Tibet’s Sacred Spaces, Nepal’s Exotic Bazaars, Bhutan’s Spectacular Festivals

Himalayan Mountain Kingdoms

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There is mystery and magic in the Himalayas, in the eerie chanting of maroon-robed monks in brightly painted monasteries, in the snow plumes trailing from high peaks, and in the shy smiles of Buddhist pilgrims at their ancient temples. We enter that world, experiencing Tibet through the immense power of places like mandala-shaped Samye Monastery, founded 1,200 years ago, and in the flourishing Tibetan Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, where we hike up to the hermitage of Taktsang, the “Tiger’s Nest, ” and witness a traditional festival with mask dances. As we learn how Buddhism shapes the Himalayan world, we walk pilgrim trails, visit mystical ridgetop monasteries, encounter an array of peoples from nomads to lamas, and relish some of the most majestic mountain scenery on earth.

Below is an Itinerary-in-Brief. To view a complete Detailed Itinerary, Download Full Itinerary or Email our Area Specialist

Itinerary-in-Brief

Days 1-5
Lhasa, Tibet / Yarlung Valley / Samye (March 2008 Paro Festival Departure)

Our journey begins in Lhasa, Tibet’s sacred city. Here our explorations include the Jokhang, Tibet’s holiest temple, and beautiful Norbulingka (“Jewel Park”), the official summer residence for the Dalai Lamas since the mid-18th century. We head out of Lhasa for a day to explore the imposing Ganden Monastery, with its vast complex of temples and pilgrims engaged in devotional activities. We have a chance to walk the pilgrim kora here, where we meet groups of Tibetan pilgrims performing various religious rituals to earn spiritual merit. Heading out to the remote Yarlung Valley, 7th century birthplace of the first kings of Tibet, we visit the spectacular 8th century Samye Monastery, an architectural showplace with its 108 chapels built into a great circular stone wall.

Days 6-7
Kathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu is an ancient city where Hindu and Buddhist worlds intertwine. We visit fascinating sites including the thriving Buddhist center at Bodha, where monasteries have been built by the Tibetan exile community, and the riverside cremation ghats and Hindu temples of Pashupatinath.

Days 8-15
Paro, Bhutan / Thimphu / Punakha / Paro

Gold-roofed monasteries, emerald valleys, deep, rustling forests—Bhutan’s landscape is so ethereal it seems taken from the pages of a storybook. In this tiny kingdom, the presence of Tibetan Buddhism is everywhere, from fluttering prayer flags dotting the countryside to exquisite hilltop lhakhangs (temples). In Paro, we attend the spectacular Tsechu Festival, an occasion when Bhutanese dress in their finery and renew their faith in a traditional celebration of community, and we hike up to the famous hermitage called Taktsang, the “Tiger’s Nest,” for incredible panoramas. Legend has it that the Tibetan Buddhist saint Padmasambhava, after flying across the Himalayas from Tibet on the back of a tigress, landed at the spot where Taktsang is built. We journey across the 10,200-foot Dochu La Pass, its summit marked by fluttering prayer flags, to the peaceful Punakha Valley, Bhutan’s winter capital for 300 years, for hikes to hillside chortens (shrines). The stunning and labyrinthine Punakha Dzong, seat of the head abbot of Bhutan, sits at the confluence of the Mo Chu and Po Chu (the Mother and Father rivers). We also explore charming Thimphu, the capital. Depart via Paro on Day 15.

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Tour Costs $4895 (13-15 members) $5095 (10-12 members) Single supplement: $725 Internal airfare: $1235 (subject to change) *Prices are for 2008 dates only **Airfare is not included in Tour Cost unless indicated

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