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← Events ☏
Events

Nepal events and festivals guide for families

Written by The Trip Keeper team Content updated 30 Oct 2026 Facts last checked 30 Oct 2026
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The short answer

Nepal's festival calendar is Hindu and Buddhist at once, and wonderfully familiar to Indian families. The two giants are Dashain in October - fifteen days of family reunions and blessings - and Tihar, Nepal's Diwali, in November, five days of lights, deusi-bhailo songs and the lovely Bhai Tika sibling ceremony. Chhat follows on the Terai. Buddha Jayanti in May fills Lumbini and the stupas with lamps, Holi arrives in March, and September's Indra Jatra brings the living goddess Kumari onto Kathmandu's streets. Sights stay open; book early around Dashain-Tihar, when the country travels home.

March

Holi (Fagu Purnima)

Nationwide; hills a day before the Terai Typical timing

Usually March full moon; 2027 dates not yet announced. The hills celebrate a day before the Terai.. This is the usual time of year, not confirmed dates for a particular year.

Nepal's Holi: colour, water and music across Kathmandu's Durbar Squares and Thamel, a day earlier in the hills than in the Terai. A ceremonial chir pole goes up at Basantapur to open the week.

For families: Great fun with children if you pick a friendly spot like a hotel courtyard or a tourist-area street; carry old clothes and protect eyes and phones. Public spaces can get rowdy by afternoon.

Event website

May

Buddha Jayanti

Lumbini and Kathmandu (Boudhanath, Swayambhunath) Typical timing

Usually May full moon; 2027 dates not yet announced. Buddha Jayanti usually falls in May.. This is the usual time of year, not confirmed dates for a particular year.

The Buddha's birth, enlightenment and mahaparinirvana on one full-moon day: prayers and butter lamps at Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, and the grandest observances at Lumbini, his birthplace, drawing pilgrims from across Asia.

For families: A serene, beautiful day for families - the lamp-lit stupas at dusk are unforgettable. Dress modestly, walk the kora clockwise, and expect big but gentle crowds at Lumbini.

Event website

September

Indra Jatra

Kathmandu (Durbar Square) Typical timing

Usually September, eight days ending around the full moon; 2027 dates not yet announced.. This is the usual time of year, not confirmed dates for a particular year.

Kathmandu's great street festival honouring Indra, god of rain: masked Lakhey dances, a towering chariot procession of the living goddess Kumari through the old city, and families honouring their dead with lamp processions.

For families: The Kumari chariot days are Kathmandu at its most alive - dense, exciting crowds, so keep children close. Best watched from the balconies around Durbar Square with a tea in hand.

Event website

October

Dashain

Nationwide Typical timing

Usually October, ending on Vijaya Dashami; 2027 dates not yet announced.. This is the usual time of year, not confirmed dates for a particular year.

Nepal's biggest festival, fifteen days celebrating the goddess Durga's victory: families reunite for tika blessings and jamara, children swing on bamboo ping swings, and kites fill the sky. Government offices and many shops close for the main days.

For families: The atmosphere is like a family Diwali-Dussehra rolled together - wonderful to witness, but plan around it: domestic flights and buses sell out as Nepal travels home, and some restaurants close on the main days. Book early.

Event website

November

Tihar (Deepawali)

Nationwide Dates confirmed for 2026

8 Nov 2026 to 10 Nov 2026 · Dates from timeanddate.com, checked 30 Oct 2026

Nepal's festival of lights over five days, honouring crows, dogs, cows, Goddess Laxmi and finally brothers: houses glow with oil lamps and electric lights, and children go door to door singing deusi-bhailo for sweets and money.

For families: Magical evenings for children - every street sparkles. Many shops close on Laxmi Puja and Bhai Tika; sweets and flowers sell out, so stock up a day early. The Indian family will feel instantly at home.

Event website

Chhat Parwa

Terai region and Kathmandu's riverbanks Dates confirmed for 2026

15 Nov 2026 · Dates from timeanddate.com, checked 30 Oct 2026

The ancient sun-worship festival of the Terai, huge among Madhesi families: devotees fast, then stand in rivers and ponds at sunset and sunrise offering arghya to the sun god, with the water's edge lit by lamps.

For families: If you are in Janakpur or the Terai, join the ghats at dawn - it is the same Chhat Bihar and UP celebrate, so families from those states will find it deeply familiar.

Event website

Trips to Nepal

We have no open trip to Nepal right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.

Quick questions

Which Nepali festival is best for families?

Tihar (Nepal's Diwali, 8-10 November 2026) is the most magical for children - every street glows with lamps and door-to-door deusi-bhailo singing. Dashain in October is the biggest and most family-centred, like a Nepali Dussehra-Diwali rolled together, though transport sells out as the country travels home.

Do things close during Nepali festivals?

Tourist sights, hotels and most restaurants stay open, but during Dashain's main days many local shops and offices close, and domestic flights and buses sell out weeks ahead around Dashain and Tihar. Plan inter-city moves outside the core festival days.

Is Nepal's Tihar the same as India's Diwali?

The same festival family, with Nepali twists: five days that honour crows, dogs, cows and Goddess Laxmi, ending with Bhai Tika, where sisters bless their brothers. The lamps, sweets and family feeling will be instantly familiar to Indian families - the dog and crow days are the delightful difference.

When is Dashain 2027?

The dates follow the lunar calendar and had not been announced when this guide was last checked; Dashain always falls around October, with the main tika day on Vijaya Dashami. Check back as your trip approaches - and book domestic travel early once dates publish.

Can tourists watch Indra Jatra and the Kumari?

Yes - Indra Jatra's chariot processions and Lakhey masked dances happen on Kathmandhu's public streets, and the living goddess Kumari appears on her chariot and at her Durbar Square window. You may watch respectfully from the crowds; photography of the Kumari on her chariot is fine, but no photos when she is indoors.

Sources

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