Kathmandu Festival Calendar 2026 — Month by Month

If you live in Kathmandu, you already know: this city is built on festivals. Hardly a week goes by without something being celebrated somewhere in the valley — a Newari procession in Patan, a chariot pulled through Bhaktapur, candles flickering up the stupa steps in Boudha. Most are joyful, some are weird, and a few are genuinely transcendent.

This guide walks through every major festival in Kathmandu Valley in 2026, month by month, so you can plan your year around the city's rhythm rather than fight it. Festival dates shift annually with the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar, so the dates below are 2026 estimates — confirm the exact date a week or two ahead.

January

Maghe Sankranti (mid-January) — The winter solstice festival, marking the sun's transition into Capricorn. Families gather to eat til ko laddu (sesame sweets), chaku (molasses), ghee, and yam. You'll see crowds at the Bagmati Ghat in Pashupatinath for ritual baths.

Sonam Lhosar (end of January or early February) — Tamang New Year. Dragon dances, traditional dress, and feasts in Boudha and parts of Maharajgunj. Public dances at Tundikhel.

February

Maha Shivaratri (late February) — One of the most intense days at Pashupatinath, when sadhus converge from across India and Nepal. The temple complex is mobbed from dawn; if you go, go early or expect to queue.

Losar (date varies) — Tibetan New Year. Boudha is the centre of gravity — monasteries hold ceremonies, butter lamps line the stupa, and Tibetan families wear their finest chuba. Stay around the kora at dusk; it's unforgettable.

March

Holi (Phagu Purnima) (mid-March) — Colour, water, and chaos. Thamel and Basantapur are the loudest; Patan and Bhaktapur are calmer. Wear something you don't mind staining permanently. The day after is dry — go for a walk.

Ghode Jatra (late March) — The horse-racing festival at Tundikhel. Held to keep an underworld demon pinned beneath the parade ground. The Nepal Army puts on a horse parade in the morning.

April

Bisket Jatra (mid-April, Nepali New Year week) — The big one in Bhaktapur. Two giant wooden chariots pulled through the streets, a tug-of-war between halves of the town, and the erection of a 25-meter wooden pole. Goes on for days. If you've never seen it, this should be the year.

Nepali New Year (Naya Barsa) (April 13 or 14) — Bikram Sambat 2083 begins. Public events at Basantapur and Tundikhel; many people travel.

Rato Machhindranath Jatra (April–May, month-long) — Patan's chariot procession honouring the rain god. Pulled by hand through the streets of Lalitpur over weeks. The bhoto pradarshan (display of the sacred vest) at the end is the headline.

May

Buddha Jayanti (early to mid-May) — Buddha's birthday. Boudha is electric — pre-dawn ceremonies, butter lamps, processions. The kora is wall-to-wall by 6 AM.

Sithi Nakha (late May) — Newari festival of cleaning wells and water sources, marking the end of the dry season.

June

Tulsi Bijai (early June) — Newari celebration involving the planting of tulsi (holy basil) plants in courtyards. Mostly observed in old Patan and Bhaktapur households.

July

Ghantakarna (Gathemangal) (mid-July) — Newari demon-killing festival; effigies of the demon Ghantakarna are dragged to crossroads and burned. Patan and Bhaktapur are the best places to witness it.

Janai Purnima (late July or early August) — Brahmins and Chhetris change their sacred thread; pilgrims trek to Gosainkunda. Locally, you'll see raksha bandhan tied around wrists.

August

Gai Jatra (mid-August) — The procession of cows. Bhaktapur celebrates the loudest. Families who lost loved ones in the past year send children dressed as cows through the streets — both a memorial and a riot of satire.

Krishna Janmashtami (late August) — Krishna's birthday. The Krishna Mandir in Patan Durbar Square is decorated and packed.

September

Teej (early September) — Hindu women's festival, fasting and dancing. Pashupatinath fills with red-saree-clad women from before dawn.

Indra Jatra (mid-September) — Kathmandu's biggest festival. Eight days. The living goddess Kumari is paraded through the city in her chariot, masked dances erupt at Basantapur, and the Yenya parades fill Durbar Square. The chariot pulls happen on the Kumari Jatra days. Plan to be in Old Kathmandu in the evenings.

October

Dashain (mid-October, 15 days) — Nepal's longest holiday. Families come together, animals are sacrificed, tika and jamara are exchanged. The valley empties as people travel home; many shops close. Travel before or after, not during.

Tihar (Deepawali) (late October, 5 days) — The festival of lights. Houses are decorated with marigolds, rangoli designs cover doorsteps, and Lakshmi puja brightens every neighbourhood. Day 5 (Bhai Tika) — sisters tika their brothers. Drive through Patan or Lalitpur in the evenings to see the city at its prettiest.

November

Chhath (early November) — Madhesi sun-worship festival, observed at the rivers. Smaller in Kathmandu but visible at Bagmati and Manohara ghats.

Mha Puja & Newari New Year (early November) — Newari New Year (Nepal Sambat) follows Tihar. Self-worship rituals at home; communal feasts in Patan and Bhaktapur.

December

Yomari Punhi (early December) — Newari winter solstice. Steamed yomari (rice-flour dumplings filled with molasses or sesame) are made at home. Newari restaurants like Honacha and Krishnarpan serve them all month.

Tamu Lhosar (late December) — Gurung New Year. Public celebrations at Tundikhel.

How to plan around the calendar

• Best times to visit Kathmandu for festivals: September through November (Indra Jatra → Dashain → Tihar) is the densest stretch and the most spectacular weather.
• Festivals where the city pauses: Dashain. Don't expect anything to be open during the main 4 days.
• Festivals where Kathmandu is at its prettiest: Tihar (lights), Mha Puja (Newari neighbourhoods), Buddha Jayanti at Boudha.
• Festivals worth a day trip from Kathmandu: Bisket Jatra (Bhaktapur), Indra Jatra Kumari procession (old city), Rato Machhindranath (Patan).

See live events tied to these festivals

Many festivals now have live ticketed components — concerts during Tihar, food fairs during Buddha Jayanti, theatre festivals around Mha Puja. Browse all cultural events in Kathmandu on Kata Jaam? to see what's on right now, or jump to tonight's events and tomorrow's events for what's already booked in.

FAQ

What is the biggest festival in Kathmandu? Dashain is the longest (15 days) and most universally observed. Indra Jatra is the biggest in spectacle and street-level visibility. Tihar is the most beautiful. They all happen in autumn.

When is Holi in Kathmandu 2026? Mid-March. The Terai celebrates a day later than the hills (so Kathmandu is "hilly Holi" and the southern plains the next day).

Are Kathmandu festivals safe for tourists? Yes — most are warmly welcoming. Use common sense around crowds (Indra Jatra can get crushed) and keep valuables zipped during Holi.

What's the difference between a "jatra" and a "puja"? A jatra is a public festival or procession. A puja is a private worship ritual, typically at home or in a temple. Many days have both.

This calendar is updated as 2026 dates firm up. Bookmark and check back, or [browse all events in Kathmandu](/events) to see what's already scheduled.