Nepal Pilgrimage - The Four Boundless with Cory Bryant

Sept 29 - Oct 7, 2024

Our days will include…

  • Mornings are for meditation, yoga and exploring the dharma.

  • Daily adventures in the Kathmandu Valley!

  • Teachings with true masters, scholars, monks/nuns in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

The Four Boundless

Both Patanjali in The Yoga Sutras and the Buddha in his teachings stressed the importance of cultivating four qualities to an unlimited degree — loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. This teaching and its practice, as well as this place — the Kathmandu Valley — is very near and dear to my heart. Over the years I have found it so meaningful to explore the four boundless here. So, each day, after meditation and yoga practice I’ll spend a short time with you sharing on these sacred teachings to support integrating these qualities into our days together.

  • Day 1 - 3

    Exploring the vibrant Swayambunath area - including excursions to nearby World Heritage sites!

  • Day 3 - 6

    Comfortably based in Katmandu's Boudha village, a thriving buddhist community of 40,000 Tibetans living the spiritual tradition of the Buddha.

  • Day 6 - 8

    Retreat to the beautiful Namo Buddha Resort, a cozy, nature reserve in the foothills of the Himalayas (think The Shire in the Hobbit movies!).

What You Can Expect

It's Nepal! Be ready for the unexpected - we are!

On arrival in Kathmandu Airport our sweet local staff will greet you and from that point on you can just lean back and enjoy the ride! Rest assured we’ve got you covered from start to finish, including some “free time” as we thought you would appreciate that too.

  • Daily visits and hikes to unforgettable and powerfully charged sacred sites, temples and monasteries

  • Delicious vegetarian meals (with vegan options)

  • Free time and space for YOU

  • The company of good friends

  • Magical sunrises and sunsets EVERY day

The Yoga

Cory Bryant has been teaching yoga for 16 years — you’re in good hands. His philosophy on practice and teaching revolves around two principles: (1) every BODY is different and deserves to be seen and met where they ARE; (2) yoga is meditation and as such is to be taught and practiced in such a way as to put you - the practitioner - in charge of your practice. So, each day he will work with each person to develop the practice that supports your time in Nepal. The beauty of this approach is that whether you are new to yoga or highly experienced — or whether you’re young and flexible or older and stiff doesn’t matter — together we’ll set you up to start the day with mindful, productive, healthy movement!

Sacred Sites Abound!

Stops on our journey include:

Unesco World Heritage Sites

  • Dating back to 5th century CE this is the largest and one of the most sacred site for Buddhists in the world - surrounded by a village of 40,000 Tibetans and 50 monasteries, this will be our home base

  • Over 1500 hundred years old and accessible via 365 steps - this shrine traces its origins back to that of the valley itself

  • One of the three original kingdoms dating back to at least the 12th century CE and located in the east corner of the valley - Bhaktapur is known for its artisans and is a super fun place to wander and shop

  • A millenia old Shiva temple - like the Varanasi of Nepal a cremation ground for local people

Several monasteries, including

  • We'll receive teachings from Khenpo Tulku Tokpa - a reincarnated lama

  • In the hills of Namo Buddha

  • Nagi Gompa where we'll have lunch and practice meditation with the amazing head of the nunnery - Ani Gyan Tara

How Much Does it Cost?

$1988 (USD) - shared room (*note, if you do not have a roommate we will do our best to pair you with one; however, if that’s not possible you’ll need to pay the private room rate).

$2488 (USD) - private room

Hold your spot with a $450 nonrefundable deposit.

*We understand that sometimes unforeseen circumstances result in the need to cancel; however, deposits help us maintain operations and prepare for upcoming pilgrimages. As such we offer the following caveats:

If you cancel at least 3 months prior to the start date of the trip we will:

Refund 50% of your deposit; or

Apply 75% forward toward the deposit for a future offering.

If within the 3 month window for the pilgrimage that you originally booked the deposit is 100% nonrefundable.

You are responsible for your international transportation to/from Kathmandu, Visa costs, shopping and a few meals here and there, otherwise all expenditures are included.

Final payments due Aug 15, 2024.

Program Costs do not include: airfare to and from Kathmandu, airport or departure taxes not included in your air ticket, visa fees, additional hotel nights before or after scheduled program dates, unscheduled activities and excursions, soft drinks, alcohol and espresso drinks, phone calls, massage services, shopping, laundry or other personal expenses, additional meals, drinks and snacks, travel insurance, trekking/travel extensions (although we are happy to arrange for you).

Where we stay

  • Boutique hotel near Swayambunath Stupa — the Vajra is a private oasis of lush gardens and traditional brick buildings with an incredible yoga shala on the roof level. It’s a wonderful place to stay for our first 2 nights.

  • Owned by one of the local monasteries, HLG sits tucked away in a secluded corner just off the main thoroughfare to Boudhanath Stupa - a 3 minute walk away! It’s nicely appointed with beautiful 2-story traditional thangka painted murals in the lobby.

  • About 90 minutes drive outside the city up in the Himalayan foothills sits this lush garden Shire-like oasis. Owned and operated for 30 years by a German proprietor with an eye for detail and a even better one for cooking, this is a lovely respite from the busyness of the city and a short hike to a magnificent monastery that marks the place where the Buddha made his most selfless act in a ilfe just prior to becoming The Buddha.