Discovering Buddha Nature
A Pilgrimage in Bhutan
with Khenpo Tokpa Tulku
April 2 - 12, 2026
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Paro (Day 1)
Arriving to Paro is like no other — setting down nestled amongst the Himalayan mountains we’ll whisk you off the experience the enchanting beauty of the Paro Tsechu — a festival to celebrate the life of Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Vajrayana Buddhism in this region of the world.
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Thimpu (Day 2-3)
Our Day 2-3 destination, Thimpu is the capital - the 5th highest in the world at over 7000 feet elevation - and the largest city in Bhutan with around 75,000 inhabitants. It’s a vibrant cultural hub that provides an inviting intro to the wonders of Bhutan!
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Punakha - Gangtey (Day 4-5)
Get ready to see take in the majesty of Bhutan’s 70% forested landscape as we continue our journey across the wilds with overnights in the wonder of Punakha and Gangtey Valley. Many amazing pilgrimage stops await us hidden here amongst the mountainsides.
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Bumthang Region, Thang Valley (Day 6-8)
This leg of our journey will transpire in the “heartland of Buddhism” in Bhutan. In 746 AD, the great bodhisattva, Guru Rinpoche, arrived here to exorcise a demon from the king, thus restoring peace to the region & converting the people to Buddhism.
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Paro (Day 9-11)
Our trip will conclude in Paro — home to the famously astounding Tiger’s Nest — a cliffside monastery built in 1692 and with direct connection to Padmasambhava himself! While here we’ll also visit the incredible Kyichu Lakhang - home to the beloved Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
This is a pilgrimage…
Ask yourself this? Just how often do you think you’ll have the chance to go on a pilgrimage in BHUTAN with a master teacher of the Kagyu-Nyingma lineage of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche?!?! I’ll tell ya — NOT often! So, don’t dilly dally — just grab your spot and come along for the ride because this is going to be an incredible opportunity to explore, study, practice and GROW!
An experience like no other! Daily meditation & philosophy training with Tulku-la & Gom Yoga with Cory
What is Buddha Nature? Buddha Nature is the innate goodness at the core of all sentient beings. As human beings we are most fortunate because we have the opportunity to discover and experience this goodness. And then we can show up for ourselves and others from that perspective.
Tulku-la has an incredible ability to guide practice that supports us in connecting with this truth within. Each day he will offer teachings and lead us in guided meditation sessions centered around our innate goodness.
Your Teachers/Guides
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Khenpo Tokpa Tulku
TEACHER
Khenpo-la was born in 1978 in Nubri in northern Nepal. In 1987, when he was nine years old, he was ordained as a Buddhist monk at Ka Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Boudhanath, Nepal. In 1998 he commenced studies in the monastic college at the Sangye Yeshe Higher Shedra. He studied there for nine years, focusing on texts related to sutra- and mantra-level Buddhism as well as general fields of study. Currently he teaches to those who are interested in Buddhist teachings, both ordained and lay, from both East and West.
Today Khenpo-la spends most of the year at his home near the majestic Mount Manaslu where he is working to rebuild the monastery that has been passed down to him going back to his great grandfather who settled there. Damaged by the 2015 earthquake its restoration is the main focus of the philanthropic efforts of The Spiritual Pilgrim - a portion of the proceeds of this trip will go toward continuation of this effort.
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Cory Bryant, PhD, E-RYT
FOUNDER / GUIDE
Cory has devoted much of the past decade to exploring the intersections between Ashtanga Yoga and Tibetan Buddhism. Dating back to 2002 he has studied intensively with renowned yoga masters such as David Life, Sharon Gannon, David Garrigues, Tim Miller, Tim Feldmann and Kino MacGregor, as well, as Tibetan lineage holders including Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (with whom he took refuge) and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. His approach to teaching reflects not only his deep commitment to spiritual practice but also his extensive study of Yoga and Buddhism.
With a Ph.D. in Food Chemistry and a background in international food policy, Cory brings a unique perspective to his teaching, blending the precision of the scientific method with the contemplative wisdom of Buddhist philosophy. He explores the rich intersections between Buddhism and Yoga, offering an integrative approach to both practice and life.
Itinerary
Day 1: Touching down in BHUTAN. Upon landing in the beautiful Paro Valley, surrounded by the Himalayas, our local guides will be there to welcome us all to Bhutan. After we’ve all collected our bags, we’ll head to the Paro Dzong to enjoy the annual Tsechu festival. This is a rare opportunity to experience one of the most celebrated events of Bhutan — a tribute to the life of Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) - the yogi responsible for establishing Buddhism in this part of the world.
After the festival we’ll stop for lunch in Paro Town and then make a short stop at Tachog Lakhang, built by the legendary Great Iron Bridge Builder, Thangtong Gyalpo (1385-1464). We’ll then proceed another 45 minutes to make our way to the capital city of Thimphu where we can get settled at our arrival hotel near the city center. There we’ll gather for a brief orientation meeting followed by a group dinner and evening practice with Tulku-la before we turn in for the night.
Day 2: THIMPHU. Mornings will kick off with meditation & asana practice from 6:30-8:30 am before a break for breakfast and time to ready for the day’s departure at 10:00am. Today, after a short drive, we’ll take a leisurely hike to visit Tango Gompa (“gom” meaning meditation and “pa” meaning place). After lunch along the river we’ll head to Changangkha Lakhang before returning to the hotel. Then we’ll gather at 5:30pm for our evening session with Khenpo-la before heading out again for a very special dinner at the lovely Folk Heritage Museum where you might even get a chance to try out a bit of archery!
Day 3: THIMPHU to PUNAKHA. After our morning practice & a delicious breakfast, we’ll start the 2-hour drive to Punakha. Along the way we’ll make a meditation stop at Dochula Pass to take in the majestic mountain views before lunch. After lunch we'll finish up the drive with a stop at the Punakha Dzong before getting settled at the Bhutanic Resort where we’ll gather for a session with Khenpo-la before enjoying a nice dinner there to round out the day.
Day 4: PUNAKHA to GANGTEY. This morning, after practice and breakfast, we’ll depart for Gangtey with a stop at the beautiful Sangchhen Dorji Lhuendrup Lhakhang Nunnery. From there we’ll travel a bit futher to Kukham House for a delicious Bhutanese lunch in a traditional villa setting before journeying onto Gangtey where we’ll visit Gangtey Gompa before checking into the ABC Lodge set amongst the fields of the local village.
Day 5: GANGTEY to BUMTHANG. Post practice and breakfast, we’ll depart for Bumthang — where we’ll be settling in for a few days. Bumthang is considered the “heartland of Buddhism” in Bhutan. In 746 AD, the great bodhisattva, Guru Rinpoche, arrived there to exorcised a demon from the king, thus restoring peace to the region & converting the people to Buddhism. Along the way we’ll make a lunch and exploration stop in Trongsa Town. With an afternoon arrival to the Swiss Guest House we’ll have time to get settled, enjoy a session with Khenpo-la and have a nice dinner amongst these nature-filled environs of peaceful Bumthang.
Day 6: BUMTHANG REGION, THANG VALLEY. This morning, after practice and breakfast, we’ll head out for a morning visit to Kurjey Lakhang followed by Tamshing Monastery — all before heading back to Swiss Guest House for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. Kurjey Lakhang is the final resting place of the first three kings of Bhutan (the current king is the 5th) and is also home to a tree that is believed to house a terma (hidden teaching) left by Padmasambhava. Tamshing dates back to 1501 and was founded by Pema Lingpa — a Bhutanese siddha of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and second only to Padmasambhava in terms of signifance to Vajrayana in Bhutan. In the evening we’ll venture out to Karchu Dratsang for a traditional puja with the monks there.
Day 7: BUMTHANG. After our usual morning routine, we’ll head off on the day’s adventure — this time our first stop will be Mebar Tsho, “flaming lake”, the place where Bhutan’s famed terton (treasure revealer), Pema Lingpa, discovered teachings of Guru Rinpoche in the 15th century. From there we’re moving onto the Tang Valley and a 30 min uphilll hike to Kunzandra Monastery — all before lunch! Then after lunch we’ll visit the inspiring Oygen Choling Heritage House, perched on a commanding hilltop in rolling Thang Valley. The historic property offers delicious meals, gardens, a museum, hiking trails, and it’s own meditation hall where we may sneak in some meditation time with Khenpo-la.
Day 8: BUMTHANG. On this day, after practice & breakfast, we’ll drive a short distance to the trailhead for a hike up to Thowa Drak, one of most important “yogi caves” in Bhutan. The 8th century Buddhist yogi Guru Rinpoche spent several years practicing & teaching in caves all over Bhutan, four of which are on the Thang Valley. We’ll enjoy a moderate hike up to the spectacular cave & a temple that overlooks the Thang Valley, with dramatic snow peaks in the distance. After our hike, we’ll return to Jakar Town for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll try and get visits to Jambay Lakhang — one of 108 monasteries that in mythology were miraculously constructed by King Songten Gampo in one night.— and Jakar Dzong. Back to the hotel around 4pm and we’ll wrap up the day with time to for a relaxing meditation session with Khenpo-la before dinner.
Day 9: BUMTHANG to PARO. This morning we’ll have an early flight from Jakar back to Bhutan’s Paro Valley (7,300 feet) — one of the most spectacular 30 minute flights in the world! Out the window of the plane you’ll pass range after awe-inspiring range of Himalayan peaks, We’ll settle into our cozy cottage hotel with incredible vast views of the valley below. We’ll land, grab lunch in Paro Town and then get checked into the hotel before heading to Kyichu Lakhang — a beautiful, inviting and ancient monastery — the oldest in Bhutan — and the eventual home of the late great Dilgo Khentsye Rinpoche. It is also one of the 108 monasteries established by the Buddhist King Songstsen Gampo of Tibet.
Day 10: TIGERS NEST. Our journey through Bhutan culminates at this, the kingdom’s most iconic site: Taktsang monastery, known as “The Tiger’s Nest.” This majestic structure is located high above the Paro valley, built dramatically into the face of a vertical granite cliff. After our morning practice and breakfast we’ll take a short drive to the start of our 2 hour hike up to the nest. We’ll stop for lunch at the half-way point and then spend the afternoon exploring this ancient wonder before heading back to the hotel (arriving around 4pm) for a relaxing evening and our farewell dinner.
Day 11: DEPARTURES. Our staff will transport us all to the airport for our 8am departure back to Kathmandu!
Gom Yoga
What is Gom Yoga? It’s a fusion of Tibetan Buddhist meditation and the Flow of Asana: “Gom” is the Tibetan word for meditation meaning “to become familiar with” and this practice is inspired by Cory’s personal journey with Tibetan Buddhism and Ashtanga Yoga – aiming to create a space where we can explore the powerful combination of these two practices. In this class, you’ll experience the grounding and strength-building elements of Ashtanga Yoga, seamlessly integrated with the calming and introspective practices of Shamatha (calm-abiding) meditation. Whether you’re looking to deepen your existing practice or explore something new, Cory invites you to join him on this journey of mindful movement and meditation. A daily 60 minute class accessible and beneficial for all levels - no experience necessary (and always an optional addition to your day!).
How much does it cost?
Shared room rate = $5380
Private room rate = $5980
This includes all your expenses while in Bhutan — Visa, lodging, meals, and yoga — AND flights (KTM-Paro-KTM plus domestic flight in Bhutan). Our local guides will pick us up on arrival to the airport and we will provide top notch service from that point forward until we return you safely to the airport for depature.
The trip cost does not include your travel to/from Kathmandu where we will together start the pilgrimage.
The deposit to secure your spot is $800 and it is nonrefundable. When you register you may opt for a payment plan. If you cancel for any reason you will not be refunded the deposit. We do recommend securing travel insurance for the trip and we will provide a recommended vendor for doing so.
Final payment is due by Dec 1, 2025.
Your Accomodations
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Thimpu
Situated in the old downtown this lovely hotel offers peace and quiet in the middle of Bhutan’s capital city.
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Punakha
Nestled in the hills overlooking a river this countryside inn offers spectacular views with nicely appointed accomodations.
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Gangtey
A lovely one night stopover at this beautiful spot in the Gangtey Valley. Guaranteed to continue our love of nature!
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Bumthang
A classic Bhutanese lodge, Swiss Guest House continues to serve its long-honored traditions of hospitality and specialties for all those seeking respite and peace.
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Paro
Situated among the Bhutanese local communities together with the farmhouse and villages we’ll be nestled in lovely cottages with incredible views of the valley!
