About Us

We’re a small company based in Nepal and the USA. From the very start in 2015, we decided we would base our entire business model on good karma. We are fair-trade, and create original products using eco-friendly materials such as Himalayan hemp, natural stones, wood, and hand made Lokta paper. Our primary goal is to provide meditation tools, self guided journals, and other spiritually conscious products that truly help people.

From all of us at Backpack Buddha in Nepal, Thailand, Guatemala and the USA, we wish you the greatest inner peace, self love, discipline, and happiness on your path.

Why Backpack Buddha?

The laughing Buddha, better known as Budai or Maitreya (The Future Buddha), represents a traveling buddha who is content with nothing but his prayer beads and cloth backpack. He epitomizes the notion of travel as a medium for growth, happiness and spiritual enlightenment. 

The Founder

My name is Leif Harum. When I was 16 I ran away from my home in New York. Without a cent to my name, I traveled throughout the world in search of happiness, purpose, and my true self.  

In Rome and Jerusalem I delved deeper into Catholicism. In Eilat, Israel, I attended Temple for the high holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In Damascus, I studied Islam in a mosque for one month. I finally ended up in India and Nepal where I where I fell in love with the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism.

After 12 years of sleeping rough, 5 world religions, and 80 countries, I wanted to share what I had learned with others. I wanted to create resources that could help others find inner peace and happiness. I wanted to share the unique meditation tools that that aided me on my path. I was also driven by a desire to help create and improve the livelihoods of my dear friends in Nepal. 

And so, in 2015, Backpack Buddha was born.

Our Mission

At Backpack Buddha our goal is to provide ever evolving collection of unique and spiritually conscious products from every corner of the globe for happiness on the road and on the road of life.  

We are big believers in Karma, and strive to treat every customer the same way we would want to be treated. So please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any problems!

As Featured On / Partners

About Our Malas & Meditation Tools

Our Malas are of the highest quality & assembled by hand in Nepal by Newari and Tibetan locals. This means that your purchase helps to support our team of crafts-women and men located in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Ultimately, every purchase made on Backpack Buddha directly supports our team of local artisans and craftsmen who assemble our Mala strands and backpacks by hand. It also supports our team of "Sherpas" who ensure the highest quality products, and make sure everything is shipped on time. 

To find out more about all our causes, please see Causes We Support.

Need Help?

It's our goal to make your purchases on Backpack Buddha as smooth as possible. If you have a problem, a concern or just a general inquiry, here's the best way you can get in touch.

Email us at: Sherpas@BackpackBuddha.com

Become An Ambassador

Benefits:

1. An exclusive unlimited 20% storewide discount code that you can use and share with all your family and friends.
2. Access to our ambassador program with 20% commission on all referrals.
3. A 40% wholesale discount on all our products. (10 item minimum. Normal wholesale rate, 35% off)
4. Holiday and promotional discounts that you can use and share. Up to 30% off select products.

 

To learn more, click here,

Become A Backpack Buddha Ambassador. 

Security

Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc. They provide us with the online e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.
Your data is stored through Shopify’s data storage, databases and the general Shopify application. They store your data on a secure server behind a firewall.

Payment: If you choose a direct payment gateway to complete your purchase, then Shopify stores your credit card data. It is encrypted through the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). Your purchase transaction data is stored only as long as is necessary to complete your purchase transaction. After that is complete, your purchase transaction information is deleted.

Returns 

We have a hassle free return policy. If you are not satisfied with your order, return it to us in as-new condition in its original packaging and we will refund 100% of your purchase price. 

We are big believers in Karma, and strive to treat every customer the same way we would want to be treated. So please don't hesitate to get in touch!

Contact us by email at Sherpas@BackpackBuddha.com before you ship anything back to us.

Exchanges

If we make a mistake and send you the wrong product, or if there are missing or broken parts, the problem will be corrected at our cost. This is a rare occurrence, but when it does happen you will get what you ordered, and any shipping costs in both directions will be paid by us.

We make every effort to properly describe our products. Be sure to make note of listed dimensions and order products that are the right size and spec for your application.

If you have questions, feel free to contact us at 

Sherpas@BackpackBuddha.com

Replacements

If any of our products break, we will replace it free of cost within 3 months of purchase.

Contact / Return Address 

By email: Sherpas@BackpackBuddha.com

45a Ferdon ave, 

Sparkill, NY, 10976