Nepal - Diwali Festival Photography Tour.
Take sensational portraits during Diwali - the Festival of Light.
The Tour.
Join us on on an unforgettable photography adventure through Nepal, a land brimming with awe-inspiring landscapes, ancient kingdoms, and vibrant cultures — the perfect backdrop for your next photography masterpiece. This journey is designed to help you capture the essence of Nepal’s diverse heritage, stunning natural beauty, and vibrant traditions.
Our photo tour begins during the unique Day of the Dog celebrations in Kathmandu, where we'll witness the charming tradition of adorning canine companions with flower garlands and tilaka marks. offering a unique cultural photo opportunity. In the Kathmandu Valley, we’ll explore three medieval kingdoms, starting with Bhaktapur, known for its well-preserved architecture. Here, you’ll photograph local potters, intricate wood carvings, and the grandeur of the 55-windowed Malla Palace.
At dawn, we’ll visit the sacred burning ghats of Pashupatinath, where the spiritual atmosphere offers incredible opportunities for intimate portraits. The Golden Temple in Patan and the 'Monkey Temple' of Swayambhunath further immerse you in Nepal’s rich religious heritage.
From here, we venture to Chitwan National Park's subtropical plains, where we'll spend time photographing the traditional lifestyle of the Madi tribal villages. Wildlife encounters with rhinos, crocodiles, and possibly tigers await during our safari, while a special morning shoot captures the majestic sight of elephants bathing.
Our journey continues to the ancient Newari trading town of Bandipur, perched high in the hills, where we'll photograph traditional life in narrow cobbled streets against a backdrop of snow-capped Himalayan peaks. We'll even try our hand at food photography during a traditional momo-making demonstration.
In lakeside Pokhara, we’ll capture stunning dawn reflections of the sacred Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) Mountain on Phewa Lake’s still waters. A visit to the Gurung village of Dhampus offers more intimate portrait opportunities with the majestic Annapurna range as a backdrop.
Throughout this journey, we’ll guide you in capturing authentic, up-close moments with local people, with the help of our local guides, ensuring a deeper understanding of their culture. We also understand your needs as a photographer, and we ensure safe, convenient space for your camera gear throughout the trip, including on internal flights and four-wheel drive transportation.
Timed to coincide with the vibrant Diwali festival in October, this tour adds an extra layer of color and energy to your photography experience. We also offer optional add-ons like paragliding, parasailing, helicopter rides, and even an Everest flight for those seeking an adventure beyond the lens.
Join us on this unique and unforgettable photographic adventure through Nepal, where the stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality of the Nepalese people will leave an indelible impression on your heart and your photographic portfolio. You’ll not only capture breathtaking images but also forge deeper connections with the Nepali people and culture. This is more than just a photo tour — it's an opportunity to enrich your photographic portfolio while immersing yourself in the soul of Nepal.
Photo Highlights.
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Portraits
Yogis and holy men in their resident quarters
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Festivals
Diwali - Festival of light
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UNESCO sites
6 sites in Patan, Bhaktapur and Kathmandu
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Ancient villages
Overnight in the ancient Newari village of Bhaktapur
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Back street walks
Real local life
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Wildlife
Tigers, elephants, rhinos and crocs
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Elephants
Private bathing shoot
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Bandipur
Ancient ridge town
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Dhampus
Overnight in the trekking village
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Mountains
Magnificent views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Manaslu
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Boudhanath Stupa
One of the largest ancient stupas in the world
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Optional extras
Paragliding, ultralight flights, helicopter rides, Everest fly overs (own expense)
Check out our photo book below:
Here’s a photo book we made from the tour in 2023. We’ll provide you with templates (including suggested text) and help you to upload your own images, so that you can make your own on the tour and print it when you get home.
Tour Details.
Est 2013
Duration: 13 days, 12 nights, 11 days of shooting.
Dates and Prices
2025
October 19 - 31(to coincide with Diwali)
US$6250
2026
November 7 - 19 (to coincide with Diwali)
US$6450
Past participants will get a special discount.
Our fee includes hotels, breakfast, bottled water throughout the tour, as well as all transport including airport transfers. This tour also includes one internal flight. We base our fee on accommodation in a single room, (always A/C with private bathroom) though we offer discounts for couples sharing rooms, as well as for non-photographers. If you need help with insurance for this tour, please let us know and we can put you in touch with a broker that should be able to help you.
Our Itinerary.
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Day 1
Arrive any time: Enjoy free transfer to your hotel
Sunset: Meet Maciej and the group
Sleep: Kathmandu boutique hotel
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Day 2
Sunrise: Rest
AM: Thamel backstreets in search of “Day of Dog” celebrations
PM: Kathmandu pedestrian market streets and Durbar square
Sunset: Dinner
Sleep: Kathmandu boutique hotel
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Day 3
Sunrise: Free time
AM: Pashupatinath walking tour
PM: Bhaktapur main attractions walking tour
Sunset: Nyatapola temple
Sleep: Bhaktapur heritage hotel
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Day 4
Sunrise: Lokeshwar Temple, Chobhar Hill
AM: Kirtipur walking tour
PM: Patan main attractions walking tour
Sunset: Golden temple ceremony
Sleep: Patan heritage hotel
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Day 5
Sunrise: Swayambhunath monkey temple
AM: Chitwan National Park flight
PM: Tribal village walk
Sunset: Tribal village dance
Sleep: Chitwan (safari lodge - full board)
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Day 6
Sunrise: Safari lodge viewpoint
AM: Tribal village Jeep safari
PM: Wildlife park Jeep safari
Sunset: Safari lodge viewpoint
Sleep: Chitwan (safari lodge - full board)
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Day 7
Sunrise: Elephant crossing boat trip
AM: Prithvi Highway to Bandipur drive
PM: Bandipur village walk
Sunset: Mountain ridge
Sleep: Bandipur heritage hotel
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Day 8
Sunrise: Panoramic snowcapped mountains
AM: Free time
PM: Minority village Jeep drive
Sunset: Panoramic snowcapped mountains
Sleep: Bandipur heritage hotel
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Day 9
Sunrise: Panoramic snowcapped mountains
AM: Pokhara drive
PM: Shiva Statue Pumdikot
Sunset: Annapurna range: Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal from Peace Pagoda
Sleep: Pokhara boutique hotel
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Day 10
Sunrise: Machhapucchre's (fishtail) reflection boat trip
AM: Dhampus Jeep drive
PM: Dhampus village walk
Sunset: Machhapucchre's (fishtail) spire
Sleep: Dhampus trekking lodge
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Day 11
Sunrise: Annapurna and fishtail mountain
AM: Pokhara Jeep drive
PM: Massage or paraglider flight options (at own expense)
Sunset: Phewa Lake walk inc Aarti
Sleep: Pokhara boutique hotel
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Day 12
Sunrise: Annapurna Base Camp helicopter ride option (at own expense)
AM: Kathmandu flight
PM: Tibetan community
Sunset: Boudhanath stupa
Sleep: Kathmandu boutique hotel
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Day 13
Sunrise: Everest flight option (at own expense)
Depart anytime: Enjoying airport transfer from hotel
We know you will have had a fabulous time
Bon voyage!
Make the dream a reality.
Tuition.
On any of our tours, stunning photography is the name of the game, and our objective is for you to leave with a collection of images that you'll be proud to show off. Indeed, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.
Maciej’s teaching approach, like Nathan’s, is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.
We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.
Where We Stay.
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Luxury hotels
Accommodation is a vital element of any tour. We have gone to great lengths to secure either luxury, boutique or heritage hotels in all our locations to enhance your overall sense of being in Nepal.
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Boutique rooms
We do not charge a single-person supplement, but we offer a discount if you choose to share a room if you are travelling with a partner or friend. Non-photographer partners are welcome on this tour.
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Heritage
This tour includes two nights in a Safari lodge strategically placed on a river corner, perfect for sunrise and sunset. In Dhampus we stay in a more basic trekking lodge but the views are worth it, and you will still have an ensuite bathroom.
TripAdvisor.
Naina P - September 2024
A photography tour & much more!
Nepal in 2024 was my third tour with NHP. My eyes are full of stories and my heart is pumped with beautiful memories. I live and work in South Asia and yet never thought twice before attending any of these tours (considering they’re not too far from home). Each time you learn new skills, culturally become more aware and come back fulfilled.
Special shout out to Maciej - the lead photographer on this tour. He was an absolute delight to learn from. Easy going, effortless and a thorough professional.!!!
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