The Langtang Valley /  by Matthew Nelson

Views from the dizzying Kyanjing Ri. The higher of two “Ri’s” viewpoints. Many trekkers don’t make it past the lower Ri.

The construction of some of the bridges are impressive, or concerning, depending upon your perspective.

Suspension bridge along the route to Kyanjing Gompa

Old growth rhododendron forest makes for an enchanted walk through the valley

View from the lower Kyanjing Ri

A little one at the village of Sherpagaon

Gosiankunda Lake

A lama and monk reciting sutras at Sherpa Cottage

a family’s home altar to the Buddha

Learning to Meditate / Ten Days as a Monk /  by Matthew Nelson

We ascended silently in the pre-dawn light, up steep paths to the men’s dining hall. There at a clearing at the top of the ridge, I turned back to watch the sun’s rays anoint the icy and distant spires of Himalayan giants: Machapuchare, Manaslu, Annapurna: seen from miles away, the forlorn, gargantuan peaks seemed more remote than the surface of the moon.

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Guest Post for Trail Angels Blog: The Solu's Soul /  by Matthew Nelson

In December of 2021, I undertook a scouting trek of the Trail Angels’ latest collaboration with Fair Trails - The Buddhism Sanctuary Trail in the Solukhumbu region of Nepal. My friend Kevin (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) and I scouted the trail with a team of Sherpas in order to determine the best route for prospective guests/clients interested in exploring this secret Shangri La in the heart of the Solu.

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