The Everest region is renowned for its spectacular mountain scenery and world-class trekking routes. To truly understand the deep-rooted culture and traditions of this region, Himalaya Sacred Trek and Expedition has designed a special trek that allows you to witness one of the most important Sherpa festivals, Mani Rimdu.
The Mani Rimdu festival is celebrated every year in an old Buddhist monastery called Tengboche. They celebrate the victory of Buddhism over the ancient Bon religion. It is celebrated on the first day of the ninth month, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, and usually falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Mani Rimdu recreates legendary events, like the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet by the great saint Guru Rinpoche. They represent this during three main days, where you will experience traditional sacred dances, blessings, and offerings. You will discover the Sherpa community’s real and local culture while enjoying the Himalayas’ picturesque views.Â
In 2026, the sacred Mani Rimdu Festival will be celebrated from 26th to 28th October at Tengboche Monastery. Mani Rimdu Festival trek can be easily combined with popular routes such as the Everest Base Camp Trek, Everest Panorama (Everest View) Trek, Gokyo Trek, or Gokyo-Everest Base Camp Trek, making it a perfect blend of Himalayan adventure and spiritual discovery.
Departure Location: Kathmandu
Return Location:Â Kathmandu
Our company representatives welcome you warmly at the international airport of Kathmandu and transfer you to the hotel. On your first day, you can take it easy and rest after your long trip. Your trekking guide will give you a quick briefing. You will be staying overnight at the hotel, and we will begin our adventure the next day.Â
After lunch, we drove to Manthali airport, which is located in Ramechhap district, so it is also known as Ramechhap airport, as it faces attractive views of Kathmandu and Manthali. During the trekking season, flights operate via Ramechhap, while in the off-season, direct flights from Kathmandu to Lukla are available. After reaching Manthali, we will stay overnight in a lodge at Manthali.Â
We start the morning flying from Manthali to Lukla. Once we are in Lukla, we will begin our trek. First, we will arrive at a ridge at 2,800m. We will follow a gradual ascent until we get to the final ridge. From here, we will descend to Surke following the path leading to Phakding. This trek is a trail cut into the steep rocky side of the valley. In the end, the trail will join the Dudh Kosi river valley. From here, you will have some astonishing views of the river as you stand high above. We will stay overnight at a guest house or lodge.Â
After Breakfast in Phakding, our trek will follow the river, which we will cross several times to reach Monjo village, near Sagarmatha National Park. While walking, we can enjoy the scenery of tall rhododendrons, pines, and trees. After a few hours, we will reach Namche Bazaar, an ideal place for a rest day to acclimatize.Â
After breakfast, we will walk to a panoramic viewpoint where you can enjoy the view of Mt.Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and many more. We will then go and have a look at the Sherpa cultural centre, where you can learn about the Sherpas’ ascent of Mt.Everest. We will hike up to the Everest View Hotel via Syangboche airport. After having a cup of tea, we begin a short trek to Khyangjuma, a little more peaceful place to stay overnight in a lodge.Â
After breakfast, we will proceed with our trek to Tengboche, our end destination. We will descend for about 45 minutes to a small place, near the river, called Phunki Tenga. This is a brilliant place to stop for lunch. A zig-zag trail going uphill will lead us to Tengboche, where we will overnight and rest in a lodge and attend the festival the next day.Â
The first day of the festival is called “The Wong.” On this day, we will experience sacred ceremonies and a series of events representing empowerment, while embracing the local traditions and all it has to offer.Â
On the second day, we will observe the Chham, a masked dance represented by six dancers, Ngag-pa (Tantric magicians). They make offerings of alcohol to the Lama, Yidam, Khandro, and Shi Dak (Earth deities).Â
It is the third and last of the festival; it is all a bit calmer, and it will give you an almost family atmosphere. A ritual will take place in the courtyard, called the Fire Puja. It is an offering to the god of fire (Agni) and to the god of the mandala, to bear off all harm in the world. The harm is believed to dissolve into the grain, and butter is burned.Â
Afterwards, they take the sand from the mandala and give it as an offering to the serpent gods (Nagas). This all happens at the spring below the temple.Â
The festivities are now over, and it is time to return. Our trail leads to Namche Bazaar, passing by Pungi Thanka and Khyangjuma. We will stay overnight at a lodge in Namche Bazaar.Â
After departing from Namche, we first descend through pine trees and cross the high suspension bridge over the Dudh Koshi River. Then our trail continues to the riverside, and we arrive in Jorsalle. It will take around 2 and a half hours. We continue our trek, reaching Phakding, where we will have our lunch. After, our trail continues until Lukla, where we will stay overnight in the lodge for the night.Â
In the morning after breakfast, we will catch a short flight from Lukla airport to Manthali. We will enjoy the scenic mountain views before driving back to Kathmandu, where we will stay overnight.
Your adventure of the Mani Rimdu Festival Trek comes to an end! We will take you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. Thank you for joining us for your memorable journey. Hope to see you again.Â
Complementaries
| Date | Status | Group Size | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
|
56 Days
Start – 2026-04-25
End – 2026-06-03
|
Booking Open | 1 – 12 PAX |
