Festivals provide colour and energy, and a sense of real purpose behind the celebrations. Festival vacations are a terrific way to meet local people on their terms, and to celebrate with them, but make sure you are fully aware of local sensitivities before you travel.
These full and frank independent Festival vacations reviews are from travelers who have booked directly through responsibletravel.com. They are not edited by us or any of the companies we work with. Find the real story, from real travelers below.
The trek in the Simien Mountains was truly memorable. It felt like we had the whole Mountain range, a world heritage site, to ourselves.
(more)Being in Ethiopia for Timkat (at Axum) was an unforgettable experience. Discovering the extraordinary cultural history of Ethiopia with the help of experienced and delightful guides was stimulating and enriching. (more)The festival we saw was brilliant with highly colourful costumes and masks. Our visit to one monastery was special as only our group had the chance to just listen to the chanting monks with their drums and horns. (more)I would definitely rate the Shaman Trek at a ***** five star experience. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this operator to anyone. They are superb. I’ll be proud to direct my friends to the web site. (more)Cycling along a Canal and lake through the countryside, stopping to watch the wild life... an array of birds was the most memorable part of the vacation...A brilliant time with an excellent guide and lasting memories of some wonderful people. (more)We invite every traveler who books a vacation via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the vacations they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same vacation can have different views!
There’s nothing like a good festival to lift your spirits. Here’s a selection of our favourite celebrations coming up this season, and some tantalising trips to complement them: Day of the Dead (El dia de los muertos), Mexico & Guatemala. Far from being a morbid occasion, this nationwide celebration of death occurs in Mexico on the first two days of November and the locals spend days preparing in advance. Each province has its own way of commemorating the eternal circle of life and each family takes the opportunity to remember and give thanks for their late loved ones and ancestors. Altars are set up through the streets and costumes and decorations are sold in local shops. Picnics and music takes place in graveyards as the living literally dance on the graves of the dead. Festival of Lights (Diwali), India. This Hindu festival is celebrated throughout India and Nepal by all age groups - they express their joy at the victory of good over evil by decorating their houses, lighting lamps and preparing sumptuous feasts.
Read more about festivals in this festival vacations article.
