Buddhism is Flourishing in China

{Our Founding Director Fionna Heiton is currently travelling in Tibet with her teenage twins. Our Tibet tours all depart from Chengdu, China}

The first time I came to China in 1989, it was all blue suits and bicycles. Religion had no place and communist ideology was firmly embedded. Since then, China has changed beyond all belief. Chairman Mao’s huge statue in Chengdu, Sichuan province looks down upon Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Apple. China has fully embraced the international business market and is rapidly developing. With this a growing middle class, have cars, consumer goods and fine clothes. But something is missing and many are rediscovering religion to put more meaning in their lives. Buddhism is now the fastest growing religion in China. On a Saturday afternoon in Chengdu, hundreds flock to the Wenshu temple, one of the city’s oldest Buddhist sites.

Men and women pour into the chanting room to join monks in prayer. They offer incense, fruit and money before circling the pagoda style stupa outside. Later they relax at the vegetarian restaurant within the temple grounds.  It seems like China is rediscovering its past and has come full circle.

Annapurna Circuit Trek

Sometimes the old ones are the best! The Annapurna Circuit is one of the most famous and much loved treks in the world. I still wear the sweater I bought at Ledar in 2000. I have so many memories. Since then there have been changes with the roads that are being built in various parts of the trek but cleverly new tracks are emerging to avoid the roads. The scenery remains totally breath taking and if you haven't seen the Annapurnas for yourself, I would strongly recommend going and experiencing the wonderful Annapurna Circuit.

The trek starts in Lamjung where we climb through pretty rice terraces, following the Marsyangdi River through numerous hill villages. As we climb we leave the Hindu communities behind and enter Buddhist communities with huge prayer flags and mani walls.

Here we slow the pace as altitude becomes an issue. This gives us plenty of time to visit the incredible Braka Gompa (monastery) and explore the villages around Manang. The village of Braka is my personal favourite and whenever I need to imagine I am in my special place, it is Braka I go to in my head. Blue sky, sparkling water from glacial run off, yaks and wonderfully clean air. Everywhere I look- it is breathtaking. I potter up to Manang for a slice of cake at the village coffee shop and listen to the excellent lecture on altitude put on each day by the Himalayan Rescue Association.

Past Manang, we climb closer to the mountains, snowy white peaks everywhere. The Thorong La Pass at 5,416 metres is a challenge and when we finally arrive, there is just time for some photos before we need to move on due to the intense cold and lack of oxygen. Descending to the temple at Muktinath, we enter the Mustang area. The scenery changes and so do the people. We are now amidst the Thakali people who are most welcoming and keen to introduce us to their culture. 

Fields of buckwheat announce our arrival in Mustang. We head to our favourite guest house in the ancient viillage of Kagbeni. "Namaste Didi" calls the friendly owner, who I have known now for over 15 years. The food is fabulous and we tuck into wild mushroom soup and Kagbeni buckwheat bread. I am back in heaven! In the afternoon we explore the village and relax in the sun with a piece of warm home made cake. We are right on the border with Upper Mustang which has restricted entry and still has it's own King!

At Jomsom, trekkers have the option to fly out to Pokhara or continue down the Kali Gandaki river towards Tatopani and up to Poon Hill. 

Hardened walkers can continue all the way into Annpaurna Base Camp where they are rewarded with stunning views of Annapurna 1, Annapurna South and  Fishtail.

Find out more about trekking in Nepal.

Festival Fever in Bhutan!

One of the most unique travel experiences you could ask for is attending a Bhutanese festival, or tshechu as they are known as in Bhutan. There really is nothing that compares and I was over the moon to spend a day at a festival last year in central Bhutan.

So what makes a Bhutanese tshechu so special? Tshechus have been celebrated in Bhutan for hundreds of years. Celebrations begin on the 10th day of the Tibetan lunar calender and continue for 4 days. They take place in Dzongs, which are both the spiritual and administrative centre for the area. Different dances are performed on each of the days by monks dressed in elaborate costumes.

The dances depict historical events and captivate the audience.

The dances are quite mesmerising as the monks twirl.

Often a huge tongdrol or thangka is unravelled on the last day!

The musicians!

These festivals are an incredible opportunity to experience ancient ritual. 

Half the fun is meeting the locals at tschechus. 

Beyond The Clouds Journeys almost always include attending one of Bhutan's unique festivals. Do remember that flights and hotels get booked up months in advance prior to the bigger festivals at Paro, Thimpu, Punakha and Wangdue. It is a good idea to contact us as much as 6-12 months in advance to secure your place.

For more information: www.beyondtheclouds.org.nz

Email: info@beyondtheclouds.org.nz

Bhutan is Good Value For Money!

Bhutan has always been on my bucket list! It is one of those countries that I always dreamed of visiting but thought it was just too expensive and hard to get to, as tourist numbers are limited. Myth number one! Tourist numbers in Bhutan are not restricted. And although all tourists must pay a minimum fixed daily rate, a trip to Bhutan does in fact represent good value for money! I travelled with Beyond The Clouds to see Bhutan for myself.

The first surprise was the architecture. Having flown in from Kathmandu where ugly concrete buildings rise haphazardly, the Bhutanese are encouraged to build using traditional methods. Even the airport terminal building showcases Bhutan’s stunning architecture.

The next reminder that you have arrived in the mystical kingdom is the currency: the Bhutanese Ngultrum. I change money and headed into Paro, which is more of a small town than a city. Rows of neat, beautifully decorated houses line the streets. The stunning mountain scenery, green meadows and clean, fast-flowing rivers remind me of Switzerland. Men in Bhutanese national dress, a kind of tunic worn above the knee, compete in archery matches with crossbows. They break into a strange ritualistic dance every time they hit the bullseye. I feel I must have landed in some kind of Buddhist fantasy land as red robed monks carry ornately decorated butter lamps across ancient courtyards.

Travelling by car with my highly knowledgeable Bhutanese guide I am transported into the land of myths and legends. Buddhism was introduced to Bhutan in the 7th century, when Guru Rinpoche flew on the back of a tiger to what is now knows as the Tiger’s Nest Monastery. This is Bhutan’s most iconic tourist attraction and I was eager to see it for myself.

I was not prepared for the stunning scenery of unbroken forest (70% of the country is forest), rhododendrons in bloom, at one of the most spiritual Buddhist sites in the world. Cut into the rock, the ancient monastery clings miraculously to a sheer cliff, rising 1000 metres from the valley floor. The views are magnificent over the Paro Valley, and the only sounds to be heard are prayer flags blowing in the wind.

The standard of hygiene in Bhutan is very high and hotels offer extremely comfortable accommodation. I could not believe that my room at the Naksel Boutique Hotel and Spa just outside Paro was really for me. I revelled in the gorgeous pine-clad room, beautiful bed linen and luxurious bathroom. As part of tour packages, tourists eat buffet style in their hotels. I wanted to get out to explore a wider range of eateries, which turned out to be fabulous in Thimpu, the tiny capital that still has no traffic lights. The Bhutanese national dish ema datshe is chillis and cheese, and this is a little challenging to the western palate. I was therefore delighted to try other local specialties, such as lightly braised asparagus, ferns and red rice.

Deep in central Bhutan I discovered Bhumthang cheese and yoghurt made at a cheese factory, started when the Bhutanese advertised in a Swiss newspaper for a cheese maker. The Swiss gentleman who answered the advert arrived to find no cows and had to introduce Jersey cows into the lush Bumthang Valley. Now his grandchildren run the bucolic Swiss Guest House, renowned for its fresh home-made bread, yoghurt and cheese, and famous fondue evenings. Set in a beautiful apple orchard, the guesthouse serves delicious home-cooked meals in the charming restaurant.

In the historic town of Trongsa, I was walking down the street when I was invited to join ladies dancing at the investiture of the new governor of Trongsa. Before I knew it, the governor and I were posing for pictures together and discussing global events. Amazingly, I ran into my new friend a few days later at a festival in the Bumthang Valley. The tsechu, or festival, is one of those once-in-a-lifetime cultural immersion experiences. I was lucky enough to watch the show from the special room reserved for head monks, royal family and of course my chum the governor!

Sadly, it was time to leave Bhutan. I have yet to reach the remote Haa Valley over the highest pass in the country. I will just need to return again!

Beyond the Clouds runs a full range of journeys in Bhutan. All profits are used to fund its vital work in post-earthquake Nepal.

The New Beyond The Clouds blog!

January 10th, 2016

There is so much happening at "Beyond The Clouds " that I hardly know where to start. But I thought for this first posting that I would focus on why we do what we do. After all everyone has a reason for being in business, but our reason is a little unusual. When Durga and I founded First Steps Himalaya in 2008, we had no idea just how big the organisation would become. Recently, our New Zealand based trust has gained international recognition for its work in rural Nepal, supporting improved early years education projects in numerous villages. More recently cameras turned to our 'earthbag building' that surived the massive earthquakes of April/ May 2015. 

So why " Beyond The Clouds"? We wanted our supporters to have authentic Himalayan experiences whilst raising vital funds to run our organisation. The tiny trust that built one early childhood centre has grown into into an organisation that is rebuilding earthquake damaged schools, training teachers, refurbishing classrooms, providing resources and much more. To keep the wheels oiled, we need to generate income. By running fundraising tours, First Steps Himalaya would be able to keep going and grow to serve even more childen.

A brilliant idea came to us when talking to our good friend Maureen McKain, yoga teacher from Nelson. She could lead a " Yoga Adventure" to Nepal which would show people our projects and raise much needed funds. Maureen told absolutely everyone about the trip and before long the first yoga group came to Nepal. Other yoga groups followed, people booked treks and families joined Durga, myself and our twins on ' Family Adventures'.

In 2015, we branched out and now have fabulous tours in Bhutan and Tibet too. 'Beyond The Clouds' is here to stay. We are here to provide you with top quality Himalayan tours with heart and soul! All profits support our work in Nepal.