MINDFUL MEANDERING IN THE HIMALAYAS

START YOUR JOURNEY WITH BHAVANA EXPERIENCES

This ten-day tour will take us on a journey from Dharamsala to Bir; exploring Tibetan settlements, Tibetan Buddhism, sustainable living, mountainous villages and Indian culture.

We will be rewarded with stunning views of the Himalayas daily, enjoy delicious North Indian and Tibetan food, and will be totally immersed in local cultures.

The cost of the tour is £900 per person in a twin sharing room. This is based on a minimum grouoo size of 6 people.

A single room supplement is available.

DAY 1:

You will arrive at Gaggal airport before midday where you will be collected and transferred to McLeod Ganj in Dharamsala. After a short rest we’ll have our first meal together and an orientation session where we’ll do some icebreaker activities to get to know each other, the program and to learn about our surroundings, Tibetan cultures and the local landscapes.

DAY 2:

After a leisurely breakfast we’ll walk to the Dalai Lama Temple where we will learn about Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan Diaspora and the history of their struggle. In the afternoon we’ll split into teams and participate in a scavenger hunt so that you can bond with your fellow travelers and learn about the town, culture and people independently, in a fun way!

DAY 3:

We’ll start our day with a nice, gentle pranayama and yoga class. After breakfast we will go to an NGO and Tibetan Community centre to participate in a compassion, wisdom and happiness workshop. It’ll be a fun and educational workshop – our aim is to understand these concepts according to Tibetan culture. During the course of the day we will learn how Tibetans have suffered and how they hold on to these concepts of compassion, wisdom and happiness through their cultural roots. In the evening we will enjoy a Tibetan cultural show.

DAY 4:

After an early breakfast we will hike around 2km to Tushita meditation centre for a guided meditation session. This is suitable for beginners and advanced practitioners of meditation. Afterwards, we will take part in a Japanese forest meditation walk (which includes a silent practice!) to a peaceful place where monks have been meditating for the last 50 years. Later in the day we will explore the main “backpacker ghettos” – Bhagsu and Dharamkot. In the evening we’ll enjoy a fun group activity, possibly an ecstatic dance or a cacao ceremony.

DAY 5:

Yesterday day we warmed our legs up, so today the real hiking begins! We’ll do a moderate hike of 5km up to Triund which stands at 2,800m. Subject to local laws and environmental conditions, we plan to stay in a forest guest house at the top so we will have the entire afternoon and evening to enjoy the starry blanket views and participate in group activities - Mav will lead a Thai Massage workshop which involves pairing up and relaxing our muscles after the hike up. In the evening we will sit around a campfire, enjoy a chai and maybe some surprises.

DAY 6:

In the morning we’ll enjoy the stillness of the mountains with an optional sunrise Tai Chi session. After breakfast, we will begin our hike down, during which we will clean up the trail with support from a local NGO called Waste Warriors. Once we reach the bottom we will set off on our journey to Bir. It’s a very scenic drive which will take around 5 hours with a break for lunch. When we arrive in Bir we will relax and let our bodies recover.

DAY 7:

After breakfast, we will go to Deer Park Institute – a place of learning and a centre for the study of classical Indian wisdom. The institute itself is beautiful and we can enjoy picturesque views of Bir. We might participate in a workshop here; the focus of which will be confirmed closer to the time. After the workshop, we will visit a waterfall where we can cool off and relax by the soothing sounds of the water falling. Later in the day we have another fun team activity to participate in, this time there’s a slightly competitive element to it!

DAY 8:

Today we will visit Dharamalaya, an institute for eco architecture and compassionate living. A huge part of compassion concerns our environment, mother earth. We will participate in a workshop about sustainable living and learn how we can work with our mind and body, aligning them with the mind and body of the planet. The rest of the day will be free for you to enjoy Bir, which is well-known in India as a hub for paragliding, being one of Asia’s highest take off sites!

DAY 9:

On our penultimate day in India we have just enough time to squeeze in one more amazing workshop. We will visit Shunya Farm, an environmental institute founded by an Indian/Colombian team. In our permaculture workshop with them, we will learn about the ethics of living close to, and in conjunction and harmony with the earth; understanding where our food comes from; and understanding how important our role is in ensuring this harmony with earth. In the evening we will cherish our final moments together with a delicious meal and a celebratory local apple cider!

DAY 10:

After breakfast we will participate in a sharing circle, an opportunity for us to reflect on our journey and prepare ourselves to return to “normal life.” We will speak about the art of going home and carrying the impact with us as seeds for us to plant through our onward journeys. There’ll be some massive hugs and teary goodbyes which we don’t need to elaborate much on here. Taxis will leave Bir at around midday in order to catch the 16.10 flight back to Delhi.

Included:

9 nights accommodation in basic but clean rooms on a twin share basis

Breakfast everyday

Most lunches and dinners (vegetarian)

Entrance fees and hike permits

Workshops

Yoga and meditation class

Volunteering

Airport pick-up and drop-off at Gaggal Airport

All transport

Not included:

Flights

Visa

Insurance

Optional activities such as paragliding

Some lunches and dinners

Tips

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2024 Tours:

North

South