APRIL 20 – MAY 5, 2024
UPDATE: Chongtul Rinpoche was recently advised about the schedule for a most sacred and auspicious ritual and opportunity taking place at Menri Monastery – which he feels will benefit us greatly to attend. His Holiness the 34th will provide the Lineage Empowerment of the Medicine Deity Mendrup Woe Zer Chilwa only one time in his lifetime in April 2024. For this reason, Chongtul Rinpoche gratefully requests that you accept a change in the previously announced travel dates from Fall 2023 to April 20 – May 5, 2024 in order to join him in this rare and special event as we travel to India and Nepal. We hope this change will be agreeable to you and not prevent you from continuing to plan to travel with us.
The most powerful medicine Mendrup Woezar Chilwa is generated during this time at Menri Monastery. 500 monks and nuns will pray in continuous, unbroken chanting of mantras for 13 days straight, from early in the morning until late in the evening to perform the complete rituals of the Medicine Book. Mendrup helps to balance and heal our physical body and any physical distress that produces sickness, as well as stabilize and heal our mind by calming stress, anxiety, and mental unhappiness. Our updated itinerary will allow us to join the rituals already in progress at the main monastery and participate in the schedule for generating this sacred medicine as well as mantra chanting, prostration, temple circumambulation, Lineage Empowerment, and the ceremonial distribution of Mendrup in addition to all experiences planned in our original travel previous date.
Chongtul Rinpoche would like to joyfully invite you to join him in a most important pilgrimage to Menri Monastery in India.
Menri Monastery is the most auspicious place and residence of His Holiness the 34th, worldwide leader of the Bön.
During our stay at Menri, we will reside in shared rooms in the monastery guest house on “Medicine Mountain” where the enchanting sounds of children and nuns chanting prayer can be heard drifting up from the valley below each morning and evening. During the day we will have the special opportunity to visit the nunnery temple (Redna Menling), participate in a sacred hilltop mountain smoke ceremony, share ice cream and gifts while playing with children from the community, and receive many blessings including a water blessing and audience with and empowerment blessings from His Holiness 34th.
We will also visit Triten Norbu Tse Monastery in Nepal, the residence of His Eminence Yongzin Rinpoche and receive his blessing. We will spend our time in Kathmandu visiting Swayambu (Monkey Temple), Boudhanath temple, and Patan factory that makes sacred statues.
Chongtul Rinpoche and local lamas will accompany us throughout our travels to support a smooth journey immersed in blessings and many rare and wonderful experiences that may only come once in a lifetime.
Our itinerary
Includes three meals per day and all ground and flight accommodations within India and Nepal
- Day 1 (Sat. April 20) Arrive in New Delhi. Dine, greet others, rest, and prepare to begin our trip as we make our journey to Menri together tomorrow.
- Day 2 (April 21) Travel as a group by taxi or bus from Delhi to the Menri Guest House
- Day 3 (April 22) Meet at the main Temple to participate in auspicious prayers of Drupchen by reciting mantras at Menri Monastery
- Day 4 (April 23) Participate in auspicious prayers of Drupchen and recite mantras
- Day 5 (April 24) Participate in auspicious prayers of Drupchen and recite mantras
- Day 6 (April 25) Receive the Empowerment of Medicine Deity Mendrup Woe Zer Chilwa by His Holiness 34th
- Day 7 (April 26) Receive the Empowerment of Medicine Deity Mendrup Woe Zer Chilwa by His Holiness 34th
- Day 8 (April 27) Visit the Sipi Gyalmo (“Protector”) Temple to engage in sacred personal prayer or visit the Redna Menling Nun Temple to meditate and connect with the Nuns. Share a white Khata and Dana offering and receive a final audience and blessing with His Holiness 34th
- Day 9 (April 28) Travel as a group by taxi or bus from Menri to Delhi Airport for our flight to Kathmandu and travel to Triten Norbu Tse Monastery in Nepal
- Day 10 (April 29) Bring a long white Khata to receive a welcome greeting and blessing from Yongzin Rinpoche
- Day 11 (April 30) Visit sacred local temples in Kathmandu for blessings, offering, and sightseeing or visit the base of Mount Everest to offer long life prayers and hang prayer flags for good fortune and luck
- Day 12 (May 1) Participate in a smoke ceremony for Chongtul Rinpoche’s monastery
- Day 13 (May 2) Enjoy a local sightseeing day trip where we will visit the sacred Swayambhu Temple (“Monkey Temple”) and the Boudhanath Stupa and Temple
- Day 14 (May 3) Visit the highly energized local Patan Temple and factory where sacred statues and Thangkas are made.
- Day 15 (May 4) Travel as a group to Kathmandu Airport for our flight to Delhi to conclude our journey and connect with international flights home (no hotel) to arrive back in your home country on Sunday, May 5.
Note: For travelers who wish to stay in Kathmandu, Day 14 concludes our journey in Nepal, and you should plan to make further travel and hotel arrangements. For those traveling home, Day 15 concludes our journey in India (at Delhi airport), and you should plan to make further international flight arrangements or travel and hotel accommodations in Delhi if you choose to sightsee or rest for additional time before returning home.
The total trip cost for 15 days of travel with Rinpoche includes teachings with lineage masters, meditation with nuns and children at the monastery, sightseeing, hotel, three meals per day, ground transportation, and round trip flight from Delhi, India to Kathmandu, Nepal, but excludes your roundtrip travel from home to Delhi as well as India, Nepal and PAP visas (see below).
- $3370 for shared room in Delhi and Kathmandu hotels (early bird discount, $3570 before August 25)
- $4370 for single occupancy in Delhi and Kathmandu hotels (early bird discount, $4570 after August 25)
If you are planning to travel with family or friends who you would like to share occupancy with, please let us know so we can accommodate your lodging.
***REGISTRATION CLOSES NOVEMBER 15, 2023 DUE TO PROTECTED AREA PERMIT VISA APPLICATIONS.***
Cancellation Policy
Refunds will be issued within 30 days of registration subject to a $100 cancellation fee. No refunds after 30 days.
Bon Shen Ling reserves the right to cancel programs up to 30 days prior to the event. If Bon Shen Ling cancels the event, all participants will receive a full refund of payment. In the event of program cancellation, Bon Shen Ling shall not be responsible for any losses participants may incur as a result of travel or other expenses related to the event.
For more information
Please email travel@bonshenling.org with questions.
Preparing for travel:
All travelers are responsible for international flights to and from India as well as the application and fees for a valid 10-year India Visa. Please be sure to have a valid passport for at least 9 months after our travel dates and have additional pages available for India and Nepal Visa stamps at immigration.
Details for making international flight arrangements:
There are many flight options available for you to book your round-trip flight to New Delhi, India – our destination for international arrival and departure. For example, American airlines or Air India are good options for flying direct (no stops) from JFK airport in NYC to Delhi, or many other flight options offering one stop in Europe, Dubai, or Doha. Please plan to arrive in Delhi on (or before) Saturday, April 20, 2024 to meet our group in preparation for a 5 am departure to Menri the following morning Sunday, April 21. You should plan to fly out of the US on Thursday or Friday in order to meet the group for our overnight stay in Delhi on Saturday night.
Details for application and fees for India and Nepal Visas:
All travelers must apply for an Indian Visa at least two months before your travel from your home country to ensure you obtain it in time for travel. You may visit an Indian Embassy (for faster processing) or submit your application for an Indian Visa online.
You may obtain a Nepal Tourist Visa upon arrival at the Kathmandu Airport for a $30 cash fee (paid individually by each traveler). Please plan to bring 4 passport-sized photos and complete an application/arrival card at the airport. To expedite this process and save time at the airport, you may complete the arrival paperwork in advance (no more than 15 days before travel) online, or you can apply for the Nepal Tourist Visa stamp on your passport in advance from the Nepali Embassy or Consulate nearest to your home city.
Details for obtaining Protected Area Permit required for travel to Menri Monastery:
All travelers must also have Protected Area Permit (PAP), which documents formal permission from the Indian government for your travel to Menri Monastery, a restricted area. We will assist you in obtaining your PAP.
The fee for your PAP is $70 (paid individually by each traveler and not included in your trip) – please also send a $70 check for this fee to: Bon Shen Ling, 6555 Maurice Ave, Woodside NY 11377 no later than November 30, 2023.
