Immerse yourself in the secret tantric land of Nepal
Date: August 10-22, 2026
Price: From £1495*
Summer University Course
Hinduism & Buddhism in Nepal: Past & Present
The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies invites students and scholars to participate in a 11-day Summer University course in the Kathmandu Valley, exploring the history, philosophy, and cultural expressions of both Hindu and Buddhist traditions in Nepal.
Kathmandu provides a unique backdrop for studying both Hinduism and Buddhism, and the Kathmandu Valley has an extremely well preserved local tradition in tantric practices, challenging the apparent boundaries between Buddhism and Hinduism in beautiful and sometimes radical ways.
The Kathmandu Valley is also home to some of the oldest manuscripts on tantric traditions, such as the Niśvāsatattvasaṃhitā and the Netratantra, which provide crucial insight into the early development and mutual exchange of Hindu and Buddhist systems.
This immersive course provides a rigorous, interdisciplinary examination of Hindu and Buddhist traditions in Nepal through expert-led lectures, guided field studies, and site visits to historically significant locations. The course is ECTS credited for both BA and MA students.
What you will get
★ Daily lectures and workshops by leading international and Nepali scholars
★ Expert-led tutorials and engagement with rituals, religious spaces, and traditional practices: understanding through participation
★ Unique fieldwork experiences and opportunities for ethnographic observation of Nepali culture
★ Exclusive insight into some of the current cultural preservation and academic research projects being undertaken in the Kathmandu Valley
★ Expert-led excursions to World Heritage sites, influential places of worship, cultural hotspots, and unknown tantric locations, connecting theory to practice
★ Festive traditional Newar and Himalayan dinners
★ Leadership and advisement from academic experts throughout the experiences
The course will be hosted at the historic Yak and Yeti Hotel. Students will get to experience this 100 year old converted palace, a 5-star hotel featuring beautifully preserved design, artefacts, and antiques. Formerly known as Lal Durbar, this palace was built by the Rana family – the opulent dynasty known for bringing neoclassical architecture to Nepal.
Join us from August 10th to 22nd, 2026, for this immersive academic experience. The programme is open to BA and MA students, independent scholars, and anyone with a keen interest in the study of Hindu traditions. Course completion certificates will be provided to all participants.
Course tutor
Dr Bjarne Wernicke-Olesen
Shakta expert and Lecturer in the History of Religions and Indic Languages, University of Oxford
Course tutor
Dr Silje Lyngar Einarsen
Associate Professor, History of Religions and Sanskrit, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society
Course tutor
Dr Rajan Khatiwoda
Chief Scientific Documentation Coordinator, Nepal Heritage Documentation Project (NHDP), Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
Course tutor
Prof Gavin Flood
Piramal Dean of Hindu Studies at the OCHS and Professor Emeritus of Hindu Studies and Comparative Religion, the University of Oxford
