Mani Rimdu Festival

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14 days
Moderate To Strenous

‘spectacular festival in the backdrop of mountain panorama with Mt Everest’

Highlights:

“Rejoice observing the colorful Mani Rimdu Festival of a lifetime experience.
Get blessed with taking part in the events, witness the great exciting ceremony
Amazing and impressive festival in the shade of high spectacular mountain views
Perfect way to immerse within ancient heritage and colorful Sherpa customs
Enjoy the days at Tengboche surrounded by magnificent scenery of snow peaks”

Trip Profile:

Trip Mode: Hotels in Kathmandu with standard or deluxe lodge on treks.
Trekking Grade: Moderate with Ups and Downs and touch of high altitude.
Highest spot: At Tengboche 3,867 m / 12,687 ft.

Activities: Scenic flights, exciting, cultural treks to observe festival.
Daily walks: From minimum 4 hrs. Maximum 6 hrs. or more some days.
Distance of walks: Approx. 50 k.m / 30.10 miles both ways.
Trek and Festival: 10 Nights and 11 Days (from Lukla to Lukla)
Total Trip: 13 Nights and 14 Days (from arrival to main departures)

The best month and dates for Mani Rimdu Festival Trekking:

Mani Rimdu Festival of Tengboche takes place every year in the month of October or first week and mid-November as per Buddhist Lunar Calendar, while other Mani Rimdu of Thame Monastery is held in June as per Buddhist calendar.

The main festival of Mani Rimdu focused on this trekking program is of Tengboche / Thyangboche Monastery where dates for this 2022 year.

For this year according to Tibetan Buddhist Lunar calendar where Head Lama (priest) of Tengboche Monastery announces the dates.

The Mani Rimdu is performed in the 9^th Tibetan month which usually falls in October or November during the full-moon time.

For this year celebrating on 08^th to 10^th November 2022.

So please contact Himalaya Expedition (Himex Nepal). well in advance to secure and reserve the space for this exciting and interesting Mani Rimdu Festival of Tengboche Monastery.

Everest and Khumbu Culture / Religion:

Around Nepal Far North Mid-East to Far Eastern region where high hills and mountainous areas populated with Sherpa, and also the natives of Everest and other higher Himalayan region, the word Sherpa comes from Tibetan language which means Sher or Shar for East and Pa for people, East the Sherpa the East people migrated from Eastern Tibet to Nepal Far Mid-East and Far Eastern Himalaya range.

History records as back 500 years old, where Sherpa came and settle around high mountainous areas of Himalaya especially in the Mid and Far East, Sherpa are normally farmers and raising livestock like cows and yaks interwoven with strong Buddhism religion and fascinating cultures that you can observe on walks around villages.

Every Sherpa villages has monastery, some are much older of more than 500 years like the monastery at Thame and Pangboche as well in Khumjung villages, where famous monastery of Thyangboche was much older which was destroyed by huge fire in 1991 and been built to its original shapes.

Exploring and visiting from one village to another you will encounter many prayer symbols and Mani stone slate walls with religious monuments of Stupas (dome), with rows of rotating prayer and spinning wheels, Sherpa men-folks are the earlier pioneers as mountain and trekking guides and still held the post till present.

The Khumbu area of Everest populated by approx. 3,000 of the famed Sherpa people whose lives are interwoven with the teaching of Buddhism. The main settlements are Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Khunde, Thame, Tengboche, Pangboche and Phortse. The economy of the Khumbu Sherpa community has traditionally been heavily based on trade and livestock herding.

But with the coming of international mountaineering expeditions since 1950 and the influx of foreign trekkers, the Sherpa economy today is becoming increasingly dependent on tourism.

Introduction:

Mani Rimdu Festival Trekking an exclusive short and moderate adventure with Himalaya Trek Adventure Pvt. Ltd. Where walk takes you to spectacular scenery with glorious panorama of Mid-Eastern Himalaya with ever present Mt. Everest.

Mani Rimdu Festival Trekking will be worth an experience where you will in the close shade of giant mountain range in the harmony of colorful Sherpa cultural villages which you can notice throughout the treks.

The festival one of the main highlight of Khumbu and Everest region, although there is another similar festival that held west of Namche Bazaar at Thame village and its old monastery.

But the main popular and renowned Mani Rimdu Festival is of Tengboche as well spelled and pronounced as Thyangboche, a beautiful and scenic spot surrounded by array of peaks with views of Mt. Everest and majestic Mt. Amadablam.

The area around Tengboche enclosed by green vegetation and tree lines of tall rhododendron, pines, birch, oaks and firs that makes this place a magic with white snow peaks in contrast of green rolling hills.

Mani Rimdu Festival Trekking begins with flight from Kathmandu to reach at Lukla town and its airport, where walk takes you through number of nice villages encountering prayer monuments as climb heads towards colorful Namche Bazaar.

A great large village and popular stop among trekkers and mountaineers where one can find almost all kinds of facilities needed for pleasant and enjoyable trekking beyond Namche and Tengboche.

From Namche slowly and gradually walk takes you on top scenic hill at Tengboche where great fascinating Mani Rimdu Festival takes place in its monastery premises with ample time to spend here to observe the colorful and exciting event.

Enjoy marvelous moments observing the festival from Wang / blessing day to Chan / Masked dance performed by monks and priest and lastly the closing day called Jinsak.

From Tengboche walk takes you to Lukla for scenic short flight back to Kathmandu, after a mesmerizing time and experience on interesting Mani Rimdu Festival Trekking in the shadow of high Mt. Everest and other Himalayan peaks.

Please Note:

From October 2022 flight to Lukla and back operates from a Ramechap town Manthali airport. Flying to Lukla from Kathmandu domestic airport or flying back from Lukla to Kathmandu route has been changed by Nepal Government Civil Aviation Authority till further notice.

The changes started since 2019 onward, flights to Lukla resume from Manthali town airport which is the main headquarter of Ramechap district Province No: 03 of Nepal.

Where drive from Kathmandu to reach at Manthali airstrip takes approx.: 5 hrs which is about 154 k.m. approx. 500 miles distance from the capital Kathmandu where drive takes you on B.P. Highway (a newly built tarmac road).

Located towards Dhulikhel town and then continue journey further to Manthali town and its small airport.

More information of Tengboche Monastery and Mani Rimdu Festival taken from other important historical, religious, cultural and events source.

Tengboche Monastery (or Thyangboche Monastery), also known as Dawa Choling Gompa, in the Tengboche village in Khumjung in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Sherpa community. Situated at 3,867 m / 12,687 ft, the monastery is the largest of its kind known as Gompa in Tibetan language and around the Khumbu region of Nepal.

Built in 1916 by Lama Gulu with strong links to its mother monastery of the Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet near North Everest Base Camp.

In 1934, it was destroyed by huge earthquake and was subsequently rebuilt. In 1989, it was destroyed for a second time by a fire and then rebuilt with the help of volunteers and international assistance.

Tengboche monastery located within Sagarmatha National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of "outstanding universal value”), draped with a panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountains with Tawache, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Amadablam with Thamserku.

Mani Rimdu Festival of Tengboche Monastery from mid-October or early November months as per Tibetan Lunar calendar.

Trek and take part in the Mani Rimdu festival, important to Sherpa held as per Tibetan calendar. It is a series of masked dances where monks and priests clad in elaborate masks and costumes dramatize the triumph of Buddhism over Bon, the ancient animistic religion of Tibet.

Mani Rimdu in Tengboche a Sherpa festival celebrated during the fall (October / November months) at Tengboche Monastery in the Everest region, which last for 5 days, Lamas and Sherpa community gather for “the good of the world”. There are plays, masked dances, prayers, and feastings. Demons are quelled and dutifully rewarded. The days are colorful and trek to Everest region are worth-while and rewarding.

Itinerary

DAY 1

On arrival at Kathmandu airport 1,320 m /4,355 feet staff and transfers you to hotel.

Reach Kathmandu via various international airlines where our staff receives you

with transport to your hotel in the heart of Kathmandu city within easy reach to

shops and restaurants.

Check into your rooms and after getting refreshed from jet-leg join at hotel lobby

for group briefing where information of the treks provided by our guide or leader,

regarding do’s and don’ts, local culture and of the Mani Rimdu Festival.

Evening enjoy group dinner in a nice authentic Nepalese restaurants and get the

taste of local cuisine with folk cultural show of various parts of Nepal.

DAY 2

Morning in Kathmandu, afternoon drive to Ramechap- 05 hrs.

A day in Kathmandu for familiarization with local Nepalese cultures and historical background. Morning after breakfast preparation for trek. Afternoon an exciting drive takes you to Ramechap at Manthali town near its small airport for flight to Lukla, next early morning. Overnight in one of the best lodges available at Manthali town of Ramechap district.

DAY 3

Fly to Lukla 2,820 m/9,300 feet walk to Phakding village 2,645 m / 8,725 feet - 04 hrs.

Depart from the hotel for scenic short flight in smaller aircraft to reach at Lukla, where you can enjoy panorama of Himalayan peaks with Everest on this 35 minutes scenic flight all the way till it lands at Lukla where the airport named Tenzing and Hillary, tribute to late and first conqueror of Mt. Everest.

Lukla a busy town and door to Everest base camp and various other high destinations within Khumbu area, at Lukla with time to get organized, where first day walk leads you on nice scenic gradual trail through lovely Sherpa villages following Dudh Kosi River to reach overnight stop at Phakding village after an enjoyable first day walk.

DAY 4

Trek to Namche Bazaar 3,440 m / 11, 350 feet - 06 hrs.

From Phakding, morning after breakfast walk continues on nice trail with short up and down crossing bridge to enter Sagarmatha National Park at Monjo village with views of Tharmasarku peaks.

After Monjo and then head past park entrance gate to cross over a bridge over Dudh Kosi River to Jorsalle, which is the last village before Namche Bazaar, as route heads on river side within cool shade of forest and climb to cross a high bridge that leads to Namche Bazaar.

Walk on scenic winding uphill facing views of Kongde, Kusum-Khanguru and Mt. Everest and Lhotse (if the weather it’s a clear during afternoon), trek takes you into nice path lined with tree lines of rhododendron, magnolia, oaks and pines to reach large village at Namche Bazaar.

DAY 5

At Namche for acclimatization and short scenic hike to view point.?

Enjoy free and rest day in Namche Bazaar where you can take a hike and get soaked into beautiful scenery facing Mt. Everest, Lhotse and Amadablam includes range of peaks, a nice interesting place where once a week busy and colorful Saturday market held.

At Namche for hike and short excursion on rest day:

Visit museum at Sagarmatha National Park headquarter on top Namche Bazaar offers grand views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Amadablam with other adjoining peaks.

Hike to Everest View Hotel, the highest deluxe hotel in the world at 3,880 m high offers views of Everest and Amadablam, for energetic people can hike to Khumjung and Khunde villages located on a glacial valley, with lunch at Khumjung and Khunde and back to Namche for overnight.

DAY 6

Trek to Tengboche 3,867 m / 12,760 feet-05 hrs.?

From Namche on winding pleasant trail with down to Imjatse River in a small place of Phunki-Tenga, a popular spot for lunch stop and refreshment, from here afternoon climb into lovely forested area to reach at beautiful Tengboche and the monastery.

Located on scenic view spot facing array of white snow-capped peaks with Mt. Everest and ever present majestic peak Amadablam, here with time to visit its impressive colorful monastery of great interest and then retire to your rooms in local nice lodge at Tengboche or little lower to a place called Deboche.

DAY 7 - 9

Observe the Mani Rimdu (08th to 10th Nov 2022)?

A free day to observe and to be part of the ancient traditional mask dance where monks clad in ceremonial dress depicting Demons and Gods and the then driving evils with prayers by the monks and high official Lama Priest.

On this two days getting up early as possible to catch grand mountain panorama and to get the best available spot to observe Mani Rimdu performance inside the complex of monastery courtyard, witness local Sherpa people in their traditional attire performing religious rites and offering, as well taking part in the Mani Rimdu festival.

The Mani Rimdu festival is one of the most important for Sherpa community which is held as per Tibetan Buddhist calendar.

Mani Rimdu Festival follows with series of masked dances where monks and priests clad in elaborate masks and costumes dramatize the triumph of Buddhism over Bon (an ancient animistic religion sect of Tibet).

DAY 10

Trek to Monjo 2,880 m via Namche Bazaar - 06 hrs.

From Tengboche after an enjoyable time soaking into colorful festival, morning on easy gradual trail with descend to a river and then short up, and then on nice pleasant path to Namche Bazaar for short refreshing break, after an enjoyable time in the harmony of local Sherpa culture at Namche with grand views.

Afternoon downhill to a river to reach Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park entrance and exit point and then short walk to lovely village at Monjo for overnight stop before Lukla.

DAY 11

Last day walk to Lukla - 04 hrs.

Enjoy last day walk of the adventure as morning walk takes you to cross a

long suspension bridge over Dudh Kosi River and then reach Phakding village and

then trek past Ghat and Tade-Kosi small villages.

Where last final climb of short hour brings you back at Lukla town and its markets place, and then check into a nice lodge at Lukla for last overnight stop around high Khumbu and Everest region with afternoon free for short walks and browse around Lukla town.

DAY 12

Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu with afternoon free at leisure.

Morning flight to Kathmandu, after last breakfast in Lukla and around Khumbu

area transfer to Tenzing and Hillary Airport. Then board in a small aircraft

for sweeping and panoramic flight that reaches you at Ramechap Manthali airport

Kathmandu, during flight enjoy views of Himalayas. From Manthali airport, drive

back to Kathmandu, afternoon at leisure.

DAY 13

Free and contingency day in Kathmandu.

Today a free day in Kathmandu reserved as contingency in case of flight delay and cancellation before or flying out of Lukla, which can happen sometimes even in the best time of the year due to unpredictable, unfavorable weather conditions.

If all goes well as per our itinerary standard itinerary days one can enjoy free individual activities and just relax after a tough adventure or join in for another exciting tour around world heritage sites of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur cities.

DAY 14

International departure for home ward bound.?

After a great and wonderful experience in Nepal with amazing time around high Himalaya with great Mani Rimdu Festival Trek. Himex staff transfers you to airport for your flight back home or to next port of call.