Search for Shangri-La

**Search for Shangri-La** is the 21st episode in Season 2 of Expedition Unknown.

## Plot Synopsis

Gates searches high in the Himalayas for Shangri-La, a hidden utopia. In the most remote reaches of Nepal near the border of Tibet is an area known as the Mustang, which has been closed off to the outside world. But now Josh and his fellow archaeologists have been granted access to explore it. He finds out secrets hiding inside its sky caves, man-made chambers carved into cliff walls.

## Historical Context

"For hundreds of years, explorers, spiritualists, and well, nut cases have been lured to the Himalayas by the tantalizing promise of a mystical, hidden valley, a real Utopia. The residents there, they say, never age, and war and sickness are just distant memories. But surely the story of Shangri-La, is just that, a story, a hopeful myth about a magical world. But maybe not. In the most remote reaches of Nepal, near the border of Tibet, is an area known as the Mustang, a region that has been closed off to the outside world, and seemingly to the passage of time. But now archaeologists have been granted access to explore this hidden realm."

- Josh Gates

## Summary

Josh goes to Kathmandu, Nepal and to Swayambhunath Temple where he meets a lama named Buddha Chhiring Moktan. Buddha says they call Shangri-La, Shambhala, which is a state of being. The next day, Josh meets up with his guide Mahendra.

However, at the time during Josh's journey, there are political tensions between Nepal and India and India has cut off fuel to Nepal so there is a gasoline shortage and their charter flight to Jomsom is cancelled. They are able to take a helicopter though. Once in Jomsom, they drive through a dry riverbed to Kagbeni and on to Chhusang where they meet archaeologists, Mark Aldenderfer and Mohang Sing, a lama.

Mohang, Mark, and Josh head across a bridge and see sky caves high up in the rock that could relate to Shambhala. However, the cliffs are made of sandstone and can easily collapse so the caves are hard to access. They are able to get to one cave though and find a monastery inside with a room of mummified snow leopards and a Buddha shrine.

They drive through the Mustang region to Chhoser but their Jeep gets stuck on in an icy road, They are able to continue but have to walk over a crossing. They pick up ladders in Chhoser and walk to more sky caves. They head up into one of them and find passageways lined with old paintings on the walls. The caves, however, are in a state of ruin and are slowly deteriorating,

## Notes & Trivia

* A devasting 7.8 earthquake occurred in Nepal a little less than a year before Josh visited.

## Quotes

* "I think I could fight one monkey but a thousand of them - maybe not so much."
* "I have no idea where all these monkeys are going. I assume there's a matinee King Kong screening happening up here."
* "They even have a Yac-Donald's famous of course for the Big Yak which everyone knows is two all-yak patties, special sauce, and cheese. They also have the yak nuggets and then of course they go a Yakky Meal for the kids - which is a bunch of yak meat but just a smaller portion of it, really."

## References

1. ↑ https://travel.home.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/travel/fullrights/2016/07/12/0/TEXU214H\_Josh-Gates-Shangri-La\_212526\_734917\_1278666.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725.suffix/1491593023515.jpeg