The Great Night of Shiva
Maha Shivaratri Festival Tour
The most powerful night of the Shiva year: Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath, when hundreds of thousands keep vigil, the four aartis burn through the night, and sadhus arrive from every corner of the Himalaya.
Yatra Overview
“On the fourteenth night of the dark half, the whole valley stays awake for Shiva — and Shiva stays awake for the valley.”
Maha Shivaratri — the great night of Shiva — is celebrated with unmatched intensity at Pashupatinath. Pilgrims fast and keep vigil, offering belpatra, datura and dhatura-smoke prayers, while the temple’s four aartis mark the night’s phases until dawn.
Sadhus and naga babas arrive from across Nepal and India, camping on the river banks in a living sangam of Himalayan asceticism; the whole Bagmati shore glows with dhuni fires.
This 3-day tour gives you preliminary darshan on arrival, a guided place for the all-night vigil with our pandit leading your offerings, and the dawn bhasma aarti before departure.
Shivaratri at Pashupatinath
- All-night vigil at Pashupatinath with a guided place near the temple
- Four-phase night aartis witnessed in full sequence
- Belpatra & datura offerings made with your own hands under pandit guidance
- Sadhu sangam — naga babas and ascetics from across the Himalaya
- Dawn bhasma aarti as the first light touches the shikhara
- Fasting & vrata guidance for the Shivaratri discipline
- Bagmati dhuni fires and bhajan through the night
- Preliminary & closing darshan framing the holy night
Day-by-Day Sacred Itinerary
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Day011,400 m
Arrival & Preliminary Darshan
Greeted at the airport and transferred to the hotel, then preliminary darshan at Pashupatinath with vrata and fasting guidance for the night ahead. Overnight at Kathmandu hotel.
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Day021,400 m
Maha Shivaratri — The All-Night Vigil
Daytime rest, then evening entry to the temple precinct: your offerings of belpatra and datura with our pandit, the four night aartis, the sadhu sangam and dhuni fires, and vigil until dawn. Overnight at Kathmandu hotel (late return).
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Day03Departure
Dawn Bhasma Aarti & Airport Transfer
The dawn bhasma aarti and closing darshan, then rest, brunch and transfer to the airport as per your flight schedule. Om Namah Shivaya!
Cost Includes & Excludes
✓Included in the Yatra
- All airport pickups & drops by Mount Kailash Travel
- Local 4-star hotel in Kathmandu with veg buffet breakfast
- Pure veg sattvik meals on all package days as per the itinerary
- All sightseeing, transfers & overland journeys by private tourist vehicle
- Entrance fees & permits for all temples, monuments & conservation areas listed
- Pandit service for all scheduled pujas, aarti & ritual arrangements
- English-speaking spiritual tour guide & full support team
- Government-licensed trek guide, porters & camping crew (trek journeys)
- Sankalpa Puja at Pashupatinath before departure & thanksgiving puja on return
- All applicable government taxes & service charges
- Yatra completion certificate
- Shivaratri vrata samagri: belpatra, datura, offerings and fasting guidance
- Guided vigil position within the temple precinct
✕Not Included
- Travel insurance — mandatory for all participants
- Nepal entry visa fees (available on arrival at Kathmandu airport)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Beverages (soft drinks, bottled water, tea, coffee) & personal expenses
- Donations, puja offerings & personal ritual expenses at temples
- Tips for staff — customary gratuities
- Helicopter / domestic flight fees where marked optional
- Additional costs from natural calamities or unforeseen circumstances beyond the organizer’s control
- Anything not mentioned under “Included in the Yatra”
Important Information
Booking & Advance
A 20% advance confirms your booking; the balance is settled 30 days prior to departure from Kathmandu. Rescheduling is possible at the updated trip cost, subject to availability.
Departures
Private and group-joining departures run throughout the year. Full-moon, festival and special sadhana departures are announced in advance — enquire for the next confirmed date.
Meals & Accommodation
Pure veg sattvik breakfast, lunch & dinner on package days. Comfortable hotels and guest houses on twin sharing; simple teahouses or tents on trek days.
Fitness & Preparation
Temple tours are suitable for all ages. Trek journeys involve 4–7 hours of walking per day at altitude — a basic fitness routine before travel is recommended.
What to Carry
Warm layers, rain protection, sturdy walking shoes, personal medicines, a day pack and your sadhana items. A detailed packing list is shared with your confirmation.
Cancellation Policy
30+ days prior: no charges. 15–29 days: 25% of tour cost. 7–14 days: 50%. Within 7 days: non-refundable. Extra costs from unavoidable itinerary changes are borne by the pilgrim.
Festival Date
Maha Shivaratri falls on the 14th night of the dark half of Phalgun (February–March); the exact date is confirmed by the temple calendar each year.
Vigil Comfort
The night is long and cold: warm layers, a sitting mat and thermos drinks are arranged for every pilgrim in our vigil group.
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