Boomers Abroad

Highlights

Following is a sample itinerary for Dragons North India: Roof of the World Summer Abroad Program. Our sample itineraries are based on past courses; in order to meet instructor team goals, as well as the goals and interests of particular student groups, future itineraries are subject to change.

Week One:
Fly Los Angeles-Delhi. Arrive in India’s capital and overnight in a local guesthouse in the Tibetan district of Majnuka Tilla: Prepare for early morning internal flight to Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Spend our first few days in Leh acclimatizing to our 11,000-ft elevation: Breathe Himalayan air for the first time; explore the majestic Buddhist monasteries of Thikse and Hemis; begin Buddhism and language lessons, and research independent study topics; meet with members representing a variety of NGOs, such as the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) and the International Society of Ecology and Culture (ISEC); explore opportunities to visit and engage in service collaborations within local monasteries and the Tibetan resettlement community in Choglamsar; learn about resettlement issues facing Tibetan refugees who have fled from China over the Great Himalaya Range.

Week Two:
Travel outside of Leh to begin rural home-stay: Live with local Ladakhi families and consider service options within the community; meet with important local figures and continue with Buddhism and language studies, and Independent Study Projects. Jeep or bus travel to the remote southeastern corner of Ladakh to reach Tso Moriri, a high-elevation lake with an extremely fragile ecosystem: Continue with acclimatization; conduct self-directed service project focused on ecological preservation of the region; camp next to nomadic communities and learn about the Tibetan Plateau’s nomadic traditions. Prepare for upcoming trek from Tso Moriri to Kibber village, in the Spiti Valley.

Week Three:
Head out on a challenging 9-day trek: Trek through open valleys and across dramatic mountain passes; reach the highest point of the trek, the Parang La Pass, at over 18,000 feet!

Week Four:
Descend from the Parang La Pass into the Spiti Valley, where we will rest, clean up, and prepare for an intimate home-stay with local families: Join our hosts in the fields; learn about rural livelihood in this remote and harsh environment; explore local Buddhist temples and learn about Tibetan arts and iconography; continue with Buddhism and language lessons; explore the permeation of Tibetan religion and Tibetan culture across boundaries.

Week Five:
Depart the Spiti Valley on a remarkable public bus ride towards Dharamsala, the seat of his Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan Government in Exile. Arrive in Dharamsala and stay at Dolma Ling Nunnery: Enjoy discussions with the nuns from the Tibetan Nun’s Project; learn about the Tibet freedom movement by visiting with teachers and students at Gu Chu Sum’s school for ex-political prisoners; engage in self-directed and mentor-supported independent study work; continue our language, cultural, and religious studies, focusing in on Tibetan identity and the practice of Tibetan Buddhism in exile. If possible, arrange private audiences with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Karmapa, or the Nechung Oracle.

Week Six:
Wrap up independent study work by arranging final meetings with local figures; prepare project presentations. Visit the Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy, the Tibetan Youth Congress, the Tibetan Women’s Alliance, Tibetan Children’s Village, and Namgyal Monastery. Overland travel back to Delhi: Practice our Tibetan language and share stories with locals in Majnuka Tilla; explore Delhi’s vibrant and chaotic street scenes; visit the Old Delhi spice market; compliment our study of Tibetan Buddhism with visits to Hindu, Jain, Muslim, and Sikh temples and mosques via rickshaw. Enjoy a final celebratory feast of delectable Indian cuisine and prepare for flight home.

Travel Types

• 4th World Studies
• Camping
• Cooking
• Environmental Studies
• Homestay
• Language Immersion
• Mountaineering
• Nature Tours
• Native Culture Studies
• Overland Tours
• Volunteering
• Trekking

Type of Programs

• High School Study Abroad
• Adventure Travel
• Community Service / Volunteerism
• Language Immersion
• Cultural Exploration

Languages

• Tibetan

Cost in US$:

Please visit our website for details

Cost Includes:

Cost Include Description:

Tuition includes everything except international flight medical insurance and small personal expenses (personal calls home personal snacks aside from meals laundry services, email/internet cafes, etc.)

Credit Available

no

This Program is open to

American, European, Canadian, Australian, South African, Kiwi, Worldwide, Asian Participant.

Participants Travel to India

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Written Application
• Letters of Reference
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Typically The Application Process Time is

Where There Be Dragons's Mission Statement

Dragons programs are authentic, rugged and profound learning adventures that expose the beautiful and complex realities of the countries in which we travel. Featuring extended itineraries, Dragons programs encourage deep immersion into strikingly different physical and cultural landscapes, combining the best in experiential education, travel, service learning, and physically and intellectually challenging experiences. While programs vary in their focus - with some trekking and wilderness intensive, others strong on service and development studies, and still others language-oriented - all Dragons journeys are designed above all else to be fun, safe and honest educational experiences.

Year Founded

1993