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In the West, Nepal is probably best known for Mt Everest, the world’s highest mountain—and Everest is worth seeing! But there is far more to see and do in Nepal: it is a fascinating country, with amazing natural and cultural diversity. In the Himalayan north, there are 8 of the 10 tallest mountains in the world, while in the jungle south, there are vast national parks where you have a chance of seeing some of Asia’s most endangered animals: one-horned rhinos, Asian elephants—and probably the best chance anywhere of seeing Bengal tiger. But it also has 128 peoples and languages, some of the greatest holy sites of Hinduism and Buddhism (including the birthplace of the Buddha), many 1000 year old temples with elaborate carvings—the pagoda was invented here and adopted by the Chinese—and a plethora of wonderful local handicrafts, from mandalas to singing bowls to pashminas. Also, like India, it has traditionally had three genders—and Nepal is in the forefront of Asian countries for guaranteeing the rights of sexuality and gender minorities. Gay sex has been legal since 2007, and the first legal gay marriages in Nepal took place in 2023. On our tour we will have the chance to meet with the local LGBTQ+ community and to hear about Nepal’s progress from the principal leader of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in Nepal, who will meet with us and give us our LGBTQ+ tour of Kathmandu!
Your local city airport
3 Hours Before Flight Time
This journey through Nepal goes far beyond postcard views of Everest. You can expect a deeply layered experience that moves between breathtaking landscapes, sacred art, living traditions, and modern LGBTQ+ history.
We will take today to rest after our international flights (or our India tour). In the evening we meet for a welcome dinner with traditional Nepali foods (e.g. curries and momos) and a show of traditional dances from all across Nepal.
Hotel for 3 nights: Dusit Princess, a supremely comfortable hotel blending tradtional design with modern comfort in a quiet location, only a short drive from all of Kathmandu’s sights.
Kathmandu is home to some of the holiest temples of Hinduism and Buddhism. Today we will visit the three most important: Pashupatinath, where the head of Shiva rests (and where his lingam can fulfill all wishes!)—a 500+ temple complex where many devout Hindus come to die and be cremated, so as to be purified by the holy waters of the Bagmati river; the Boudhanath Stupa, a vast spherical stupa that is the mother of Tibetan Buddhism and considered the embodiment of the enlightened mind of all the Buddhas; and Swayambhunath, the so-called monkey temple, named for the flock of macaques that plague visitors on its steps—the 2nd holiest shrine of Tibetan Buddhism.
But Kathmandu consists of three historic cities. And today we will also visit Bhaktapur, the most well-preserved and traditional of the three, where we will be able to watch traditional artists and craftsmen at work: this will also be a great day for buying souvenirs, singing bowls, pashminas, and thanka paintings.
After our intense introduction to Kathmandu yesterday, this morning is yours to rest. But we have two optional possibilities for you. First, you can have a session of sound healing, done with singing bowls—an ancient Nepalese tradition mixing Buddhist and Shamanic practices. But we have another option, which could be the experience of a lifetime: an early morning helicopter trip over the Himalayas to the Everest Base Camp, for unparalleled views of Mt Everest. This trip will consist of several phases, each with amazing views, and we will make stops at several of the best viewpoints, and finally have a lovely breakfast at the amazing Everest View Hotel. Note that the final phases of this excursion will take place in 3-seater helicopters, so everyone will have a window view!
And at the Everest View, we can also toast George Mallory, the Bloomsbury nudist mountain climber who may have been the first person to reach the summit of Mt Everest (before he died there…) and may also have been the painter Duncan Grant’s lover: he certainly inspired quite a series of homoerotic portraits….. Oh, and btw, he was the person who, when asked why he tried to climb Mt Everest, said, “Because it was there.” Score one for the gay (or bi, questioning, whatever) guy!
An unforgettable trip to the high Alpine wonderland of ice and snow is the true highlight of a visit to Switzerland. Globus Local Favorite At an amazing 11,332 feet, the JUNGFRAUJOCH is Europe’s highest railway station. Jungfrau’s 13,642-foot summit was first ascended in 1811 and in 1912 the rack railway was opened. There are lots of things to do here: enjoy the ALPINE SENSATION, THE PANORAMA 360° EXPERIENCE, and the ICE PALACE. Also receive your JUNGFRAU PASSPORT as a souvenir to take home with you. The round trip to the “Top of Europe” by MOUNTAIN TRAIN will take most of the day.
It’s market day in Lausanne! Enjoy browsing and packing a picnic lunch for our 11 a.m. boat cruise on Lake Geneva. A few miles down-shore we’ll dock at Château de Chillon, where we’ll have a guided tour of this delightfully medieval castle on the water. On our way back we’ll take time to peek into the vineyards surrounding Lutry before returning to Lausanne. Boat: 2 hrs. Bus: 1 hr. Walking: moderate.
Very excited for this tour! I’m already booked!