Are you a cultural and adventure enthusiast and want to experience the same at a go? You should then consider going to the Tiji Festival in Upper Mustang in Nepal. It is a trekking adventure to Lo Manthang in Upper Mustang where you can explore and enjoy a wonderful cultural celebration. After a beautiful trekking adventure through the vast mountains, you reach to Lo Manthang to witness the festival. However, you have to plan the trip at the time of the festival since it happens once every year.

This amazing festival falls in May every year and offers visitors a wonderful cultural immersion. The date for the festival this year has been announced and it’s taking place from 16-18 May.

Check here the Upper Mustang Trek for Tiji Festival.

What is Tiji Festival?

Tiji is a great and ancient cultural and spiritual celebration in Lo Manthang of Upper Mustang in Nepal. This annual festival observes traditional myths and Tibetan Buddhist rituals for three days in Lo Manthang. This unique Buddhist cultural festival marks the victory of one of Lord Buddha’s incarnations over a demon that lived on human beings and tried to destroy the world with storms and drought.

The name of the festival Tenji, which is alternately called Tiji, comes from the Tibetan word “Tempa Chhirim” which means “prayer for world peace”. The sole purpose of observing this celebration is to pray for peace in the region and in the world.

According to the Tibetan Buddhist legend the incarnation, Dorjee Sonnu, fought the demon, Man Tam Ru, and saved the whole region from destruction. This three-day-long festival enacts the story, of the troubles caused by the demon, the birth of Dorje Sonnu, and his battle with and victory over the demon, in form of ritual dancing. It is a great occasion where Buddhist monks from the Choedhe monastery of Lo Manthang organize and perform all the ritual dancing.

What happens at the Festival?

This three-day-long festival has a performance that enacts the story of the troubles caused by the demon. You can observe and enjoy the whole enactment of this religious and spiritual performance. You will see a never-seen-before cultural celebration that gives you a chance to understand the life of people living in the region.

It is certainly a wonderful thing to see such a magnificent spiritual celebration in the remote wilderness of the mountains.

Going on a tour during the Tiji festival in Upper Mustang is a great cultural escape. You will have a rare opportunity to explore and immerse in the unique cultural tradition of the Upper Mustang.

The indulgence in Tiji Festival will bring you closer to the culture and lifestyle in the region. And you will also get to enjoy a beautiful trekking experience. It is certainly a wonderful mix of culture and adventure which you should go to in 2023.

Let us know if you want to know more about the festival.

A jungle safari tour in Nepal is one of the activities that you can indulge in during your visit to Nepal. Whether you come for cultural exploration or for a trekking adventure, you can always add a few extra days to enjoy the wildlife in Nepal. Jungle safari activities in Nepal offer you a chance to witness the beauty of wild animals and birds. You can go to two national parks in Nepal to explore the wildlife. Let’s talk about the two national parks where you can enjoy jungle safari activities

Jungle Safari Tour in Nepal

Exploring wildlife brings you closer to nature where you can enjoy different species of animals and birds living freely in the wild. Nepal also offers a great wildlife excursion experience which can be a great compliment to your visit to Nepal. Two national parks in Nepal – Chitwan National Park and Bardiya National Park – have interesting wildlife to observe and enjoy. When it comes to jungle safari activities, these two national parks are the best in Nepal. Taking a closer look at what it takes to go on a wildlife tour in these two places will give you a better insight.

Let’s explore more about these national parks.

Chitwan National Park

Chitwan national park is the most popular place where travelers go to explore jungle safari activities. The national park is about 165 kilometers south of Kathmandu and has easy access to roads and the airport. It takes about five hours to drive to Chitwan from Kathmandu and about four hours from Pokhara.

You can also fly to Chitwan from Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Most of the people traveling to Chitwan for a Jungle safari tour in Nepal stay at the place called Sauraha while some people choose to stay at different places at the stretch of the national park. While you are on a jungle safari tour in Chitwan, you can explore wildlife like a one-horned rhino, Bengal tiger, deer, wild boar, bear, crocodile, bison, etc. You can also go for a jungle walk, canoe ride, and Tharu cultural show as part of the activities.

Chitwan national park also has several species of ethnic and migrating birds to enjoy during the tour.

Bardiya National Park

Bardiya national park is another wonderful destination for jungle safari activities in Nepal. It is about 540 kilometers west of Kathmandu and takes about 14 hours to reach there by road. Although it is a great place for wildlife exploration, there are fewer people visiting Bardiya than Chitwan national park.

It offers you a chance to witness beautiful wild animals and birds and also to enjoy the ethnic culture. Although it is far from Kathmandu, it is certainly worth traveling far to experience a great jungle safari tour in Nepal.

If you love exploring wildlife, you should include the experience when you plan to visit Nepal. It will certainly make your Nepal travel experience even more beautiful and memorable.

Adventure Himalaya Circuit offers you a perfect plan to explore the best wildlife experience in Nepal.

Nepal gets a lot of travelers from around the world every year. Be it for trekking in Nepal or for cultural tours and mountaineering, there are hundreds of thousands of people visiting Nepal. And the number is certainly on the rise every year. Let’s learn more about why people want to travel to Nepal.

There is a reason why Nepal has become so popular amongst travelers. Firstly, the snow-capped Himalayas have such an immensely powerful energy that creates an ideal atmosphere to enjoy their holiday. The energy that the Himalayas emanate is so powerful and rejuvenating. Many people have to wish to get a glimpse of the Himalayas and the travel to Nepal brings you a chance to witness the magnificence.

Secondly, there is nowhere like nature to spend your holiday in a peaceful atmosphere and Nepal has it all. The weather of Nepal is ideal to indulge in a deeper exploration of the mountains and nature. Traveling to Nepal is certainly a blissful experience that you should go to at least once in your lifetime.

While Nepal attracts travelers from around the world, you can go for different activities to spend your holiday. From Everest Base Camp Trekking to Annapurna Circuit Trekking, you can enjoy the magnificence of the mountains. You can also indulge in beautiful cultural and spiritual exploration. It is not only a trekking adventure but you can also go on a yoga adventure. Our yoga adventure like Mardi Himal Yoga Trek makes your holiday full of adventure and spiritual vibes.

What to expect from travel to Nepal?

When you realize that travel to Nepal is a holiday full of beautiful experiences, everything else becomes mundane. But the Himalayan magic and nature’s magnificence leave so much of a compassionate impression that directly touches our hearts.

Trekking in the mighty mountains has an experience that you can only feel. Words will be inadequate to explain the experience that you get during the trip.

The view of the Himalayan range and pristine nature is certainly a soul-enriching one. Once you are in the mountain atmosphere, the spiritual energy in you will arise on its own. You will simply like to gaze and enjoy the view of the surroundings.

Inhaling the fresh mountain air is another revitalizing energy that mountains offer. Breathing in the fresh air during your travel to Nepal boosts your energy and helps in making your holiday a lifetime experience.

 When to travel to Nepal?

Normally, the trekking season in Nepal has two different parts – the spring season from March to May and the autumn season from September to December. January/February and June to August are cold and rainy months respectively where trekking in the mountains becomes a little difficult. However tour around different places, other than high mountains, can be done throughout the year. You can travel and experience Nepal throughout the year but you need to choose the trip wisely to suit the weather condition.

Finally, whether you want to travel to Nepal for the first time or you want to come back, you will feel the same magnificence and energy that this beautiful country has to offer you. Your Nepal exploration will become a beautiful moment to cherish in your life for sure.

Adventure Himalaya Circuit is a pioneer in making your Nepal holiday a beautiful experience. From trekking to cultural and spiritual tours, our experts will offer you an unparalleled experience in Nepal.

Let us know if you want to learn more about traveling to Nepal.

If you have ever thought of traveling to Nepal, what does come into your mind about the country? Is it the Himalayas and trekking adventures? If yes, you are not the only person to think so. Most people think of Nepal as a trekking destination. But very few people know that Nepal is also about a lot more than trekking. Nepal is an awesome destination for amazing experiences.

In addition to trekking in the mountains, you will love various other experiences that you indulge in. While travel now has become all about experience, Nepal offers diverse and wonderful experiences from culture to community and nature.

Let’s take a look at what this beautiful country has to offer apart from just trekking.

Cultural Exploration of Local Community

A cultural tour in Nepal offers a great experience of the local lifestyle and traditions. Being on a cultural tour is an amazing way to explore the cultural diversity of the country. You will, at the same time, be close to the locals with whom you can enjoy interesting conversations.

From exploring old streets in Kathmandu to going on a multi-day trip around different places in the country, a cultural tour is surely an experience that you will love.

Yoga and Meditation

Since you are visiting the country where ancient yogis dwelled; practiced yoga, and meditate, it is the right place to go for some yoga and meditation experience. While you can completely integrate yoga into your adventure, you can also go for this experience just for a day or two.

As wellness travel has become a trend in the world, you can also plan a yoga tour or a yoga trek in Nepal. This will certainly be an incredible experience.

Stay with a Local Family

There are plenty of hotels in Nepal that you can choose to stay at. But staying with a local family has a different experience that you will cherish. If you love experiencing new cultures and traditions, there is no better way to understand the Nepali lifestyle than by staying with a local family.

Planning a day or two or your entire trip to stay with a local family is sure to give you an unforgettable experience. It also brings you a chance to be closer to local people. A beautiful immersion into local culture tells that Nepal is an awesome destination for amazing experiences.

Local Cooking Experience

Eating local food is a great way to understand the place that you travel to and trying to cook like them is an experience. You can do the same also during your travel to Nepal. Trying to cook local foods is definitely an experience that will stay with you forever.

You will live a life like a Nepali for a day when you cook like them in their kitchen.

Volunteer in School or Community

Another great experience that you can go for is to volunteer to teach in a school for a few days or go to a community activity. You can also find volunteering activities of your interest. School-going students, gap year students, university students, or anyone interested can go for volunteering experience.

It will be your life-changing experience.

Apart from these experiences, you will also explore and discover several unique things and experiences during your visit to Nepal.

If you want to learn more about the experiences above, you can write to us.

It is not the only Himalayas that you enjoy while traveling in Nepal but you can also enjoy mouthwatering cuisines. Nepal offers some satisfying foods with great taste. You can enjoy food with spicy flavor to no spices at all. There are some delicious foods to try in Nepal during your travel.

Nepal is a country of multiple cultures and ethnic groups and you will find wonderful diversity also in the food culture. The taste of Nepalese foods is enriched by herbal spices that give them healthy flavor and taste. Whether you are traveling to Nepal for a trekking adventure or for cultural exploration, you should try these foods for sure.

Let’s take a look at the foods to try in Nepal when you are here.

Although there are many different foods that you can try, here are a few of them that you should not miss.

Momo 

Momo is certainly the most talked about food in Nepal. Every restaurant you visit will offer momo on their menu. Over the years, momo has become an integral part of Nepali cuisine for its juicy composition and mouthwatering taste. This stuffed dumpling is the most commonly available food in Nepal. It comes in varieties of tastes. You can choose from various options – from vegetarian to non-vegetarian of choices. This is certainly one of the foods to try in Nepal.

Dal Bhat

Dal Bhat is a platter of rice, lentil, curry, vegetable, and pickles and is a staple food for many in the country. This food is also a nice combination of all the necessary minerals, vitamins, protein, and carbohydrates for our body. It is healthy and hygienic food to eat. This food tastes so delicious that you want to eat it all the time. You will be surprised to know that you can add this food to your plate as long as you fully satisfy your hunger.

Dal Bhat is available from cities to mountains. You can eat this delicious food all the time during your Everest base camp trek or any other trekking adventure in Nepal.

Sel Roti

This Nepali-styled rice-flour doughnut is a lightly sweet and tasty food to eat in Nepal. Sel Roti goes well with milk tea and curry. Although a bit oily, as it is deeply fried, Sel Roti makes has to taste to go for. Only some of the special local tea shops will offer the luxury of enjoying the delicacy of this food.

Thukpa

Let’s talk about some noodles. That doesn’t sound quite Nepali, right? But who knew a noodle item would be so famous in Nepal? Yes, Thukpa – the noodle soup – is one of the delicious foods to try in Nepal. Flavored with different herbal spices, this typical food can be mixed with veggies, eggs, or meat.

Bara

This is another authentic Nepali food to go for in Kathmandu. This is a special type of pancake made of black lentil flour. You will find this food in the small local eateries. You need to explore the place to eat Bara. Ask local people where you can find one and you will get to enjoy the delicacy of Bara.

Newari Khaja Set

If you love to eat something spicy, you should go for some delicious Newari Khaja set. You will have a platter of beaten rice, buffalo meat, pickle, beans, etc. It is one of the most authentic Newari foods to eat in Kathmandu.

These foods listed here are widely and easily available. Although there are several other foods to try in Nepal, it is impossible to include them all in a short article. If you have tried these foods, give us your impression. And if you have eaten any other Nepali foods other than those mentioned here, write about them in our comment section.

The cultural, historical, and spiritual atmosphere of Nepal is even more characterized by the temples and shrines in Nepal.

Nepal, as a dominantly religious country, practices Hinduism and Buddhism in addition to Christianity and Islam although the number of the latter two is significantly low. Two dominant religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, mostly set the cultural and spiritual atmosphere in the country. Hindu and Buddhist temples and shrines in Nepal stand firmly throughout the country with a strong base of the faith of people.

Talking about Kathmandu valley, its main characteristics are set by the wide presence of temples and shrines. From giant Buddhist stupas of Boudhanath and Swoyambhunath to ancient pagoda temples of Changunarayan and Pashupatinath, Kathmandu valley is home to many such sacred shrines. Medieval Durbar Squares in Kathmandu valley also have many tiered temples and shrines. All these important temples and shrines in Kathmandu are on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list.

Apart from the heritage monuments, the valley also houses many beautiful temples, shrines, and monasteries in the surrounding area. These temples and shrines have set the social and cultural structure of Kathmandu valley since ancient times. Actually the word ‘Kathmandu’ itself is believed to have been derived from ‘Kashthamandap’ which means the wooden temple. You can certainly call this valley the land of temples.

Temples and Shrines in Nepal

While talking about the temples and shrines in Nepal outside Kathmandu valley, it is also the same case as in the valley. The only difference can be the density of temples. While Kathmandu valley houses temples and shrines densely, other parts of the country have fewer. But there are also beautiful and important temples, monasteries, and pagodas outside the valley.

Here we talk about some of the important Hindu temples and Buddhist shrines in Nepal.

Pashupatinath

This Hindu temple is the most important Shiva temple in the country. This temple is also one of the cultural heritage monuments in Kathmandu. This two-storied pagoda temple on the bank of River Bagmati attracts Hindu pilgrims from around the country and the world. The surroundings of the temple also have several wonderful shrines, greenery, and cremation platforms on the bank of the river. It is an important religious, spiritual and cultural site with the most important Shiva temple in the country.

Boudhanath

Amongst the temples and shrines in Nepal, the Boudhanath stupa has a distinct charm. This Buddhist stupa is the largest of its kind in the world. This shrine is not only big in its size but also big in its religious and spiritual importance. This is one of the most important Buddhist stupas in the country. Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims come to this place to pay their homage to the stupa. This stupa is also one of the cultural heritage monuments in the country.

Lumbini

This is another amazing and important shrine in the country. Situated 285 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu, Lumbini is also the birthplace of Buddha. You can see various shrines, from the Mayadevi temple to monasteries of different sects and countries. This is also one of UNESCO’s cultural heritage sites in the country.

Muktinath Temple

An important Hindu temple perched deeper in the mountains, Muktinath is the pilgrimage site for the Hindu faith believers. Literally translated as the god who gives liberation, people visit his temple to get spiritual liberation or the Moksha. This temple lies between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges of the mountains. You can reach this temple either on Annapurna Circuit Trek or Jomsom Muktinath Trek or with a small detour from Upper Mustang Trek.

Tengboche Monastery

A famous monastery in the Everest trekking region, Tengboche monastery is the spiritual center for the people living in the region. This monastery has popular fame not only amongst the Buddhist people living in the Everest region but also amongst the trekkers and mountaineers in the region.  This monastery organizes a wonderful festival called Mani Rimdu festival every year.

Manakamana Temple

One of the most famous Hindu temples in the country, the Manakamana temple lies on top of a hill right above the River Trishuli. About 3 hours of drive from Kathmandu and 8 minutes of cable car ride from Kurintar takes you to the temple. Apart from being a religious and spiritual center, this place is also a wonderful vantage point to see the surroundings. This is the temple of a Hindu goddess who fulfills the wishes of her devotees, that is what Manakamana translates as.

This post will turn into a bulky book if we keep on going listing temples and shrines in Nepal in detail. This post is to give you an idea that you will encounter, as a traveler, so many temples and shrines in Nepal. Whether you go to the mountains or travel around different cities, towns, and villages of Nepal, you will certainly come across these monuments.