b' soul-stirrring jouring journeyneyss slug soul-stirFor inner peace and a transformative Bhutans Lesser Himalaya ranges offer severaland soul-cleansing holiday, head to scenic trekking options amid a landscape of pine Tibetan Buddhismforests, lakes, and compacted-earth homes. But its Abode of Snow the Himalayasbiggest attraction lies in its imposing dzongs, or& fortress-monasteries. Most iconic is TaktsangMonastery, more popularly known asTigers Nest, sitting on a cliff edge 9,678 feet above sea level in the Paro Valley. Golden prayer wheels spin and monks chant, prayer beads or scriptures in their hands. The dzongs also host tshechus or annual Tibetan Buddhist festivals, where performers clad in vivid costumes andfearsome masks stage elaborate dances.Tibetan Buddhism is an integral part of life inBhutan and is also dominant in neighboring Tibet. Here Mt Everests North Base Camp, below the Rong-buk glacier, is a big draw. However, Tibets true appeal lies in its beautiful temples and monasteries.At the 1,300-year-old Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Captionthousands of pilgrims throng to pay obeisance to theTaktsang Monastery, Paro, Bhutangold statue of the Buddha located in the central hall. They fervently prostrate themselves in the temple TALK TO OUR EXPERT square, circumambulate the area, turning prayer Charlotte Clementswheels, ringing bells, and chanting mantras. Inside, charlotte.clements@ the smell of incense hangs heavy in the air. hayesandjarvis.co.uk The official spiritual centre of Tibetan Buddhism 0208 106 2357 though is the town of McLeodGanj in Himachal Pradesh in India. Surrounded by pine forests, this is where His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, current spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, lives. Travellers to the region often make a beeline for the Thekchen Choling Temple complex which comprises the Dalai Lamas residence and Tsuglagkhang Monastery, among other buildings. Anyone and everyone iswelcome to this serene haven of prayer andMatho Monastery, Ladakh, India Lumbini, Nepal meditation, marked by hundreds of block-printed prayer flags. Further north in India, surrounded by parts of the Labrang Monastery, Gansu,Tibet Himalayan and Karakoram ranges and watered by the Bookended by Pakistan in the west and Tibet in the east,Indus River, lies the stark yet compellingly beautiful the Himalayas cut a mighty swathe, stretching aboutNepal is most popular for Himalayan trekking,region of Ladakh. Barren mountains, glistening1,500 miles, and traversing through India, Nepal, with the Everest and Annapurna regions the lode- Himalayan glaciers, and cold deserts touch sparkling Bhutan, and China. The rugged landscapes of thisstone for trekkers almost year-round. Further southblue lakes, rocky ridges, and vast dry plains. This is great mountain system are dominated by toweringis the holy site of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lordnature raw and untamed. Amid this jaw-dropping peaks, deep valleys, swift rivers, and icy glaciers.Buddha and one of the most important places oflandscape are numerous Tibetan Buddhist monaster-Mount Everest, at 29,030 feet is the worlds highestpilgrimage for Buddhists. Here you will find the Mayaies, and villages with whitewashed mud-brick homes, mountain and the lofty centrepiece.Devi temple, an inscribed third-century Ashoka pillar,where locals embrace a way of life that has endured While sweeping views of snow-capped mountainsruins of ancient monasteries, a sacred Bodhi treedespite the harsh environment. draw many travellers to this region, this is also a landbedecked with fluttering prayer flags, and monks andOften dubbed mini Tibet, Ladakhs monasteries of intense spirituality. Tibetan Buddhism is an all-nuns deep in meditation.are a breathtaking sight, some situated high up in the pervasive presence, though the region is also impor- For a mountain holiday with an air of exclusivity,mountains, others carved into mountain slopes. With-tant to Hindus. Tranquil monasteries and temples dotlook no further than Bhutan, where wellbeing isin them are Buddha statues, colourful prayer halls, valleys and rocky slopes. Monks in maroon robes aremeasured in Gross National Happiness. This Buddhistthangka paintings, and several Buddhist relics. Visitors a common sight and their rhythmic chanting echoeskingdom has strict rules which ensure that tourism can attend Ladakhs numerous Tibetan Buddhist through the hills. Faith and devotion saturate the veryremains beneficial yet sustainable. It fiercely protectsfestivals, like Hemis, Losar, and Dosmochey, to gain a fabric of these mountains, and few visitors fail to beits traditions and customs, and receives a limited wonderful insight into the cultural uniqueness of this moved by it. number of foreign visitors each year.region, and perhaps a new perspective on life. 42 \x1a HAYES JARVIS TRUE VOYAGES \x1a 43'