World Youth International Presents Sapana Dreaming Children s Home 10 th Anniversary

Transcription

1 World Youth International Presents Sapana Dreaming Children s Home 10 th Anniversary 11 th 25 th September 2011 In association with Joanna Giles, Patron of Sapana Dreaming Children s Home and Founder of HOG Heaven Foundation. 15 Days /14 Nights in Amazing Nepal Day 1. Sunday 11 th September Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, where you will receive a warm welcome and then you will be transferred to Nirvana Gardens Hotel. Settle in Nirvana Gardens Hotel Orientation 6pm Dinner (Included) at 7pm and a SURPRISE! Day 2. Monday 12th Monkey Temple and morning walking Tour of Durba Square. Breakfast Depart 9am Free afternoon - Shop on your way back (buy fabrics) to the hotel or catch a rickshaw Visit a dressmaker 7pm - Traditional Nepali Naxal Newari Restaurant 1

2 Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) The golden spire of the 5th-century Swayambhu Stupa is adorned with a colourful fluttering of prayer flags; it crowns a hill overlooking the Kathmandu Valley and offers fantastic views over the city of Kathmandu. Swayambhunath is one of the most recognisable symbols in Nepal and the painted eyes of Buddha watch all who ascend the worn stone steps. It is a World Heritage Site and one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, and is at the source of the Valley s mythical beginning. Legend has it that the history of the Valley began with the draining of an ancient lake by an Enlightened Being to reveal the valley and a lotus flower was transformed into the hill and the shining light became the stupa itself. Swarms of pilgrims and red-clad monks circle the complex, spinning the prayer wheels, while the scores of monkeys that give the temple its nickname, Monkey Temple, prance about in irreverent groups. The temple complex is scattered with shrines and statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities and the assortment of pilgrims from both faiths characterises the country s unique religious harmony. Kathmandu s Durbar Square is one of three Durbar (Royal Palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley. It is the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace complex, which was the Royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and was where important ceremonies, such as the Coronation of the Nepalese Monarch, use to take place. The two-hectare (five-acre) palace complex is divided into two main chowks, or courtyards, and was initially constructed in the 16th century, although subsequent additions were made in the Shah (Gurkha) Dynasty in the 18th century and by the Rana rulers in the 19th century. The palace is decorated with elaborately-carved wooden windows and panels and houses the King Tribhuwan Memorial Museum, dedicated to the monarch who opened up Nepal to the outside world, and the Mahendra Museum, dedicated to his son, King Mahendra. It is also possible to visit the State Rooms inside the palace. At the southern end of Durbar Square is one of the most curious attractions in Nepal, the Kumari Chowk. This gilded cage contains the Raj Kumari, a young girl chosen through an ancient and mystical selection process to become the human incarnation of the Hindu Mother Goddess, Durba. She is worshipped during religious festivals and makes public appearances at other times for a fee paid to her guards. 2

3 Day 3. Tuesday 13th Optional Everest Flight early morning departure. Mrs Satyal s Childrens School Free afternoon Optional Fatima Healing Centre Foot Spa Lunch and Dinner not included Day 4. Wednesday 14 th September. All Day Depart 9am for Sapana Dreaming Children s Home 10th year Celebrations Breakfast Bus to Gokarna Full day celebrations *Lunch included Dinner is not included as most people are exhausted but if you have the stamina we always go out and have fun. Bring your camera!! Children celebrating Founders Day at the WYI School and children s home. Day 5. Thursday 15 th September Bhaktapur Visit Rabindra s Traditional Home and then walk onto the Green One Village Free for dinner Today you rise early and view the beautiful sunrise against the backdrop of the Himalayas. After breakfast drive to Bhaktapur, a history - soaked medieval town, that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in the 9th century and shaped like a conch shell, the city boasts an array of temples overlooked by the Palace with its fifty-five windows built by King Bhupatindra Malla. It is the best preserved of the three original cities of Kathmandu Valley, the other two being Kathmandu and Patan. Completely renovated by the Germans a few years back, the city reflects a medieval look. It was founded in the 9th century and is shaped like a conch shell. Located 4,600 above sea level, the city boasts an array of temples dominated by the Palace built by King Bhupatindra Malla. Here you will visit the Golden Gate at the Palace of 55 windows; the Pashupatinath temple, famous for its erotic carvings; the Nyatapole temple, the tallest in the country and best example of the pagoda style; the Dattatreya temple; and Pujari Math, with its uniquely carved wooden windows. Visit Rabindra s Traditional Home and then walk onto the Green One Village 3

4 Day 6. Friday 16 th September All Day BYO box lunch Pashupatinath - Boudhanath Stupa Monastery - Fatima Evening free (dinner not included) Dressmaker Pashupatinath - is located on the banks of the Bagmati River. Much like the Ganges, the Bagmati is a holy river and an auspicious place to be cremated. You may even witness an ancient Hindu cremation ritual. The wrapped body is placed upon a mound of smouldering logs and brush, and then set alight. Hindus believe that the soul escapes through the skull, to be reborn again. The Boudhanath Stupa is the largest Buddhist Stupa in Nepal. It is the religious centre for the Buddhist people. Surrounding the Stupa there are many different monasteries belonging to different Buddhist sects. Most visitors go to the Stupa for sightseeing, shopping and Tibetans handicrafts. During the full moon day many Buddhist people come to celebrate and take part in various religious activities. BBQ Dinner at Dwarika s Hotel. A divine, smart, elegant traditional hotel. Dinner included. Day 7. Saturday 17 th September Optional Everest Flight Free day - Dressmaker Garden of Dreams Just two minutes' walk, but a million miles from Thamel is the beautifully restored Swapna Bagaicha, or Garden of Dreams, one of the most serene and beautiful enclaves in Kathmandu. Field marshal Kaiser Shamser, whose Palace the Gardens complement, built the Garden of Dreams in the 1920s after a visit to several Edwardian estates in England, using funds won from his father in an epic Rs100,000 game of Cowrie shells. The Gardens and its pavilions suffered neglect to the point of collapse before they were lovingly brought back to life over a six-year period by the same team that created the Patan Museum. MADS Party Relax and unwind Traditional Nepali Jam Session local musicians and food - Casual 4

5 Day 8. Sunday 18 th September All day Bus to Manakamana Cable Car The temple and small village of Manakamana is situated atop the 1302 metre hill that lies just north-east of the town of Mugling, some three and a half hours by bus east from Pokhara, or about the same time by bus west from Kathmandu. A cable car runs from the cable station of Cheres, just 5 kms east of Mugling to Manakamana taking fifteen minutes. It is an exhilarating ride as you pass the river and up two ridges to the top. A lovely Lunch near the River Bus continues to Pokhara. Check in to Hotel Dinner. Day th September -Monday - Pokhara Tour Early morning drive to Sarangkot, see the sunrise over the Himalayas. Sightseeing of Seti gorge, Devi's Falls, Vindyavashini Temple, and Mahendra cave, etc. Enjoy a leisurely walk along Phewa Lake and one hour Boating. Day th September -Tuesday Breakfast - Return to Kathmandu by Air Free Afternoon - Dressmaker / Shopping Depart 5.30pm Chitamani Yogi School Concert. Dinner included. Spiritual Teacher and Community Leader Day st September -Wednesday Solar Village Full day - Dinner at Nanglo included Day nd September -Thursday Sapana Dreaming Childrens Home/ World Youth International School Free Afternoon Dinner not included Day rd September - Friday Patan This afternoon visit Patan. Patan Durbar Square is a concentrated mass of temples, the most stunning display of Newari architecture to be seen in Nepal. Listed in World Heritage Site, the former Royal Palace complex is the center of Patan's religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues and religious objects. One remarkable monument here is a 17th century temple dedicated to the Hindu God Lord Krishna, built entirely of stone. Day th September - Saturday FREE DAY Party Included Day th September Sunday -Depart Kathmandu Tears and Farewells 5