Cultural Festivals Around the World
                     CULTURAL FESTIVALS AROUND 
THE WORLD
HOLI FESTIVAL OF COLOURS
INDIA
Holi is one of the most anticipated 
celebrations in the Hindu calendar, 
most widely recognised as being 
India’s (if not the world’s) most 
colourful festival. Aptly named 
“Festival of Colours”, it involves 
covering everyone in brightly 
coloured powder and water.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
NAADAM FESTIVAL - 
MONGOLIA
Mongolia’s Naadam Festival (also 
locally termed “the three games of 
men") is an ancient cultural 
spectacle that combines colourful 
costumes and performances with an 
exciting tournament of the traditional 
sports of archery, wrestling and 
bareback horse riding.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
KANDY ESALA PERAHERA 
– SRI LANKA
The Esala Perahera is one of the 
oldest and grandest Buddhist 
festivals in Sri Lanka, and one of the 
most colourful religious pageants in 
Asia.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
KORZOK GUSTOR 
FESTIVAL - INDIA
For a unique look into the remote 
cultures of the Himalaya, take time 
out to experience the Korzok Gustor 
Festival, a colourful two‑day 
spectacle, attended by the Changpa 
herdsmen, the locals and their 
families.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
JAMBAY LAKHANG 
FESTIVAL – BHUTAN
The Jambay Lakhang festival in Bhutan 
features the most spectacular midnight 
sacred dance (tercham), done to purify 
sins and predict a good harvest. 
Complemented by an extravagant fire 
ritual, this festival lasts for five days in 
November and includes a number of 
cultural dances during the day with 
significant cultural stories and meaning 
behind them.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
THE HORNBILL FESTIVAL 
- INDIA
Situated in the north-east of India, 
Nagaland is the uncontested “wild-
east” of India. On the edge of the 
India and Myanmar border, it is an 
otherworldly place that once a year 
is home to the “festival of festivals”, 
otherwise known as the Hornbill 
Festival.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
TIMKET FESTIVAL - 
ETHIOPIA
Each year, thousands of pilgrims 
flock to Gondar to re-enact the 
baptism of Jesus on the River Jordan, 
taking a dip in the holy waters of the 
historical Fasilides Bath. 
Source: worldexpeditions.com
INTI RAYMI - PERU
Also known as the “sun festival”, the 
Inti Raymi festival is a religious 
ceremony that dates back 500 years 
to the Incan Empire’s heyday, and 
honours one of the most venerated 
gods in the Inca Empire, Inti.
Source: worldexpeditions.com
SAGA DAWA FESTIVAL - 
TIBET
Tibet’s Mt Kailash has long been 
regarded by Hindus and Buddhists as 
the Mythical Mount Meru: a sacred 
mountain considered the navel of the 
earth and the axis of the universe. 
Source: worldexpeditions.com
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