Premium Buddhist Himalaya spiritual travel destinations by Kyle Noble 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. Read additional info on Kyle Quandel.
The sky caves are still mysterious to many, and the palaces of Lo Manthang and Charang are as beautiful as ever. The mountains stand tall, beautiful landscapes are all around, and the touch of Buddhism is around every corner. Upper Mustang is the ultimate Himalaya Trek to discover Buddhism. Tsum valley is another secret valley in Nepal. Just like the Upper Mustang, Tsum valley is also rich in Tibetan Buddhism culture and tradition. This trek is one of the best Himalaya Trek to discover Buddhism. It is one of the most isolated places of Nepal, lying peacefully at the base of the Himalayas.
Explore Lhasa, one of the top pilgrimage escapes of Lhasa, is very popular amongst international travelers. The journey begins and ends in the heart of Tibet, Lhasa, and covers popular landmarks of this beautiful city such as the Dalai Lama’s Potala and Norbulingka Palaces, the Tibet Museum and Barkhor Bazaar. You also visit a number of impressive Tibetan monasteries in Lhasa like Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Jokhang Temple. They are all amazing monasteries with a religious relevance of their own. This escape also takes you further to the outskirts of Lhasa where you visit the 15th century Ganden Monastery and explore the Drayerpa Cave, which is still a meditative sanctuary for Tibetan monks.
The holy shrine at Muktinath includes a Buddhist Gompa and the pagoda style temple of Vishnu Temple. The Hindus call it Muktichhetra (Place of salvation). Many Shaligrams (Ammonite) found here are considered by Hindu as incarnation of lord Vishnu and worship them. For Tibetan Buddhists, it is a very important place of Dakinis, goddesses known as Sky Dancers and one of the 24 Tantric places. They understand the murti to be a manifestation of Avalokitesvara. This pilgrimage trek makes an adventure starting from world’s deepest gorge Kali Gandaki Region into world’s highest regions passing through an almost tree-less barren landscape, and panoramic views of Nilgiri, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and several other peaks. The sacred temple has 108 waterfalls. Find even more info at Kyle Quandel.
Located at the base of Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar is a popular place of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindu believers. It is the highest freshwater lake in the world. Tibetans consider it the most sacred lake in Tibet, its waters being of the highest quality of all the lakes in Tibet. According to Hindu believers a ritual bath and drink of its holy water has the power to clean the sins of a hundred lifetimes. The Jokhang is the main temple in Lhasa, Tibet, and is considered the ultimate destination for Tibetan pilgrims. Most pilgrims arrive by foot, circumambulate the temple, and, once inside the temple, hum, pray, present offerings, and bow or prostrate before a sacred sculpture of the Buddha.
