Itinerary

 

 

 

 

 

• Depart  San Francisco International Airport

• we cross the international dateline en route to Asia.   

• We typically have a layover day during which you can see   the local sights  in Hong Kong or Bangkok, or you  catch up  on your sleep. 

 • Onward flight to Kathmandu.    

• Settle in at our hotel. Then a good night's sleep   and ready for  the first full day on Friday.

 

 

• off in our mini-van to the Old City, & a walking tour.palaces  

 • explore ornate royal palaces     

• travel to Bouda, and visit to the Boudanath Stupa, one of Nepal’s most sacred Buddhist shrine

• a ritual perambulation of the stupa    (remember, always walk clockwise)

• a tour of a nearby thangka studio, to see artists create highly detailed sacred tapestries

• we visit Aama Bompo, who lives in Bouda, a highly respected shaman, for spiritual healing

• time permitting, we go to the banks of the  Bagmati River, and the gold-roofed Pashupati Temple

• we may glimpse Brahmans priests perform rituals seldom seen by western

   visitors, where an atma (spirit) is released to Samsara

• back to our hotel, and your afternoon is free—enjoy a dip in the pool

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• we continue up the Dudh Kosi valley

• the adventurous can choose to be guided on a  swing west off main trekking route to the seldom-visited  Rimijung Plateau, for stops at  power points, and earth healing sites, and the beautiful Thulo Gumela  Monastery

• groups rejoin before  the sacred Tottok Waterfall

• on to Monjo,  and our lodge for the night

• afternoon is free to explore or snooze

• Uche Chholing Monastery, and audience with the 60 year-old Rinpoche

                                                              

 

 

• cross the spectacular Larja High Bridge across the Dudh Kosi

• here, we'll  will show you how to make ritual offering to Tibetan water spirit Naga

  who dwells in the river

• on to Namche Bazaar, center of Sherpa realm.     

• afternoon free     Be sure to sample Namche’s famous bakeries.

• we visit Namche Monastery and encounter the guardian Khumbi Yul Lha.

 

 

 

• today is a rest day- so we sleep in, and have a large, late breakfast

• visit Tashi Tsering, an Amji – Doctor of traditional Tibetan Medicine

• your midday is free

•  A popular afternoon treat is to hike up to the Everest View Hotel.  From their spacious patio, you can partake beautiful vistas of Everest, while enjoying a yummy lunch.

• our Sherpa guides take us on a visit to Namche’s colorful  shopping area

 

 

 

 

 

• a morning hike to Khumjung village

• Khumjung Temple which houses a preserved Yeti skull

• visit a Sherpa elementary school
• divination from the 75 year old  hereditary Shaman of Khumjung

• dividing into groups of three, we are guests for dinner in the home of a traditional Sherpa family

 

 

• today we walk to Thame, our home for 3 days

• visit stately Thame Monastery

• a private audience with Rinpoche

• the lodge we stay in is run by the family of Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa who has climbed Everest a record 21 times.

  

 

 

• up early to see the sunrise over the Himalayas

• today is "Blessing Day" of the 3 day Mani Rimdu Ceremony

• each person receives " the Nectar of Long Life"  and a personal Empowerment from the High Lama

•  several monks join us as our guests at dinner, and tell us about their religious life

 

 

 

• pay a return visit to Thame Monastery, and sit with the monks during their morning prayers

• this is day 2 of Mani Rimdu Ceremony, and we have a private seating area

• watch the colorful Procession of the Monks across the courtyard

• witness the amazing Masked Dance Drama, enacting the Buddhist Dharma.

• after dinner join the traditional “last night of the Mani Rimdu” community party

 

 

 

• in the morning there is the possibility for a  visit to closing Fire Ceremony of the Mani Rimdu 

• visit to Thamo Nunnery.  Audience with the Reverend Mother Abbess and social time with the nuns.

• hike to Namche Bazaar

• we spend the night in a lodge in Namche

 

 

 

 

• hike back down the valley from Namche

• through beautiful forest of rhododendron & giant ferns

• on our last night in the Sherpa homeland, we are guests at a Chyangdung-- a  village dance festivity, with food, local  wine and traditional    dances.

• conditions permitting, we’ll have an evening campfire, with  toasted marshmallows, and s’mores, and  we’ll be joined by crew, who will teach  us some Sherpa songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• conclude hiking, descend through lush farmland and ripening groves to Lukla

• we begin our R&R with a hot shower and clean clothes

• we’ll have a Pilgrims’ Party in lodge dinning room

• then a traditional banquet with our crew

 

 

 

• a morning flight carries us back to Kathmandu

• we settle in at the hotel

• free afternoon—time for some low key relaxation

• try a soothing visit to the Spa

 

 

 

 

 

 

• transfer to the Kathmandu Airport for flight

• depart  and cross the International Dateline.  Arrival in San Francisco.