Festival · Nepal
Buddhist Festivals in Nepal
A hub of Nepal's major Buddhist festivals — Buddha Jayanti, Losar, Mani Rimdu, Saga Dawa and Yartung — with timing, locations and what travellers will see.
Nepal sits at the meeting point of Himalayan and Indian Buddhism, and its calendar is rich with celebrations that trace the Buddha's life and the Tibetan lunar year. This collection bundles deep-dive guides to Nepal's major Buddhist festivals so you can plan a trip around them — from the great full-moon gathering of Buddha Jayanti to masked monastery dances high in the Everest region. For the wider picture of Nepal's mixed festival calendar, see our festival calendar of Nepal, and read about Buddhism in Nepal for the traditions behind these days.
The short answer
The two unmissable Buddhist festivals are Buddha Jayanti (full moon around May) and Losar, the Tibetan and Sherpa new year (around February). For something more remote, time your trek for Mani Rimdu in autumn, the merit-filled month of Saga Dawa in late spring, or the Yartung horse festival in Mustang in late summer.
The Buddhist festival year
Buddhist festivals in Nepal follow the Tibetan lunar calendar, so their Gregorian dates move by a couple of weeks each year — and some, like Losar, fall on different days for different communities. The year roughly runs from Losar in late winter, through Saga Dawa and Buddha Jayanti in spring, to Yartung in late summer and Mani Rimdu in autumn. Always check current dates before booking, as timing can also vary by monastery and region.
Buddha Jayanti
Buddha Jayanti marks the birth — and by tradition the enlightenment and passing — of the Buddha. It falls on the full moon usually in May and is celebrated most powerfully at Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace, and at the great Kathmandu Valley stupas of Swayambhu and Boudhanath, where pilgrims circle the dome, light butter lamps and join candlelit processions.
Losar
Losar is the Tibetan, Sherpa and Tamang new year, celebrated around February by the lunar calendar. It is not a single date: Tamu Losar (Gurung), Sonam Losar (Tamang) and Gyalpo Losar (Tibetan and Sherpa) fall on different days. Expect family feasts, monastery rituals, masked dances and lively gatherings in Boudhanath and the high Himalayan communities.
Mani Rimdu
Mani Rimdu is a multi-day autumn festival held at Tengboche monastery in the Everest region and at Chiwong monastery in Solu. Sherpa monks perform vivid masked dances that dramatise the triumph of Buddhism, alongside empowerment ceremonies and the burning of a symbolic effigy — an unforgettable sight for trekkers passing through.
Saga Dawa
Saga Dawa honours the month of the Buddha's enlightenment and passing into nirvana, one of the holiest periods in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar. Falling in late spring or early summer, it is a time of heightened merit when devotees circumambulate stupas, light lamps, give alms and avoid taking life.
Yartung
Yartung is the high-altitude horse festival of Mustang, held in late summer at the end of the harvest. Centred on Muktinath and Lo Manthang, it blends Buddhist celebration with horse races, singing, dancing and communal feasting — a window into Upper Mustang's living Tibetan culture.
When to go
Spring brings Saga Dawa and the great full-moon gathering of Buddha Jayanti at Lumbini and the valley stupas, while late winter is Losar season around Boudhanath and the high villages. Trekkers in the Everest region should aim for autumn to catch Mani Rimdu, and travellers in the Annapurna and Mustang area can time late summer for Yartung. Pair these dates with our best time to visit Nepal guide, and see the Hindu festivals of Nepal for the other half of the country's festival year. Because every date follows the lunar calendar, check current dates before you lock in flights.
Our top picks
Frequently asked questions
What are Nepal's main Buddhist festivals?+
The biggest are Buddha Jayanti, marking the Buddha's birth, and Losar, the Tibetan, Sherpa and Tamang new year. Mani Rimdu at Tengboche and Chiwong monasteries, Saga Dawa honouring the Buddha's enlightenment, and the Mustang horse festival of Yartung round out the year.
When and where do these festivals take place?+
Buddha Jayanti falls on the full moon around May and is huge at Lumbini, Swayambhu and Boudhanath. Losar comes in February, Saga Dawa in late spring or early summer, Mani Rimdu in autumn in the Everest region, and Yartung in late summer in Mustang. Check current dates before you travel.
Why do Buddhist festival dates change each year?+
They follow the Tibetan lunar calendar rather than the Gregorian one, so dates shift by a couple of weeks annually. Even Losar varies between communities — Gyalpo, Sonam and Tamu Losar fall on different days — so always confirm exact dates close to your trip.
Are these festivals open to visitors?+
Yes. Buddha Jayanti at the Kathmandu Valley stupas and Mani Rimdu's masked dances welcome respectful onlookers. Dress modestly, walk clockwise around stupas, and ask before photographing monks or rituals.
