Trip to the Buddhist Himalayas (video)

Wild Frontiers; AW; VVTV: BM; Dhr. Seven, Ashley Wells, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly

Buddhist prayer flags fly all over the Himalayas, rooftop of the world (blog.onlineprasad.com)

The Future Buddha Maitreya, Diksit Buddhist Monastery, Himalayas (itissemriaticles)

Buddhist Himalayan festival (ericsjourney.com)

Wild Frontiers' Jonny Bealby presents the highlights of the Kashmir Valley and Himalayas region of India in this guide to northern India.

Comprising a region north of the Ganges River flood plains, to the east of Nepal (home of Mt. Everest), over the foothills and high mountain passes all the way to the former Himalayan Buddhist kingdom of Ladakh and the fabled earthly paradise Kashmir, the Himalayas represent the least populated and arguably most beautiful region in all of India. What are the main highlights?

Heading out of Delhi the first place one comes to is Shilma, former summer capital to the British Raj echoing the history of that era.

Then the road moves on to Dharamsala, the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan community in exile. Close by there are wonderful walking trips or "treks" to stay with local villagers in their authentic and comfortably converted homes.

Secret of the Himalayas

(VedaviewTV) A film by George Aistov -- a monk, philosopher, and traveler -- with Italian subtitles. This is the first movie of the "Following in the footsteps of the Vedic Civilization" series and was shot in the Himalayas. The main heroes are The Monk (Swami Avadhut), The Scientist (Sahadev Prabhu), and The Pilgrim (Ajita Krishna Prabhu). Together with a shooting team they go through the Himalayas to speak with sages and visit holy places like the sources of Ganges and Saraswati rivers. They also meet teachers of various yoga systems. And all is intertwined with Vedic stories about local deities (devas), personal talks in the search for Truth, as well as historical references and breathtaking mountain views.
 

Buddhist Afghanistan (Kapilavastu), far left

Further north is an old favorite of the hippy era, Manali, which is the last town before the high passes, some at over 16,400 feet (5,000 meters) that quite literally take one's breath away, and lead to Ladakh.

Sandwiched between the vast ranges of the Karakoram and Himalayas, Ladakh is the highest, most remote, and least populated region in India.

Formerly a part of Tibet, it is a Buddhist state, home to some extraordinary landscapes, some stunning architecture, great trekking, and fascinating people.

A Bullet to the Himalayas

The Buddha was born in Afghanistan (not Nepal), Himalayan foothills of the Hindu Kush

(Bob Miles) A Bullet [Motorcycle] to the Himalayas, Part 1 of 6. Northwest India - a man is dead. Struck down by my bike in an unfortunate incident. A pivotal moment, a game changer, holiday ender. This was when a memorable holiday became remarkable, making it not just a journey, but an experience now etched in my thick skull.

Out and about in India (dalailama.com)

And finally there is Kashmir. As one of the oldest tourist destinations in the world -- a place favored by Moghul emperors, British memsahibs, and Sixties' hippies -- the beauty of the Vale of Kashmir has had poets waxing lyrical for millennia, and for good reason.

Famed for its cool, clear summer air, its alpine meadows and its tranquil lakes, Kashmir is a region like no other. Throw in the quirky and atmospheric wooden houseboats on Lake Dal and the lifting of the British Foreign Office advice against travel here in November 2012, and one has everything needed for a unique adventure holiday destination.

Inspiration to go: One Night's Shelter (Ven. Rahula)

There are a number of group tours that take in these regions: A Journey to Ladakh -- goes on a mega road journey to the Buddhist mountain kingdom; Hill Stations to Kashmir, which hits some of the interesting hill stations on the way to Kashmir.

There is also the ever-popular High [a.k.a. Main] Road to Kashmir that connects Ladakh with Kashmir. And of course, back at the offices in London and Delhi, there are specialist travel planners that know all of these places inside out waiting to help create the most perfect tailor-made experience.

For holidays that come with stunning views, mountain lakes, forest temples, and ancient shrines, a myriad of cultures and creeds, excellent cuisine, and some very good shopping, look no further than the intoxicating Kashmir Himalayan region of India.

• The American Theravada Buddhist monk Ven. Rahula wrote of his drug-addled travels in Asia as a hippie before becoming a wandering ascetic in One Night's Shelter.

Ancient Tibet: The End of Time
(Ancient World) Ancient Tibet: The End of Time (Ancient Discoveries) Tibetan history, as it has been recorded, is particularly focused on the history of Buddhism in Tibet. This is partly due to the pivotal role Buddhism has played in the development of Tibetan, Mongol, and Manchu cultures and partly because almost all native historians of the country were Buddhist monks. More