Photo by Maria Xu, Student.

Test Program

SubTitle text

Duration
Description

Experience the enchantment of the Himalayas: trek on the roof of the world, study traditional arts with local masters. Live in a farming village and sit for a Buddhist meditation retreat.

Group Size (4:1 Ratio)

412 Students
3 Instructors

Suggested Ages

Tuition Details

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Program Overview

Since time immemorial, these colossal peaks have drawn only the most intrepid travelers from distant lands.


Through rural and urban homestays, a retreat in a Buddhist monastery, high mountain trekking, service, and independent study, Dragons Himalaya students explore this remarkable region and its people, encountering ancient spiritual traditions with deep roots in a mystical land.

Program Highlights
  • Work side-by-side with a local guru to learn an ancient trade
  • Spend a week at a monastery learning Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices
  • Trek for two weeks through some of the most dazzling mountain scenery on earth

Our Himalaya Semester is based in the Kathmandu Valley, an ancient crossroads and melting pot of Himalayan peoples. While living with host families and studying Nepali language, students meet with local scholars and activists and learn about Nepal’s history, politics and culture while pursuing a wide range of independent study and learning service projects.

The study of spiritual traditions is a central component…

Through rural and urban homestays, a retreat in a Buddhist monastery, high mountain trekking, service, and independent study, Dragons Himalaya students explore this remarkable region and its people, encountering ancient spiritual traditions with deep roots in a mystical land.

Program Highlights
  • Work side-by-side with a local guru to learn an ancient trade
  • Spend a week at a monastery learning Buddhist philosophy and meditation practices
  • Trek for two weeks through some of the most dazzling mountain scenery on earth

Our Himalaya Semester is based in the Kathmandu Valley, an ancient crossroads and melting pot of Himalayan peoples. While living with host families and studying Nepali language, students meet with local scholars and activists and learn about Nepal’s history, politics and culture while pursuing a wide range of independent study and learning service projects.

The study of spiritual traditions is a central component of our Himalaya semester, introducing students to a range of concepts in Buddhism, Hinduism and Shamanism. From academic discourse to hands on study, students find areas of personal interest to explore in depth during our time in urban homestays in the Kathmandu Valley. Bronze casting, jewelry making, stone carving, thangka (Buddhist iconography) painting, and traditional instruments are just a few of the apprenticeship opportunities available. Students interested in traditional medicine can work with a Tibetan doctor or an Ayurvedic practitioner.  Students critically reflect on their place in the world through exploring concepts of service and development, visiting grassroots projects, and participating in local farming activities.

We leave the Kathmandu Valley for the foothills to explore rural Nepali village life. We settle into a calmer pace of agrarian life, living without electricity and learning about subsistence living. We also venture high into the Himalayas for an unforgettable trek amid some of the world’s tallest mountains, either in Langtang National Park or in the Annapurna Conservation Area. Hiking at high elevations, we enjoy two weeks of active exploration through one of the most ruggedly beautiful and dramatic areas on earth.

Read More Read Less Sample Itinerary

Program Components

3/5
Religious & Spiritual Traditions

Introduction to Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Confucianism, Marxism, Capitalism.

3/5
Social & Environmental Justice

Minority issues and status; socio-economic issues; health; land-use and environment; tourism; human rights issues; cultural survival.

1/5
Focus Of Inquiry

Ancient, imperial and modern history; political studies; development of market economy; gender and race studies; cultural and environmental preservation; applied Buddhism

4/5
Homestay

Unique home-stay in Qinghai Tibetan village or Gansu villages.

2/5
Independent Study Project (ISP)

ISPs facilitated throughout program. Past students have focused on Traditional Chinese Medicine, calligraphy, ink painting, Taijiquan / Wushu, tea ceremony, study of ethnic language / customs.

1/5
Language Study

Instruction in practical Mandarin; occasional, rudimentary Tibetan or other minority languages, dependent upon itinerary.

3/5
Learning Service

Service project in cooperation with Sichuan-based NGOs. Approximately 10 hours of service credit earned.

2/5
Rugged Travel

Moderately rugged, extended train and bus travel; village home-stay, Buddhist monastery-�stay; bike touring; limited camping.

2/5
Trekking

3 to 4-day trek in foothills of Tibetan Plateau; 2-day Great Wall hiking and camping excursion; options for numerous day hikes.

Optional College Credits

In order to deepen your experience abroad, you may elect to enroll in college-level courses while participating on the Nepal Gap semester program. Those who enroll in an optional course will be invoiced an additional fee top of the land cost, for up to 16 college credits. To learn more, click here.

Students who take courses for-credit will receive an official transcript from a School of Record after successful completion of the program.


Faculty bio

College Course Offerings

Through our Schools of Record, you may take the following courses for-college credit:

  • NPL 150: Nepali I, NPL 250: Nepali II, NPL 350: Nepali III
  • ANTH 103: Introduction to Anthropology
  • COMM 215: Introduction to Intercultural Communication
  • ESM 101: Environmental Sustainability
  • ESM 102: Global Perspectives
  • ESM 199: Climate Change and Its Impacts
  • GEOG 230: Environment and Society
  • HIST 199: Colonialization and Western Influences
  • INTL 199: Globalization Awareness and Community Development
  • INTL 299: Leadership Across Borders
  • MGMT 199: Social Entrepreneurship
  • MGMT 199: Sustainable Hospitality and Tourism in Practice
  • MGMT 299: Principles of Economics
  • PHE 299: Healthcare Systems and the Affected
  • PHL 299: Introduction to Spiritual/ Religious Studies & Their Roles in Culture
  • PSY 204: Psychology as Social Science
  • SOC 199: Self and Community – Culture, Cohort, and Self

See full Course Offering descriptions.