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.
Beyond your budget? Learn how we increase access.
asdf
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.
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.
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.
Click on the gallery below to browse photos, videos and quotes from our participants and instructors.
Introduction to Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Confucianism, Marxism, Capitalism.
Minority issues and status; socio-economic issues; health; land-use and environment; tourism; human rights issues; cultural survival.
Ancient, imperial and modern history; political studies; development of market economy; gender and race studies; cultural and environmental preservation; applied Buddhism
Unique home-stay in Qinghai Tibetan village or Gansu villages.
ISPs facilitated throughout program. Past students have focused on Traditional Chinese Medicine, calligraphy, ink painting, Taijiquan / Wushu, tea ceremony, study of ethnic language / customs.
Instruction in practical Mandarin; occasional, rudimentary Tibetan or other minority languages, dependent upon itinerary.
Service project in cooperation with Sichuan-based NGOs. Approximately 10 hours of service credit earned.
Moderately rugged, extended train and bus travel; village home-stay, Buddhist monastery-�stay; bike touring; limited camping.
3 to 4-day trek in foothills of Tibetan Plateau; 2-day Great Wall hiking and camping excursion; options for numerous day hikes.
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
Through our Schools of Record, you may take the following courses for-college credit:
See full Course Offering descriptions.
“My pre-conceived notions of Xinjiang and China were shattered.”
China: The Silk Road