Experience the Dumji Festival: Sherpa Traditions Along the Everest Base Camp Trail. The Dumji festival is a vibrant, multi-day traditional celebration in villages throughout the Everest region, deeply rooted in Sherpa culture. It is observed in Lukla, Khumjung, Namche Bazaar, and other Sherpa villages. Dumji festival historically follows the Tibetan Lunar calendar. In 2025, the festival is scheduled for July 2 to 5, offering travelers a rare opportunity to witness the Sherpa community come together in joy, prayer, and tradition. The Dumji festival commemorates ancestors, local deities, and the birth of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who introduced Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet. The festival features masked dances, traditional songs, and community feasting, accompanied by monks conducting religious rituals to bless the community. The Dumji festival is a quieter yet significant event. It offers a glimpse into Sherpa identity, unity, and spirituality, making it perfect for travelers seeking authentic experiences of Himalayan village life. Local villages lead these festivals. Hosting families are carefully chosen each year, and they generously prepare food and drinks to share with neighbors, monks, and guests in a gesture of unity and hospitality. The Dumji festival is a four-day celebration. Day One: Purification On the first day, the festival begins with the ceremonial raising of a flagpole at the local monastery. This symbolic act invites blessings, marks the start of the celebration, and sets a sacred tone for the days to follow. As part of the festival traditions, monks perform purification rituals to cleanse homes and bless family members. At the same time, households prepare special altars adorned with offerings, butter lamps, and sacred symbols to invite harmony and good fortune. Days Two & Three: Honoring Deities Monks perform a unique masked dance on the second and third days, which is performed only at this festival. Monks and locals gather at the monastery to welcome the head monk, Rinpoche. Monks also perform rituals to honor Khumbila, the revered guardian deity of Khumbu village. Offerings are made to local mountain spirits and protector deities, seeking their blessings for peace, prosperity, and protection. Day Four: Community Celebration As the celebrations draw to a close, a sacred procession led by religious leaders and the head monk, Rinpoche, winds through the village, offering blessings to the community. Following this, families are selected to host and organize next year’s Dumji Festival, continuing the cycle of tradition and service. As night falls, the festival concludes with lively traditional dancing and singing in the monastery courtyard, accompanied by a joyous community feast where families bring homemade Sherpa dishes to share in a final act of unity and celebration. Set against the majestic backdrop of the Everest region, Dumji offers visitors a rare glimpse into the heart of Sherpa culture, where ancient rituals meet heartfelt hospitality.