Best Festival Tours in Nepal

Nepal is bordered by India on the east, west, and south and with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China to the north which is a country of exquisite beauty located in the heart of the Himalayan Mountain range with multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual characteristic. Festivals are one of the most evident aspects of this country’s RICH cultural heritage and the people celebrate them in a very specialized manner with great respect, colors and energy. Held all year round, the festivals of Nepal are Not only religious and political but also cultural ones which are of different importance. Let’s take a closer look at some Best Festival Tours in Nepal

10 Major Festivals in Nepal

1. Dashain: That is the Festival of Victory and Family.

Dashain is also the longest festival and the most important and popular festival of Nepalese Hindus celebrated throughout the country. Festive: Like most festivals in India It lasts for fifteen days and depicts the victory of good over evil, mainly goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasuras. 

Families get together during this period in order to pray, give thanks and share food. Kite flying, swings (pings), and playing cards are favorite pastime games; elders distribute tika and Jamara to the younger members of the family as tokens of prosperity.

In Nepal, Dashain 2081 begins in the month of Asoj. Fulapati is in Asoj 24th 2081 and Kojagat Purnima on Asoj 30th. However, the major celebrations of the day fall on October 12- which is called Vijayadashami.

2. Tihar: The Festival of Lights

Popularly referred to as Deepawali in other South Asian countries, Tihar is a five day festival in which worshipped are not only Gods and goddesses but crows, dogs, atts, cows, and oxen. Every day of the festival is filled with its own importance and third day of the festival is observe as Laxmi Puja, on this day houses are brightened with oil lamps and candles as Laxmi, the goddess of wealth is welcomed. 

This festival is almost next in significance to Dashain and helps create unity through colorful patterns, decorations during the festival and the sweet Bhailo and Deusi songs.

In Nepal, Tihar 2081 begins in the month of Kartik. KaagTihar is in Kartik 14th 2081 and Bhaitika on Kartik 19th. However, the major celebrations of the days fall on October 30th -November 04 in 2024 A.D..

3. Holi: The Festival of Colors

With Holi mainly being celebrated in the Terai and Kathmandu, it is filled with literally throwing colours and water at each other in merriment. This festival signify spring and triumph of good over evil through the narrative of Holika and Prahlad. It is beyond age, caste, or religious discrimination because the entire population dances in the streets of red, blue, green and yellow colors singing songs out of their joy.

4. Buddha Jayanti: Honoring the Enlightened One

They celebrate Buddha Jayanti wholeheartedly as nepal is known as the birth place of lord buddha. This festival occurs on the full moon day of April or May and it is celebrated in three different ways. People go to Lumbini, which is the birth place of Buddha, Swayambhunath Stupa and Boudhanath Stupa in Nepal. Men and women light butter lamps, pray and perform in religious processions, recalling the lessons from Buddha on the subject of non-violence and harmony.

5. Teej: A Festival for Women

Teej is a festival larvae in which Nepali women of Hindu religions only get together to fast and pray for the long life of their husbands or other male members of the family. Women wear red sarees and move around dancing and singing in circles and stinging flowers.

There is a feast called “Dar,” then the next day people fast and pray throughout the day. Teej thus, is not only a religious festival it is also a cultural celebration of womanhood or a festival for women who assembled in temples and other common land to have moments of joy.

6. Indra Jatra: The festival of Living Goddess Kumari

Indra Jatra is one of the greatest celebrations in the Kathmandu Valley which gains an elm performing the god of rain Indra to signal the conclusion of monsoon season. Some spectacular activities of the festival include unique chariot rides, masked dances and the lord himself rides in a chariot pulled by the Kumari, a girl considered as goddess on earth for the festival tenure.

This is a colorful eight-day festival party that takes place with great fanfare in Kathmandu especially at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square which includes cultural shows as well as Newari status songs.

7. Maghe Sankranti: Welcoming the Winter Solstice

Maghe Sankranti, which falls in mid-January, denotes the closing of the winter season and the beginning of days, longer at that. The reason why this festival is crucial to Hindus is that it is a day in which purity and positivity is highly valued. Devotees take a bath in sacred rivers, pray, and partake in blessings including sesame seed sweets, sweet potatoes, or Yams. Maghe Sankranti also marks the happy significance of the sun God ‘Surya’ and is followed in various forms in the country, especially in Tharu Community.

8. Gai Jatra: The Festival of Cows

Gai Jatra, which is a unique festival of the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley, is commemorated in honor of the souls of the departed. The bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the last one year, dress either a cow or a child as a cow but this is because it is believed that the cow will lead the souls the soul to the other world.

It also includes comedians and entertainers who make fun of the current life system and the political system, so that people can have some humor after a loss and grief period, Gai Jatra.

9. Mha Puja: Worship of the Self

Another essential festival of Newars is Mha Puja or the worship of the self. It falls during the New Year based on the Nepal Sambat year which is usually in April. This day people celebrate their physical bodies, cleansing and strengthening them for the new year that is to come.

Speaking of the major rituals, the families come together for a ceremony which comes with the Mandala placing of offerings and cumulate blessings. The day is focused on introspection, improvement, and appreciation of own existence.

10. Chhath: Worship of the Sun God

The Chhath is a major festival of the southern plains of Nepal more specifically among the Maithili speaking community. This festival lasts for four days and is performed to honor the god of sun, Surya where people starve themselves and have bath in the river, different prayers are chanted in morning and evening.

Bathing in the water and offering fruits, sweets, and sugarcane to the sun god is normal by people as a token of thanking the god for supporting life on earth.

7 Major Festival Tours in Nepal

1. Gai Jatra Festival Tour

The major festival of the Newar community of Kathmandu Valley is Gai Jatra or the festival of cows. Two people May’sheimers has been dedicated to people who have died in the previous year and involves parades with specially decorated cows or children dressed as cows.

The only such festival is a mix of nonessential religiousness and satirical humor when participants play out various social situations. A fascinating and fun-packed event for a Gai Jatra festival tour in Bhaktapur, Patan or Kathmandu so that the visitors can enjoy the city streets as they parade, and mask dances that are performed in honoring life and revelry of the departed.

2. Mustang Tiji Festival Trekking

For the Tiji Festival, the people of the Upper Mustang region celebrate the victory of good over evil and lasts for 3 days. Festival: It is performed by the people of Mustang and has origin from Tibetan Buddhism; The story behind the festival is that an important deity has to fight against forces of destruction in order to save the ‘Mustang Kingdom’.

This tour not only captures many of the great festival celebrations such as the masked dances and rituals of the locals but also presents the vistas encompassing Mustang encompassing monasteries, desert like terrain and the famed walled city of Lo Manthang.

3. Indra Jatra Festival Tour

Indra Jatra is a very large festival in Kathmandu which is celebrated for Indra – the god of rain. The event includes processions, and masked dances; the major event of the chariot festival is the chariot procession of the living goddess ‘Kumari’. People of Kathmandu celebrate this time by performing street drama, playing folk music, and presenting varieties of religious customs.

Visitors willing to follow an Indra Jatra festival tour will be able to observe and appreciate the entire festive atmosphere which gravitates around Kathmandu Durbar Square as well as to get to know the myths and histories belonging to the festival’s legend.

4. Bisket Jatra Festival Tour

Bisket Jatra is one of the most lively and energetic festivals celebrated in Nepal especially in Bhaktapur and that celebrates Nepali new year. Famous for its big chariots during the Rathyatra fair, the BHairab and Bhadrakali Chariots are pulled through the barbarous alleys of the kingdom. The opponents try to pull the chariots like when competing in a tug of war to be triumphant as guides of those large carriages.

Bisket Jatra festival tour is one of the action packed tours that will take a client through the cultural sites of Bhaktapur which BC Tours takes pride in showcasing the rich Bhutanese culture through the temples, palaces and medieval art works.

5. Dashain Festival Tour

Dashain, one of the longest and premier festivals celebrated in Nepal, regards triumph of good over evil. It is a times when members of a given family sit together to be blessed, to take foods and pray. A traveler on a Dashain festival ride can see children flying kites, people enjoying the swings (ping), and going to the temples to see the offerings made to goddess Durga.

A Dashain tour is informative when it comes to getting a cultural aspect of the Nepali family and also one we get to engage in other activities like Tika and Jamara the sign of prosperity and protection given to the visitors by the Nepali family.

6. Tamu Losar Festival Tour

Tamu Losar is the New Year festival of Gurung where people enjoy various type of dances, cultural programs and family get-togethers. This happy festival depicts the culture of Gurungs, where everyone dresses like ancient clans, sit together to enjoy spicy meals.

A Tamu Losar festival tour allows a visitor to celebrate in Gurung villages or in places like Pokhara or Kathmandu. This is an ideal chance to understand more about culture of Gurung people, taste local Non-vegetarian food or sample local music Non-Gurung dance, and view picturesque terrains of middle hills in Nepal.

7. Tihar Festival Tour

Tihar another name for which is the Festival of Light is five days’ feast dedicated to the deities, animals and brothers/sisters. Every day of the festival is spiritually important and is dedicated to crow, dogs, cows and goddess of wealth Laxmi.

Some homes use oil lamps for decoration and there are traditional patterns named rangoli made on the courtyards. On the last day called Bhai Tika, daughters give prayers and present to their brothers for their long life and prosperous life.

A Tihar festival tour makes it possible to enjoy these lovely features and relate to it by lighting lamps, making offerings and even get to enjoy traditional Nepal music and dance during Bhailo and Deusi.

Conclusion

Siem reap tours are especial types of tours in which tourists get an opportunity to feel Nepalese tradition at its best. From observing the colorful chariots of Indra Jatra to dancing with the Gurungs during Tamu Losar or hiking to the remote Mustang district at Tiji Festival these tours ensure a colourful insight into the Nepalese festival. 

Every festival brings out a unique aspect of Nepal’s culture and these tours are ideal for those who wish to tour historical landmarks and get a taste of the Nepalese culture all while admiring the exotic beauty of the country.

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