Mani Rimdu Festival with Everest Base Camp Trek

The Kathmandu valley has one of the densest concentrations of heritage sites. The Kathmandu city alone holds four heritage sites that are listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List. The tour will start late in the morning and you will visit the heritage sites of the city that includes the Temple of Pashupatinath, the Bouddhanath Stupa, the Swayambhunath Temple and the Kathmandu Durbar Square. All of these sites are revered by the people of the city and the religious places are held in high regards by the Hindu and the Buddhist people. The Durbar Square of Kathmandu holds many old palaces, buildings, temples and statues from medieval times. The buildings are built in unique Nepali architecture and contain amazing wood-crafting, stone masonry, metal works and intricate carvings done on their doors and windows. Pashupatinath is considered the most sacred temple of Lord Shiva and the cremation ceremony of the Hindus can be seen along the Bagmati’s river bank. Bouddhanath is the largest Buddhist Mandala in the world and the Swayambhunath- located atop a hill, is a temple sacred to both the Hindu and the Buddhist people. The heritage sites provide good insight into Nepal’s history and it’s past. They are great carriers of the country’s cultural and religious tenor. After the tour, you will return back to the hotel. Overnight stay at the Hotel. Meals: Breakfast included.

From Kathmandu, a flight to Lukla commences the trek. The Lukla flight is one of the most dramatic short flights in the world. The Lukla Airport itself is located on a hill and contains a single runway that drops off towards its end to the deep gaping valley below. Surrounded by tall mountains and jaded hills, the airstrip at Lukla is quite fascinating and the flight is deemed as a little thrilling adventure in itself. Upon arriving at Lukla, the change in the scenery is immediately felt. The mountainous landscape becomes quite prominent and the air carries a crisp freshness to it that only Himalayan atmosphere carries. From Lukla, the trekking trail slowly moves towards the Cheplung Village. View of the sacred Mount Khumbila from the village at Cheplung is beautiful. From there, a gradual walk downwards leads to the village of Phakding. The terrain is amazing and tall hills surround the trail like giant mounds of emeralds. From Phakding, the sight of the Kusum Kangraru Mountain can be seen. The village of Phakding lies in the Dudh Koshi River valley north of Lukla and contains many guesthouses and lodges that cater to tourism and trekkers. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

After breakfast at Phakding, the trail further opens out to reach the celebrated mountain town of Namche Bazaar. En route to Namche, several smaller villages are crossed, like Jorsale and Monjo. Monjo lies north of Phakding and is the entry point of the Sagarmatha National Park. The trail ventures through the national park and finally arrives at Namche. Walking along the trekking route through the Sagarmatha National Park presents many virtues, like its alpine woods, small rivers and brooks and deciduous forests. Thick acreages of Pine and Cedar cover the lands and provide a pleasant atmosphere to trek through. Namche Bazaar, because of its strategic location, is the commercial hub of the Khumbu region. It is located on a mountain side and views of the Thamserku Peak and the Kongdi RI Himal from here are amazing. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Namche is a great place to acclimatize. The sights around Namche are spectacular and beautiful. After breakfast, you can visit the Syangboche Airstrip that lies on a hill above the town. From here, you can get panoramic view of Namche and can see amazing sights of the Himalayas as well. Further from Namche lies the Everest View Hotel. The hotel is the highest located hotel in the world and provides view of Mount Everest and many other Himalayan peaks from all of its windows. Back at Namche, you can visit the Everest Photo Gallery and the Sherpa Culture Museum as well. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

An easy trail from Namche opens out towards the Dudh Koshi Valley at the settlement of Phungki Thanka. From the settlement, the views of Mount Everest are magnificent. Following the trail that marches along the right side of the Dudh Koshi River, the village of Tengboche is reached. The journey from Namche to Tengboche is filled with amazing natural scenery of rivers, hills and Himalayan peaks. The village of Tengboche is located at the confluence of the Dudh Koshi and the Imja Khola Rivers and is surrounded by tall hills that are covered in rhododendron trees.

The village is also famous for Tengboche Monastery, the largest monastery of the Khumbu region. The monastery is a hamlet from where the sight of Mount Ama Dablam, Mount Everest and numerous other peaks are beautiful to look at. The Tengboche Monastery is also regarded as the spiritual hub of the Khumbu region and is surrounded by forests that are inhabited by Impeyan Pheasants and eagles. This is the place where the celebration of the Mani Rimdu Festival will take place. You might also see the preparations of the festivals in full swing at the monastery by the monks, like the construction of the Sand Mandala- which is constructed using colored sand to build complicated and symbolic designs. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Today, you will visit the Tengboche Monastery to witness the celebration of the fabled Mani Rimdu Festival. There are many rituals and steps in the celebration of the holy festival. The Wong is the opening day of the public ceremony. It is performed on the full moon day, of the tenth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. The sacred Mani Rilwu (sacred or blessed pills) and Tshereel (pills for long life), are given to everyone attending. There are ritualistic dances by the monks that symbolize the triumph of good over evil. There are also rituals where the lamas and monks of the monastery done on colorful robes and traditional Sherpa costumes to depict various legends and myths. The tinkling sound of the cymbals and the steady beating of the drums fill the air. The monks also chant prayers and the atmosphere is generally turned into a lively gathering of colorful robes, enchanting prayers and amazing cultural display. Many local Sherpa people along with tourists attend to witness the celebration. After witnessing the celebration of the Mani Rimdu Festival, you will return back to the guesthouse. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.     

The trekking trail crosses the Imja River via a suspension bride and moves towards the village of Dingboche. Along the way, the village of Pangboche is passed. Dingboche is called the “Summer Valley” of the Khumbu and contains a kilometer long wall built to protect the village’s crops from the cold winds that descends down the Imja Valley. Dingboche, as the name reflects, receives more sun too. Graceful views of Lhotse, the Ama Dablam and the Island Peak from Dingboche are quite amazing. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Dingboche is also a great village for acclimatizing. A hike to Nagerjun is a great way to spend time at Dingboche. Nagerjun is located at the height of 5100 meters and lies just above Dingboche on a hill at the edges of the Chhukung valley. The hike is uphill and steep, and requires a bit of a strenuous energy. Walking for approximately 3-4 hours, we will reach Nagerjun from where marvelous panorama of Lobuche East (6119m), Lobuche West (6145m), Kangtega (6685m), Taboche Peak (6367m), Thamserku (6608m), and the Ama Dablam (6856m) can be seen. If you are lucky, you can also spot stunning sights of Mount Makalu, the world’s fifth tallest peak on a clear day. The view of the Pheriche Valley from here is also splendid. Returning back to Dingboche is also very beautiful. After finishing our lunch, we can take a rejuvenating sunbath and relax at the village. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

Making our way to Dhungla from Dingboche, you will come across the Trekkers Aid Post- situated at Pheriche (4210m). It is run by the Western Volunteer Doctors and assisted by The Himalayan Rescue Association. The aid post helps in the treatment of trekkers. The Chupki Lhara is then reached. It is a rock-strewn oblique from where sight of magisterial mountains can be seen. The path follows further down to the Khumbu Glacier moraine from there. The views of mountain peaks like Khumbutse, the Mahalangur Himal, Lingtren and the Pumori from the moraine are amazing. Mount Nuptse also looms up ahead once the glacier pass is crossed. We shall then check into our guesthouse at Lobuche for the night. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

An anticipated day of the trip, it will commence with a slow walk. Avoiding altitude sickness, a slow walk further on from Lobuche runs alongside the sight of the world’s highest glacier- the Khumbu Glacier, to the right. Walking for about 2-3 hours from Lobuche, we will get to Gorakshep (5181m/16994ft), a tranquil location dotted with some lodges. From here, the path moves all the way to the top of the edge, finally arriving at the Everest Base Camp. Here, the sight of the Khumbu Icefall and the view of the Khumbutse and Lingtren mountains are quite heavenly. After spending some time at the base camp enjoying the sights and the environment, we shall return back to Gorakshep. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

An early morning hike to Kalapatthar from Gorakshep is another highlight of the trip. Kalapatthar is a famous vantage point popular for providing panoramic views of Mount Everest, Nuptse, Chagatse, Lhotse and the Pumori among many other peaks. Hike to Kalapatthar is done early at dawn because the sight of the rising sun seen from the vantage point is absolutely amazing. The sun rises from amidst the Mount Everest Mountains and it changes the color of the mountains from silver to gold. After spending time at Kalapatthar, we will return to Gorakshep and walk down to Pheriche. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

The trail follows the Imja River again all the way to Tengboche. From Tengboche, we will move down towards Phungki Thanka, pass the Kyangjuma and reach Namche. It is a relaxing hike back and the sight of the landscape and the Himalayas can be enjoyed pleasantly. The villages are also lively with people and you can observe their customs and activities as you pass through. Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

The hike back to Lukla follows a trail that moves steeply downwards and crosses a suspension bridge. Chortens, prayer flags, Mani-stone walls and small Gompas line the villages and the trail. The Dudh Koshi River gushes by and adds a beautiful ambiance to the natural setting. Open plains, pine and rhododendron forests as well as snow covered peaks decorate the beautiful picturesque settings. As we reach Lukla, we can just relax. In the evening, we may celebrate the victory of accomplishing the trek as well.  Overnight stay at the Guesthouse. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included.

A 30-minute flight back to Kathmandu from Lukla ends the trekking part of the journey. You can revel in the changing sights of the landscapes one last time while on the flight. After landing in the Kathmandu airport, you will be transferred to the Hotel where you shall stay overnight. Meals: Breakfast included.

On this day, you can proceed to relax and can have another tour of the city or go shopping at the hub of “all things-tourist” at Thamel. Overnight stay at the Hotel. Meals: Breakfast included.

The airport representative from Nepal Hiking Team will transport you to Kathmandu International Airport around 3 hours before your scheduled flight from where you will depart. Meals: Breakfast included