Photo of a Shaman from Upper Tibet.  John interviewed many shamans for his 2006 book, Down From the Mountain"  Photo: J.V. Bellezza

View from a Meditation Cave at Lake Namtsho. Those mountains across the lake are 21,000 feet high and the altitude of the lake is around 15,000.  It is magical.  (Photo Lynne Heckert)

John Vincent Bellezza is a visiting scholar at the University of Virginia where he specializes in the pre-Buddhist phase of Tibetan civilization. Bellezza, a fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies and Explorer's Club, has spent 25 years exploring the most remote parts of the Great Western Himalaya and Tibet. His latest book, Zhang Zhung: Foundations of Civilization in Tibet" (Austrian Academy of Sciences, 842 pp.), provides comprehensive treatment of the pre-Buddhist civilization he discovered single-handedly. No ordinary academic, John is a great story teller and entertainer, skills he developed during his long years of wandering around the Himalaya. John is one of the 120 outstanding individuals in Jason Schoonover's "Adventurous Dreams, Adventurous Lives".

This is an unique opportunity to see Tibetan civilization in all its splendor with John Vincent Bellezza, one of the world's leading authorities. From Buddhist monasteries to Eurasian animal art, this journey reveals Tibet in all her depth. John, an affable, sensitive and highly experienced expeditionary and tour leader, will guide a select group of people to Tibet's rarest cultural treasures. John, who has spent a quarter of a century intensively exploring the Himalaya and Tibetan Plateau, will share some of his most brilliant discoveries with us for the very first time.

This is an unparalleled view of Tibet, providing extraordinary insights into the culture and people of this charmed land. In addition, to visiting the great heritage sites, there will be plenty of time to get to know the Tibetans and enjoy their fun-loving spirit. John, who is fluent in various Tibetan dialects, encourages his fellow travelers to intensively interact with the Tibetans and ask those questions one has stored up for years. And what better way to get answers than to ask the people themselves.

The journey begins in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal and the heart of the Himalaya. With John, we will spend two days exploring special cultural sites in the Kathmandu valley. At Changu Narayan, Swayambunath and the old city state of Bhaktapur, witness how Himalayan civilization took root and grew layer by layer into its present form. In addition to visiting well known Hindu and Buddhist places, John will lead us to hardly-known Iron Age sites, where we can appreciate the links between the Newar and Tibetan cultures before the rise of Sanskrit influences. We will have plenty of time to chat with the experts and ordinary people of all persuasions.

After three days we fly to Lhasa, Tibet's famous capital. We will visit a rich array of cultural and archaeological treasures throughout the area. John will lead us to spectacular places such as the Potala and Jokhang, revealing their most ancient aspects. There will also be time to explore fascinating pilgrimage sites on the edge of the Lhasa valley. En route to Shigatse, Tibet's second city, we will stop at the most important monasteries of the Bon religion. While there are many superficial similarities, through art, design and literature, John will show us how Bon and Buddhism differ from one another.

In Shigatse we will have time to see the city's greatest spectacles, gaining a deeper appreciation of the depth and breadth of Tibetan civilization. From Shigatse we will head north through the majestic Transhimalaya range. In the Shang valley we will pass a string of Buddhist centers and natural power sites. At Sokpo see one of the region's greatest cave hermitages and have a chance to talk to the inhabitants. 

Above Sokpo, we traverse the Transhimalaya and enter the vast plains of the Changthang, Tibet's empty northern quarter. Yet, it is not as empty as it first seems. Hidden away in sheltered valleys and on escarpments are the remnants of the early inhabitants of the region. At places such as Mutig and Shawa Drag, these ancient places have devolved to the Buddhists. Here is a great opportunity to peel back the strata of Tibetan civilization and come to better understand its march over the millennia.

On the Changthang, John will introduce us to the drokpa nomads, some of whom he has known for over 20 years. We will get to know their way of life, interests and aspirations as can be shown only by someone who has long lived among them. We will move in an eastern direction, stopping at key archaeological and cultural sites along the way. Our Changthang adventure will culminate in Nam Tsho, the Celestial Lake (an object of study in John's first book, Divine Dyads). Not only is Nam Tsho very beautiful (she is envisioned as a young goddess), she is home to a stunning series of sacred headlands and islands dating back 3000 years and more. It is an easy return drive to Lhasa via the southeast corner of Nam Tsho. From Lhasa we return to Kathmandu so that the participants can catch their outbound flights.

Note:
· This trip is for individuals with a strong interest in Tibetan and Himalayan cultures.
· This trip is for highly motivated individuals who enjoy camping at high elevation for a week.

• This trip is for those who are healthy and have endurance.
  
• Plans for this trip have not be cancelled.  The trip is a 'go.'