The biggest festivals of Nepal are Dashain (September or October) and Tihar (October or November). Others that visitors enjoy are Holi in March, Nepali New Year and Bisket Jatra in mid-April, Buddha Jayanti in May, Teej and Indra Jatra in August and September, and the mountain festivals of Mani Rimdu and Tiji.
How festival dates work
Nepal's official calendar is the Bikram Sambat, which runs about 56 years and 8 months ahead of the Western one, and its new year falls in mid-April. Most festivals follow the phases of the moon, so their Western dates move every year, often by two or three weeks. The months given below are a guide. Check the exact dates for your year before you fix flights.
Dashain
Dashain is the longest and most important festival, fifteen days in late September or October. It honours the goddess Durga and the victory of good over evil, and it is the Nepali form of what India celebrates as Navratri and Dussehra. Families travel home, children fly kites and play on tall bamboo swings, and on the tenth day, Vijaya Dashami, elders put tika, a mark of red-coloured rice and yoghurt, on the foreheads of younger relatives and give blessings.
For travellers: offices, banks and many shops close for several days around the tenth day, buses and flights out of Kathmandu are full beforehand, and treks run as normal.
Tihar
Tihar comes about three weeks after Dashain and lasts five days. It is the festival of lights, close to Diwali, with its own customs: crows are honoured on the first day, dogs on the second, with garlands and tika, and cows on the third, which is also the evening of Laxmi Puja, when every house is lit with oil lamps and candles. The fourth day is the Newar New Year and Mha Puja, and on the fifth, Bhai Tika, sisters bless their brothers. Groups go from house to house singing deusi and bhailo.
It is a lovely time to be in Kathmandu, Pokhara or any village on a trek. See treks for the Diwali and Dussehra holidays.
Holi
Holi, called Fagu Purnima in Nepal, is the festival of colours at the full moon of the month of Falgun, in March. People throw coloured powder and water, and it is lively in Kathmandu's Basantapur and Thamel areas and by the lake in Pokhara. The hill regions, including Kathmandu, celebrate on the full-moon day, and the Terai plains celebrate a day later, on the same day as most of India.
In 2027 the full moon of Falgun falls around 21 to 22 March, so expect Holi in the hills on about the 21st and in the Terai on about the 22nd. Confirm the date nearer the time. Wear old clothes, protect your camera and phone, and keep to busy public areas.
Spring and summer festivals
- Maha Shivaratri (February or March): the great night of Shiva, centred on Pashupatinath, with pilgrims and holy men from across the subcontinent.
- Losar (February or March): Tibetan and Sherpa New Year, with prayers and dancing at Boudhanath and in mountain villages. Gurung and Tamang communities keep their own Losar in December and January or February.
- Nepali New Year and Bisket Jatra (mid-April): chariot processions in Bhaktapur.
- Buddha Jayanti (full moon of April or May): the Buddha's birthday, marked at Lumbini, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath.
- Rato Machhindranath (April to June): a towering chariot is pulled through Patan over several weeks.
- Janai Purnima (August): a full-moon pilgrimage to the holy lake of Gosaikunda.
- Gai Jatra (August or September): a procession in memory of those who died in the past year, with satire and costumes.
- Teej (August or September): women dress in red, fast, sing and dance, especially around Pashupatinath.
- Indra Jatra (September): Kathmandu's own festival, with masked dances and the chariot of the Kumari, the living goddess, in Durbar Square.
- Chhath (October or November): offerings to the sun at rivers and ponds, strongest in the Terai and Janakpur.
Mountain festivals trekkers can see
- Mani Rimdu: masked dances by the monks of Tengboche monastery on the Everest trail, usually at the full moon of October or November. Lodges around Tengboche fill early.
- Tiji: a three-day festival in the walled town of Lo Manthang, usually in May. See the Tiji festival guide.
- Dumje: a Sherpa festival in Namche, Khumjung and other Khumbu villages in June or July.
- Yartung: a horse-racing festival at Muktinath and in Manang around August.
Planning a trip round a festival
- Book international flights early for October and November.
- Expect government offices and banks to close for the main days of Dashain and Tihar. Get permits and change money beforehand; a trekking agency does this for you.
- Guides and porters want to be home for Dashain tika, so treks that span that day are arranged well ahead.
- Roads are busy just before Dashain and just after.
- Join in when invited and ask before taking photographs of rituals.
Common questions
What is the main festival of Nepal?
Dashain, a fifteen-day festival in September or October, followed by Tihar, the festival of lights.
When is Holi in Nepal in 2027?
Around 21 March 2027 in the hills, including Kathmandu and Pokhara, and around 22 March in the Terai. The date follows the full moon, so confirm it nearer the time.
Is it good to trek during Dashain and Tihar?
Yes. They fall in the best weather of the year, and trails and lodges operate normally. Arrange permits and transport before the main holiday days.
How many festivals does Nepal have?
More than fifty are celebrated each year across the country's many communities, and it is often said that Nepal has more festivals than days in the year.
Heights, dates, fees and rules are approximate and can change, so confirm the current details with us before you book.
