Life in the Himalayas

We begin in the beautiful hills outside of Bhaktapur, an ancient crossroads and melting pot of Himalayan peoples, where we encounter the convergence of deep traditions with modern life. Here, we orient ourselves as a group and begin to learn the customs and traditional cuisine of Nepal, as well as important points on how to travel safely individually and as a group.

Moving into the serenity of a monastery retreat at Namo Buddha, we transition from the physical to the mental dimension. We stay in a guest house on the monastery grounds take meals alongside monks, and share in the daily rhythms of monastic life while receiving dharma talks and guided meditation from lamas.

In the ancient city of Patan, with breathtakingly intricate heritage and history, we will be staying for several days with indigenous Newari families. In this cultural and artistic hub, we will spend our time diving into apprenticeships with local artisan mentors, attending Nepali language classes, visiting important sites around the city, and exploring pertinent topics with the group and expert guest speakers.

Saying goodbye to Patan, we travel to the great Boudhanath Stupa, one of the world’s largest Buddhist monuments and the anchor of Kathmandu’s Tibetan Buddhist community, where we will look back at the journey we have completed, and prepare for the return home.