BodhVia

I·Kathmandu Valley · Annapurna Foothills

The Inner Ascent

A nine-day journey through Kathmandu's quiet monasteries and the Annapurna foothills — built to slow the days down and let you arrive fully present.

Begin readingPlate I  ·  October

Begin in the candle-lit courtyards of Patan and share morning tea with a Vajrayana teacher. Then travel west to a private stone retreat above the Modi Khola, where the day opens with mountain light and closes with the sound of chanted bells. Gentle walks, real stillness, and nothing rushed.

A journey for travelers who want to slow down and look closer

The Inner Ascent is not a checklist of sights. It is a sequence of quiet moments — a temple doorway in Patan opened with a brass key, a kitchen above the Modi Khola where dal is ladled at first light, a path lined with rhododendron where no one is in a hurry.

We begin in Kathmandu, but not the Kathmandu of the guidebooks. Your first morning unfolds in a private Patan courtyard, where a fifth-generation thangka painter shows you how a sacred image is built line by line. Later, you sit with a Vajrayana teacher we have known for twenty years.

The mountains arrive on day four. A short flight to Pokhara, then a private vehicle to a hand-built stone retreat above the Modi Khola — six rooms, a fire always lit, walking paths that lead nowhere in particular. The pace here is yours to set.

The arc of the journey

  • Days 1–3 Kathmandu Valley — Patan, Bhaktapur, and a private audience in Boudha
  • Days 4–7 A private retreat in the Annapurna foothills
  • Days 8–9 A return to Kathmandu, with one final dinner among friends

What is included

A dedicated guide who has walked this path with us for fifteen years. Every transfer, every meal, every introduction. A custom journal bound in Lokta paper, made for you in the week before arrival. Quiet.

Intentions

  • 01Stillness
  • 02Lineage
  • 03Silence

Honest answers

Practicalities

  • What level of fitness is required?

    The Inner Ascent is a gentle journey. Daily walks rarely exceed three hours over soft trails. Anyone in everyday good health can travel with us.

  • Is the retreat held in silence?

    Part of it. Days four through six observe noble silence from dusk to morning tea. The remainder of the journey is in quiet conversation with your guide and host.

  • How private is the journey?

    Entirely. Each Inner Ascent is held for a single party of two to four travelers — never more. You will not share the route with strangers.

  • How do I book?

    Every journey begins with a conversation — by email, WhatsApp, or call. We reply within three days. Once your dates are agreed, a 25% deposit reserves your place, with the balance due 60 days before arrival.

Private dossier

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A beginning

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Tell us when you would like to travel and what matters most. We will reply with a private proposal within three days.

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