Nepal celebrates festivals throughout the year, reflecting its diverse cultures, religions and communities. From the 15-day Dashain to the Festival of Lights at Tihar, there is always something special happening in Nepal. 

🎉 NEPAL FESTIVALS — 2026 CALENDAR

Nepal is a country of diverse festivals, celebrated throughout the year by Hindu, Buddhist, Kirat, Muslim, Newar, Tamang, Gurung, Mithila and many other communities. This calendar highlights major festivals with strong cultural, religious and visitor interest.

🗓️ January

🌾 Maghe Sankranti

A major seasonal festival marking the beginning of Magh, traditionally associated with the sun's northward journey and the arrival of warmer days.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: January 15
🎭 Type: Cultural & Seasonal
✨ Highlights: Traditional foods, family gatherings, holy bathing and regional customs
⏱️ Duration: Mainly one day
Why experience: A great introduction to Nepal's seasonal traditions and diverse food culture.

🏔️ Sonam Lhosar

The Tamang New Year, celebrated with traditional dress, music, dancing, food and community gatherings.

📍 Where: Kathmandu Valley and Tamang communities across Nepal
📅 2026 date: January 28
🎭 Type: Cultural & Community
✨ Highlights: Traditional music, dances, food and cultural gatherings
Why experience: Experience the living traditions of one of Nepal's major indigenous communities.

🗓️ February

📚 Saraswati Puja / Basanta Panchami

A festival dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess associated with knowledge, learning, music and the arts.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: February 2
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Temple visits, ceremonies, music and educational traditions
Why experience: Shows the close connection between learning, art and spirituality in Nepal.

🏔️ Gyalpo Lhosar

A Himalayan Buddhist New Year celebration observed particularly by communities with Tibetan cultural traditions.

📍 Where: Himalayan regions and Buddhist communities
📅 2026 date: February 17
🎭 Type: Buddhist & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Monastery ceremonies, traditional dress, music, dance and food
Why experience: A chance to experience Nepal's distinctive Himalayan Buddhist culture.

🔱 Maha Shivaratri

One of Nepal's major Hindu festivals, with Pashupatinath becoming a major pilgrimage centre.

📍 Where: Nationwide; especially Pashupatinath, Kathmandu
📅 2026 date: February 26
🎭 Type: Religious
✨ Highlights: Pilgrims, sadhus, temple ceremonies, lamps and night worship
⚠️ Note: Pashupatinath can become extremely crowded.
Why experience: One of Nepal's most spectacular religious gatherings.

🗓️ March

🎨 Holi — Festival of Colours

Nepal's vibrant spring festival celebrated with colours, music, dancing and community gatherings.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: March 2
🎭 Type: Cultural
✨ Highlights: Colours, music, dancing and street celebrations
⚠️ Note: Protect cameras, phones and valuables from colour and water.
Why experience: One of Nepal's most energetic and photogenic celebrations.

🌙 Eid al-Fitr

A major Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan, celebrated by Muslim communities throughout Nepal.

📍 Where: Muslim communities nationwide
📅 2026 date: Subject to lunar confirmation
🎭 Type: Religious & Community
✨ Highlights: Eid prayers, family gatherings, traditional food and community celebrations
⚠️ Note: The exact date depends on moon sighting.
Why experience: Experience Nepal's multicultural religious traditions.

🗓️ April

🇳🇵 Nepali New Year

The beginning of the Bikram Sambat calendar year, marked by celebrations, gatherings, fairs and cultural activities.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: April 14
🎭 Type: Cultural
✨ Highlights: Processions, fairs, temple celebrations and New Year gatherings
Why experience: A lively way to experience Nepal's calendar and cultural traditions.

🗓️ May

🪷 Buddha Jayanti

Celebrates the birth of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and is particularly important at Lumbini and major Buddhist sites.

📍 Where: Nationwide; especially Lumbini, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath
📅 2026 date: May 12
🎭 Type: Buddhist & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Prayer, monasteries, lamps, processions and Buddhist ceremonies
Why experience: An ideal time to experience Nepal's Buddhist heritage.

🗓️ June

🌙 Eid al-Adha

An important Islamic festival celebrated with prayers, family gatherings, food and charitable traditions.

📍 Where: Muslim communities nationwide
📅 2026 date: Subject to lunar confirmation
🎭 Type: Religious & Community
✨ Highlights: Eid prayers, family gatherings, food and community activities
Why experience: Discover another important part of Nepal's multicultural society.

🗓️ July

🌾 Saune Sankranti

A seasonal festival marking the beginning of the month of Shrawan.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: July 17
🎭 Type: Cultural & Seasonal
✨ Highlights: Traditional foods, family rituals and regional customs
Why experience: Experience Nepal's connection with seasonal and agricultural traditions.

🗓️ August

🧵 Janai Purnima

A major full-moon festival involving sacred-thread ceremonies, pilgrimages and community traditions.

📍 Where: Nationwide; important pilgrimage centres include Gosaikunda
📅 2026 date: August 09
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Sacred threads, pilgrimages, temple visits and Kwati
Why experience: Combines pilgrimage, food and diverse community traditions.

🐄 Gai Jatra

A colourful Kathmandu Valley festival remembering loved ones who died during the previous year.

📍 Where: Kathmandu Valley, especially Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur
📅 2026 date: August 10
🎭 Type: Cultural & Community
✨ Highlights: Processions, costumes, music, humour and traditional performances
Why experience: One of Nepal's most distinctive living cultural traditions.

🐍 Nag Panchami

A festival honouring serpent deities, with traditional offerings made at homes and temples.

📍 Where: Nationwide; especially Kathmandu Valley
📅 2026 date: August 13
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Temple visits, serpent images and traditional offerings
Why experience: A distinctive festival reflecting Nepal's ancient religious traditions.

🦚 Krishna Janmashtami

Celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna, with temples becoming centres of worship and celebration.

📍 Where: Nationwide; especially Patan's Krishna Mandir
📅 2026 date: August 16
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Temple ceremonies, music, lamps and night-time celebrations
Why experience: Particularly atmospheric around Patan's historic Krishna Mandir. 

🌿 Kushe Aunsi

A traditional day associated with fathers, ancestors and family remembrance.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: August 23
🎭 Type: Cultural & Religious
✨ Highlights: Family gatherings, offerings and remembrance rituals
Why experience: Provides insight into Nepal's strong family and ancestral traditions.

🗓️ September

💃 Haritalika Teej

A major women's festival known for red clothing, dancing, singing, fasting and temple visits.

📍 Where: Nationwide; especially Kathmandu Valley
📅 2026 date: September 9
🎭 Type: Cultural & Religious
✨ Highlights: Singing, dancing, red clothing, temple visits and gatherings
Why experience: One of Nepal's most colourful expressions of women's cultural traditions.

🏛️ Indra Jatra

A spectacular Newar festival featuring chariot processions, masked dances, music and the Living Goddess Kumari.

📍 Where: Historic Kathmandu, especially Kathmandu Durbar Square
📅 2026 date: September 6
🎭 Type: Cultural & Religious
✨ Highlights: Kumari chariot, masked dances, traditional music and processions
⏱️ Duration: Around eight days
Why experience: One of the finest opportunities to experience Kathmandu's living Newar heritage.

🛕 Bhairav Jatra

A traditional festival associated with Bhairav worship and local Newar cultural traditions.

📍 Where: Kathmandu Valley
📅 2026 date: September 29
🎭 Type: Cultural & Religious
✨ Highlights: Rituals, processions and traditional celebrations
Why experience: Offers a deeper look at Kathmandu Valley's living Newar traditions.

🗓️ October

🏵️ Dashain

Nepal's longest and most important major festival, centred on family reunions, blessings, tika, jamara and traditional rituals.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: September 22–October 2
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Ghatasthapana, Phulpati, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijaya Dashami
⏱️ Duration: About 15 days overall
⚠️ Note: Travel becomes extremely busy and many businesses close during major holidays.
Why experience: The best time to experience Nepal's family traditions and festive atmosphere.

🗓️ November

🪔 Tihar — Festival of Lights

Nepal's famous five-day festival of lights, honouring crows, dogs, cows, Lakshmi and family relationships.

📍 Where: Nationwide
📅 2026 date: October 19–23 (use the verified annual calendar when publishing)
🎭 Type: Cultural & Religious
✨ Highlights: Oil lamps, rangoli, Lakshmi Puja, Bhai Tika and Deusi-Bhailo
⏱️ Duration: Five days
⚠️ Note: Dates can vary between calendar listings; update annually.
Why experience: One of Nepal's most beautiful and photogenic celebrations.

🪷 Mha Puja

A unique Newar tradition of self-worship and a celebration associated with Nepal Sambat.

📍 Where: Kathmandu Valley, especially Newar communities
📅 2026 date: October 22  (verify with the annual official calendar before publication)
🎭 Type: Cultural & Newar
✨ Highlights: Mandala arrangements, ritual food and family ceremonies
Why experience: Experience one of the Kathmandu Valley's most distinctive living traditions.

☀️ Chhath Parva

A major festival dedicated to the Sun, particularly important in Nepal's Terai and Mithila regions.

📍 Where: Terai & Mithila; especially Janakpur
📅 2026 date: November 10
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: River and pond worship, offerings, lamps and evening ceremonies
Why experience: The illuminated water-side celebrations create a memorable cultural experience.

💍 Vivah Panchami

A major Mithila festival celebrating the symbolic marriage of Lord Ram and Sita.

📍 Where: Janakpur, especially Janaki Mandir
📅 2026 date: To be confirmed in the final annual calendar
🎭 Type: Religious & Cultural
✨ Highlights: Processions, ceremonies, music and Mithila traditions
Why experience: One of the best times to experience Janakpur's distinctive cultural heritage.

🗓️ December

🎨 Yomari Punhi

A Newar harvest festival famous for the traditional sweet rice-flour dumpling called yomari.

📍 Where: Kathmandu Valley and Newar communities
📅 2026 date: To be confirmed in the final annual calendar
🎭 Type: Cultural & Newar
✨ Highlights: Yomari, traditional foods, family rituals and community celebrations
Why experience: A delicious and distinctive way to experience living Newar culture.

🏔️ Tamu Lhosar

The Gurung New Year, celebrated with traditional dress, music, dance, food and community gatherings.

📍 Where: Gurung communities nationwide; especially Pokhara
📅 2026 date: To be confirmed in the final annual calendar
🎭 Type: Cultural & Community
✨ Highlights: Traditional dress, music, dance, food and gatherings
Why experience: A vibrant introduction to Gurung culture.

🌿 Udhauli

A major Kirat seasonal festival associated with traditional rituals, community gatherings and the winter season.

📍 Where: Eastern Nepal and Kirat communities nationwide
📅 2026 date: To be confirmed
🎭 Type: Cultural & Community
✨ Highlights: Sakela/Sakela Sili dances, traditional dress, music and community celebrations
Why experience: Experience an important indigenous tradition that is often overlooked by visitors.

Did You Know? 

Nepal uses its own official calendar, Bikram Sambat (B.S.), which is approximately 56–57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar used in most of the world.