Description

Textile Tour of Nepal

 

The Textile Tour of Nepal weaves culture, arts, crafts, and textiles into one amazing tapestry of creativity. This Textile tour visits artistic influences from 126 different ethnic groups. From China to India we will see rich colors and spiritual designs from Bhutan, hand loomed carpet weaving from Tibet, and chikankari embroidered dresses from India. In addition, we will learn from master craftswomen on how to spin yarn, how to hand sew, and how to embroider.

To read more about textiles in the Himalayas and to watch a short YouTube video please visit my blog here

Trip Overview

On this handicraft tour we will immerse ourselves in the local crafts and cultures in this Himalayan country. We begin with a tour of Boudhanath with an overnight stay on its grounds.  From here we visit artisans work studios while they felt and do kalamkari wood block printing. After our workshops we discover bustling markets, temples and shrines around Kathmandu. The following day we fly to Biratnagar, East of Kathmandu. From here we take a private car to Santang where we visit embroidery studios. We also go to Terhathum to tour weaving studios. We stay in cozy accommodations where we are treated as honored, highly esteemed guests. We will be immersed in holistic textiles where we tour facilities to learn about natural dyeing and tie-dyeing, Kachchhi embroidery, bamboo basket weaving, and dhaka weaving. After our stay and studio tours, we head over to a Tibetan monastery where we can watch Tibetan carpets being created. From here we head down to Pokhara to visit handicrafts shop to see loom weavers.

Highlights

• Tour studios to see how traditional felting is done
• Watch artist print kalamkari on fabrics
• Visit textile shops
• visit embroidery studios and study culturally specific patterns
• Tour a dhaka fabric production facility
• Watch fabrics being naturally dyed
• Meet Tibetan carpet weavers and study their patterns.

Outline Itinerary

Day 01: Meet guide and check into the hotel at Boudhanath

Day 02: Visit felting studio

Day 03: Visit a kalamkari wood block printing studio

Day 04: Fly to Biratnagar and stay in cozy accommodations.

Day 05: Take a private car to Santang to see Kachchhi embroidery

Day 06: Take a private car to Terhathum to see dhaka and bamboo basket weaving

Day 07: Visit a natural dyeing and tie-dyeing facility

Day 08: Travel to Pokhara to meet Tibetan carpet weavers and see their patterns and carpet weaving

Day 09: Visit textile shops in Pokhara

Day 10: Travel to Kathmandu and take a tour of the city

Day 11: Return home or extend your trip.