Festival Overview
Nepal is a tiny country with an enormous cultural diversity. This diversity springs from the many ethnic origins of its people, their many languages and customs and the mix of religions that have evolved and spread through villages and isolated mountain valleys. As a result there is a saying that “there is a festival somewhere in Nepal every day.” In fact this is a major underestimate.
Festivals come in many forms – often noisy, vibrant spectacles that reflect reverence for mythical events and beliefs or the power of religious deities that control and influence life both present and future.
There are just too many festivals to list and describe. Visitors could perhaps start the annual cycle of festivals with a celebration of the Nepali New Year, based on the 2000 year old solar calendar, and attend the Nava Barsa and Bisket Festival in Bhaktapur. This festival draws huge and energetic crowds to two days of music, dance and ritual that celebrates the mythical story of the killing of an evil serpent that was said to kill every suitor prince that tried to win a beautiful princess.
Another famous festival held in Kathmandu itself is the eight-day Indra Jatra and Kumani Jatra. This boisterous event pulses through ancient parts of the city and culminates in the precession of the Kumari, Living Goddess, where devotees can catch a glimpse of this secretive young Goddess.
There are also a multitude of regional festivals occurring throughout the year. From the jungle lowlands to the most remote mountain valley, there is always something to celebrate.
Langtang Ri has a number of treks and tours that are conducted each year to coincide with some of Nepal’s most important and spectacular festivals. Please search our list of festivals products or send us an inquiry about any specific festival you would like to experience personally.
Nepal observes numerous holidays most of which have cultural or religious significance. Visitors wishing to partake in the holidays or observe local festivals should contact our Kathmandu office and inquire about up-coming festivals that may fit within your intended travel itinerary. The longest holiday in Nepal is during the Dashain festival in late September or October. Government offices and banks observe most of the national holidays. Private business offices observe major holidays only. The following is a list of public holidays in Nepal during 2022.
Nepal has a range of trekking regions, the most popular and
well known are the Everest and Annapurna regions. The Everest
region is in eastern Nepal while Annapurna is in the west.
Another beautiful but less well known trekking region is
Langtang and the beautiful Langtang National Park just a short
drive north of Kathmandu. There are also more remote and
challenging trekking areas such as Mustang and Dolpo where the
physical challenges can be greater but richly rewarded by
scenery and cultural experiences that few visitors get to see.
Many of the trails follow ancient trading routes travelling
through pristine scenery, scenic river valleys, intricately
terraced hillsides and forested ridges connecting picturesque
hamlets and mountain villages. Trekkers can walk along the
beautiful trails or virgin tracks of green and welcoming hills
and rocky high altitude valleys. The colours change profoundly
throughout the year. The alpine regions are blanketed in snow
through winter and lower altitudes burst into bloom in spring
and summer as Rhododendron forests bring colour to the green
and lush hillsides. Religion is very important to communities
and is obvious throughout the mountains as you pass gompa,
prayer wheels, fluttering flags and carved sacred stones along
mountain paths. Visitors are always warmly greeted by
monasteries and the beautiful and charming local people.
There are so many places across the Himalaya you can explore
by trek. Please take a few minutes to search our extensive
range of treks compiled from our 25 years experience in the
region.
List of Festivals
Shiv Ratri - 8th March 2024
Fagu Purnima - 24th March 2024
Tiji Festival Mustang - 5th May 2024
Sawane Sankranti - 17th July 2024
Nag Panchami – 9th August 2024
Janai Purnima - 19th August 2024
Gai Jatra - 20th August 2024
Krishna Asthami - 26th August 2024
Kushe Aunsi - 2th September 2024
Haritalika Teej - 6th September 2024
Indra Jatra - 17th September 2024
Dashain – 3rd- 12th October 2024
Tihar – 1st- 4th November 2024
Mha Puja – 2nd November 2024
Chhat Parva – 7th November 2024
Vivah Panchami - 6th December 2024
Yomari Punhi - 15th December 2024
Udauli Parva - 15th December 2024
Tamu Lhosar - 30th December 2024
