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Home , Darchen, Gyantse, Lhatse (town), Mount Kailash, Shalu Monastery, Yamdrok Lake

Breathe In

July 7 through July 19, 2015

(Mt. Kailash Extension-July 7 through 24, 2015) historical and is where heads of State often stay when they are in . Breathe In Tibet Here is the link to the hotel: July 7 through July 19, 2015 Mt. Kailash Extension-July 7 through July 24, 2015 http://www.yakandyeti.com/home/index.php

On our first day we will get settled in our hotel and greet everyone as they arrive. If we Traveling in have the time and the energy we may take in a sight before dinner. We will have an all hands meeting and get prepared for our first full day in Nepal. 1. Traveling to Nepal 5. Travel and Accommodations The retreat begins in Kathmandu on July 7, 2015. You may arrive in Kathmandu by any route that you wish. KLM usually has good flights that depart from San Francisco, Our local guides will be Shangri-la Nepal Trek who are located in Kathmandu. The owner of changes planes in Amsterdam and then continues to Delhi. From Delhi, it is a one hour the company is Jiban Ghimire.They will be arranging our tour in Kathmandu, our transpor- flight to Kathmandu. tation to Tibet and our tour in Tibet.

If you are coming from Delhi, both Jet Air and Air India have cheap flights that leave Delhi in the morning and arrive in Kathmandu in the late morning. In my experience, 6. Food In Nepal Jet Air is an excellent airline. Most of the food in Nepal tends to be either Indian or Chinese. I have found the soups Other possibilities are Southern through Guangzhou and Etihad Airways through to be especially enjoyable. The food at the Yak and Yeti is good and it has an amazing break- Abu Dhabi. fast buffet.

2. Visas in Nepal We will always have vegetarian offerings available. We believe that eating a vegetarian diet is the best way to avoid getting sick traveling in Asia. There is a new visa requirement for Nepal. You must apply for your Visa online. You should submit the application no later than 15 days before the trip. You will also need Breakfast an extra passport photograph that you bring with you to Nepal. We recommend that you get the 30 day visa. Our trip package includes breakfast.

Here is the website for the new Visa requirements: Lunch http://www.online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa We will often eat lunch together as a group while we are out seeing the sights. Although you Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months from the date of are responsible for your lunch, our guides typically arrange lunch and negotiate reasonable entry into Nepal. group rates.

3. Health and Immunizations Dinner

Here is the link to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention which has health Each of you will be responsible for your own dinner. This will give you the flexibility to eat information for travelers to Nepal: when, what and where you desire. In our experience most hotels offer dining for those who do not want to go out on the town. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/nepal 7. Weather in Nepal 4. Arrival in Kathmandu and Our First Day July is the rainy season in Kathmandu so we recommend that you bring an umbrella or rain When you arrive in Kathmandu, you will be greeted by a Shangri-La Nepal Trek repre- jacket. However, the temperatures should be mild-70s in the day and 60s in the night. sentative and transferred to the Yak and Yeti hotel. This is a luxury, five star hotel, it is 5. Weather in Tibet TravelingTibetin In July, the average high temperature is 73 and the average low is 52. However, due to the 1. Visas in Tibet altitude, sunburn is a problem and it is important to bring high quality sunscreen, hats, and long sleve shirts. It may also be quite cold at night, especially at Everest Base Camp. We will obtain our visas and permits to travel to Tibet when we are in Kathmandu. Jiban will make all of those arrangements for us. For those taking the Mt. Kailash extension, bring weather suitable for extreme cold.

Please make sure that your passport is valid for at least six months from the date of 6. Altitude entry into Tibet. The highest altitude we will reach is 15,500 feet at Everest Base Camp. It is important that 2. Health and Immunizations you train for high altitude before the trip. Below is a link to the Alpine Ascents Website that has information on training for altitude. The training they recommend is for Everest Base Here is the link to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention which has health Camp which is higher than what we will be experiencing. information for travelers to China: If you are going on the Mt. Kailash extension, the highest altitude will be the Dolma-La pass http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/china at 18,600 feet.

However, everyone has a different tolerance for altitude and it is better to be over trained 3. Travel and Accommodations In Tibet than undertrained for this trip.

Our local guides will be Shangri-la Nepal Trek who are located in Kathmandu. The owner of http://www.alpineascents.com/everest-trek-train.asp the company is Jiban Ghimire.They will be arranging our accommodations and providing us with guides. You can expect clean, simple and pleasant hotels. We also recommend that you consider using a personal trainer to get in shape.

4. Food 7. End of the Retreat and Flights Home

Here is information about the food that you can expect in Tibet: For the main trip, the last day of the trip is July 19 and your accommodations for the night of July 18 are included within the trip. If you wish to stay longer in Kathmandu, let us know http://www.tibettours.travel/travel-guide/foods-of-tibet.html and we will be happy to book some extra nights. The rate is $140 per night.

Breakfast Those who wish may extend their trip by exploring Kathmandu or the surrounding villages of Patan and Bhaktapur. Jiban will arrange any extensions that you may wish. Our trip package includes breakfast. The last day of the Mt. Kailash extension is July 24, and your accommodations for the night of July 23 are included within the trip. Lunch 8. Tipping the Guides. Our guides will arrange lunch for us and have proposed that you contribute $10 per day which is the estimated cost for lunch (i.e., some lunches will be more expensive than We will let you know what the suggested tip for the guide and the driver will be. Naturally, others). Then, at the end of the trip, any money that is left over will be returned to you. this is optional but we know that the quality of the experience will make this appropriate. You may opt out of our lunch arrangement if you choose. For those who are interested we will pool our money at the end of the trip. Dinner

Each of you will be responsible for your own dinner. This will give you the flexibility to eat when, what and where you desire. July 7 Arrive in Kathmandu

On our first day we will arrive in Timetable Kathmandu and will be greeted at the airport and taken to our hotel. We will stay at the delightful and historical Yak and Yeti Hotel. Because some of us may be arriving at differ- ent times, we hope to take in one of the sights in Kathmandu in the after- noon.

We hope to visit Thamel. Thamel is a huge outdoor shopping with arts, crafts, clothes, trekking and mountaineering gear.

It has many small temples, restau- rants, fascinating side streets and is a packed with sights and activity. We will gather in the evening for our first group dinner! We will have a briefing about the trip. July 8 Day Tour of Kathmandu and China July 9 Flight Kathmandu- Visas Transfer to the airport for the flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa on Air China. This We will arrange our travel permits and one hour trans- Himalayan flight will give visas in the Chinese embassy. We will us an opportunity to have an aerial view take a day tour of Kathmandu. of the Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks (weather permitting). Arrival at We will organize our gear and Gonggar airport around 13.30 hrs. local purchase any additional items we may time. need. After clearing immigration and customs it will be a two hour drive to cover the 93 km. to Lhasa which is at an altitude of 3650 meters (13,000ft).

Upon arrival we check in at the hotel, right in the heart of the old city July 10 and 11 The first day of sightseeing starts from Lhasa's July 12 Lhasa - (3900 m.) (8 hours) cardinal landmark- PotalaPalace, a structure of massive portions. Your first sight of the Potala will In the afternoon, we will arrive in Gyangtse and be an awe-inspiring moment. It takes at least a good tour the Palkhor Temple, built in the 15th century, 2 hours to visit the rooms, halls and chapels. We’ll and situated in the west of GyantseTown with explore the grandest of its myriad rooms, its audi- enclosing form three sides of the east, ence halls, the immense, jeweled burial chortens of west and north. Its three of Buddism-Shaja, past Dalai . Ningma and Guolu stayed harmoniously under one roof. In the afternoon, we will visit the JokhangTemple, the spiritual center of Tibet. Everyday, from Our drive follows the Tsangpo River, and then up every corner of Tibet trek a long distance to the and over the 15,700-foot Khampa La. Below is the temple. The temple is the product of Han, Tibetan huge expanse of , and in the near dis- and Nepalese architectural techniques. tance rises a great 23,000-foot snow peak with the delightful name of Ningdzingzonka. We head west- Temple was built by King Songsten Gampo ward along the lake and drive toward Gyantse. in 647 A.D. The Jokhang is circled by the Barkhor, Lhasa's old market. In today's Barkhor we can bar- Gyantse was historically Tibet's third largest city gain goodnaturedly for dorjes, phurbas, , (after Lhasa and ). In Gyantse, we will visit and other religious implements, for Tibetan hats and the famous Pelkor Monastery. Pelkor Monastery is boots, books, turquoise jewelry, everyday exotica, the main monastery in Gyantse. The Pelkor Chode wall hangings, and maybe even some yak butter. Monastery also includes Gyantse . The Kumbum has nine floors and each tier has unique About 8km west of central Lhasa is the Drepung, chapels. It is the largest of the three Kumbums in once the world's largest monastery with about Tibet. 10,000 monks. We will see white monastic buildings piled up on the hillside. At the top of the hillside, we will have views of the whole Lhasa city and the distant mountains.

We will visit two of the great monasteries of central Tibet: the (due west of Lhasa) and the (just north). Drepung Monastery was once home to 10,000 monks and the Dalai – it was the seat of central govern- ment until the Fifth built the Potala – and Sera housed almost as many. Of the Gelugpa monasteries in Tibet, Drepung and Sera are the two greatest. July 13 Gyantse - Shigatse (3800 m.) (2hrs.) July 14 Shigatse- or (4000m (6hrs.) We arrive in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in Tibet. In Shigatse, we’ll visit Tashilunpo Monastery, the seat of Tibet's second highest incarnation, the Panchen Today we traverse the Friendship Highway Lama. The immense complex is a rambling with picturesque landscapes while driving warren of chapels, shrines, and halls linked past the town of Lhatse and the Gyamtso by mysterious alleyways and steep staircases. La pass at 5,220m. As the route opens into plains, many monasteries and camps of Here we will see a giant statue of Future nomadic herders become visible while on the Buddha, the largest one of its kind on earth, way to Tingri. decorated with precious pearls, turquoises, corals and ambers. En route we visit the monastery. In the 13th century, the monastic town of Sakya Tashilumpo, sprawls on the slopes of emerged as an important center of Buddhist Mt.Niser, southwest of Shigatse. It covers an scholarship. With Mongolian military sup- area of about 300,000 square meters. There port, the Sakya lamas became rulers of all are many valuable and rare historical articles Tibet. in the monastery. , built in 1268, is a massive En route, we visit , in which fortresslike compound with high defensive construction was started in 1027. Its archi- walls in the southern section of the mon- tecture is a combination of the Tibetan and astery. There are a lot of historical articles Chinese styles with archways, carved pil- in the monastery, among them are imperial lars, tilled roofs and the Song and Yuan style certificates, signets, crowns, and clothes murals. given by the Yuan Dynasty emperors. Sakya monastery has over 84,000 Tibetan vol- umes of on astronomy, medicine, calligra- phy, and history. July 15 Lhatse - Rongbuk (4500m) (5hrs.) July 16 Rongbuk-Nylam (For those returning to Kathmandu) We drive southward and cross Pang La pass at 5150m. Enjoying superbly beautiful Rongbuk-Saga (For those going to Mt. scenery, we reach Rongbuk at Kailsah) 5000m. On a clear day, one can see a long range of the including peaks over At Rongbuk, the group will split. 8000 meters: Makalu, , Everest, Gya- chung Kang and Cho Oyu. Those who are returning to Kathmandu will proceed to Nylam. The scenery is simply breathtaking. The mountains look even more impressive dur- Those who are going to Mt. Kailash will ing sunrise and sunset. proceed to Saga. Both Jennifer and Gary are proceeding to Saga. Early in the morning we have a full view of Mt. Everest standing like a snow-capped pyramid in front of Rongpuk, which is the vantage point for viewing Mt. Everest.

Rongphu Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the . This mon- astery is 5,800 meters above sea level. In the severely cold climate, it is the highest alti- tude monastery on the planet and there are 30 Buddhist monks and 30 nuns live in the monastery.

We may trek to Everest base camp 4km each way. We will take time to view the Mt. Ever- est power and beauty. July 17 Main Group-Nylam to Kathmandu July 17 Mt. Kailash Group-Saga to Lake Mansarover 14950-ft/ 4558m.

The longest driving day starts full of excitement. Jeeps and trucks roll on the wide valley following rivers and grazing land of yaks and sheep. Far south we will see snow covered peaks.

Nomads and other mobile shopkeepers are attired in beautiful traditional costume, and waiting for our arrival with hot tea and other supplies along with big smile. By the late afternoon we will have our first sight of the July 18 Main Group-Free day in Holy Kailash Parbat and Manasarovara. Kathmandu Lake Manasarovara is the highest lake of For information on Kath- in the world and it has a tur- mandu excursions, see quoise complexion and is full of fishes and below. swans.

Holy Kailash Parbat, Mt. Gurula-Mandata, Lake Rashekshi surround the lake. The re- gion is considered rich for gold and has hot springs and hundreds of wild living crea- tures. We will spend the night beside Mana- sarovar. July 19 Thousands of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims Main Group- Depart embark on the Mt. Kailash pilgrimmage be- Kathmandu for home lieving that it gives them the enlightenment. They believe that the circumambulation of Mt. Kaliash cleanses past sins and brings good fortune. Hindu and Buddhist circum- ambulate in a clockwise direction and Jain and Po in an anti clock wise direction.

From Mt. Kailash four of the world largest rivers flow in the four cardinal directions: the Brahmaputra (yarlung Tsangopo), , the River and the Karnali. July 18 Drive to July 19 Trek to Dehara Puk/5000m: 18k trail, ap- proximately 7 hours. Darchen is situated right in front of the sa- cred mountain, . Its altitude is (First day of our Mt. Kailash ) 4,575 metres (15,010 ft) and is the starting point for in the region.

This will be one of the most exciting days It contains a couple of restaurants and as we walk along the beautiful rocky cliffs; the guesthouse and restaurant, waterfalls with some clouds in the clear blue the Zhusu guesthouse next door, and the sky may make us feel that is every- Gandise Hotel. There are also a few houses, where giving us blessing. the Swiss-funded Tibetan Medical and As- tro Institute and dispensary where doctors From time to time the face of Kailash Parbat are trained in Tibetan medicine, a number will appear. of stores and kiosks, and some camping grounds.

Traditionally, pilgrims only eat vegetarian food in the region due to its proximity to the sacred and Mount Kai- lash. July 20 Hardest but Holiest day [ 8hrs] July 21 Drive from Manasarovar to Dongpa or Saga (460km) 8hrs. On the second day of our Mt. Kailash kora we will cross the Dolma-La (pass) of Third day of our Mt. Kailash koraa 18600ft. We will complete our trek around noon and The kora () goes over the high we will drive to Dogpa or Saga where we will pass of Dolma La. For pilgrims this pass is, spend the night in a hotel. besides being the highest point, the spiritual highlight of their odyssey. The pass is deco- rated with masses of prayer flags and out of devotion people leave clothes, coins and oth- er personal belongings here. Devout pilgrims say their prayers and ring the brass bells in front of the holy rock in which, according to legend the goddess Drolma disappeared after she had guided the first here. It is the symbolic passage through the gates of death after which one is cleansed and prepared for a good . The idea is that we die to our old way of being and are reborn as we cross the pass. As we pass burial grounds, we also meditate on the truth of .

The crossing over this pass represents a transition from the former life to a new one with all of the previous sins forgiven by the Goddess of Mercy, Drolma. Every stone is considered to contain the three qualities of the Buddha: mind, speech, and body. They also represent the Three Jewels: Buddha, , and . In the middle of the pass is a large, cubic rock called Phawang Mebar, upon which are a pyramid of stones supports a flagpole. The flagpole has many prayer flags and around the rock are placed all kinds of things by the passing pilgrims, like clothing, horns, animal skulls, hair and butter stuck to the rock, and other such mementos. The pass is a place for fervent prayer, recitations, and readings from sacred texts. July 22 Drive from Saga to Nylam or Zang Mu: Nepal Excursion Patan (296km) (4 hours) Patan is the second largest town in the Kathmandu Valley and is a World Heritage Site. It is full of temples and medieval ar- chitecture. It has over 600 and 185 courtyards with fascinating side streets to explore. You may explore the Machhendra- nath Temple which is guarded by lions and July 23 Drive back to Kathmandu (150 km) 6hrs mysterious yeti creatures. You may visit the Golden Temple which is a Buddhist monas- When we return to Kathmandu, we will en- tery founded in the 11th Century. It has Ti- joy the luxury of the Yak and Yeti hotel! betan frescoes and Durbar square features the royal palace and has the most stunning collection of Newari architecture in all of Nepal. July 24 Last day of retreat; depart Kathmandu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patan,_Nepal

Bhaktapur

Bhaktapur means “City of Rice” and is the third largest town in the Kathmandu Valley. It is an ancient town and features the Nyata- pola Temple which is the highest temple in Nepal. It is traffic free and you may wander through its cobblestone streets and explore temples, courtyards, huge squares, shrines and water tanks. It has lots of potters, wood- carvers and weavers and many fascinating shops and cafes. There are art schools which sell fine paintings and thankas. The entire town is a World Heritage Site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhaktapur Suggested Packing List Reading List This a suggested packing list and there are many possibilities for substitution or additions Books based on personal preferences. One should note that it is easy and inexpensive to have ho- tels do your wash and/or purchase clothes in Nepal. Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard (A Must Read) Clothing Kailash Journey- in the Sacred Himalayas of Tibet-Sri Swami Satchidananda (A Must Read-a free PDF will be provided) Backpack, Suitcase or Duffel Rain Pancho or soft shell jacket Light Jacket Dalai Lama, The Art of Living (Thorsons 2001) Underwear Socks R. Thurman, Wisdom of Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet (Abrams 1977) Tee Shirts or Short Sleeve Button Down Walking shoes or trail shoes I. Baker, The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple (Thames and Hudson 2000) Sandals Sun Hat Karen Armstrong, Buddha (Penguin 2001) Lightweight Trekking Pants Trekking poles Herman Hesse, Siddhartha Towel (small one) Shorts/bathing suit Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Bandanas/Handkerchief Joy, and Liberation Optional - stuff sacks for clothes Cold Weather Gear-Shells and Parkas (the nights will be cold) Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of in Everyday Life Note: For those with the Mt. Kailash group pack clothes for extreme cold. Dalia Lama, The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Inner Peace: The Essential Life and Teachings Money belt or neck pouch to hold: Passport, Credit Cards, Travelers Checks, Cash, Health Traleg Kyabgon,The Essence of Information, return flight tickets, blank checks Eyeglasses - Contact Lenses (bring prescription and extra pair of glasses) Damien Keown, Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press 2013) Sunglasses Small Medical Kit (medications, antacid, Tylenol, Excedrin, Imodium, Antihistamine) Kim Knott, : A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press 2000) Sunscreen 80 SPF (get maximum sun protection) Insect repellent Nepal-True Stories of Life on the Road Flashlight or Headlamp Edited by Rajendra S. Khadka Toilette Bag (soap, toothbrush, paste, floss, sewing kit, hair needs) Camera (memory and batteries) Reading book Videos Computer, reading device and phone Asian Electrical Adapter; power supplies and cords Mt. Kailash Pilgrimmage Water bottle Emergency Phone numbers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC6NKD5baAQ List of credit card company phone numbers in case of loss Earplugs and earphones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5PpRl8z4Tk Lots of dollar bills to give away as tips and to kids and the needy Travelers Contact Information Contact Information (To be Included when we have the complete list of all travelers.) Tour Leaders Jennifer Prugh [email protected] Fine Print 408-674-0852 What is Included Gary Kissiah [email protected] The cost of the retreat includes a morning class with Jennifer, and a nightly 650-996-7336 with Gary. Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu at the Yak and Yeti on BB plan Local Guide in Kathmandu and Tibet Twin sharing accommodation as per the itinerary with breakfast in Tibet English speaking Tibetan Guide Transportation as per the itinerary by necessary vehicle mention above Local Guide In Kathmandu Border Transfer Kodari – Kathmandu Service of porter while crossing Friendship Bridge Jiban Ghimire Portable oxygen cylinder in vehicles Shangri-la Nepal Trek Pvt. Ltd. Note: We will collect the airfare for Kathmandu to Lhasa at initial registration for the trip. GPO 6802 , Panchakanya Chowk Kapan 03, Kathmandu, Nepal [email protected] What Is Not Included [email protected] T+[977 1] 481 0373, 481 0387 Airfare to Lhasa- $470 F+977 1 481 1317 Tibet Visa Fee (US$ 200 for US Nationasl & US$ 100 for Other National) M+977- 985-103-5161 Travel Insurance Skype: trekandclimb Lunch and Dinner in hotel or restaurant [per person US$ 25 person per day] Liquor beverages (hard and soft drinks) Yak and Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu Expenses of personal nature, phone calls, laundry etc Gratuity to staff Hotel Yak & Yeti Services of porter and other vehicles in case of landslides and other natural GPO Box no. 1016 Durbar Marg, calamities beyond our control and expenses incurred for rescue services Kathmandu, Nepal Tel : +977-1-4248999, 4240520 Fax: +977-1-4227781/ 4227782 [email protected]