loading spinner
Nepal

Extension: The Splendor of Nepal

Program No. 22521RJ
Continue your learning adventure with a 6-day extension into Nepal. Explore grand temples, discover ancient palaces, and learn about Hinduism and Buddhism from local experts.

Enroll with Confidence

We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more

Protecting the Environment

We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more

Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
airfare
Need airfare?
Our airfare tool can help. Check it out
climate
Plan ahead.
What kind of weather can you expect? Take a look!
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Oct 21 - Oct 27, 2023
Starting at
1,499
Nov 11 - Nov 17, 2023
Starting at
1,499
Jan 27 - Feb 2, 2024
Starting at
1,599
Mar 16 - Mar 22, 2024
Starting at
1,599
Oct 19 - Oct 25, 2024
Starting at
1,599
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Oct 21 - Oct 27, 2023
Starting at
1,799
Nov 11 - Nov 17, 2023
Starting at
1,799
Jan 27 - Feb 2, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Mar 16 - Mar 22, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Oct 19 - Oct 25, 2024
Starting at
1,899

At a Glance

Extend your learning adventure with an in-depth excursion to Nepal, a mystical land of monolithic temples and holy shrines. Meet locals and learn about traditional Nepalese culture, and survey the grand temples and ancient palaces that define this Himalayan country. Learn the intricacies of Hinduism from a temple expert and delve into the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism.

Program Extension

To take this extension, enroll in this main program first.

Highlights of India: Discover Delhi, Agra, Jaipur & Varanasi

Watch the sun rise over the Taj Mahal, experience the Ganges River and its spiritual meaning and much more on this immersion into the history and culture of India.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking up to one hour over varied terrain. Elevations up to 4,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Explore the iconic architecture of Swayambhunath, a 2,500-year-old temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Discover the wonders of Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa — or place of meditation — in the world.
  • Meet children and teachers at a local school, and learn about the Nepalese educational system.

General Notes

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Nepal Adventure Map
by National Geographic Maps
A waterproof, tear-resistant map of Nepal at a scale of 1:625,000. Includes detailed elevations and the locations of natural attractions.
Shangri-la: A Practical Guide to the Himalayan Dream
by Michael Buckley
With marvelous chapters on the many meanings and myths surrounding Shangri-La, Buckley's practical guide covers the contenders for this mythical Himalayan paradise in Southwest China, Tibet, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. With many maps and color photographs.
Against a Peacock Sky, Two Years in the Life of a Nepalese Village
by Monica Connell
Connell tells about her experience in the Nepalese Himalayan village of Talphi where she lived for two years. The place was so remote, she writes, it was ten days’ walk from the nearest road.
The Snow Leopard
by Peter Matthiessen
The most perceptive, acutely observed and personal of all his books, Matthiessen's account of a five-week journey through Nepal with naturalist George Schaller combines their quest for the elusive cat with a moving introduction to Buddhism and the people and culture of the Himalayas.
Kathmandu
by Thomas Bell
Drawing on his years of experience in the Himalayan fortress, Bell introduces readers to Kathmandu’s layered history, touching on gods and goddesses and the caste system as well as the present-day push toward modernization and the recent, devastating earthquake.
Lonely Planet Nepali Phrasebook
by Mary-Jo O'Rourke (Editor)
A palm-sized guide to pronunciation, grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.
Lonely Planet Nepal
by Lonely Planet
A comprehensive, practical guide to Nepal.
A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of India, Including Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan
by Bikram Grewal
A handy field guide to 280 bird species common to the Indian subcontinent. In beautiful John Beaufoy style, the guide’s colorful and high-quality photographs are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, size distribution, preferred habitats and nomenclature.
Escape from Kathmandu
by Kim Stanley Robinson
The four interconnected stories in this laugh-out-loud novel include the (mis)adventures of two young Americans with a Yeti, international espionage, mountain climbing of the highest sort and a quest for Shangri-La.
Sherpas, Reflections on Change in Himalayan Nepal
by James Fisher
A detailed study of the change that mountaineering brought to Sherpa society.
Snake Lake
by Jeff Greenwald
A touching memoir by journalist Greenwald who returns to his old haunts in Kathmandu during the Maoist uprising. He struggles to balance his journeying with obligations to his depressed brother back home in the United States.
Altitude Illness: Prevention and Treatment
by Stephen Bezruchka
Bezruchka, a mountaineer and M.D., includes case studies, frequently asked questions and simple methods of diagnosis and treatment in this indispensable pocket guide.
Arresting God in Kathmandu
by Samrat Upadhyay
This collection of stories explores the nature of desire and spirituality in modern Nepali society.
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of India and Nepal
by B. Grewal
A slim pocket guide to 252 of the most conspicuous birds of India and Nepal.
In the Land of the Blue Poppies
by Frank Kingdon-Ward, Tom Christopher (Editor), Jamaica Kincaid (Introduction)
Expert Tom Christopher presents excerpts from intrepid Kingdon-Ward's fascinating accounts of plant-hunting adventures in Tibet, Burma and the Himalayas in the early 20th century.
Himalaya, Personal Stories of Grandeur, Challenge and Hope on the Roof of the World
by Broughton Coburn (Editor), Richard C. Blum (Editor), Erica Stone (Editor)
This beautifully photographed overview of the geology, history and people of the Himalayas includes contributions by several National Geographic photographers, introductions by Jimmy Carter and the Dalai Lama, and an afterward by Sir Edmund Hillary.
Shopping for Buddhas
by Jeff Greenwald
A funny tale of searching every last corner of Kathmandu for just the right statue of Buddha. In addition to his tourist's obsession with getting the ideal souvenir, Greenwald offers amusing and insightful meditations about Nepalese culture, politics and religion.
Fortress Monasteries of the Himalayas
by Peter Harrison
This slim book recreates the dramatic and colorful fortifications of Tibet, Ladakh, Nepal and Bhutan, recounting their history through foreign incursions, religious conflicts and civil wars to the Tibetan uprising and flight of the Dalai Lama from Potala Palace in 1959.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.