Travel Tips

At the top of Swayambhunath.

Notice how the ornate gate carries the Tibetan Buddhist symbol at the top of it. As you cross the gateway, you can hear monks chanting and see people praying...although the atmosphere itself is still very casual. Take a deep breath - behind this gate are 400 steps leading to the top of Swayambounath....

A young monk in contemplation, at the top of the Swayambounath stupa near one of the temples.

Somewhere in the middle of the steps leading up to the Swayambounath Stupa, a monk is ringing the bell in his left hand (female buddhist symbol, where the dorje is the male symbol) and spinning a drum in his right hand. The drum is traditionally made up of human skull bones and yak skin (although this one probably was not).

Here, we watched a devoted monk circumnabulate the Swayambounath stupa by prostrating on the ground every few feet. It probably took him at least a half hour to 45 minutes to navegate the circumference of the stupa.

And, the reason Swayambounath is more colloquially referred to as "Monkey Temple"...

There's actually a terrific view of the surrounding Tibetan populated village of Boudha, from the top of the Boudanath Stupa. The yellow color you see on these stupas is deliberate.

That gilded roof in the distance is a buddhist monastery. The village surrounding the Boudanath stupa is populated by Tibetan refugees and those of Tibetan descent. Prayer flags are every where, and you grow accustomed to hearing the (somewhat cheesy tourist version of ) Tibetan chant "Ohm mani padmi ohm" wafting out from every shop window.