravasti we go to Lucknow and fly to Delhi. We will be back in Delhi on the evening of 25th February 2019, where the tour ends. You should book your departure flight for either late night of 25th February or early morning of 26th February, 2019.

Half Peepal I Pilgrimage:
This journey will begin in New Delhi on 12th February 2019 at 12.00 noon. The next day we will fly to Varanasi/Sarnath. Thereafter we travel by our own private coach from Varanasi to Bodh Gaya, Nalanda/Rajgir and Vaishali. We will be back in Delhi in the early evening of the 20th of February 2019. You should book your departure flight on 20th February 2019 for a late night flight.

Half Peepal II Pilgrimage:
This journey will begin in New Delhi on 17th February 2019 after which we fly to Patna. Thereafter, we travel by our own private coach to Rajgir, Vaishali, Kesariya, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Kapilavastu and Sravasti. From Sravasti we go to Lucknow and fly to Delhi. We will be back in Delhi in the evening of 25th February 2019, where the tour ends. You should book your departure flight for either late night of 25rd February or early morning of 26th February 2019.

For those who take the optional visit to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, (both UNESCO World Heritage sites) we travel from Lucknow to Agra on 25th February. En route we will visit Sankasya, an important ancient Buddhist site. We will spend one night in Agra and will return to Delhi by late evening on 26th February 2019. You should book your departure flight for either late night of 26th February 2019 or early morning of 27th February 2019.

For those who take the optional journey to the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, (both UNESCO World Heritage sites) we fly from Delhi to Aurangabad in the morning of 27th February 2019. We will spend two nights in Aurangabad visiting Ajanta and Ellora and will return to Delhi on the evening of 1st March 2019. You should book your departure flight for either late night of 1st March or early morning of 2nd March 2019

(Please note that Shantum Seth will only lead the pilgrimage if there is a minimum of 8 registrants. Otherwise it will be led by a person trained by Shantum)

The Buddha lived and traveled along the Gangetic plains in Northern India. Besides New Delhi, the pilgrimage visits two states of northern India, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
India’s cities stand in contrast to her villages and have their own interesting (if seemingly chaotic) lifestyle. Varanasi and Bodh Gaya are both significant pilgrimage sites, having their own distinct character. In these places we get a closer view of how modern and traditional India co-exist. Kushinagar, Sravasti and Rajgir are smaller towns and relatively quiet, giving the pilgrims the opportunity to absorb the nuances of the local culture and society.

In Delhi, we will visit the place where Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India, lived his last days. This is a wonderful place to begin the pilgrimage. Gandhi reminds us of the Buddha in our living memory, and personified a unique way of peaceful living and politics. He was a man open to all cultures and religions but with deep faith in his own.

Our journey will take us across the plains of the river Ganges to Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and the Deer Park at Sarnath, where he gave his first teachings. We will visit his favorite meditation places such as Vulture Peak in Rajgir, the Jeta Grove at Sravasti (where he spent 24 rainy season retreats), and Kushinagar, where he passed away. We will also visit Lumbini, where he was born, and the palace at Kapilavastu, where hespent his childhood. Aside from visiting the places where the Buddha lived, we will visit monasteries, temples and shrines. The trip includes visits to homes of locals in cities and villages, a gentle walk to the Dungasiri Mountain (Mahakala Cave) where the Buddha practiced his austerities. We would meet interesting people and visit the homes of both the homes of the poor and the privileged to get a sense of contemporary India. We would combine this with the understanding of the Buddha's teachings, and the places he lived and visited so that we can examine what we are witnessing and experiencing both from an external and internal perspective. In Varanasi we will also take a boat ride on the Ganges at sunrise.

At each pilgrimage site along the way, Shantum will tell stories of the Buddha’s life and give teachings to help us understand the Buddha as a human being, the drama of his life and the significance of what he taught. We will schedule time for daily sitting and walking meditation, regular discussions, and contemplative time for ourselves. The creation of a traveling sangha will be an important aspect of this trip, giving the journey a greater cohesiveness and building a sense of support for those seeking to deepen their practice.

The pilgrimage is an unforgettable opportunity to explore areas that few tourists visit and to see and experience aspects of contemporary Indian life that, in many ways, have not changed since the time of the Buddha. We invite you to join other practitioners on a transformative journey that will allow you to touch an ancient and diverse culture and civilization, and experience the life of the Buddha through the places he lived and taught.

Building Love - Agra, the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort (beginning and ending in Delhi) February 25th to February 26th, 2019 – US$ 475
Agra was the capital of the great Mughals. Emperor Akbar, was the main architect of the Agra Fort. His grandson Shah Jahan built the beautiful monument to love, the Taj Mahal, as a mausoleum for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Both these monuments are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Exquisite Caves – Ajanta & Ellora (beginning and ending in Delhi) February 27th to March 1st, 2019 – US$1495
Ajanta
Ajanta is situated near Aurangabad. Beginning in the 2nd century BCE and continuing for 900 years, twenty-six caves were chipped out of a horseshoe shaped cliff. The early followers of the Buddha created an isolated haven, shrouded in the darkness of the caves where they could meditate in peace. The exquisite Buddhist paintings and sculptures created by using simple tools in the glow of lamps rank among the world's most important cultural treasures and the area has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Although the Jataka Tales form the main theme of the paintings, also depicted are scenes from contemporary courtly life all demonstrating a startling degree of sophistication. In the Ajanta paintings we see the brilliant union between sacred and secular art.

Ellora
Ellora Caves: Nearby is Maharashtra state's most phenomenal ancient monument, the Ellora caves which carried on the legacy of Ajanta from the 7th century AD and was subjected to Buddhist, Jain and Hindu influences. The sculptures at Ellora are massive in form and the entire spectrum of carvings pulsates with life and energy. The phenomenal rock cut Hindu temple of Kailash which is carved out of a hillside is the world's largest monolith and the site's principal attraction. Ellora too, is a World Heritage site declared by UNESCO.

Dharmacharya Shantum Seth,an ordained dharma teacher in the Zen Buddhist lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh, is the foremost expert on sites associated with the Buddha and has been leading pilgrimages since 1988. He worked with the United Nations on volunteering, peace, and social development for more than 15 years, and is currently a Senior Advisor to the World Bank and on the Advisory board to the Minister of Tourism, on pilgrimage tourism. He has co-authored books such as Walking with the Buddha and been a consultant for films like BBC-Discovery’s Life of the Buddha and BBC-PBS’s The Story of India. He has been promoting Mindfulness in Education and with the police through the non-profit Ahimsa Trust.

DAILY SCHEDULE & SPECIAL EXCURSIONS
Our retreat schedule will include daily sitting and walking meditation, often starting with a morning meditation at one of the Buddhist sites. This will be followed by breakfast at the hotel, after which we’ll visit one of the Buddhist sites listed below in the itinerary. Shantum will offer a detailed talk on that site in the context of the Buddha’s life and teachings, and what was happening in the area many centuries ago. Pilgrims will have some time at the site itself, after which we will go to lunch. We’ll rest after lunch or we may visit another site, go to a village, school, visit a teacher or institute, meet with environmental activists, etc. We return to the hotel by evening in time for dinner and usually end with a group discussion on the day. On the days we travel, the itinerary will vary slightly, and there will be some flexibility depending on the size, needs, and interest of the group.

Peepal Pilgrimage 2019: 12th February to 25th February 2019 (14 days)
Price: US$ 5950 (US$ 1550* single room supplement)

There could be minor changes to this itinerary based on a variety of considerations.

PILGRIMAGE REGISTRATION INFORMATION & TRAVEL FACTS
The cost for the pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of the Buddha” (February 12 – February 25, 2019) is US $5950 based on double occupancy. The single room supplement is an additional US $1550*.

The cost for the Half Peepal I pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of the Buddha” (February 12–February 20, 2019) is US $3950 based on double occupancy. The single room supplement is an additional US $950*.

The cost for the Half Peepal II pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of the Buddha” (February 17 – February 25, 2019) is US$ 3950 based on double occupancy. The single room supplement is an additional US $950*.

The cost of the Agra visit (February 25 – February 26,, 2019) is U.S. $475 based on double occupancy. The single room supplement is an additional US $140*. The tour price includes guide services, transportation, meals, monument entrance fees, bottled water and lodging arrangements for the duration of the Agra option.
The cost of The Exquisite Caves of Ajanta & Ellora journey February 27 – March 1, 2019) is U.S. $1495 based on double occupancy. The single room supplement is an additional U.S. $435*. The tour price includes guide services, transportation, meals, monument entrance fees, bottled water and lodging arrangements for the duration of the Caves option.

The tour price includes: airport transfers and escort services in New Delhi, guide services, transportation inside India, monument entrance fees, all meals, bottled water and lodging arrangements (based on twin-sharing rooms) for the duration of the pilgrimage. All registration fees are payable in US dollars or the equivalent in GBP, Euro etc.
*Forced single room supplement (in case we are not able to room you with anyone else) will be 50% of the single supplement

Please note that the cost does not cover:
International airfare to and from New Delhi, visas and other international arrangements, any extra days spent in India beyond the dates of the pilgrimage, excess baggage fees on the flights, phone calls and faxes during the pilgrimage, laundry during the pilgrimage or medical and other insurance coverage such as travel insurance.

As the good hotels are limited at the Buddhist sites, and sometimes a few groups arrive on the same day, it may be difficult for hotels to provide a single room, and in some very exceptional circumstances, even a twin-sharing basis is unavailable. We ask for your understanding if this circumstance should arise.

TO REGISTER
A non-refundable deposit of $500 U.S. per person is required at the time of booking. The remainder of the cost of the pilgrimage is due by November 1, 2018.

CANCELLATION
For cancellations received up to eight weeks before the commencement of the journey only the deposit will be forfeited. The cancellation fee within eight weeks of the beginning of the journey will be 100% of the total cost.

Travel Insurance: The range of coverage can vary significantly from policy to policy, and travelers are encouraged to speak with a travel agency to identify a policy that suits their needs. Things to consider are travel delays, trip cancellation or interruption, medical coverage, and baggage loss or delay. Before purchasing insurance, you may wish to check with your health insurance carrier to see if your policy includes medical care overseas. Please note that many insurance carriers require that insurance be purchased at the time a deposit or final payment is made; check with your carrier for details.

ARRIVAL
Arrival and departure are to and from New Delhi (Delhi), India. Participants are responsible for making their own round-trip flight arrangements from their point of origin to New Delhi, India and back. For international flights, tickets should be booked as early as possible. Flights to and from India are frequently full, and this trip takes place at the height of the tourist season. Most international flights arrive at night or early morning. You may check with us before you confirm your flight bookings.
We will arrange a complimentary airport transfer on arrival.
The pilgrimage will begin at 12.00 noon on February 12, 2019.
The Second Half of the pilgrimage will begin on the morning on February 17, 2019

DEPARTURE
We will do a complimentary airport transfer for your departure.
The Peepal pilgrimage and the Half Peepal II will end in the evening on February 25, 2019 in New Delhi. You should book your departure for a late night flight.

The Half Peepal I pilgrimage will end at 3pm on February 20, 2019. You should book your departure flight for a late evening flight.
The Agra Taj Mahal journey will end at 8pm on February 26, 2019. You should book your departure flight for a late night flight on February 26th or early morning of on February 27th, 2019.

The Exquisite Caves of Ajanta & Ellora journey will begin in the night of on February 27, 2019 and will end in the evening on March 1. You should book your departure flight for a late night flight on March 1 or early morning of on March 2nd, 2019.

EXTRA NIGHTS
For those wishing an extra day or two to recover from air travel before the pilgrimage begins, or who wish to stay longer after the pilgrimage ends, we would be happy to provide a list of hotels in Delhi. Please make your hotel bookings for New Delhi well in advance, as February and March are peak months.

SINGLE ROOM
Single rooms are available and there is a single room supplement.

For single travelers who do NOT want to opt for a single room, we will undertake to room them with someone suitable.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THIS TRIP
You will need a valid passport and visas for both India and Nepal (only an Indian visa if you are just doing Half Peepal I). Normally the visa is valid for 6 months from date of issue.
The visa for Nepal can be obtained on arrival (it costs US$ 25) at the Indo-Nepal border while on the pilgrimage. Please ensure you have an empty page on your passport and one passport-sized photograph.

India Visa Information

The Indian Embassy in the US has outsourced its visa applications at http://www.in.ckgs.us/index.shtml
The Indian Embassy has a Consulate in New York (Tel: 212 774 0699), Chicago (312 595 0405), Houston (713 626 2148) and San Francisco (415 668 0662). The main embassy is based in Washington DC and their number is (202) 939 7000. Please ensure that the visa covers the travel period for which you are applying. If you need a reference in India, you can give: Mr. Shantum Seth, 309-B, Sector 15A, Noida 201 301, District Gautam Buddha Nagar, India. Telephone: +91-120-2511633.

An Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) as e-Tourist Visa (eTV) is also available for travelers from 116 countries including Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, UK, Singapore, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Norway, Finland... https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html
You can apply for this Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) a minimum of 4 days before your date of travel and a maximum of 30 days before your date of travel. This visa is issued for 30 days only.

If you are doing the Full Peepal pilgrimage or Half Peepal Pilgrimage II, please ensure your visa to India is a DOUBLE ENTRY or MULTIPLE ENTRY visa.

PLEASE CARRY A PHYSICAL COPY OF YOUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT RETURN TICKET AS YOUR TICKET IS CHECKED BEFORE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO ENTER INDIAN AIRPORTS

IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Each participant must provide the following details in order to reserve train, air and hotels: Name, gender, date of birth, passport number, date of issue of passport, date of expiry of passport, place of issue of passport, and emergency contact information. In addition, registrants must provide the visa number, date of issue, date of expiry and place of issue as soon as the visa for travel to India has been issued.
Please send us the visa details after you have obtained them.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE, ACCEPTANCE OF CREDIT CARDS & TIPPING
As stated above, hotels, food, transportation within India, and guide services are all covered by the tour fees. It is suggested that travelers carry cash for expenses like gifts or souvenirs, as it is difficult to change money at the sites we visit during the pilgrimage. Travelers will also need money if they are planning to extend their stay in India before or after the pilgrimage. Credit cards such as VISA or American Express are accepted in some of the hotels and large shops in Delhi or Varanasi, but not in all the places we visit. There are ATM machines in most places where one can access cash, but their presence is not universal as it is in the U.S. or other countries. One U.S. dollar approximates 60 Indian Rupees. We recommend that you convert some cash at the airport when you arrive in New Delhi. There is no need to exchange it in the U.S. — it is best to do so in India. There are a couple of banks with a standard exchange rate at the airport both before and after you clear customs. Please keep your bank receipts carefully in case you need to change the money into dollars when you return home.

Travelers often have questions about tipping. In the last few years, we have developed a system where a kitty is collected at the beginning, and the tips are distributed from it (contributing is optional). This covers all the incidental tipping/donations during the pilgrimage at hotels/restaurants etc. A tip for the guides and drivers is an optional addition to this kitty. Thus far, this has worked well. It usually works out to $10 to $15 per day, but this figure could vary. It may be a good idea to set aside $200 for tips.

If you arrive before the start of the pilgrimage or stay after it concludes, the general rule is as follows: tipping someone who has carried your luggage is common and we would suggest Rs.50 to Rs.100. In restaurants, one normally leaves a tip of between 5% to 10% of the entire bill, unless a service charge has already been levied. It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers; however if you have hired a car for the day and you are happy with the driver, a tip of between Rs.200 to Rs.500 is fine.

HOTELS/HOUSING
We choose the best available accommodations in the vicinity of the sites (which are normally five-star hotels, heritage hotels and Japanese guest houses) based on shared, twin-bedded rooms with a private bath or shower and toilet. The accommodations are clean and comfortable — in some cases monastic-style, and in some cases rather luxurious. If you prefer a single room (where available, as the Buddhist route can occasionally get very full), there is a price supplement.

ELECTRICITY
India uses 220 volts, 50 cycles AC. Plugs/sockets are usually an issue (the electrical sockets in India have round holes, not flat one, so please ensure that the stems of your plug has rounded stems). It’s best to travel with a universal plug adaptor.

WEATHER & CLOTHING NEEDS
Given that there can be a high variation between the daytime and evening temperatures (the general range is from 10 degrees to 30 degrees Celsius, (50 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit) layering is a practical approach. It’s important to be comfortable and modestly dressed. We recommend that you bring one coat or jacket and a light sweater for the evening; perhaps a shawl if you want to meditate in the morning. For the warmer part of the day, cotton shirts, T-shirts and cotton trousers will work well. There is no need to bring formal clothing.

Generally, the weather is dry with a small possibility of light rain or fog in some places. It is handy to have an umbrella that can double as a sunshade if it gets too sunny or even be used as a walking stick. Please bring comfortable sneakers or sandals (which you can wear with socks if it gets cold). We do not go on treks, but one or two of the (optional) walks are long. We also visit a number of temples where you will need to remove your shoes, so it is helpful to bring a pair of socks (the airline slip-ons are very convenient). It is always useful to have a hat or cap to protect you from the sun. We are allowed 15 kilos (33 lbs.) check in baggage and 7kgs (15 lbs) as cabin baggage on Indian airplanes, so we recommend that you travel light. You can carry extra baggage, at an additional cost. Laundry facilities are available at all the places we stay, and laundry is returned within 24 hours.

HEALTH CONCERNS
We stay in clean, safe places, and the food in the places we stay will be clean, fresh and prepared to suit a delicate digestive system. You will be provided bottled mineral water for drinking.

If you are coming from Africa or some parts of Latin America, a certificate of yellow fever inoculation is required by the Indian authorities. If you are coming from Kenya, you have to take the OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine) before you travel.

There is no other medical restriction upon your entry into India. We recommend a Hepatitis-A inoculation and a Tetanus shot. If you prefer to be more careful, then please speak to your physician. We do carry a first-aid kit with us, but many people prefer to bring their own supply of medicines. We would recommend you get an insect/mosquito repellent and also a stomach medicine for both diarrhea and constipation as one’s stomach has its own way of adjusting to different foods.
If you have any special diet needs or medical needs, please do let us know.

SIM CARD, IPHONE ETC.
It is quite easy and inexpensive to get a local SIM card for your mobile phone at the Delhi airport. You need one photograph and a copy of your Indian visa and passport. If you have an iPhone, you may need to ‘unlock’ it before you come to India. Mobile telephony in India is inexpensive.

ADDITIONAL TRAVEL SERVICES (e.g. shuttle buses, taxis)
We provide all the transport services during the pilgrimage, including having you met on arrival in New Delhi. There is no extra charge for meeting people at the airport. For those who want to make your own arrangements, the Delhi Airport has cabs. The cab-stand is located just after you exit the airport. Depending on the time you arrive the cab fare will be in the range of Rs.700-1200. It is easy to get a cab at the hotel for the airport when one leaves for the same price.

DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY
Shantum Seth and Seth Consultants Pvt. Ltd. while undertaking tours, transportation, hotel accommodation and other services only act on the clear understanding that they shall not be in any way responsible or liable for any accident, damage, loss, delay or inconvenience caused in connection with travel and other facilities arranged by the company, their employees or agents. All bookings are accepted and executed with utmost care, yet no responsibility is taken for any change or deviation on account of factors beyond their control.

By making a deposit for the tour, participants acknowledge that they have read and understood this document in its entirety, and have consented to all conditions herein, including the Disclaimer and Release of Liability. For participants under age 18, their parent or legal guardian shall sign on their behalf and the same Disclaimer and Release shall apply.

*Forced single room supplement (in case we are not able to room you with anyone else) will be 50% of the single supplement)