june, 2020
Event Details
HEMIS FESTIVAL, SPITI VALLEY AND DHARAMSALA, INDIA Tour Dates: 27 June-12 July 2020 Tour Highlights: Join Geshe Samten and students of Vajrayana as we travel deep
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Event Details
HEMIS FESTIVAL, SPITI VALLEY AND DHARAMSALA, INDIA
Tour Dates:
27 June-12 July 2020
Tour Highlights:
Join Geshe Samten and students of Vajrayana as we travel deep into the mountains of Ladakh to experience a once in a lifetime visit to the Hemis Festival. The spectacularly isolated mountain geography of this remote Indian province is one of the few remaining strongholds of Tibetan Buddhism in the world. Monasteries adorned with the iconic blue, red and yellow prayer flags dot the steep mountain slopes and crystal-clear rivers flow from glaciers, cascading into the mighty Indus river. A part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, it was only opened to tourists in the mid-70s and since then thousands of people from around the world have thronged to this bastion of Himalayan Buddhism.
The Hemis festival is a uniquely Ladakhi experience, dedicated to Lord Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche) an 8th century Buddhist master who was responsible for spreading Buddhism across the world. This festival of dance and theatre is enacted with elaborate masks, costumes, and adornment. The glorious finale – in a cacophony of instruments, chants and sounds – ends in the unveiling of the monastery’s giant Thankga (Tibetan Buddhist painting).
We will then travel overland to the Spiti Valley, a little visited area with high passes blocked by snow and ice for half the year, and precariously perched Buddhist monasteries on high cliffs. Truly a land that time forgot. Following this we will visit Manali for a short rest before we reach Dharamsala, the home of the Dalai Lama. Here we will immerse ourselves further into Tibetan culture, visiting the Tibetan Children’s Village and the Norbulingka to witness the preservation of Tibetan culture. Along with a visit to the Dalai Lama’s temple, this is a fitting end to our amazing Pilgrimage.
Tour Route:
Delhi – Ladakh – Hemis – Keylong – Kaza – Manali – Dharamsala – Delhi
Tour Cost:
$3995 per person twin share
$995 single supplement
Includes
- Fully accompanied by Geshe Ngawang Samten
- 15 nights’ accommodation and daily breakfast
- Internal flights – Delhi to Leh, Dharamsala to Delhi
- Transportation in Delhi by Toyota Innova Car or similar
Transportation in Leh, Spiti & Dharamsala by AC Toyota Innova/Scorpio
Following transport included:
Pickup/Drop off from Delhi airport for international flight (within 24 hours of tour starting and ending)
Pickup, sightseeing and Hemis Festival Tour in Ladakh
Transport from Ladakh – Keylong – Kaza – Manali – Dharamsala
Sightseeing in Dharamsala
Drop off at Dharamsala airport
- Entrance fees to all museums and monuments
- Local guide in Leh
- Welcome and Farewell Dinner
- Services of local English speaking guide from Delhi to Dharamsala
- Donation to Vajrayana Institute, Sydney
Excludes
- Return airfares to India
- Cost of Indian tourist visa (on arrival)
- Lunch and dinner (unless otherwise specified)
- Personal expenditure such as drinks, laundry service and souvenirs
- Tipping
- Donations to monasteries
- Compulsory insurance of any kind
Optional Extras:
- Pickup from International airport Delhi (if arriving more than 24 hours before trip)
- Drop off at International airport Delhi (if departing more than 24 hours after trip)
- Extra night in Delhi at Hotel Hans or similar – please ask for details
Click here for a full itinerary or to book – https://vajrayana.com.au/whats-on/vajrayana-pilgrimage-with-geshe-samten/
Time
June 27 (Saturday) 8:00 AM - July 12 (Sunday) 8:00 PM
Location
India: Delhi – Ladakh – Hemis – Keylong – Kaza – Manali – Dharamsala – Delhi
Organizer
Vajrayana InstituteContact Phone: 02 9798 9644 or www.vajrayana.com.au