ORACLES FESTIVAL DURING WINTER SEASON 2024-2025

The Mahayana Buddhist monks of Stok and Spituk monasteries in Ladakh celebrate the Stok Guru Tsechu festival for two days. The festival is almost celebrated in the same manner as the Matho Nagrang, with two "oracles" making a spiritual appearance before the public. However, the only difference in the case of Stok Guru Tsechu is that the oracles are not monks but laymen from the village, who are spiritually cleansed and trained by the Lamas of the Spituk Monastery to invoke the deity and holy spirits. On the day of the festival, they invoke and receive the spirit of the deities and come into full spiritual trance. They run over the high rise ramparts of the monastery, jump from one balcony to another and execute a number of acrobatic feats, all while blindfolded. People from far and flung area of Ladakh come to see &  hear the oracles prediction of future events and to seek answers about their own future individually. A visit to witness monastic oracles of monasteries could enrich a new experience for the traveller and can help one to foresee the upcoming events of life.

Matho is the only example in Ladakh of the Sakyapa tradition  of Tibetan Buddhism.  Matho  is known to outsiders for its annual Oracle Matho Nagrang Festival, held on the 14th and 15th days of the first month of the Tibetan calendar. During this festival, two oracles, known as "Rongtsan", are said to inhabit and make a public appearance. The purpose of these oracles is to attempt to predict the fortunes of the local village communities welfare of the monks community and particularly for the purpose of local native's welfare  for the coming year. The monks that are to be the oracles   are chosen one every two years for duration of 4 years. The first year the monk will have to sit for meditational retreat in secluded place for 9 month before the festival. The three next years the meditation will last 3 months. The selection is done by the monks of the Matho Monastery : one name is drawn from a bowl where all monks allowed to be oracles have put their name written on a paper. Matho is also home to a collection of thangkas dating back to the 14th century.

With Oracles Festival can be combine with Snow Leopard trek in Ladakh and this could be 12N/13D. Please check our different itineraries.

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Day 01 : 2024 : Delhi to Leh  ( Stok Oracles festival starts from  19-20th Feb & Matho Oracles Festival on 23-24th February'2024

Arrival from Delhi to Leh and transfer to Hotel for acclimatization day, complete rest for the day and late evening take a walk to the local market. Overnight hotel at Leh

Day 02 :  Local walk / Sightseeing of monastery/Second day for acclimatization

After breakfast, we will take short sightseeing of local market and visit to local monastery nearby for better acclimatization. Hot lunch in the local market and overnight hotel in Leh

Day 03 : Festival day: Stok Guru-Tsechu.

After breakfast drive to Stok Village for the watching this Oracles festival, thousand of local native visit to witness this most popular festival and seek the blessing of this famous oracles for two days festival. Overnight hotel at Leh.

Day 04  : Second day Festival  at Stok: Oracles Festival.

 After breakfast visit again for the second day  to Stok to witness this festival and enjoy the colourful local crowd at this place and the Oracle and its prophecy etc.  Overnight hotel at Leh.

Day 05:  Local Trip along the Indus river.

Today, after breakfast drive to visit some very popular monuments and amazing views along the Indus river, you will see Hall of Fame on the way, it is beautiful museum about Indian army; then drive further to  see the confluence of the rivers Indus & Zanskar at certain point,  Alchi, The most ancient monuments, the olden fresco painting at this sites. This site is called the Ajanta of North India. Later drive back to Leh via visiting to Likir village. Hot Lunch at Leh or on the way. Overnight hotel at Leh.

Day 06  :     Most Popular   Oracles  Festival

After breakfast drive to Matho Nagrang,   the most famous Oracles festival at Matho monastery. Thousand of local native flock here to witness these two oracles and to hear their prophecy and mask dances during this winter period.

Day 07:  Matho Nagrang Festival

Second day Oracles festival  at this Matho as this monastic festival occur once in a year and it is the most sort out Oracles  Festival to witness, enjoy the colourful mask dances and the colorful local people with local wearing traditional clothes and custome. Overnight hotel at Leh.

Day 08 : Leh/Shopping day or rest day 

Local visit and sovenior collection day at local market. Last day lunch at local resturant at Leh and overnight stay hotel at Leh.

Day 09 : Leh to Delhi

Early morning drive to  Leh airport to fly out  to New Delhi with a sweet memories of Ladakh-Himalayas!

Airport assistance at Leh for the both side.

Hotel on twin sharing with All meals

Transportation with fuel and driver 5/6 People sharing one car

 Local English Speaking guide

Monument Entrance fees.

Protected Area Permit and  wildlife permit with fees/Environment fees.

Airfare/airport taxes

Any kind of extra meals other than mentioned in the itinerary/Drinks

Kind of personal expenses,

Tip to drivers.Guide, hotel staff etc.

Any Kind of loss/misplaced/theft of  personal belonging

Any kind of cost which is not mentioned at “the cost includes” Head.

Cost incidental of any changes in the itinerary/stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, Due to ill health, road block and any factor beyond our control.