Festivals
Plan around a festival
Some of the best days in the region happen once a year. These are the festivals our guests ask for most, with the next dates we know.
The calendar
From October 2026 to September 2027
Most festivals follow lunar calendars, so dates move each year and are confirmed by temples and organisers only a few months ahead. Dates marked "around" are our best estimate. We confirm every date when you enquire.
| Festival | Where | What happens | Next dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| DashainNepal | All of Nepal | Nepal's biggest festival: families gather, and elders give blessings on the tenth day. | Tika day 21 October 2026 |
| Jambay Lhakhang DrupBhutan | Bumthang | Masked dances and a midnight fire dance at one of Bhutan's oldest temples. | 26–29 October 2026 |
| Diwali and TiharIndia | All of India; Tihar in Nepal | The festival of lights: lamps on every house, fireworks, sweets shared between families. | 8 November 2026 |
| Black-necked crane festivalBhutan | Phobjikha valley | A village celebration of the cranes' return for the winter. | 11 November 2026 |
| Pushkar fairIndia | Pushkar, Rajasthan | A camel and cattle fair and a pilgrimage to the sacred lake, at the full moon of Kartik. | Around 17–24 November 2026 |
| Trongsa TshechuBhutan | Trongsa | Three days of masked dances in the courtyard of Bhutan's largest dzong. | 17–21 December 2026 |
| Punakha Drubchen and TshechuBhutan | Punakha | A re-enactment of a 17th-century battle, then masked dances and the unrolling of a giant thangka. | 13–18 February 2027 |
| Paro TshechuBhutan | Paro | One of the largest festivals in Bhutan; at dawn on the last day, a huge silk thangka is unrolled. | 18–22 March 2027 |
| HoliIndia | North India | The festival of colours: coloured powder, music and water in the streets. | Around 22 March 2027 |
| Sinhala and Tamil New YearSri Lanka | All of Sri Lanka | Family rituals at auspicious times, games and sweets; many shops close for a few days. | 13–14 April 2027 |
| VesakSri Lanka | All of Sri Lanka | The Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, marked with lanterns and free food stalls. | May full moon |
| Hemis festivalIndia | Hemis monastery, Ladakh | Masked dances at Ladakh's largest monastery. | June or July |
| Kandy Esala PeraheraSri Lanka | Kandy | Ten nights of processions with dancers, drummers and decorated elephants. | July or August |
| Thimphu TshechuBhutan | Thimphu | Three days of dances in the capital's Tashichho Dzong. | September or October |
Planning around a festival
Book early, stay nearby
Hotels near the big festivals fill months ahead, and prices rise. For Paro, Pushkar and the Kandy Perahera, start planning six to twelve months before.
We build the rest of the trip around the festival days, so you arrive rested and see the main day with a guide who can explain what is happening.
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Tell us roughly what you have in mind
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