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From August 28, 2023 to September 18, 2023
Summary Itinerary
Clicking on the days of travel in the summary itinerary will take you to the detailed itinerary for that day and vice versa clicking on the day in the detailed itinerary will return you to the summary itinerary. In the detailed itinerary, in addition to the images and description of the days, we also have the day of the month and the week
Main Program
Detailed Itinerary
Main Program
Flight
Boudhnath
Arrival
Transfer
Free afternoon in Boudhnath
Welcome to Nepal! From the airport runway, weather permitting, it is already possible to see the mountains around the valley. With your visa and suitcase in hand, you will be met by our local representative who will be waiting for you with a Chörten sign.
You will have already left Brazil with Guilherme's telephone number, who will thus accompany your trip to Nepal, will already make contact during the transfer and will meet you at our hotel. For those arriving in the morning, a peaceful afternoon to start adjusting to the time zone of Nepal.
Arrival of the main program with specialist
Welcome to Nepal! From the airport runway, weather permitting, it is already possible to see the mountains around the valley. With your visa and suitcase in hand, a procedure facilitated by Guilherme who will be accompanying the group since the main program, we will be greeted by our local representative and driver who will be waiting for us with a Chörten license plate.
Around the big stupa (tib: chörten)from Boudhanath in our Tibetan neighborhood, full of monasteries, you will find secular nuns, monks and Tibetans, sometimes great masters, doing their koras (circumumbulations), spinning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras and lighting lamps mainly in the late afternoons and early mornings. Take advantage of one of the cafes or restaurants in the surroundings of the stupa to observe and assimilate a little of this ancient culture.
Post India and Nagarkot with expert
We will now proceed to the city of Kathmandu itself. After check-in at our hotel, we will visit the big stupa (tib: chörten)from Boudhanath. Full of monasteries, we will find nuns, monks and lay Tibetans, sometimes great masters, making their koras (circumbularies), turning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras and lighting lamps mainly in the late afternoon and early morning. We will visit some of its monasteries, and it is always possible to take advantage of one of the cafes or restaurants around the stupa to observe and assimilate a little of this very special ancient culture.
Nalanda post
Around the big stupa (tib: chörten)from Boudhanath in our Tibetan neighborhood, full of monasteries, you will find secular nuns, monks and Tibetans, sometimes great masters, doing their koras (circumumbulations), spinning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras and lighting lamps mainly in the late afternoons and early mornings. Take advantage of one of the cafes or restaurants to observe and assimilate these people who, more directly or indirectly, keep alive until today, all over the world, the legacy of the University of Nalanda that we visited a few days ago.
Flight
Boudhnath
Arrival
Transfer
Free afternoon in Boudhnath
Welcome to Nepal! From the airport runway, weather permitting, it is already possible to see the mountains around the valley. With your visa and suitcase in hand, you will be met by our local representative who will be waiting for you with a Chörten sign.
You will have already left Brazil with Guilherme's telephone number, who will thus accompany your trip to Nepal, will already make contact during the transfer and will meet you at our hotel. For those arriving in the morning, a peaceful afternoon to start adjusting to the time zone of Nepal.
Arrival of the main program with specialist
Welcome to Nepal! From the airport runway, weather permitting, it is already possible to see the mountains around the valley. With your visa and suitcase in hand, a procedure facilitated by Guilherme who will be accompanying the group since the main program, we will be greeted by our local representative and driver who will be waiting for us with a Chörten license plate.
Around the big stupa (tib: chörten)from Boudhanath in our Tibetan neighborhood, full of monasteries, you will find secular nuns, monks and Tibetans, sometimes great masters, doing their koras (circumumbulations), spinning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras and lighting lamps mainly in the late afternoons and early mornings. Take advantage of one of the cafes or restaurants in the surroundings of the stupa to observe and assimilate a little of this ancient culture.
Post India and Nagarkot with expert
We will now proceed to the city of Kathmandu itself. After check-in at our hotel, we will visit the big stupa (tib: chörten)from Boudhanath. Full of monasteries, we will find nuns, monks and lay Tibetans, sometimes great masters, making their koras (circumbularies), turning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras and lighting lamps mainly in the late afternoon and early morning. We will visit some of its monasteries, and it is always possible to take advantage of one of the cafes or restaurants around the stupa to observe and assimilate a little of this very special ancient culture.
Nalanda post
Around the big stupa (tib: chörten)from Boudhanath in our Tibetan neighborhood, full of monasteries, you will find secular nuns, monks and Tibetans, sometimes great masters, doing their koras (circumumbulations), spinning the famous prayer wheels with millions of Om Mani Padma Hungs, reciting mantras and lighting lamps mainly in the late afternoons and early mornings. Take advantage of one of the cafes or restaurants to observe and assimilate these people who, more directly or indirectly, keep alive until today, all over the world, the legacy of the University of Nalanda that we visited a few days ago.
Briefing
Swayambunath
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Thamel
Boudhnath
After a well deserved rest from the trip to Nepal, breakfast and then we will do our briefing. We will talk about important practical travel tips in Nepal and Bhutan such as: transit, money, health, customs, etc.
We will start our visits with a short walk in the region of the second largest stupa in the valley, Swayambunath (translation: self-emerged). Legend has it that the hill where the stupa is located appeared at the place where the bodhisattva Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom, picked up a lotus flower after emptying the lake in what is now the Kathmandu Valley. We will have a view of the whole city, we will do our koras around the stupa and we will know its small monasteries.
Before Bhutan
From Swayambu we will proceed to Kathmandu's Durbar Square (Palace Square) where a small living goddess, Kumari, lives. The durbar squares of the Kathmandu Valley were built by heirs kings of the Malla dynasty, century. XII to XVIII, which, in this case for our luck, competed in architectural beauty. There are countless temples of the various Hindu gods around the palace. We will then walk to the travellers' neighborhood in Kathmandu, Thamel, with countless good restaurants, mountaineering shops, Nepalese crafts, bookstores, for a good meal and, if anyone needs to, buy some clothes for the days in Bhutan.
No Bhutan with more travel
From Swayambu we will continue to Kathmandu's Durbar Square (Palace Square) where a small living goddess, Kumari, lives. The durbar squares of the Kathmandu Valley were built by heir kings of the Malla dynasty, XNUMXth century. XII to XVIII, which, in this case, luckily for us, competed in architectural beauty. There are numerous temples of the various Hindu gods around the palace. We will then walk to the travellers' quarter in Kathmandu, Thamel, with countless good restaurants, mountaineering shops, Nepalese crafts, bookstores, for a good meal and, if anyone needs to, buy some clothes, for example, for the next trip.
no more trips
From Swayambu we will continue to Kathmandu's Durbar Square (Palace Square) where a small living goddess, Kumari, lives. The durbar squares of the Kathmandu Valley were built by heir kings of the Malla dynasty, XNUMXth century. XII to XVIII, which, in this case, luckily for us, competed in architectural beauty. There are numerous temples of the various Hindu gods around the palace. We will then walk to the travellers' quarter in Kathmandu, Thamel, with countless good restaurants, mountaineering shops, Nepalese crafts, bookstores, for a good meal and, if anyone needs, buy some clothes, for example, for trekking or future trips.
After our lunch, we will return to Boudhnath to accompany a puja (practice) in one of the monasteries, do koras with the Tibetans and possibly a meditation practice. It is possible on this day, if anyone wishes, to visit one more of the palace squares in the valley, the Durbar Square of Kathmandu.
Monasteries
kopan
Dudjom
Sakya
Ka-Nying
Shechen
Boudhnath stupa and monasteries:
kopan
Dudjom Rinpoche
Sakya
KaNying Shedrub
Shechen
Today we will visit some of the main monasteries of the Kathmandu Valley, having good opportunities to learn a little about the projects of their great masters. First we will try to visit Kopan. 'We will try' because it has been common to have retreats and on those days they are not open to visitors. Still, it is always possible to try the following way: calling or going to the Kopan (15 to 20 min by car from Boudhnath), if they are on retreat, demonstrating that they understand the importance of silence for the retreatants and, thus, asking if they can visit the stupas in silence (whenever we are close to the refugees). It is the monastery of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, where a few hundred monks of all ages live. It is an important center of study for Sherpas, often from the Everest region, and foreigners from around the world.
Then we will visit the monasteries of Dudjom Rinpoche, called Dudjom Gompa, the Sakya monastery of Trinchen Rinpoche in the kora of the great stupa of Boudhnath, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chökling Rinpoche and Phakchok Rinpoche, called Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, and Matthieu Ricard , Rabjam Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, called Shechen.
Next to our hotel, we will start by visiting the monastery of Dudjom Rinpoche, called Dudjom Gompa. Dudjom Rinpoche was a great master, master of many masters. There are many very special books with his teachings and his lineage. His (shrunken) body is in the stupa in his monastery. It's worth sitting there for a while.
We will continue to the monastery of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche, called Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling. One of the oldest if not the oldest in Boudha, built by Tulky Urgyen Rinpoche and his eldest sons at the request of SS the XVI Karmapa. Known as the white monastery, it has a college for both monks (10 years) and westerners (www.ryi.org) with bachelor's, master's and shorter courses. The Rangjung Yeshe Institute library is worth visiting. We will also visit the monastery of Matthieu Ricard, Rabjam Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, called Shechen. See if Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's room is open. Another very special place to sit for a while.
The Sakya monastery of Trinchen Rinpoche in the kora of the great stupa of Boudhnath has a beautiful statue of Maitreya. Having seen the main monasteries of Kathmandu, you can return to them to participate in the pujas (monks' ceremonies) in which we can sit for as long as we like, use their libraries and bookshops. More here
Patan
Durbar Square Patan
Patan Museum
golden temple
Free time
At the end of this morning, we will continue to the friendly Durbar Square of Patan, very famous for its artists and beautiful temples. There we will visit a small, very well done and very didactic museum of Hindu and Buddhist art. Nearby, we will visit the small and beautiful Golden Temple, used until today by Buddhist Nepalese from the same ethnic group as Sakyamuni Buddha himself.. Patan has a good option for our lunch, it is an excellent place to buy Buddhist statues (as in Boudha too), of excellent quality, as well as to walk through these medieval streets and their temples.
Late afternoon free at bookstores, cafes, Buddhist art, craft, mountain clothing and equipment stores, stupa, temples or monasteries in the well-known Patan, Thamel or Boudhnath, as each traveller prefers.
Bhaktapur
Walk
Patan
Durbar Square Patan
Patan Museum
golden temple
Free time
Pashupatinath
Pharphing
Thamel
We will visit the third Durbar Square in the valley, the beautiful Bhaktapur (bhakt: devotion/devotees and pur: Hindu city). A listed city, with a limited flow of vehicles, walking through its alleys, palace, temples, as well as the potters' square, is like getting to know a little of the daily life of a medieval era in Nepal. Bhaktapur is the location where, for example, the film Little Buddha was filmed.
On the way back to Kathmandu, we will visit the third of the main ancient cities in the valley, Bhaktapur (bhakt: devotion and pur: Hindu city). Bhaktapur is a listed city with limited vehicle flow. Walking through its alleys is like getting to know a little bit of everyday life from a medieval time in Nepal. Back in our Tibetan neighborhood, we will prepare for our very nice flight to Bhutan tomorrow.
Today we head to a village in the mountains surrounding the valley, Nagarkot. In this quieter region, with more nature, we can take a walk through one of the villages of one of the many ethnic groups in Nepal, to experience a little of this rhythm of life where children take care of animals, men and women weave, adults take care of houses and plantations, some houses still built with traditional materials and format, with the animals on the first floor and the house above. Weather permitting, we will have views of the highest and snowiest mountains in the Himalayas, with beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
Pashupatinath
We will take a walk through the temple complex of Pashupatinath, which surrounds the Bagmati River, sacred to the Hindus. In addition to the main temple, dedicated to Shiva's quieter manifestation, Pashupati, there are dozens of small temples also dedicated to Hinduism's god of destruction and rebuilding. It is also the place where any Nepalese who can will be cremated to ensure a good passage or liberation (moksha).
We will visit two places today, with an opportunity for a walk for those who get excited! The first site is the important Hindu temple called Pashupatinath. Alongside the sacred Bagmati River, in addition to the main temple there are dozens of small temples dedicated to Shiva, Hinduism's god of destruction and rebuilding. It is also the place where any Nepalese who can will be cremated to ensure a good passage or liberation (moksha).
7 o TSEDANG LHASA
Yungbulakang Samye
Next to Tsedang, visit Yambulakhang, the first fort palace built by Tibetan king Nyatri Tsedpo in the century. II. At 2 am from the city, we will visit the first and very important monastery built in all of Tibet, Samye. At the request of King Trisong Detsen and Indian master Shantarakshita, in the form of a mandala, Samye was built after Guru Rinpoche was asked to pacify the local demons. The stage for important philosophical debates in the history of Buddhism, Samye is an important place of pilgrimage. In the afternoon trip of approx. 2h drive to Lhasa, approx. 3500m altitude, capital of Tibet.
8 o LHASA LHASA
Bharkhor Jokhang Norbulingka
Today we will take a walk through the streets of Bharkhor, the traditional Tibetan district of Lhasa, where the Jokhang monastery is located, which houses the holiest statue in all of Tibet, the Jowo Rinpoche. Our second visit will be to the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, with its beautiful gardens and various temples, the Norbulingkha.
9 o LHASA LHASA
Potala Sera Drepung
Day to visit the Potala Palace, where HH the Dalai Lama in many of his lives lived together with many other monks. There are countless temples and sacred stupas of great masters for us to discover. We will also visit the important Sera monastic universities, where, in addition to their temples, we will be able to attend a debate between the monks, and Drepung. Together they constitute two of the largest centers for the study of Buddhism in Tibet.
15th SHIGATSE LHASA
We will travel today back to our well-known Lhasa, with a good hotel and the opportunity to walk around the old town.
16 LHASA DHULIKHEL
In the morning, return to Lhasa airport for another incredible flight that will cross the highest mountain range in the world. In good weather, it is possible to see six of the only fourteen mountains in the world that are more than eight thousand meters high. Back in Nepal we will go to our hotel in a very quiet region of the valley, Dhulikhel, close to another important Buddhist site, Namo Buddha. In a previous life, Buddha Shakyamuni, when he was still a bodhisattva, encountered a hungry tigress with nothing to feed her cubs. Buddha, due to his level of achievement, offered his own body where there is today a Thrangu Rinpoche monastery. Just below, after a pleasant walk, there is a stupa where the Buddha's brothers, in that life, kept his relics. We will have completed the visit to the three most sacred stupas in the Kathmandu Valley and it will be an important opportunity to sit, read, write, photograph, walk or do our meditation practice for a few minutes now at the end of our trip. From our rooms and our hotel's restaurant, in good weather, we will have a view of the snow-capped Himalayas, the region we have been traveling through in recent weeks.
21st Day SHIGATSE LHASA
We will travel today back to our well-known Lhasa, with a good hotel and the opportunity to walk around the old town.
7 o TSEDANG LHASA
Yungbulakang Samye
Next to Tsedang, visit Yambulakhang, the first fort palace built by Tibetan king Nyatri Tsedpo in the century. II. At 2 am from the city, we will visit the first and very important monastery built in all of Tibet, Samye. At the request of King Trisong Detsen and Indian master Shantarakshita, in the form of a mandala, Samye was built after Guru Rinpoche was asked to pacify the local demons. The stage for important philosophical debates in the history of Buddhism, Samye is an important place of pilgrimage. In the afternoon trip of approx. 2h drive to Lhasa, approx. 3500m altitude, capital of Tibet.
8 o LHASA LHASA
Bharkhor Jokhang Norbulingka
Today we will take a walk through the streets of Bharkhor, the traditional Tibetan district of Lhasa, where the Jokhang monastery is located, which houses the holiest statue in all of Tibet, the Jowo Rinpoche. Our second visit will be to the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, with its beautiful gardens and various temples, the Norbulingkha.
9 o LHASA LHASA
Potala Sera Drepung
Day to visit the Potala Palace, where HH the Dalai Lama in many of his lives lived together with many other monks. There are countless temples and sacred stupas of great masters for us to discover. We will also visit the important Sera monastic universities, where, in addition to their temples, we will be able to attend a debate between the monks, and Drepung. Together they constitute two of the largest centers for the study of Buddhism in Tibet.
15th SHIGATSE LHASA
We will travel today back to our well-known Lhasa, with a good hotel and the opportunity to walk around the old town.
16 LHASA DHULIKHEL
In the morning, return to Lhasa airport for another incredible flight that will cross the highest mountain range in the world. In good weather, it is possible to see six of the only fourteen mountains in the world that are more than eight thousand meters high. Back in Nepal we will go to our hotel in a very quiet region of the valley, Dhulikhel, close to another important Buddhist site, Namo Buddha. In a previous life, Buddha Shakyamuni, when he was still a bodhisattva, encountered a hungry tigress with nothing to feed her cubs. Buddha, due to his level of achievement, offered his own body where there is today a Thrangu Rinpoche monastery. Just below, after a pleasant walk, there is a stupa where the Buddha's brothers, in that life, kept his relics. We will have completed the visit to the three most sacred stupas in the Kathmandu Valley and it will be an important opportunity to sit, read, write, photograph, walk or do our meditation practice for a few minutes now at the end of our trip. From our rooms and our hotel's restaurant, in good weather, we will have a view of the snow-capped Himalayas, the region we have been traveling through in recent weeks.
21st Day SHIGATSE LHASA
We will travel today back to our well-known Lhasa, with a good hotel and the opportunity to walk around the old town.