A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE 3000 YEARS OF TIBETAN CIVILIZATION WITH JOHN VINCENT BELLEZZA - MAY 14 TO 31, 2009

This is an unique opportunity to see Tibetan civilization in all its splendor with John Vincent Bellezza, one of the world’s leading authorities. From Buddhist monasteries to Eurasian animal art, this journey reveals Tibet in all her depth. John, an affable, sensitive and highly experienced expeditionary and tour leader, will guide a select group of people to Tibet’s rarest cultural treasures. John, who has spent a quarter of a century intensively exploring the Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau, will share some of his most brilliant discoveries with us for the very first time.

This is an unparalleled view of Tibet, providing extraordinary insights into the culture and people of this charmed land. In addition, to visiting the great heritage sites, there will be plenty of time to get to know the Tibetans and enjoy their fun-loving spirit. John, who is fluent in various Tibetan dialects, encourages his fellow travelers to intensively interact with the Tibetans and ask those questions one has stored up for years. And what better way to get answers than to ask the people themselves.

The journey begins in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal and the heart of the Himalaya. With John, we will spend two days exploring special cultural sites in the Kathmandu valley. At Changu Narayan, Swayambunath and the old city state of Bhaktapur, witness how Himalayan civilization took root and grew layer by layer into its present form. In addition to visiting well known Hindu and Buddhist places, John will lead us to hardly-known Iron Age sites, where we can appreciate the links between the Newar and Tibetan cultures before the rise of Sanskrit influences. We will have plenty of time to chat with the experts and ordinary people of all persuasions.

After three days we fly to Lhasa, Tibet’s famous capital. We will visit a rich array of cultural and archaeological treasures throughout the area. John will lead us to spectacular places such as the Potala and Jokhang, revealing their most ancient aspects. There will also be time to explore fascinating pilgrimage sites on the edge of the Lhasa valley. En route to Shigatse, Tibet’s second city, we will stop at the most important monasteries of the Bon religion. While there are many superficial similarities, through art, design and literature, John will show us how Bon and Buddhism differ from one another.

In Shigatse we will have time to see the city’s greatest spectacles, gaining a deeper appreciation of the depth and breadth of Tibetan civilization. From Shigatse we will head north through the majestic Transhimalaya range. In the Shang valley we will pass a string of Buddhist centers and natural power sites. At Sokpo see one of the region’s greatest cave hermitages and have a chance to talk to the inhabitants. 

Above Sokpo, we traverse the Transhimalaya and enter the vast plains of the Changthang, Tibet’s empty northern quarter. Yet, it is not as empty as it first seems. Hidden away in sheltered valleys and on escarpments are the remnants of the early inhabitants of the region. At places such as Mutig and Shawa Drag, these ancient hermitages have devolved to the Buddhists. Here is a great opportunity to peel back the strata of Tibetan civilization and come to better understand its march over the millennia.

ITINERARY

May 14, 2009 - Thu
Fly from USA.

May 15, Fri
En route to high Asia.

May 16, Sat
Arrive in Kathmandu. Transfer to our hotel. In the evening John will talk to members about the trip over refreshments.

May 17, Sun
We explore Bhaktapur in the morning to see prehistoric Kiranti sites, Newar Buddhist temples and more. Changu Narayan is the afternoon excursion, where we will see a 2000-year panorama of history in this core Himalayan region.

May 18, Mon
Our morning trip is to delightful Swoyambhu, Nepal’s first cultural site, according to legend. In the afternoon we will visit select cultural and archaeological nooks in hidden corners of the valley. Expect some surprises.

May 19, Tue
Fly to Lhasa. We drive one hour to Lhasa and our hotel. There will be a welcome dinner and trip briefing in the evening.

May 20, Wed
In the morning visit the Potala Palace and some of its most unusual chapels. In the afternoon we will go the Jokhang, the geomantic heart of Lhasa. There is also plenty of time for shopping in the Barkhor market, where authentic treasures and tourist kitsch await the discerning eye.

May 21, Thu
A day trip to Drak Yerpa, an ancient Bon holy site that devolved to the Buddhists in the 7th century. In the afternoon we will tour the Tibet Provincial museum, seeing some of Tibet’s most important artifacts.

May 22, Fri
We drive to Yungdrungling in Tsang province. This is the site of one of Bon’s most important and sumptuous monasteries. We will camp in the Tsangpo valley along the mighty Brahmaputra river.

May 23, Sat
We proceed to Menri monastery in the remote Topgyal valley. Menri, the nerve center of the Bon religion, is the ideal place to see alpine Tibet in all its majesty. We reach Shigatse in the evening.

May 24, Sun
Tashilhunpo, Shalu, Shigatse Dzong and other great Tibetan cultural hubs around Shigatse city are on today’s agenda. This is a fine opportunity to see Buddhist civilization in one of its most refined and grand manifestations.

May 25, Mon
We travel up the rugged Shang valley and cross the lofty Transhimalaya range to the Changtang, the vast northern quarter of Tibet. We make camp in the midst of a pristine lake-filled basin.

May 26, Tue
Visit Mutig monastery, spectacularly set on the end of a long promontory jutting into Pearl Lake. In the afternoon we drive and camp at Lutsang, a cave sanctuary and Buddhist monastery sheltered in a colorific limestone escarpment. Among the greatest attractions are the Tibetan nomads themselves. John will introduce us to some of his old friends among them.

May 27, Wed
In the morning we explore Deer Rock, the site of a Kagyud monastery and the ruins of a Bon hermitage occupied by the master Nangzer Lodpo in the 8th century. Here the breadth of Tibetan civilization is revealed in a way that few religious centers can offer. In the evening we set up camp on the western shores of Lake Nam Tso.

May 28, Thu
Today we enjoy the views of Nam Tso (the Celestial Lake) from Dokya Gonpa, an amazing vantage point. We also visit Chedo to revel in 3000 years of Tibetan rock paintings. Later in the day we drive along the north side of Lake Nam Tso and make camp at one of its many sacred sites. Expect more stunning scenery.

May 29, Fri
We reach Tashido, a very important cultural site in Upper Tibet. After beholding rock art secreted in caves, we return to Lhasa for our last evening in Tibet.

May 30, Sat
Fly Lhasa to Kathmandu. From Kathmandu connect to your flight home.

May 31, Sun
Arrive USA

COSTS:
US$ 3885 per person for land only
Single room supplement: US$ 455 per person
Group size: 10 to 20 persons

The above cost includes the following services:

• 3 nights accommodation at Hotel Yak & Yeti (Deluxe room) on full board basis.
• All sightseeing tour and transfer as per the itinerary with our local English speaking guide including entrance fees in Nepal.
• 4 nights accommodation at Hotel Kyichu or similar in Lhasa on full board basis and best available en-route.
• 5 nights at tented camp on full board basis in Tibet.
• All transfers and sightseeing tours as per the program with local English speaking Tibetan guide throughout the trip by deluxe bus in Lhasa and 4WD 4500 model land cruiser with
  oxygen in a car and support truck, camping support, kitchen staff, sherpa, trek sirdar etc.
• Tibet visa fee.

Costs exclude:

• Airfare for the sector Kathmandu - Lhasa - Kathmandu (US$ 650 per person, subject to change).
• Nepal re-entry visa fee.
• International airfare.
• Airport tax.
• Photography charges.
• Refreshment, bottled drinks, tips, cost arising due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Expenses of personal nature.
• Any kind of insurance and other not mentioned in the above cost.
  

Note:

• This trip is for individuals with a strong interest in Tibetan and Himalayan cultures.
• This trip is for highly motivated individuals who enjoy camping at high elevation for a week.
• This trip is for those who are in excellent health and have much endurance.

Dowload pdf of Tibet Looking Glass

For more information, please contact:
Adventures Within Reach
2527 Broadway St.
Boulder, CO 80304
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info@AdventuresWithinReach.com
www.AdventuresWithinReach.com/johnbellezza