The adventures are for
two weeks (14 nights). All start dates above are Sundays and are the latest
dates visitors can arrive in Kathmandu to
join the group. The itinerary begins on the Sunday evening. Finish dates are
also Sundays. The itinerary will finish at breakfast that Sunday, meaning
visitors can fly out on any flight that day.* This adventure
incorporates the colourful three day Tibetan New Year festival which is
celebrated in Bridim. Return
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Itinerary
Each adventure will have
a slightly different itinerary that will depend on group preference, fitness,
season and local ceremonies which will always be incorporated where possible.
However, below is a typical itinerary.
Day 1 Sunday
Arrive in Kathmandu . You will be met at the airport and be taken
to the hotel. You may relax or explore until the group meets at dinner.
Day 2 Monday
Tour of Kathmandu . As well as the usual sites such as Durbar Square and the MonkeyTemple , you will receive a personalised tour of the Kopan Monastery, one of the
largest and best regarded in Nepal . Here, you may be fortunate enough to have an audience with the highest lama
resident at the monastery, Khenrinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel. There will also
be time to purchase any last minute supplies for the mountains.
Day 3 Tuesday
Drive by 4x4 or minibus
from Kathmandu
to Syabru Bensi (about 6-8
hours). This drive takes you up through the beautiful Himalayan foothills and
through villages occupied by different ethnicities including Brahmin Nepalis,
Tamang (Tibetan related) and finally the Kerung Tibetans with whom you will
spend most of your adventure. You will stop one night in Syabru deep in a
valley at 1,400m in guest house accommodation. This is the end of the road
before the border, and the last road you will see.
Day 4 Wednesday
Walk from Syabru Bensi to
Bridim. Bridim is your base village at 2,100m and has a population of around
250. The walk from Syabru is mostly uphill and over into the next valley.
Taken at a very leisurely pace this will take a pleasant and exhilarating 4-5
hours. Nights spent in Bridim will be in our comfortable Tibetan lodges with
access to hot, running water, shower and modern toilet facilities.
Day 4 & 5 Thursday
and Friday
Explore Bridim, language
lessons, learn local crafts and working/agricultural methods, meditation
practice and talks from resident lama on religion and culture. One evening
will include a dinner with a local family.
Day 6 & 7 Saturday
and Sunday
Break for the border!
This excursion takes you on the 4-6 hour walk to the Tibetan border and the
remote villages of Sedang (Timure) and possibly Bong Seri where you will
spend one night either in village houses or tents. The walk will not go above
3,000m meaning thin air will not be an issue.
Day 8 Monday
Day in Bridim. Meet the
Shaman, the practitioner of the ancient, pre-Buddhist practice of Shamanism.
You will see him dressed in colourful robes and a feathered hat as spirits
enter his body to help him cure or bless locals. There will also be talks
from the lama and meditation practise.
Day 9 Tuesday
Walk to Godekang at
around 3,500m. This flat piece of land, and the route to it, provides
spectacular views of the surrounding mountain peaks. Wind up through the
dense forests and appear above the tree line surrounded by nothing but the
world's highest mountains. There is a chance of seeing monkeys, yak, bears
and if you're very lucky a red panda (or even a yeti). You will camp in total
wilderness.
Day 10 Wednesday
Wind your way back down
to Bridim. This is quite a steep walk virtually all downhill. Back in the village,
enjoy a party Tibetan style with your porters and the villagers.
Day 11 Thursday
Relax in Bridim with
massage, meditation and plenty of reading time.
Day 12 Friday
In the morning, the
Bridim Bazaar kicks off. This gives visitors a chance to purchse beautiful
Tibetan crafts made locally and ensure that the money goes directly to the
villagers. This helps to keep these crafts alive. After lunch, you will walk
back to Syabru Bensi (about 2.5 hours on the way down) and stay at a guest
house for the night.
Day 13 Saturday
Drive back to Kathmandu by 4x4 or minibus (about 6-8 hours)
While in Bridim, guests
occupy one of two houses in the middle of the village built in the
traditional Tibetan style. Each house sleeps four in three double rooms and
two singles. Each house has a new but traditionally-built toilet/shower
building next door with solar-powered hot water and shower and a sit-down, flushing
toilet - the only ones for miles around! Rooms blend Tibetan and basic
village styles with certain additional necessities, including beds,
mattresses, clean sheets and duvets. A living room in one of the houses, in
traditional Tibetan style complete with floor-fire and shrine, provides a
central meeting point for the evenings. A beautiful garden between the two
houses overlooking the village and the stunning valley and mountains,
provides a serene spot for meals, tea and relaxation.Click on the pictures
below to see enlargements
The living room
A single bedroom
The garden - an
incredibly peaceful spot with stunning views.
While in Kathmandu, guests stay in a quality central hotel with
en-suite room.
While on treks (one or two
nights) guests camp. All equipment, including tents, thick mattresses and
even hot water bottles are provided and prepared for you. Only a sleeping bag
is required.
For one night each way
from/to Kathmandu, guests stay in a guest
house in Syabru Bensi.
The base village for your
adventure is Bridim. Your stay there will usually coincide with a ceremony or
festival. This could be the new moon or full moon days, weddings, Tibetan New
Year, or any village events mostly focusing around the monastery area. The
village is extremely peaceful hidden on the slopes of a steep valley at
2,100m. While each day there will involve different events, or often free
time to relax, a typical day there is given below. Note, that all events are
optional and if visitors wish to just relax in our refreshing garden in the
sunshine, they are very welcome. Note also, that village events are not staged for our visitors. We simply fit around their schedule.
8:30 Tea and
coffee served
8:45 Brief yoga or
morning exercises
9:00 Breakfast (inc. egg/omelette and
porridge/muesli)
10:00 A talk or meditation session
from our resident monk from Kopan (45 mins)
11:00 Morning event: for example
village tour, language lesson, farming methods, craft making, cave
excursion.
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Afternoon event: for example
attending local festival, wedding ceremony, watching chanting in the
monastery.
17:00 Tea and possible talk or brief
meditation with resident monk
18:00 Dinner
19:30 Either quiet evening or evening
event such as a visit from the Shaman to cure your ills!
There is
the option of taking a helicopter, which especially on the return journey
can be an exhilarating way to leave - flying over the mountains and valleys
back to Kathmandu in around 30 minutes
instead of a full day. This also, of course, buys you more time. Note,
these helicopters can also be called in should any emergency occur or
medical situation requiring a visit to hospital. The cost of a helicopter
each way is an additional £1,125 per group (approximately £140 per person
assuming an 8 person group).
Tsering,
a full partner in Dolma Ecotourism, is a native of Bridim who has worked in
the tourist industry since 1990. He has been a trek leader in Nepal since
1997 and has led groups up to 32 people, while managing 20 support staff.
His area of expertise is Langtang - his region. He is deeply knowledgeable
about, and involved with the issues, opportunities and threats facing the
local people and landscape.
Tsering is a living
example of what Dolma Ecotourism wishes to encourage development
through empowerment . He
received a full education sponsored by a couple in Switzerland . As a result he
speaks perfect English. He has used that education to become a successful
guide while simultaneously bringing benefits to his home village. Such
projects include the installation of a solar panel at the local school to
provide hot showers for the children and other residents, and finding foreign
education sponsors for many local children.
Tsering will be your
personal guide for the entire adventure, from picking you up at the airport
to dropping you off at the airport. He will bring your holiday to life by
acting as your interface to the local people, discussing issues facing them
and showing you the breathtaking Langtang Himalayan region in a safe and
experienced way. He will be your first point of contact for any issues you
may have, and will manage all porters, cooks, teachers and other support
staff to ensure that the needs of visitors are met.
In his own words: Dolma
Eco-Tourism is a way for me to combine my work with really giving something
back to my beloved people. I do not want to see my culture washed away by a
tide of change, and I believe that this model of sustainable development can
greatly improve living standards while retaining the essence of the Tibetan,
mountain culture. This is not a job, it's my duty.
Jangsem goes for heart operation. Health project begins.
Jangsem is an 8 year-old girl from Bridim. She suffers from a complex heart defect, present from birth, and had just months to live. Dr. Sean Keogh and Dr. Christine Bradshaw, two doctors who were invited by Dolma to Nepal in February 04, examined her and immediately realised that her clinical situation was serious. Following the coordinated efforts of the Dolma Development Fund (DDF) and of Sean and Christine, Jangsem has now undergone heart surgery at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Hospital in Kathmandu. The operation was a success and she is currently recovering.
Press interest reaches Sunday Times & Harpers & Queen
As news of our model of mutually beneficial tourism spreads, these two publications have joined the growing list covering the Dolma Cultural Adventure. Harpers send editor, Lucy Yoemans, and an article will be published shortly. The Sunday Times feature was published in print in 27th June. It, & other coverage, can be read at:
