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Festival Overview
Festival Package

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 - 18th February 2023

Fagu Purnima - 6th March 2023

Tiji Festival Mustang - 16th May 2023

Sawane Sankranti - 17th July 2023

Nag Panchami - 2nd August 2023

Gai Jatra - 12th August 2023

Janai Purnima - 12th August 2023

Krishna Asthami - 19th August 2023

Kushe Aunsi - 27th August 2023

Haritalika Teej - 30th August 2023

Indra Jatra - 9th September 2023