India: Tibetan Refugees in the Himalayas
"Internal peace is an essential first step to achieving peace in the world. How do you cultivate it? It’s very simple. In the first place by realizing clearly that all mankind is one, that human beings in every country are members of one and the same family."
— His Holiness the Dalai LamaOverview
In 1960, the Dalai Lama left Tibet and establish a “government-in-exile” in Dharamsala, a town in the Indian Himalayas. Since then, thousands of Tibetan exiles have settled the area and it has become a center of Buddhist spiritual activity drawing visitors from all over the world.
Join us as we travel through the Indian Himalayas, one of the most visually stunning regions on earth, and learn about the struggle of the Tibetan refugee community, meet their leaders and engage in cultural exchange with the children. We will end our journey by seeing “the jewel in India”, the Taj Mahal. This GLA experience is a journey of the body and soul, and is truly life-changing.
Highlights
- Engage in cultural exchange with Tibetan refugees
- Meditate at Tsuglag Khang, the Dalai Lama’s temple
- Learn firsthand from Tibetan Buddhist monks about their struggle
- Hike through the breathtaking Himalayas
- Visit the Taj Mahal, an architectural marvel
Schedule
- Day 1: Arrive in Delhi, overnight to train to Himalayas
- Day 2: Bus through mountains to Dharmasala
- Day 3: Community interaction in Dharamsala
- Day 4: Workshops and learning in Dharamsala
- Day 5: Day at McLeod Ganj, town where Dalai Lama lives
- Day 6: Travel to Dalhousie, former British hill station
- Day 7: Dalhousie, travel to Chamba Valley, camp
- Day 8: Trek through Chamba Valley, visit temples
- Day 9: Travel to Pathankot by bus, overnight train back to Delhi
- Day 10: Stroll through Old Delhi, shopping in craft markets
- Day 11: Day in Agra, visit Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, return to Delhi
- Day 12: Depart for home
