"If you love capturing moments, bustling markets, historical sites, stunning snow-capped mountains, gorgeous landscapes, and nature, then our 16 days Cultural photography tour in Nepal is the best package for you. You'll explore some of the oldest temples, palaces, courtyards, and a restricted area of the country during the tour."
Cultural photography tour in Nepal is a special tour package precisely designed to give a close understanding of Nepali culture and traditions to travelers. It's an easy tour with no strenuous walking and perfect for people of all age groups. The photography tour in Nepal combines a visit to historical sites in Kathmandu valley and an adventurous overland tour to Upper Mustang.
If you love Nepal and Nepali culture, then we highly recommend this package. The tour also lets you get close to the remote mountain villages and see the authentic mountain lifestyle & practices of the mountain people. If you choose the date wisely, you can be part of the huge Tiji Festival celebration in Lo Manthang. It's a three-day celebration of the locals of Upper Mustang.
During the festivals, several rituals and mask dances are performed. The vibrant attires, delicacies, chants, and overall aura is phenomenal, unlike any other festival. Likewise, you get to see breathtaking landscapes and striking views of the Himalayan mountains like Annapurna (8,091 m), Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Fishtail (6,993 m), Nilgiri (7,061 m), Hiunchuli (6,441 m), Gangapurna (7,455 m), etc on your tour to Upper Mustang.
Cultural photography tour in Nepal itinerary
The tour begins in Kathmandu. You get to explore the Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Boudhnath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple, Ashan Market, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Changu Narayan Temple. Visiting Dakshin Kali Temple and Khokana Bungmati village, you drive to Pokhara, the second biggest city in Nepal.
You'll spend your arrival day exploring the Lakeside Market and tranquil Phewa Lake. The next day early in the morning, leave Pokhara and drive to Kagbeni via Dana, Ghasa, Leta, Kalopani, Marpha, and Jomsom. It's a long drive, offering beautiful scenery. The next day, you enter the Upper Mustang, a restricted area. The route crosses Kali Gandaki river near Chhusang village and continues to Ghami village.
From Ghami, the route leads to Lo Manthang. On the way, you cross many passes and drive past mani walls. In Lo Manthang, you spend a couple of nights and explore ancient Ghar Gompa, Charang monastery, Jampa Gompa, Thuchen Gompa, Chodey Gompa, and Namgyal Gompa. Likewise, you'll visit the King's palace and sky caves. The caves around the Chhoser are used for burial, meditation, and living back in the day. Most of them are still left to discover.
Leaving Lo Manthang, you drive to Jomsom, passing by the deepest gorge in the world, Kali Gandaki Gorge. The next day, drive to Kalopani and continue to Pokhara. You have one full day in Pokhara to explore tourist sites like the International Mountain Museum, Peace Pagoda, Davis Falls, Gupteshwor Cave, and Mahendra Cave.
From Pokhara, you drive back to Kathmandu. This part of the route is a drive, so you can expect a comfortable drive back to Kathmandu, enjoying excellent landscapes. We end the tour with a scrumptious farewell dinner and strolling on the bustling streets of Thamel.
Photography Opportunities
Cultural photography tour in Nepal is the best way to capture rich culture and heritage sites. You'll be visiting many historical sites during the tour in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Of course, most of the museums, galleries, temples, palaces, etc do not allow you to take photos inside the premises. Still, you'll get ample opportunities to click on some great pictures.
In Kathmandu, you will be visiting sites like the Monkey Temple, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, etc. All of these monuments represent the history of Nepal, precise architecture, art, and culture. Built centuries ago, these historical monuments are precious assets of Nepal. The temples, monasteries, palaces, courtyards, and museums show you the cultural richness of Nepalese.
Your guide will inform you where you can take pictures and where not. It's best to keep following the rule. Likewise, during the tour to Upper Mustang, you can freely capture all the mountains, landscapes, caves, monasteries, etc. Nepal is home to numerous ethnic groups and all of them practice different traditions. The major festivals are celebrated in spring and autumn. But, you’ll get to see locals celebrating some kind of festival every month. You'll have lots of chances to capture vibrant rituals, colorful attires, and mouth watering delicacies.
Some of the biggest festivals celebrated in Nepal
Dashain
Dashain is celebrated for two weeks and is the longest and the biggest festival in Nepal. It is a celebration of virtues winning over vices, goods winning over the devil. Dashain is celebrated across the country. It is celebrated because Goddess Durga (good) won over Mahisasur (evil). Dashain is a celebration of a family reunion. People living away from their families go to their homes for these festivals.
Dashain is a feast for Non-vegetarians. All kinds of delicacies are prepared. All institutions, offices, and government offices are closed for at least 5 days to celebrate this festival. Every day is filled with rituals and traditions until the 10th day, when people gather to get blessings and tika from their elders.
Tihar
Tihar is a beautiful festival filled with color and light. Tihar is celebrated for five good days. The goddess of wealth, Laxmi, is worshiped during this month. People decorate their houses, create rangoli (colored art), and clean their houses, so that goddess Laxmi enters their houses and blesses them with wealth. A special sweet delicacy (Sel Roti) is made on the day of Laxmi puja with many other sweets or a day ahead.
Animals are the central part of this festival. Crow, which is a symbol of a messenger, cow the national animal of Nepal, an ox, which is traditionally used to plow fields for harvest, and dogs who guard our house are celebrated and worshiped in Tihar.
On the last and final day of the festival, the sister performs a special kind of puja for their brother's longevity and safety. The brothers, in return, give sweets, money, and gifts. It celebrates the special bond that brothers and sisters have.
Chhath
Chhat Parba comes right after Tihar. This festival worships the god sun. Worshiping the sun is meant to purify your body, as well as your mind. Especially celebrated by folks in Terai, the plain of Nepal. These locals of Kathmandu also hugely celebrate Chhath. It's celebrated for four days, and each day has different rituals.
The first day is holy bathing and preparing the offerings, followed by fasting, the evening puja, and the morning offering that marks the end of this huge celebration. The main pujas are done by the married women of the families and supported by the entire family & friends.
Yomari Punhi
Yomari Punhi is another festival celebrated by Newari people all over Nepal. You get to taste the sweet delicacy made by Newari people during this occasion which is made of chalk & khuwa. This festival is celebrated to mark the ending of rice harvesting, and eating yomari is said to take the cold away.
Yomari Punhi is a harvest festival celebrated in Nepal by the Newari people. The festival gets its name from Yomari, fresh-harvest rice sweetmeat, prepared, especially during the festival and enjoyed by all. People of the Kathmandu Valley offer worship to Annapurna, the Goddess of Grains, for the rice harvest on this full moon day.
Booking
Nepal photography tours do not demand any previous high-altitude experience. You can do this tour throughout the year, but spring (March to April) and autumn (October to November) is the best time of the year. You can join the Cultural photography tour in Nepal 2022/2023 with us anytime. Also, tailor-made cultural photography tour in Nepal itinerary if you wish to adjust the journey to your requirements.
We have the best cultural photography tour in Nepal package at a reasonable cost. During the tour, you'll be accompanied by a professional and experienced English-speaking tour guide who will introduce you to the Nepali culture and mountains.
