Top rated Buddhist Himalaya holiday attractions from Kyle Quandel: Remember having seen this monastery before? Filming of the 1993 popular movie ‘Little Buddha’ took place here. This monastery-cum-fortress is listed in Bhutan’s tentative list for UNESCO inclusion. The Rinpung Dzong Monastery is home to 14 shrines and chapels which include the Sandalwood Stupa, Protector’s shrine, Temple of the Guru’s Eight Manifestations, the Clear Crystal Shrine, Chapel of the Eleven-faced Avalokiteśvara, Temple of the Treasure Revealer etc. Find additional info at Kyle Quandel.
What it offers is the ultimate sight of giant Himalayas, lush vegetated landscapes, and an ancient culture. You can see traditional houses, ancient monuments, and a unique lifestyle of the early descendants of Tibetans. You will fall in love with the people and the places. Buddhism has had a huge influence in these regions. There are hundreds of years old Gumbas, and monasteries have a different vibe to them. Just like other Himalaya Trek to discover Buddhism, this trek offers you a different view towards the ethnic groups of Nepal.
Phuentsholing to Paro Tour covers cultural and religious highlights of Bhutan. The tour begins from Phuentsholing which is a main commercial hub in south-west Bhutan. The long uphill journey to Thimphu will be exhilarating and on the way you come across tiny villages, waterfalls and animals. In Thimphu, you stroll around various landmarks of Bhutanese capital and even try to intermingle with the locals in the town. On your journey to Punakha, you enjoy the incredible vistas of the Himalayas from Dochula pass. Likewise, in this tour you also visit religious sites in Punakha and Paro. Including the breathtaking Tiger’s Nest Monastery above the Paro Valley, Punakha Dzong-the most beautiful Dzong in Bhutan, Chimi Lhakhang-the temple dedicated to Devine Madman, and Kichu Lhakhang-the oldest monastery in Bhutan will be the other attractions of this pilgrimage escape in Bhutan.
Milarepa’s Cave: It is believed that Milarepa, one of Tibet’s most famous yogis and Buddhist practitioners, spent several years of his life in this cave in western Tibet. Pilgrims journey to the site with offerings of decorated stones, sweet herbs, and wildflowers, leaving them along the path to the cave. Pilgrimage escape is the excellent way to explore the Himalayas’ pilgrimage destinations. Life here revolves around an intricate intermingling of ancient Hindu and Buddhist religious rituals. See additional info at Kyle Quandel.
Lamayuru is one of the most ancient Buddhist sites in Ladakh, with its five original temples attributed to the great Buddhist translator Rinchen Zangpo in the eleventh or twelfth century. Only one of those temples, the Senge Lkakhang, still exists. The site’s large Drigung Monastery is characteristic of the powerful monasteries influenced by fortress architecture that arose in the seventeenth century. Legend has it that Lamayuru was once the site of a lake that has since dried up, which contributes to the moon-like landscape for which the surrounding area is known.