Spiritually Enriched and Rebooted: How Our Trip “Spiritual Awakening” to Bhutan and Nepal Went

Bhutan — The Land of the Thunder Dragon

Bhutan is a kingdom on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, between China and India. Our journey began in Paro, a city in western Bhutan. We spent the first day getting used to the altitude, as the city is 2400 meters above sea level. We stayed in a luxurious five-star hotel with wellness services like massages, herbal treatments, yoga, meditation, and a hot stone bath.

Tiger's Nest

In the Paro Valley, you'll find one of Bhutan's main attractions — the Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest!

“This place is truly magical and powerful. According to legend, monks from Tibet meditated here in the 8th century AD,” says Petr Litvintsev, the trip organizer and CEO of “Scenario Travel.”

The monastery was built in 1692 at the entrance to a cave where Guru Rinpoche meditated in the 8th century. Legend says he flew here on the back of a tiger and meditated for 3 years, 3 months, 3 days, and 3 hours to defeat the demons in the cave. Since then, the cave has been considered sacred.

To reach the monastery, you need to hike up steep mountain trails or ride horses through pine and rhododendron forests for about 4 hours. We chose to walk.

Halfway up, we rested and spun prayer wheels — khurde, and took magical photos with a view of the monastery! When we arrived at the Tiger's Nest, we immersed ourselves in Buddhist practices, meditation, and spirituality. The view of the vast mountains and clouds made us forget the hustle and worries of the modern world, giving us a feeling of peace and unity with nature!

“The hike to the Tiger's Nest Monastery takes a whole day, so don't plan anything else and just enjoy the moment in this sacred place. We were lucky to see the rhododendrons in bloom — a stunning display of colors all along the path to the monastery!” says Lana, a trip guest.

Fortresses and Monasteries of Bhutan

The next day, we visited one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan, Kichu Lhakhang, as well as the Rinpung Dzong fortress. Kichu Lhakhang is one of the oldest monasteries of the Tibetan tradition. It was founded by the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. According to legend, a giant demoness lay across the territory of Tibet and the Himalayas, hindering the spread of Buddhism. To defeat her, King Songtsen Gampo ordered 108 monasteries in one day to bind all parts of her body. Kichu Lhakhang was among the four most distant ones and corresponded to the demoness's foot.

Today, Buddhism still has a strong influence on Bhutan's culture and traditions, with more than 75% to 84% of the population practicing it. In Bhutan, the state is not separate from religion. The Bhutanese are hospitable, modest, and often shy. We were also surprised to learn that Bhutan is the only country where the main goal of domestic policy is the happiness of its people, overseen by a special Ministry of Happiness.

The Heart of the Himalayas

We were equally impressed by the capital of Bhutan, Thimphu. The city's architectural style features bright decorative facades and high towers. There is a unique rule here that even new buildings must reflect the forms and styles of traditional Bhutanese architecture.

We stayed in one of the best hotels, overlooking the entire Thimphu valley with a view of the giant sacred statue of Buddha Dordenma, over 50 meters tall. The hotel is situated on a picturesque hillside, surrounded by apple orchards and pine forests, so we dined with a magnificent view in an elegant restaurant with panoramic windows.

Kathmandu — The City of a Thousand Gods

After exploring Bhutan and feeling spiritually enriched, we headed to Nepal! Our adventure began in the bustling capital, Kathmandu. We stayed in an elegant and incredibly atmospheric hotel—an oasis of tranquility amidst the noisy city! The floors in the rooms were adorned with handmade terracotta tiles, the upholstery was handwoven, and the bed linen was made from eco-friendly materials.

Kathmandu has its own charm. It serves as a kind of transit point for climbers, trekkers, and pilgrims from around the world, and is a unique crossroads of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Here, we experienced a miracle — we witnessed the appearance of the living goddess Kumari at the Kumari Ghar temple. Tourists cannot enter the temple, but it's possible to see the young girl chosen by priests based on certain criteria look out the window. She appears on the balcony of the palace's inner courtyard at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Locals say that a glance from the young goddess brings good luck. We decided to test it!

After visiting the Living Goddess temple, we went to Pashupatinath and Boudhanath. Pashupatinath is one of the most revered shrines for Hindus in Nepal. This ancient temple, located on the banks of the Bagmati River, serves as a place of prayer and rituals and a site for worshipping the god Shiva.

‍Flight to Everest

We didn't dare to conquer Everest, but we saw it in all its glory! How? At dawn, when the first rays of the sun illuminate the Himalayan peaks, we embarked on an exhilarating helicopter tour. It’s the perfect way to see the mighty Everest, glaciers, endless forests, and valleys without any special training!

“For me, as a photographer, this was something special! The towering mountain ranges swallow your ego and immediately make you realize who truly rules the planet. Majestic nature. This was probably the most vivid impression of the last few years,” said Denys Black, the trip photographer and creative director of Scenario Travel.

During the flight, we made two stops. The first was in the town of Lukla (2,860 meters), home to the world's most dangerous airport, with a single, extremely short runway just 527 meters long and a 12% gradient. The second stop was at the observation deck of the world's highest hotel, which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. This allowed us to enjoy an unparalleled view of snow-capped Everest and take memorable photos.

“Now I have a new goal — to hike to the Everest base camp that we flew over today,” said Tatyana Tretyak, entrepreneur and co-owner of Scenario Travel.

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