“Nepal is a country with more temples than houses, more god and goddess than people, and more festivals than days in a Year” as said by Sir Kirk Patrick. He was the first recorded Westerner to visit Nepal. 

Nepal has more than 125 different ethnic groups mainly of Indian and Tibetan origin. All these ethnic groups have a distinct lifestyle and a different tradition resulting in colorful vibrant festivals celebrated in the pretext of socio-cultural heritage.

The rich heritage of Hinduism and Buddhism has resulted in numerous festivals and occasions to celebrate. The festivals in Nepal are one of the major reasons behind the strong unity and tolerance among the people here.

Though the Nepalese have diverse beliefs and ethnic backgrounds, all unite in the celebration of the year’s major festivals. Some festivals are celebrated throughout the nation whereas some festivals such as Bisket Jatra, Rato Machchhendranath, and Mani Rimdu are celebrated by particular ethnic communities but still observed and participated by the whole country.

Let’s have a look at some of the major festivals of Nepal. You can plan your holidays based on the festival schedule to make your trip to Nepal a much exciting one. The celebration and festivals are based on the lunar calendar so the dates change every year for the festivals.

List of  Major festivals in Nepal

01- Maghe Sankranti

02- Maha Shiva Ratri

03- Gyalbo Lhosar

04- Holi (Fagu Purnima) – Festival of color

05- Ghode Jatra

06- New Year day (Nepalese)

07- Chaite Dashain & Ram Navami

08-Tiji Festival in Mustang, Manang, Humla, Dolpa, Everest

09- Budha Jayanti, the day of birth of Lord Buddha.

10-  Saga Dawa Festival in Humla/Limi Valley

11- Nag Panchami

12- Janai Purnima and Gai Jatra

13- Shree Krishna Janmashtami

14- Teej – festival for women

15- Indra Jatra:

16- Dashain - Main Festival of Hindus in Nepal

16- Tihar/Deepawali (festival of lights)

17- Chhath Parva

18- Mani Rimdu- Mani Rimdu in Chiwong Monastery – Everest region

19- Bibah Panchami in Janakpur.

Also Read: Festival Tour in Nepal