Expected dates for 2026
Both festivals follow the lunar calendar, so the dates move each year. Dashain lasts 15 days and ends on the full moon of Ashwin; Tihar lasts five days around the new moon of Kartik, about three weeks later. The dates below are our understanding for 2026. Nepal's official calendar committee fixes the exact days and public holidays, so check current status before you travel.
| Day | Expected date, 2026 | What it means for visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Ghatasthapana, Dashain begins | About 11 October | Normal travel, barley sown in homes |
| Phulpati to Navami | About 17–20 October | Offices close, temple crowds, sacrifices |
| Vijaya Dashami, tika day | Around 20–21 October | Shops shut, roads empty in the city |
| Kojagrata Purnima, Dashain ends | About 25–26 October | Travel resumes, return traffic |
| Kag and Kukur Tihar | About 6–7 November | Crows and dogs honoured |
| Laxmi Puja | Around 8 November | Lamps and rangoli, best evening to walk |
| Bhai Tika, Tihar ends | About 10–11 November | Family day, some closures |
What happens during Dashain
Dashain honours the goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura and is the time when Nepalis go home. On Ghatasthapana families sow barley in a pot of sand, which sprouts into the yellow jamara used later. On Phulpati, the seventh day, a procession carries sacred flowers and leaves from Gorkha to Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu Durbar Square. Maha Asthami and Maha Navami are the heaviest days of worship at Durga temples, and animal sacrifice still takes place at many shrines, including Taleju and Dakshinkali.
On Vijaya Dashami, elders place red tika of rice, yoghurt and vermilion on the foreheads of younger relatives, tuck jamara behind their ears and give blessings and small gifts of money. Visits continue for days until the full moon. In villages, bamboo swings called linge ping go up, and children fly kites from every rooftop in the autumn wind.
What happens during Tihar
Tihar has a gentler, brighter feel. The first day, Kag Tihar, honours crows with food left on rooftops. On the second, Kukur Tihar, dogs across Kathmandu, pets and strays alike, receive marigold garlands, a red tika and a good meal. The third morning is Gai Tihar, when cows are worshipped, and that evening is Laxmi Puja: houses are cleaned, rangoli is painted at the door and rows of oil lamps welcome the goddess of wealth.
On the nights that follow, groups of children and young people go door to door singing bhailo and deusi songs for money and sweets. The fourth day includes Govardhan Puja and, for the Newar community, Mha Puja, which marks the Nepal Sambat new year with parades in Kathmandu. On the last day, Bhai Tika, sisters give their brothers a seven-coloured tika and garlands of makhamali flowers. Indian visitors will recognise much of it from Diwali and Bhai Dooj.
Closures, prices and transport
Trekkers should know that many porters, guides and lodge staff go home for Dashain. Trails such as Poon Hill and Everest Base Camp stay open and busy, because October is the main trekking month, but lodges may run with fewer staff and some teahouses in smaller villages close for the tika days. Agencies plan for this by booking crews well ahead; if you are trekking independently, expect higher prices and fewer porters for hire in that week.
- Many shops, restaurants, museums and offices in Kathmandu close for 3–5 days around Vijaya Dashami; hotels, temples and tourist restaurants in Thamel and Lakeside stay open
- Long-distance buses and domestic flights sell out in the days before Dashami and on the return days after Kojagrata Purnima
- Hotel and vehicle rates rise 20–35 percent in October–November, and Pokhara and Nagarkot fill first
- Delhi–Kathmandu fares around Dashain and Diwali often reach ₹25,000–32,000 return
- ATMs near tourist areas can run dry before the long holidays, so carry extra cash
- Banks and government offices close, so sort out permits and money exchange before the main days
Where to be for each festival
For Dashain, stay in the Kathmandu Valley for the Phulpati procession and to see families in festival clothes on tika day, but keep that day itself for something gentle, such as a walk around Patan or a quiet morning at Swayambhunath. Durga temples are crowded on Asthami and Navami mornings; if animal sacrifice troubles you, avoid Dakshinkali and the Taleju area then. The clear air makes the Nagarkot sunrise at 2,175 m one of the best of the year.
For Tihar, Kathmandu and Patan look their best after dark on Laxmi Puja: walk through Asan, Indra Chowk or Patan's lanes after 7 pm. Bhaktapur is quieter and lit by oil lamps in its squares. Hindu visitors can join puja at Pashupatinath. Our 3-night city break or 4-night temple tour fits neatly around either festival.
Etiquette for visitors
Visitors are welcome at almost all festival events in public spaces. Dress modestly at temples, with shoulders and knees covered, and keep to the side at busy shrines so worshippers can pass. Dashain is a family festival, so the warmest moments happen at home; if your guide or driver invites you to their family's tika, it is a real honour.
- If a family offers you tika, bow your head slightly to receive it and take any prasad with your right hand; guests are not expected to give money
- Ask before photographing people receiving tika at home or at temples
- Ask owners before photographing garlanded dogs closely on Kukur Tihar
- Remove shoes and leather items before entering temple courtyards, and follow signs about who may enter
- Give deusi and bhailo singers NPR 100–500 if they come to your hotel; it is part of the fun
- Expect firecrackers on Tihar nights, which can upset small children and pets
Planning a trip around the festivals
Book flights and hotels at least eight weeks ahead if your trip overlaps Vijaya Dashami or Laxmi Puja, and 10–12 weeks for Pokhara and Nagarkot. Keep long drives off the main tika day and the first and last days of Dashain, when roads out of Kathmandu are busiest. A loop such as Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan works well if you time the Kathmandu nights for the festival evenings, and our 8-night grand tour adds Nagarkot and Bandipur.
If you would rather avoid the crowds and festival prices, travel in the gap between Dashain and Tihar, usually the last days of October, or in mid-November after Bhai Tika, when the weather is still clear.
Regions and places in this post
Questions travellers ask
Is it a good idea to visit Nepal during Dashain?
Yes, if you plan ahead. Dashain falls in the clearest weather of the year and you see Nepal at its most festive. The trade-offs are closed shops for 3–5 days around Vijaya Dashami, full buses and flights, and higher hotel rates. Book 8–10 weeks ahead and keep the main tika day for a quiet local outing.
When is Dashain in 2026?
As we understand it, Dashain 2026 begins with Ghatasthapana around 11 October, with Vijaya Dashami, the main tika day, around 20–21 October and the festival ending at the full moon around 25–26 October. Nepal's official calendar committee fixes the exact dates and holidays, so check current status before you travel.
Is Tihar the same as Diwali?
Tihar is Nepal's festival of lights and falls on the same days as Diwali, with Laxmi Puja on the main night. It lasts five days and adds days honouring crows, dogs and cows, the Newar Mha Puja and Bhai Tika between brothers and sisters, similar to Bhai Dooj. Many Indian families travel to Nepal for it.
Are shops and sights closed during Dashain?
Many local shops, offices, banks and some museums in Kathmandu close for 3–5 days around Vijaya Dashami. Temples, hotels and most tourist restaurants in Thamel and Lakeside stay open, and heritage sites such as Bhaktapur and Patan remain accessible. Tihar brings fewer closures, mostly on Laxmi Puja and Bhai Tika. Carry extra cash, as ATMs can run dry.
How much more does a Nepal trip cost during Dashain and Tihar?
Hotel and vehicle rates in October and November usually run 20–35 percent above the low season, and Delhi–Kathmandu fares around Dashain and Diwali often reach ₹25,000–32,000 return against ₹12,000–22,000 in normal weeks. Our 6-night Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan tour starts at ₹32,000 per person outside peak festival weeks and costs more inside them.
