5 Days Maha Shivaratri Festival Tour at Pashupatinath (4–8 March 2027)

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Overview

Celebrate the great night of Lord Shiva at his holiest shrine in Nepal. On Maha Shivaratri – Saturday 6 March 2027 – hundreds of thousands of devotees and thousands of sadhus from Nepal and India gather at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu for a day and night of prayer, puja, bhajans and sacred fires. The 5 Days Maha Shivaratri Festival Tour (4 nights / 5 days, 4–8 March 2027) is planned so that you can join this once-a-year celebration in comfort, with a hotel close to the temple, a private vehicle and an English- and Hindi-speaking guide.

Begin with the evening aarti on the Bagmati at Pashupatinath and darshan at the nearby Guhyeshwari Shakti Peeth. The next day visit the giant Kailashnath Mahadev statue at Sanga – one of the tallest Shiva statues in the world – and Doleshwor Mahadev, believed by devotees to complete the Kedarnath pilgrimage, together with the great stupa of Boudhanath.

On Shivaratri itself, your guide takes you to Pashupatinath for the char prahar puja – the four worship sessions of the day and night – where you can watch the rituals, meet sadhus from across the subcontinent and join the night-long jagaran. After a well-earned rest, visit the sleeping Vishnu of Budhanilkantha and hilltop Swayambhunath, and end the tour with a farewell dinner with Nepali folk music and dance.

Fixed departure

Arrive: Thursday 4 March 2027, Kathmandu
Maha Shivaratri: Saturday 6 March 2027 at Pashupatinath
Depart: Monday 8 March 2027, Kathmandu

Trip at a Glance

Day 1 (4 Mar): Arrive in Kathmandu – evening Bagmati aarti at Pashupatinath and Guhyeshwari
Day 2 (5 Mar): Kailashnath Mahadev (Sanga), Doleshwor Mahadev and Boudhanath
Day 3 (6 Mar): Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath – char prahar puja and night jagaran
Day 4 (7 Mar): Rest morning – Budhanilkantha and Swayambhunath – farewell dinner with cultural show
Day 5 (8 Mar): Transfer to the airport for departure

Your hotel

Choose a 3-star or 5-star hotel in Kathmandu, with daily breakfast. Hotels near Pashupatinath fill up fast for Shivaratri, so please book early.

Who is it for?

Shiva devotees, families and spiritual travellers from India, Nepal and around the world who wish to experience Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath in comfort, with everything arranged.

ITINERARY IN BRIEF WITH LOCATION MAP

Trip Facts

Tour Code: PTT-NP-RT-MS-27
Duration: 5 Days
Program Type: Religious Tour – Festival
Maximum Altitude: 1,500 m (Kailashnath Mahadev, Sanga)
Minimum Pax: 2
Mode of Travel: Private car
Start Trip: Kathmandu (4 Mar 2027)
End Trip: Kathmandu (8 Mar 2027)
Program Grading: Easy

Trip at a Glance

Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu – evening Bagmati aarti at Pashupatinath and darshan at Guhyeshwari
Day 02: Kailashnath Mahadev statue (Sanga), Doleshwor Mahadev and Boudhanath
Day 03: Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath – char prahar puja and night jagaran
Day 04: Rest morning – Budhanilkantha and Swayambhunath – farewell dinner with cultural show
Day 05: Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for departure

Trip Highlights

Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath on 6 March 2027
Char prahar puja and night-long jagaran with thousands of sadhus
Evening Bagmati aarti at Pashupatinath and darshan at Guhyeshwari
Kailashnath Mahadev statue at Sanga and Doleshwor Mahadev
Boudhanath, Budhanilkantha and Swayambhunath
Farewell dinner with Nepali folk music and dance

Itinerary in Details

Day 01Arrive in Kathmandu – evening Bagmati aarti at Pashupatinath and darshan at Guhyeshwari
Thursday 4 March 2027 | Arrival | Altitude: 1,350 m | Overnight: Kathmandu

Welcome to Nepal! Our representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport with a welcome drink and drives you to your hotel. Rest after your journey.

In the late afternoon your guide takes you to Pashupatinath Temple, already busy with sadhus and pilgrims arriving for the festival. Take darshan and watch the beautiful evening Bagmati aarti on the river ghats, with lamps, bells and chanting. Visit the nearby Guhyeshwari Temple, one of the holiest Shakti Peeths, before returning to your hotel for a vegetarian dinner.
- OvernightKathmandu
- CountryNepal
- Highest PointPashupatinath Temple
- Altitude1,313m / 4,308ft
- Travel ModeDrive: 5 km / 20 min · Drive: 6 km / 30 min
- Places VisitedPashupatinath Temple, Guhyeshwari Temple
- MealsDinner
Day 02Kailashnath Mahadev statue (Sanga), Doleshwor Mahadev and Boudhanath
Friday 5 March 2027 | Full-day sightseeing | Overnight: Kathmandu

After breakfast drive east to Sanga on the rim of the Kathmandu Valley, where the giant Kailashnath Mahadev statue – about 44 m tall and one of the tallest Shiva statues in the world – looks out over the hills. Continue to Doleshwor Mahadev at Sipadol, believed by many devotees to hold the head of the Shiva worshipped at Kedarnath in India, so that a visit here completes the Kedarnath pilgrimage.

After a vegetarian lunch, return to Kathmandu and walk around the great white stupa of Boudhanath, one of the largest in the world, with its prayer wheels and monasteries. Vegetarian dinner at the hotel.
- OvernightKathmandu
- CountryNepal
- Highest PointKailashnath Mahadev Statue
- Altitude1,500m / 4,921ft
- Travel ModeDrive: 22 km / 1 hr · Drive: 12 km / 40 min · Drive: 22 km / 1 hr
- Places VisitedKailashnath Mahadev Statue, Doleshwor Mahadev, Boudhanath Temple
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 03Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath – char prahar puja and night jagaran
Saturday 6 March 2027 – Maha Shivaratri | Full day and night at Pashupatinath | Overnight: Kathmandu

Today is Maha Shivaratri. From early morning, devotees queue to offer water, milk, flowers and bel leaves to the Shiva lingam at Pashupatinath, while thousands of sadhus from Nepal and India sit around their sacred fires in the temple grounds. Your guide takes you to the temple for darshan and helps you find the best places to watch the rituals.

Shivaratri is celebrated with four prahar pujas – in the morning, at midday, in the evening and at midnight. Return to the hotel to rest between sessions, then go back in the evening for the evening and midnight pujas and the night-long jagaran, with bhajans, prayers and fires burning until dawn. Your vehicle and guide stay with you, so you can return to the hotel whenever you wish.
- OvernightKathmandu
- CountryNepal
- Highest PointPashupatinath Temple
- Altitude1,313m / 4,308ft
- Travel ModeDrive: 6 km / 30 min
- Places VisitedPashupatinath Temple
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 04Rest morning – Budhanilkantha and Swayambhunath – farewell dinner with cultural show
Sunday 7 March 2027 | Afternoon sightseeing | Overnight: Kathmandu

After the long night, enjoy a late breakfast and a relaxed morning. In the afternoon visit Budhanilkantha, where a beautiful 5-metre stone image of Lord Vishnu lies reclining on a bed of serpents in a sacred pond, and then climb to hilltop Swayambhunath for a sunset view over the whole Kathmandu Valley.

In the evening, celebrate the end of your pilgrimage with a farewell dinner with Nepali folk music and dance.
- OvernightKathmandu
- CountryNepal
- Highest PointBudhanilkantha Temple
- Altitude1,450m / 4,757ft
- Travel ModeDrive: 12 km / 45 min · Drive: 12 km / 45 min · Drive: 6 km / 25 min
- Places VisitedBudhanilkantha Temple, Swayambhunath temple
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
Day 05Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for departure
Monday 8 March 2027 | End of tour

After breakfast you have free time for shopping – rudraksha, malas, Shiva statues and singing bowls make lovely gifts – until your transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight home.

Har Har Mahadev! Thank you for celebrating Maha Shivaratri with Pigeon Travels.
- CountryNepal
- Highest PointKathmandu
- Altitude1,350m / 4,429ft
- Travel ModeDrive: 5 km / 20 min
- MealsBreakfast

Altitude Chart of 5 Days Maha Shivaratri Festival Tour at Pashupatinath (4–8 March 2027)

Highest point: 4,921 ft / 1,500 m — Day 02 · Kailashnath Mahadev statue (Sanga), Doleshwor Mahadev and Boudhanath

Services Included

Airport pick-up and drop-off with a welcome drink
4 nights’ hotel in Kathmandu (3-star or 5-star as chosen) with daily breakfast
Vegetarian lunches and dinners as per the itinerary
Farewell dinner with Nepali folk music and dance
English- and Hindi-speaking guide throughout the tour
Private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing
Visits to Pashupatinath on Shivaratri day and night (jagaran)
Entrance fees for the sites in the itinerary
All government taxes

Services Excluded

International flights and Nepal visa fee (not required for Indian citizens)
Drinks and bar bills
Puja materials and offerings
Optional Everest mountain flight (available on request)
Travel insurance
Tips for guide and driver
Personal expenses and anything not listed under “Services Included”

Trip Notes

Notes for this tour

This is a fixed-date departure for Maha Shivaratri 2027: arrive Thursday 4 March and depart Monday 8 March 2027.
Pashupatinath is extremely crowded on Shivaratri, with long queues for darshan. Please keep valuables safe, carry water and follow your guide’s advice.
Only Hindus may enter the main temple courtyard of Pashupatinath. Visitors of other faiths can watch the celebrations from the temple grounds and the east bank of the Bagmati.
Leather items are not allowed inside the main temple. Please wear modest clothing and comfortable shoes that are easy to remove.
Indian citizens do not need a visa – a valid passport or voter ID card is enough. Other nationalities need a Nepal visa (available on arrival).
Hotels in Kathmandu fill up early for Shivaratri – we recommend booking as soon as possible.

FAQ

Maha Shivaratri falls on Saturday 6 March 2027. This tour runs from 4 to 8 March 2027, with the festival on Day 3.

Yes. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main temple courtyard of Pashupatinath, but they can watch the celebrations, sadhus and rituals from the temple grounds and the east bank of the Bagmati.

Yes. Your guide and vehicle are available on Shivaratri night so you can join the evening and midnight pujas and the jagaran, and return to the hotel whenever you wish.

You can choose a 3-star or a 5-star hotel in Kathmandu, with daily breakfast. Hotel names are confirmed at booking.

Yes. All lunches and dinners included in the tour are vegetarian. Jain food (no onion or garlic) can be arranged on request.

No. Indian citizens need only a valid passport or voter ID card. Other nationalities need a Nepal visa, available on arrival.

Yes – we can add Muktinath, Manakamana, Janakpur, Lumbini, an Everest mountain flight or the Kailash darshan flight from Nepalgunj.

Yes, Pashupatinath has very large crowds on Shivaratri. Your guide helps you find the best time for darshan and keeps the group together.

Yes. The pace is easy and you can return to the hotel to rest between pujas. Please let us know about any mobility needs.

Modest clothing, comfortable slip-on shoes, a warm layer for the night, a water bottle and a small bag for valuables.

Airport pick-up and drop-off with a welcome drink; 4 nights’ hotel in Kathmandu (3-star or 5-star as chosen) with daily breakfast; Vegetarian lunches and dinners as per the itinerary; Farewell dinner with Nepali folk music and dance; English- and Hindi-speaking guide throughout the tour; Private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers and sightseeing; Visits to Pashupatinath on Shivaratri day and night (jagaran); Entrance fees for the sites in the itinerary; All government taxes.

International flights and Nepal visa fee (not required for Indian citizens); Drinks and bar bills; Puja materials and offerings; Optional Everest mountain flight (available on request); Travel insurance; Tips for guide and driver; Personal expenses and anything not listed under “Services Included”.

30 or more days before departure: full refund minus deposit. 15–29 days before departure: 50% refund. Less than 15 days before departure: no refund.

Cancellation Policy

30 or more days before departure: full refund minus deposit. 15–29 days before departure: 50% refund. Less than 15 days before departure: no refund.

Booking Policy

Booking your Nepal tour with Pigeon Travel & Tours is easy:

Book online with the Book Now button when it is active, or send us the enquiry form / email with your dates, number of travellers and hotel preference.
A deposit of 20–30% of the total tour cost is required to confirm your booking.
The remaining balance is payable on arrival in Kathmandu, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Domestic flight tickets, permits and other non-refundable items included in the package are paid at the time of confirmation.
Please send a copy of your passport and your arrival/departure flight details so that we can arrange pick-up, hotels and tickets.
Your booking is confirmed once the deposit and the completed booking details are received and we send you a written confirmation.

Child Policy

We welcome families, and children are very welcome on our Nepal tours.

Under 5 years: free of charge when sharing their parents' room and bed (no extra bed).
5 to 12 years: discounted child rate – please ask us for the exact price for your dates and hotel.
Above 12 years: charged the full adult rate.
An extra bed or a separate room for children is charged as per the hotel's policy; domestic flights are charged at the airline's child fare.
Children under 10 years receive a free (gratis) Nepal tourist visa on arrival.

Fixed Departure

Start Date	End Date	Price(USD)	Price(NPR)	Booked	Availability	Inquiry
2027-03-04	2027-03-08				Seats Available	Enquire Now

Adults	—
Child With Bed	—
Child Without Bed	—
Single room supplement	—
Taxable Amount	—
Non Taxable Amount	—
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5 Days Maha Shivaratri Festival Tour at Pashupatinath (4–8 March 2027)