A gathering of young devotees assembled at the Grand Canyon in Arizona, marking a memorable moment in a journey of devotion and discovery.
The newly inaugurated bus of the ISKCON Youth Ministry has successfully completed its maiden journey, carrying twenty-four teenage boys across the southern regions of the United States—from Florida to California and back again—as part of the annual Boys Winter Trip. The organizers of this initiative, Manorama Dāsa and Jaya Śrī Rādhe Devī Dāsī, express their heartfelt gratitude to more than three hundred donors, as well as to the temple presidents and senior leaders of ISKCON North America, whose generous contributions made the acquisition of this bus possible.
“The purpose of these bus tours,” explained Jaya Śrī Rādhe Devī Dāsī, “is to awaken and nourish Kṛṣṇa consciousness within our youth by engaging them in transformative adventures—visiting temples, performing harināma-saṅkīrtana, participating in festivals, exploring national parks, camping, hiking, and swimming—while at the same time cultivating deep bonds of friendship among devotee peers.”
The Boys Winter Trip served teenage boys from congregational devotee families who traveled from Chicago, Detroit, Laguna Beach, Brazil, and Dallas, joining young men from the Alachua devotee community. Throughout the journey, the group visited temples and faithfully attended devotional morning programs at New Tālavana, Houston, Tucson, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, and Alachua.
The pilgrims explored the majestic stalagmites of Carlsbad Caverns, descended the Bright Angel Trail into the depths of the Grand Canyon, rode horses with Navajo guides in Cañyon de Chelly, and joyfully slid down the white sand dunes of White Sands National Park. Additional highlights included a public harināma-saṅkīrtana followed by an all-you-can-eat, home-cooked pizza feast kindly arranged by Ratnabhūṣaṇa Dāsa at the Los Angeles temple; a book distribution seminar conducted by Bhṛgupati Dāsa; devotional rap shared by Dravida Dāsa; cow milking service in New Tālavana; landscaping service rendered at the Tucson temple; participation in the puṣpa-abhiṣeka ceremony for the Deities at the Dallas Kirtan50 Festival; and camping along the Florida panhandle, enriched by melodious kīrtanas sung around the evening campfire.
Sincere appreciation is offered to all the temple presidents and devotees who graciously hosted the boys along their route. This sacred journey would not have been possible without such wholehearted support. It is hoped that, in time, some of these young participants may feel inspired to return and render service at the temples they visited.
Looking ahead, the next major undertaking for the new youth bus will be the 30th Anniversary Youth Bus Tour, planned for the summer of 2026, during which the group will follow the Ratha-yātrā festival circuit throughout North America.
For more information, visit youthbustour.com. For additional photos and video, please visit Manorama’s Facebook page.
Visiting Carlsbad Caverns Nat’l Park in N. Mexico with the new bus.
The boys at White Sands Nat’l Park in N. Mexico.
Horseback riding at the Cañyon de Chelly Nat’l Monument.
Visiting the iconic Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in Arizona.
The group hikes at Grand Canyon Nat’l Park.
Harinama in Los Angeles, CA.
The new bus in New Mexico.
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