We’ve got a team of about 13 people interested in going to the Himalayan Region Vineyard Church’s anniversary celebration in Siliguri, India this September! This is exciting – it’s going to be a great time. We’ve had to move the travel subsidy deadline to May 1 due to the need to firm up tickets, visas, etc. If you’ve been holding off letting us know if you’re interested, please hold off no longer. Contact the office right away.

New Travel Subsidy Deadline:

May 1 is the deadline if you require subsidy (it was previously May 31). After May 1 we will determine the exact subsidy for each person. We will also reserve a group of tickets through one travel agent. If you decide to join later, you may or may not be able to get the same flight path, so it’s best to sign up together so we can travel together. It’s more fun that way! The office will organize the flight details through a travel agent, but each individual will be required to contact the travel agent to pay whatever is owing after the subsidy is applied.

Possible Itinerary:

Sun, Sept 24: Leave Winnipeg
Tues, Sept 26: Arrive in Siliguri, India
Wed, Sept 27, 3pm – Friday, Sept 29, evening: Conference in Siliguri, India.
Sat, Sept 30: Fly to Kathmandu, Nepal
Sat, Sept 30 – Tues, Oct 3: Visit Kathmandu Vineyard & Village churches (Kothgaon and/or Chhampi), see the sights of Kathmandu (temples, Thamel district, etc).
Wed, Oct 4: Leave Kathmandu
Thurs, Oct 5: Arrive in Winnipeg

NOTE: This itinerary is subject to change based on available flights.

Planning Ahead:

You need to have a valid Passport that doesn’t expire within 6 months of travel.
Canadians need to apply for an Indian Visa ahead of time (you send your passport in to the Indian consulate and they issue a visa – this takes time). Canadians can apply for a Nepali visa in the airport upon arrival.
Check with your physician or the travel health clinic regarding recommended immunizations.
India and Nepal are nearly 12 hours ahead of us. This means that it takes a long time to get there and that jet-lag is a significant factor in recovery. Plan for a few days of recovery when you return to Winnipeg (don’t go back to work right away).

Approximate Costs:

Wpg – KTM – Wpg Flights: $1,500 – $1,900 (fluctuates depending on options and routing)
KTM – Siliguri – KTM Flight: $300 – $400 (flights purchased from Nepal)
Accommodations & Food: $500
Incidentals: $100 (ground transportation, tourist fees, etc)
Visas: $200

Approximate Total: $2,600 – $3,100

NOTE: Total does not include personal gifts, etc.

NOTE: These costs are all approximate. Fluctuations occur because of changes in flight schedules, exchange rates (some costs are always in USD), changes in itinerary, etc. We will get more accurate numbers after we purchase tickets.

Activities:

In Siliguri:

Visit Metanoia Vineyard. Visit people living on the Riverbed and distribute hampers.
During the conference, there will be amazing cultural worship, international Vineyard leaders will be speaking, and there will be plenty of time to connect and party with people from all across the Himalayan Region. There will also be great food and rice… lots of rice.

In Kathmandu:

Visit Kathmandu Vineyard.
Connect with our family there.
Visit outlying village churches (Kothgaon & Chhampi).
See some of the sights of Kathmandu (Thamel district, Pashupatinath, Durbar Square, etc).
See the recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Accommodations:

In Siliguri:

The conference will be held at a conference centre and hotel. All accommodations, meals and conference activities will be there.

In Kathmandu:

We will stay at a guesthouse (kind of like a cross between a bed and breakfast and hotel – Nepali style!)
We would be within walking distance (20 minutes) of Kathmandu Vineyard.