Summary
We usually offer the most specialized services at the best prices on the market. If you found something that looks better, let's check, analyze and understand what is really included and considered in each option for your trip. It will be a pleasure to talk and analyze together!
Pilgrimage trip to the Holy Places of Buddhism in India and Nepal
From 5 to 20 November 2023
Land share per person in a group of 12 people: US$ 2530*
Land share per person in a group of 18 people: US$ 2227*
Single Room Supplement: US$579**
Domestic flights Delhi – Varanasi / Lumbini – Kathmandu: US$ 239***
Dharamsala Extension
From 20 to 29 November 2023
The extension can only be done by whoever runs the main program. To participate in the extension without having participated in the main program, we need to check availability and recalculate the value
Land share per person in a group of 12 people: US$ 1066*
Land share per person in a group of 18 people: US$ 960*
Single Room Supplement: US$215**
Domestic air Kathmandu – Delhi: US$ 259***
Sravasti and Sankisa Extension
From 29 November to 4 December 2023
The extension can only be done by whoever runs the main program. To participate in the extension without having participated in the main program, we need to check availability and recalculate the value. Values below already considering monitoring by Monja Jigme Chöedzin and not Guilherme Samel who will probably not be able to accompany the second extension
Land share per person in a group of 4 people: US$ 1060*
Land share per person in a group of 6 people: US$ 780*
Single Room Supplement: US$212**
Delhi-Lucknow domestic air: US$ 83***
International Flights
Latest quotes (São Paulo – Delhi / Delhi – São Paulo): from US$ 1650****
Latest prices (São Paulo – Delhi / Kathmandu – São Paulo): from US$ 1960****
Chörten Supports
Creating the Travel Program in an extremely personalized way explained in more detail here;
Traveller Preparation to travel in these regions with quality as explained in more detail here;
Travel Logistics and Organization with the care and quality Chörten explained in more detail here;
In-Person Monitoring During the Trip 24/7 as explained in more detail here;
Chörten Supports are already included in the trip price (above). More details here;
Land Arrangements
Accompaniment in person of Nun Jigme Chöedzin and Guilherme Samel during the trip, as described in the detailed itinerary: during visits, travel by car, train and plane in India and Nepal.
Arrivals and Departures are carried out with full assistance from our local partners. Upon international arrival in Delhi, our local partner maintains telephone contact with the travel specialist or with Guilherme Samel, director of Chörten, who in this way accompany Take great care when arriving at the hotel. At your hotel, you will meet the specialist for your trip and agree on the next steps. The international arrival and departure of the flight the group is traveling on is already included. If you prefer to travel on another flight, we can offer assisted transfers that will cost extra;
extra activities, described and planned mainly in the thematic travel programs (with the accompaniment of a Brazilian specialist), are included. It is always possible and very meritorious to make some more spontaneous contribution to these teachers, if you wish;
Visits as mentioned in the travel program with the tickets included. If there is a special opportunity for an extra activity consistent with the theme of the trip, the trip specialist may suggest changing the order of visits such as, more rarely, exchanging a visit for this activity. In the Sravasti and Sankisa extension, we did not include entrance fees (very low prices, a few dollars) in these two cities as we will not have Guilherme's support to take care of these amounts. In this same extension in Agra, the entrance fees are already included as we will have a guide that morning;
Local guides will accompany the group only in two visits (one in Varanasi and another in Kathmandu) to monuments and other tours in general, except in a few regions that the Brazilian travel experts know very well and are more pleasant to visit without guides (explained in detail in the briefing as before if interested ), or when mentioned accordingly in the travel program. In the Sravasti and Sankisa extension we have a guide included in the morning in Agra;
Land transport in the group's own vehicles with extra care as the number of seats used, no need to use seats when they are not reclining and luggage space a little larger than what is often offered in these countries;
Accommodation in double rooms in the hotels mentioned on the accommodation page. In general, check-ins are at 14 pm and check-outs are at 12 pm. If you require an earlier check-in on your arrival in Delhi or a later check-out on your departure from Delhi, please let us know so that we can check the rates and make the reservations as you wish.
Meals: breakfasts are included in the hotel rates for the entire trip. Specifically in Bhutan, lunches and dinners are also included except bottled drinks;
*Group values and sizes: If by chance you do not form a group of 12 people, we will recalculate the value of the land portion. For example, for the land part of the main program for a group of 6 people the cost per person will be US$ 3300 and for 18 people US$ 2227. For the land part of the extension, if by chance you do not form a group of 12 people, the cost for a group of 6 people it is US$ 1396 per person and for a group of 18 people, it will be US$ 960. We are thinking of a group with 12 pilgrims and will consider the maximum size of 18 pilgrims in mind that the experience and main objective of the pilgrimage take place with quality, with all the support of our dear Monk Jigme Chöedzin;
**Single room supplement in case of your preference or need if there is not a partner for accommodation in a double room;
Does not include:
Meals and drinks except breakfast (except on days in Bhutan which include lunch and dinner as mentioned above). On average, we can consider that with US$30 a day we can eat very well in these countries, depending on what, where and how much we eat. In large cities, such as Delhi, the value may be a little higher and in small cities much lower;
Transport where not mentioned in the program (short and medium taxis usually cost between $2 and 7);
The international arrival and departure of the flight the group is traveling on is already included. If you prefer to travel on another flight, we can offer assisted transfers that will cost extra;
Tipping (very important in these cultures): around US$ 8 to 10 per day explained better in the trip briefing;
Voluntary contributions to monasteries, temples, and Dharma teachers that we may encounter while traveling;
In the Sravasti and Sankisa extension, we did not include entrance fees (very low prices, a few dollars) in these two cities as we will not have Guilherme's support to take care of these amounts. In this same extension in Agra, the entrance fees are already included as we will have a guide that morning;
Visa for India ($25 for up to 30 days between your first and last day in India on your trip, more here); Visa for Nepal ($30 for up to 15 days between your first and last day in Nepal on your trip, more here);
Travel insurance: very important and therefore highly recommended;
Entrance fees to the monuments for camera and/or camcorder when available (usually between US$ 1 and 5 only in cases where it is charged);
Program changes in case of political unforeseen events, flight cancellations, political conflicts, epidemic, climatic and geographic unforeseen events, new fees and taxes, etc., as well as by governments and/or local service providers in Brazil / Nepal / Bhutan / Tibet;
*** Domestic airlines
Economic class economic. Please let us know in advance (at the time of registration) if you would like to take a look at the possibility of business class on domestic flights;
Maximum weight allowed for checked baggage on flights within India: 15kg. Between India/Nepal: around 20kg. Excess weight may be charged by the airline at check-in: around US$ 7 to 8 per extra kg (except for some specific routes for which airlines now charge more / we will check carefully); More information: here
Values subject to change no prior notice from airlines;
**** International Flights
In advance: in general, the sooner we issue our tickets, the better fares and routes we find. Promotional rates are unpredictable, tend to run out very quickly and have extremely high fees for any kind of changes in the future. These, when made available, are very worthwhile if we have very certain round-trip dates, that is, the main programs and extensions that we will make;
Purchasing it: it is always prudent to wait for confirmation from the group before issuing the international air. We confirm our groups with a very small number of people;
Form of payment: the international air fare is normally paid in 5 interest-free installments by airlines on Visa and Mastercard cards;
Service Providers, Infrastructure and Local Cultures
We have a lot of experience operating travel in these regions of the world. We work with very good local partners within the possibilities of these countries. Even so, it is important to bear in mind that the quality of services and local infrastructure (hotels, transportation, food, etc.) are not the same as in Brazil, Europe and North America. Most of the time, they will surprise us very positively, for example, for their human qualities and, sometimes, even for the technical aspect of the service. But unforeseen and problems must happen. It is our job, responsibility and even pleasure, at Chörten and our partners, to foresee them and, when necessary, take care of getting around them in the best possible way. So that, in this way, the most important responsibility falls to Travellers: to enjoy the trip in the most peaceful, pleasant and profitable way possible. As part of this responsibility, we understand that we are traveling in these incredible countries and cultures, very different from ours in many aspects and that teach us so much. The better we understand these cultures, the better quality and tranquility we will enjoy our trip.
With the preparations for the trip well taken care of, with all our assistance and support, from boarding the flight here in Brazil until your return, you will see that your trip will be very smooth, well cared for, very well enjoyed, fun, with significant lessons that we will bring from come back and they will be of great value to us in our lives.
Exchange
http://economia.uol.com.br/cotacoes/cambio/dolar-turismo-estados-unidos-historico.jhtm
Cancellation Policies
The cancellation policies of the Land Arrangements and Domestic Flights will take effect from the moment of payment of the down payment, when we confirm the accommodation reservations, we issue air and train tickets according to the necessary advance of each trip. These vary from service provider to service provider that we use on our trip (hotels, airlines, etc). In general, cancellations up to 90 days before the start of the trip have their payments refunded almost in full, with small cancellation fees from local airlines, train tickets, hotels, local operators and banks. From 60 days before the start of the trip, cancellation fees increase gradually, varying from service provider to service provider. Still, we will definitely do our best and talk to each service provider to see what we can get for a refund even after this date. With regard to airline tickets, each airline and fare has its own cancellation policy.The cancellation policy of Supports by Chörten is linked to the beginning of the services provided: Setting up the Travel Program, Traveller Preparations, Logistics and Organization of the Trip and Accompaniment During the trip. For example, we will not charge for Accompaniment if we do not accompany (online or in person) the trip. If the other services are already being provided, they can be used at another time without new charges (only adjustments if any) and so there will be no refund.
Payment
initial combination: We will explain it at our meeting and then create travel program pages explaining it in detail. We set up the trip in a way that is as economical as possible for pilgrims. Part of the trip will be paid upon registration (down payment, domestic air travel and some hotels), part up to 60 days before the trip (some hotels and ground transportation), part in cash (dollars) upon arrival in Delhi (for some local service providers ) and depart with card or cash at check-in at some hotels.
How it turned out: If we think that between the end of May and the beginning of November we have 6 months (registration + 5 months) to organize ourselves with payments, we can briefly consider:
- Initial payment: 620 usd for the main program. 1000 usd for those who do the extension to Dharamsala as well and 1620 usd for those who do the second extension to Sravasti and Sankisa as well;
- Other months: please plan for approx. 620 USD per month (from July 5th to November 5th) and approx. 100 usd per month more (amount will decrease depending on the size of the group) for those who do the extension to Sravasti and Sankisa;
- As the values are dynamic, according to the exact size of the group over time as the group forms, in the last month we update the total value and adjust it in the last payment;
- For those who prefer to stay in single rooms: the supplement for single rooms can be arranged at registration;
- The organization of payments above already considers that: part of the payment will be made into the Chörten account to be passed on to local service providers that we can pay in this way, part will be made by credit card before the trip; part will be paid in cash (new US dollar bills) at the beginning of the trip and part by card or cash during the trip.
- The values are described above on this same page in this link: here
Apply now
To confirm your place on the trip we ask:
- Application form: on here
- Copy (scan) of passport here
- Advance payment: on here
Take part in this pilgrimage with us! More information here in our Whatsapp + 55 11 968270047by message here e email viaje@chorten.com.br!