Ottawa, ON; Mar. 9, 2017 - Adventure travel specialist World Expeditions encourages travellers to make the most of summer by participating in unique festivals around the world. Below it chooses it's top five not-to-be-missed celebrations:

• Inti Raymi, Peru – June 24, 2017
  • Also known as the 'sun festival,' Inti Raymi is a religious ceremony dating back over 500 years. Celebrating one of the Inca culture's most venerated gods, Inti, the event traditionally involved an animal sacrifice to ensure healthy crops. Now, the festival is marked by a procession through the streets with music, prayers, dancing and scattered flowers combined with costumes and brooms to sweep away evil spirits.
  • See it on the 7-day Inti Raymi Festival departing June 23, 2017.
• Hemis Festival, India – July 3-4, 2017
  • Celebrated in the Hemis Monastery, located in a gorge in the north-Indian province of Ladakh, this colourful celebration honours the birth of Guru Rinpoche, an 8th Century Buddhist master. The festival is renowned for its masked dances that represent good prevailing over evil while other activities include food offerings, traditional music, and spiritual rituals. It is said that joining the festivities will bring spiritual strength and good health.
  • See it on the 20-day Hidden Valleys of Ladakh departing June 30, 2017.
• Naadam Festival, Mongolia – July 11-15
  • Known locally as the 'Three Games of Men,' the Naadam Festival is an ancient cultural spectacle that combines colourful costumes and performances with an exciting tournament involving three traditional sports; archery, wrestling and bareback horse riding. As the biggest festival in Mongolia, it offers visitors an incredible opportunity to experience nomadic life and culture.
  • See it on the 16-day Wild Mongolia Cycle and Naadam Festival departing June 28, 2017 or on the 18-day Gobi Altai Nomad Trek and Naadam Festival with Tim Cope departing June 29, 2017.
• Pi Mai, Laos – April 13-15
  • The Buddhist New Year celebrations are one of the most important days in Laos. Known as a time of renewal, homes and temples are washed, children are blessed by pouring water on the hands of their grandparents, and relatives and friends bless each other by pouring water on each other's heads. This is meant to wash away the sins of the previous year but these days, water is also shot through spray guns and thrown in buckets creating an enormous water fight.
  • See it on the 8-day Luang Prabang to Vientiane by Bike departing April 12, 2017 or the 12-day Bike, Hike and Kayak Laos and Cambodia departing on April 9, 2017.
• Paro Tshechu, Bhutan – April 7-11
  • A tshechu is a religious and cultural festival in Bhutan and one of the most popular is in Paro valley. Here they celebrate Guru Rinpoche who is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan in the 8th Activities range from masked dances to traditional music involving drums and trumpets and are accompanied by beautiful, colourful costumes. One of the highlights is the unfolding of a gigantic thangka, an embroidered painting, which is a considered so sacred it is said to cleanse the viewer of sin.
  • See it on the 13-day Bhutan Explorer & Paro Tshechu Festival departing April 7, 2017.

The World Expeditions' experienced team stays on the cutting edge of adventure travel by crafting unique, creative itineraries in destinations all over the world with a no-hidden-extras pricing policy. Travel in small groups of like-minded individuals from around the world or organize a private or family departure customized for a minimum of two people. For detailed information and bookings, visit www.worldexpeditions.com.

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About World Expeditions

Since its inception in 1975, World Expeditions has earned an outstanding reputation as an innovator and world leader in quality small group adventure holidays. With seven offices around the world, including Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, it is a global company that stands out not only for its pioneering commitment to responsible tourism but also for the number of inclusions and the exceptional value of its trips. Offering thousands of unique itineraries escorted by expert leaders, World Expeditions meticulously designs each trip with an emphasis on exclusivity for those travellers with high expectations of their experiences in 'taking the path less travelled'. The World Expeditions Travel Group consists of 10 travel brands, including; Adventure South, Australian Walking Holidays, Great Canadian Trails, Huma Charity Challenge, Tasmanian Expeditions, Sherpa Expeditions, UTracks, World Youth Adventures and Yomads.

http://www.worldexpeditions.com/