In the Shangri La of Nepal

Buddhism Sanctuary Trail

The Buddhism Sanctuary Trail offers you an enchanting trekking in one of the hidden paradises of the Himalayas, south of Mt. Everest. Surrounded by breathtaking scenery and accompanied by a former Buddhist monk, you will hike picturesque mountain monasteries, the sacred lake Dudh Kunda and gain insights into the fascinating culture of Buddhism Lamaism.

Offer

Buddhism Sanctuary Trail
Guided Trekking Explorer Tour in Shangri La of Nepal

Duration: 16 days
Date: bookable every day between 25.03. – 15.05. and 15.09. – 15.11.
Price: € 2.448,- p. p.

 

Key facts

Character: Guided trekking trip with insights into the life of the Buddhist mountain monasteries

Country: Nepal, Solu Khumbu

Claim: ●●●○○

Contribution: Financial support for the Serlo Monastery

Guidance: TAAN certified Sherpa guide

Included services: among others: Overnight stays in lodges & Camping with full board on the trek, luggage service, shuttle services & Qualified guidance by TAAN certified Sherpa guide

©Google Maps ®/ Trail Angels

In the Shangri La of Nepal 

1. The journey

Highlights of the journey

The Loding Valley is known for its numerous white-painted houses and blue roofs. This is a special trademark of the Sherpas who have found their home here ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

The trail is immensely varied and leads up to 3,700 m through primeval forest-like forests. The sometimes mystical landscape is dominated by Himalayan fir (abies spectabilis), Himalayan hemlock (Tsuga dumosa), Himalayan weeping pine (pinus wallichiana) and rhododendron ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

As if on a viewing balcony, the trails lead up along ridges to over 4,000 meters. Here is the trail to the summit of Pikey Peak I with views deep into the southern Solu region ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

Due to its exposure, Pikey Peak II (4,065 m) is probably one of the most beautiful and unforgettable sunrises in Nepal ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

In addition to the beautiful landscapes, one always comes into contact with the friendly monks and the Tibetan Buddhist faith. A special experience is the visit to Serlo Monastery, where 120 young people are trained as monks. In the photo, the young monks are just sitting at the lunch table enjoying their Dal Bhat. This dish is the national dish of Nepal and consists mainly of lentil soup, rice and seasonal vegetables ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

View of the largest monastery in Nepal Tubten Choling. 300 nuns and 200 monks live here independently, autonomously and freely since their flight from Tibet in 1959. Around the monastery, a large number of small dwellings for the nuns and monks have been built since the 1968s. Today Tubten Choling looks like a small village at almost 3,000 m above sea level ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

Not infrequently, on this unique trekking tour, you have the grandiose high mountain landscape with its massive and dominating mountains of Rolwaling to yourself. The view sweeps here from a 4,200 m high saddle down to the mighty 1850 glacier moraine, in to Saharsbeni and up to the 6,959 m high Numbur (left) with its satellites Khatang (6,853 m; center) and Karyolung (6,511 m). At the foot of these rock and glacier mountains is Dudh Kunda, the holiest lake in Nepal ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

The penultimate stage leads along a high-altitude trail from the tent camp in Saharsbeni to Taksindu, which can already be seen on the left below the mountain ridge ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

Charakter of the Journey

Buddhism is omnipresent in Nepal, but for the vast majority of tourists traveling to Nepal, it plays only a pleasant supporting role. One is fascinated by the many monasteries, the nuns and monks praying in beautiful robes, the colorful prayer flags, the prayer wheels or the magical stupas and chortens. These are very popular photo motifs, but probably only a few people deal with the fascinating beliefs of Buddhism in depth, because Nepal is visited mainly because of its impressive landscapes with the highest mountains in the world. 

 But why not combine trekking and Buddhism into a unique symbiosis? With the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail, this connection between Buddhism, landscape, mountains and culture merges into a whole. The Buddhism Sanctuary Trail is located 271 kilometers east of Kathmandu in the Solukhumbu district and Solu region. Although this grandiose trek is only a stone’s throw away from the widely known and touristically developed Everest area, few tourists stray into this region. In many places you are alone on the trekking route and can enjoy the incredibly breathtaking, charming and pristine landscape in all peace and quiet.

The starting point for the 10-day trekking tour is the village of Phaplu at just under 2,500 m above sea level. The journey there requires a very good seat and sometimes also good nerves, because the journey leads over holey asphalt roads, then again over dusty sandy roads and suddenly over a gravel road, which allows only a slow progress. On this 11-hour drive, you are compensated by various landscape elements, such as the mighty Sun Kosi glacier river, which takes up the entire valley with its meanders. But also the rice fields, fields and banana plantations cultivated by hand, as well as the small villages with their colorful and pretty fruit and vegetable stands offered along the roads are charming and offer a nice contrast. Finally, a narrow mountain road leads along steep mountain slopes and over ridges through different vegetation levels and climates up to Phaplu. As Phaplu has a small airport, the return journey to Kathmandu will be by plane.

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Travel itinerary*

 

1. Day Arrival: Kathmandu; Accommodation: Hotel
2. Day Cultur: Buddhismus Sightseeingtour Kathmandu; Accommodation: Hotel
3. Day Transfer: Jeep-Transfer to Phaplu (2.469m); Accommodation: Lodge
Shuttle time: 11 h
4. Day Trekking: Stage 01 Phaplu – Loding monastery (2.517m); inkl. Acclimatisation hike; Accommodation: Tent
Walking time 4,5 h → 13,5 km ↗ 741 hm ↘ 702 hm
5. Day Trekking: Stage 02 Loding monastery – La Mani (3.440m); inkl. Acclimatisation hike; Accommodation: Tent
Walking time 5 h → 7 km ↗ 1.140 hm ↘ 160 hm
6. Day Trekking: Stage 03 La Mani – Pikey Peak (4.070m) – Pikey Peak Base Camp (3.735m); Accommodation: Lodge
Walking time 3,5 h → 7,5 km ↗ 718 hm ↘ 430 hm
7. Day Trekking: Stage 04 Pikey Peak Base Camp (3.735m) – Sunrise Pikey Peak (4.070m) – Junbesi (2.700m); Accommodation: Lodge
Walking time 7 – 8 h → 17 km ↗ 874 hm ↘ 1.956 hm
8. Day Trekking and Cultur: Stage 05 Junbesi – Tubten Choling monastery (2.920m); Visit to the Serlo monastery; Accommodation: Tent or monastery
Walking time 3,5 h → 9,2 km ↗ 609 hm ↘ 443 hm
9. Day Trekking: Stage 06 Tubten Choling monastery – Yak Kharka alpine pasture (4.045m); Accommodation: Tent
Walking time 5,5 h → 8,2 km ↗ 1.311 hm ↘ 103 hm
10. Day Trekking: Stage 07 Yak Kharka alpine pasture – Dudh Kunda Lake (4.637m); Accommodation: Tent
Walking time 5 h → 9,1 km ↗ 962 hm ↘ 418 hm
11. Day Trekking: Stage 08 Dudh Kunda Lake – Peak Kalo Pokhari Ri (4.943m) – Saharsbeni alpine pasture (3.858m); Accommodation: Tent
Walking time 4,5 h → 9,7 km ↗ 405 hm ↘ 1.154 hm
12. Day  Trekking: Stage 09 Saharsbeni alpine pasture – Taksindu Kloster (2.925m); Accommodation: Lodge
Walking time 4 h → 11,7 km ↗ 210 hm ↘ 1.172 hm
13. Day Trekking: Stage 10 Taksindu Kloster – Chiwang Kloster – Phaplu (2.469m); Accommodation: Lodge
Walking time 6,5 h → 17,9 km ↗ 670 hm ↘ 1.097 hm
14. Day Transfer: Transfer Phaplu – Kathmandu; Accommodation: Hotel
Shuttle time: 11 h
15. Day Cultur: Rest day; Accommodation: Hotel
16. Day Departure: Return flight

*small program changes reserved

Included services

 

+ 4 nights in selected mid-range hotels (***/**** national categorization); Double room with breakfast
+ 11 nights in family-run lodges; Double or multi-bed rooms or in two-person tents; each with full board
+  Travel accompaniment by local Buddhism experts (former monks)
+ Guided tour by experienced Sherpa guide (TAAN certified) with knowledge of the area
+ An assistant guide
+ Kitchen crew
+ Luggage transport rack
+ Monastery tours through Loding, Tashi Thongmon, Serlo, Tubten Choling, Taksindu and Chiwang and insights into monastic life
+ Guided cultural tour in the Kathmandu Valley (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
+ All required transfers (airport shuttles; Kathmandu cultural tour; drive from Kathmandu to Phablu and back)
+ Trekking permit
+ Contribution to the promotion of the Serlo Monastery
+ Detailed tour documents (including trekking map)
+ Before the trip: information service from Himalaya experts

Price: € 2.448,- p. p.

Bookable from 2 persons

Our experts at the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail

2. The pioneers

Meet our pioneers at the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail who will open this extraordinary experience to you and accompany you on your journey to the center of the Tibetan Buddhist faith: 

Pemba Chhiri Sherpa The buddhism expert

“I grew up in the village of Lukla in Khumbu. Lukla is known for its adventurous airport and as a starting point for trekking tours and expeditions to the Everest area. At the young age of 7, I entered the nearby Kepgon Monastery to study the teachings of Buddhism.

From this came not only the first contact, but also a deep connection to the Buddhist faith. Over the many years I have continued to dedicate myself to Buddhist teachings and have since become Lama of Kepgon Monastery. Like the Himalayan mountains, Buddhism belongs to Nepal. Therefore, especially at the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail, there is the possibility to introduce and explain Buddhism, its rituals, ceremonies and traditional methods to tourists.” 
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Josef Essl The living encyclopedia of nature

The mountains are my home at any time of year on foot, mountain bike, touring skis and snowshoes. In 1998 I went with my friend Günter Mussnig for the first time to the highest mountains in the world to Nepal, where I came into contact with the Buddhist faith. It was striking that the people …

in the villages were immensely friendly, fun-loving, positive-minded and helpful. The great luck to explore the Buddhism-Sanctuary-Trail in Solu in 2022 and not only to dive into the heart of Buddhism with its numerous colorful monasteries, but also to participate in the simple, lovely, positive life, the deep faith of the nuns and monks as well as in the impressive ceremonies and prayers, left me with an aura of calmness and a pleasant sense of well-being. The trekking tour on the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail was a profound and lasting experience for me and for this I would like to thank the Trail Angels® very much. It is not only the magnificent landscape that one experiences, the people living there also strengthen the hope for a better world.
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Mingma Nuru Sherpa The level-headed all-rounder

„I come from the small Sherpa village of Chaurikharka in the Khumbu (Everest region). Thus, my home is in the immediate vicinity of the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail. Since my childhood I have been fascinated by this untouched region with its scenic beauty and sacred sites.

That’s why I’m especially proud to have been part of the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail from the beginning and to be able to hike it as a trekking guide!“
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Travel with impact for change

3. Our impact

Trail Angels tries to live up to its responsibility as a tour operator for the travel of the future. By opening up breathtaking experiences with handpicked tours and with participation in regional projects and measures for climate protection, we want to trigger the greatest possible impact for a change for the better in the destinations.

And that’s how we frame our responsibility at the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail:

1. Trail Angels Project

Support of the Serlo Monastery:

Serlo Monastery, currently trains 120 children from 6 years old and teenagers over many years to Tibetan Buddhist thinking and learning. The monastery thus offers …

these young people, who very often come from very poor backgrounds, a roof over their heads, an education, a warm bed and hot food. School fees do not have to be paid by the parents of the children and young people. The costs are borne exclusively by the monastery.

+   Renovation and expansion of the monastery: The monastery Serlo is currently being renovated and somewhat enlarged to provide more space for the 120 young monks. This costs money. The funding comes exclusively from donations and a Foundation not secured.

+  Funding to secure and maintain the monastery: There is no contractually regulated funding for the monastery. Funding is currently only through a voluntary Nepalese Foundation. However, this can be terminated with each year. Here, additional financial support would be very useful and would ensure the education of the monks.

+   Acquisition of teaching materials and support of the museum: Since no school fees are levied and no permanent secure funding is given, one could support the school in the acquisition of new materials and also in the acquisition of further Buddhist objects for the small museum.

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2. Social responsibility

Support for local structures

We work exclusively with carefully selected and vetted local tour operators and place the highest value on social sustainability …

und Inklusion wie zum Beispiel:

  • Fair payment for trekking crew
  • On the trek: Overnight in small family-run lodges or homestays
  • Promotion of socially disadvantaged population groups and local value chains
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3. Climate protection

Designed as a “climate-neutral journey

If you want to organise your trekking trip in a climate-neutral way, you can do so with the world’s leading offsetting platform Atmosfair®. Our team in the booking centre will be happy to support you.

 

 

Buddhism – a fusion between Tibet and Nepal

4. The story

This is how it all began: He lived in northern India in the early 5th century B.C. and is known as the “historical Buddha,” which means “the awakened one.” We are talking about Siddhartha Gautama.

We feel comfortable here! After more than 60 years, Tibetans in Nepal have finally become native. The explanation is simple: “Tibet’s culture is Buddhism, and its cradle was in Nepal.” That’s how one Tibetan woman who settled in Nepal describes it. It was probably the biggest break for Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhism when the Chinese invasion of Tibet took place in 1949/50. The people, who had lived in peace for thousands of years, were oppressed and persecuted by the Chinese. An uprising was bloodily put down and two shells were fired at the Summer Palace in Lhasa, where the young Dalai Lama was staying. Particularly drastic was the year 1959 when the Dalai Lama was forced by the Chinese to enter the war. This step was to change his life forever with his flight from Tibet. A small excerpt from his stories should give a fragment of the drama in Tibet: “Soldier’s clothing had been laid out for me. At half past nine in the evening, I took off my monk’s robe and put on my uniform. Then I went to my prayer room for the last time in this unfamiliar clothing.

Ich setzte mich auf meinen Thronsessel, öffnete das Buch mit den Lehren Buddhas und las darin, bis ich zu der Stelle kam, an der Buddha seinen Schülern riet, guten Mutes zu sein. Then I closed the book, blessed the room, and turned out the lights. When I went out, I was stunned, for all I could hear was my own hard tread on the tamped clay floor and the ticking of the clock in the silence that surrounded me (Quelle taz.de).“ It was time to go! The escape led with numerous faithful in ice and snow through the high mountains to India. There, where he leads his exile government until today. Thousands of Tibetans followed his call and also fled to India, but also to Europe, the USA and especially to Nepal. The Tibetan Buddhists were not welcome everywhere, even in the former Kingdom of Nepal. The economic and political ties with China were and are too close.

After fleeing Tibet between 1949 and 1959, thousands of Tibetans found their new home in Nepal. Especially in the Solu region they settled down and built a lot of monasteries in the last 60 years. In the picture the monastery Tashi Thongmon in the middle of Junbesi, which is inhabited and led by a monk ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

An evening puja at Tubten Choling Monastery in the Solu region south of the Everest massif, the largest Tibetan Bhuddist monastery in Nepal. A puja means “worship” or “paying homage”. As a ritual, it is one of the most important parts of everyday Tibetan Buddhist life. Today, 300 nuns and 200 monks live here. 80% of them are refugees from Tibet ©Josef Essl/Trail Angels

Not so in the Solukhumbu district and here especially in the Solu region south of the Everest massif. In this part, around the small village of Junbesi, the Tibetan refugees were welcomed with open arms and so a true Tibetan Buddhist center with numerous beautiful and well-kept monasteries, such as Serlo, Tashi Thongmon, Loding, Tumbuk, Chiwang and Tubten Choling, has developed here in the last 60 years. Tubten Choling monastery has been the Buddhist center not only in Solukhumbu district but in the whole Nepal since 1968. This beautiful monastery has been an independent and autonomous institution since its existence, which is why it has remained hidden from the outside world for a long time. It was Trulshik Rinpoche (1923 – 2011) who settled here after his escape from Tibet. But before Tubten Choling was built, many Tibetans hoped to return to their homeland Tibet as well as to their monasteries. But this hope was shattered very soon and so Rinpoche built the monastery Thubten Choling with all its small dwellings north of Junbesi in a valley cut at almost 3,000 m above sea level. Today 300 nuns and 200 celibate monks live here, 80% of whom are Tibetan refugees. Tubten Choling is still the first port of call and the center for refugees from Tibet. This is also due to His Holiness Trulshik Rinpoche, who was one of the most learned and revered teachers in the worldwide Buddhist community and one of those high lamas born and trained in “old Tibet”. For many decades he was one of the Dalai Lama’s most important teachers.

Buddhism is one of the great world religions today, but what distinguishes it from Christianity, Judaism or Islam is the lack of belief in an omnipotent God and the teaching to cope better with oneself and the world, because love, gratitude, compassion, existence and problems are something quite normal. Therefore, Buddhists very quickly find a form of inner satisfaction, joy and fulfillment, which is also closely linked to rebirth. This means that after death on this earth or other realms of existence, the human spirit is reborn in a new body as a sentient being. In conclusion, the positive attitude towards happy life is reflected in this beautiful saying of Siddhartha Gautama: „No matter how arduous yesterday was, you can always start anew in today.“

 

Travel reports from the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail:

„On the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail – Rediscover Nepal“

Travelogue about the last Explorer Tour October 2022.

Learn more.

Buddhism Sanctuary Trail – The Solu’s Soul

Travelogue about the first Explorer Tour at the Buddhism Sanctuary Trail in February 2022

Learn more.

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