The Last Forbidden Kingdom

Westerners have long imagined the Himalayas as the world’s last untouched place and a repository of redemptive power and wisdom. Beatniks, Mystical travellers, Mountaineers- people from all folks of life have travelled there, searching for their own personal Shangri-La.

Through this thrilling itinerary, we will visit those mystical places that have captured the imagination of adventurers for decades. We will start by taking in highlights of the UNESCO-acclaimed Kathmandu Valley, regarded as one of the far corners of the world. Rudyard Kipling captured its mystique when he wrote, “the wildest dreams of few are the facts of Kathmandu.”

We will visit the spiritual power places of the capital, meet with revered Tibetan spiritual masters, take in the exquisite Buddhist architecture that dominates the ancient neighbourhoods, follow the back alleys into hidden workshops of traditional artisans, and converse with anthropologists and scholars over dinners.

We will then fly far out to the remote western quarters of the country to The Last Forbidden Kingdom. In the rain shadow of the Himalayas, Lo Manthang is considered to be home to one of the best-preserved Tibetan Buddhist cultures in the world. Since opening to foreigners in 1992, this Himalayan Kingdom has continued to inspire awe and wonder in the hearts of all those entering its city walls.

We will break away from the dense labyrinth of whitewashed mud and brick buildings of the city centre to explore nearby ancient meditation caves, former Royal palaces, and barren Himalayan deserts on foot, horsebacks, 4X4s, or mountain bikes.