Vow Renewal in the Himalaya: A Blessing Journey for Two
- Duration
- 6 days
- Max altitude
- 2,175 m
- Difficulty
-
Easy
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $1,150.00
Overview
This trip is for couples who already said yes and want to say it again somewhere that means something. You spend six days in the Kathmandu Valley and Nagarkot, with time set aside for rituals, craft and stillness rather than a checklist of temples.
On day three a monk at Namo Buddha gives you a blessing, with prayer scarves and butter lamps. On day four you sit at a wheel in Bhaktapur and make something with your own hands, then fire it as a keepsake. On the fifth morning, on the ridge at Nagarkot, a local priest leads a simple private ceremony in which you exchange garlands and tika, and speak your own words.
It is not a wedding and nothing is staged for show. It is a personal, quiet ceremony shaped around you, with a guide and a photographer on hand if you want one.
Trip highlights
- Blessing from a monk at Namo Buddha with butter lamps and prayer scarves
- Pottery morning in Bhaktapur, with your piece fired and posted or collected
- Private sunrise vow ceremony on the Nagarkot ridge, led by a local priest
- Garlands, tika and traditional outfits for the day
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu 1,400 m Boutique hotel Notincluded
Airport pickup and transfer to your boutique hotel. In the evening your guide asks about your story and what you want from the ceremony.
-
Day 2: Old Kathmandu and Boudhanath 1,400 m Boutique hotel B
A quiet walk through the old quarter, Boudhanath at dusk when the lamps are lit, and a dinner of your choice.
-
Day 3: Namo Buddha blessing 1,750 m Boutique hotel B/L
A drive across the valley rim to Namo Buddha. A resident monk gives you a blessing with scarves and butter lamps. Lunch at the monastery and a stop in Panauti on the way back.
-
Day 4: Pottery in Bhaktapur 2,175 m Ridge hotel B/D
A morning at the potters' square, shaping a piece of clay together. Then Bhaktapur Durbar Square and a slow afternoon. We drive to Nagarkot at the end of the day.
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Day 5: The vow ceremony 2,175 m Ridge hotel B/D
A sunrise ceremony on the ridge, with the priest, garlands, tika and the words you write yourselves. A photographer is present if you want one. The rest of the day is free for walking and rest.
-
Day 6: Departure 1,400 m B
Breakfast, then a private transfer to Kathmandu airport.
Altitude profile
The climb, day by day
Comfort tiers
Choose your level of comfort
| Amenity | Standardfrom $1,480.00 | Comfortfrom $1,746.40 | Luxuryfrom $2,146.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu hotel | 3★ | 4★ | 5★ |
| Trail accommodation | Standard teahouse | Best lodge in each village | Premium lodge where the route has one |
| Porter support | Shared porter | Private porter, lighter load | Extra porter, carry almost nothing |
| Transfers | Shared | Private | Private, throughout |
What's included
Included
- Included: Airport pickup and drop by private vehicle
- Included: Three nights in a boutique hotel in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur with breakfast
- Included: Two nights at a ridge hotel in Nagarkot with breakfast
- Included: Namo Buddha monastery blessing with offerings
- Included: Pottery session in Bhaktapur with materials and firing
- Included: Private vow ceremony at Nagarkot with priest, garlands, tika and flowers
- Included: Traditional outfits for the ceremony day
- Included: A photographer for the ceremony, with 40 edited photographs
- Included: Private vehicle and a licensed English-speaking guide on all days
- Included: Entry fees, government taxes and our service charge
Not included
- Not included: International airfare and the Nepal entry visa
- Not included: Travel insurance
- Not included: Meals not listed in the itinerary and all drinks
- Not included: Your own rings or gifts
- Not included: Shipping of the pottery, which we can arrange at cost
- Not included: Tips for the guide, driver and priest
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
This is a respectful personal ceremony, not a legal marriage. We keep it simple and follow the priest's guidance on timing and customs. Nagarkot is coldest from December to February, so bring warm layers for the sunrise. Clear Himalayan views are best from October to March.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | $1,480.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 travellers | $1,150.00 | $330.00 |
| 4 to 6 travellers | $1,080.00 | $400.00 |
| 7 or more | $1,020.00 | $460.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
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