Bhutan Cultural and Festival Tour

O: BHUTAN CULTURAL & FESTIVAL TOUR
Join us for a 11 day, 10 night tour of the mysterious Kingdom of Bhutan with an additional 3 nights and in Kathmandu. This is a more extensive tour visiting new places from our previous tours. You will get an in depth tour learning about the culture, meeting some Bhutanese families, seeing beautiful and historic buildings and religious temples, beautiful mountain and countryside scenery on this small tour of Bhutan. A visit to Bhutan is like stepping back in time. We are limiting the tour to 16 participants!!! We are traveling in November which is one of the best times for photography and viewing the dramatic scenery. You will see two different festivals, Jambey Lhakhang Drup Festival & Prakhar Duchhoed Festival, have traditional dance, song, and music in Bhutan in two different areas. You will see lots of Bhutanese in traditional costume and playing traditional instruments. The Jambay Lhakhang Festival is held in honor of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) and to commemorate his visit to Bhutan in the 8th century. One of the unique aspects of the Jambay Lhakhang Festival is the Mewang or Fire Blessing. Participants walk over a large fire as a form of spiritual purification, symbolizing the dispelling of obstacles and impurities. The Prakhar Duchhoed Festival is celebrated to honor Lama Thukse Dawa, one of the sons of the 15th century Buddhist master, Terton Pema Lingpa. You will see many of Bhutans UNESCO nominated world heritage sites. You will also learn about the religion and culture of the Bhutanese. We will have family visits with a couple of Bhutanese families including at least one farm family visit. You will travel between numerous sites in and around Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Trashigang, Tongsa, Bumthang, and other areas. You will see the famous Buddhist Tigers Nest Monastery that is dramatically perched on the side of a mountain. Numerous Dzongs and castles which are Buddhist monastery and fortress that houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices including the ones in Paro, Rinpung, Punakha, Tongsa, Jakar, Trashigang, and Mongar. Four of the Dzongs are UNESCO nominated world heritage sites. Many beautiful temples, monasteries, and other Buddhist religious sites including Druck Choeding, Chhoeten Lhakhang, Chimi Lhakhang, Kuri Zampa Chorten, Mani Lhakor prayer wheel, Jambey Lhakhang, one of the oldest, Kurjey Lhakhang, one of the most sacred places, Tamshing Lhakhang, a treasure house of interesting religious Buddhist paintings & Wangdicholing Palace. You will get dramatic views of the Bhutanese Himalayas and other mountain areas including a trip up the highest road pass in Bhutan at over 12,600 ft. You will also learn about such Bhutanese arts as weaving, painting, sculpting, carving, and more in our visits to the Fine Arts School. You will see some of the craftspeople make the beautiful Buddhist religious paintings (thangkas) and their fine weaving at our visits. We will be visiting crafts and weaving villages in Eastern Bhutan. Cost includes bus, land transportation, hotels/lodges, most meals, park and admission fees, most hikes & walks, airport transfers. Internal airfare in Bhutan & roundtrip airfare from Nepal to Bhutan is an additional expected $800.

For Complete information go to: http://angeles.sierraclub.org
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