Tibetan Traditional Festivals and Events

If you plan your tour of Tibet well, not only will you be able to see the pristine beauty of the region, you can also participate in the numerous highly colorful Tibet Traditional festivals of the region. Hardly a day passes without some festivities, ceremonial observances or pilgrimages occurring in some part of the region or the other. Whichever festival you include in your travel itinerary, be sure to take lots of pictures. So trust us, you are going to need it.
Name of the Festival | Active Place | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
Tibetan New Year (Losar) | Almost all Tibet | Feb 15 | Feb 27 | Feb 09 | Feb 19 | Mar 02 |
Monlam Prayer Festival | Lhasa | Feb | Feb | Feb 23 | Feb 22 | Mar 05 |
Butter Oil Lantern Festival | Almost all Tibet | Feb | Feb | Feb 23 | Mar 05 | Mar 16 |
Saga Dawa | Almost all Tibet | May | June 09 | May 21 | June 02 | June 13 |
Gyantse Horse Racing Festival (Gyantse Damag) | Gyantse | July | July | July 18 | July 18 | July 27 |
Tashi Lhunpo Thangka Display | Shigatse | July | July 08 | July 17 | July 02 | July 12 |
Zamling Chisang / Samye Dolde | Samye Monastery | July | July | July 19 | July 02 | July 12 |
Chokor Duchen Festival | Almost all Tibet | Aug | Aug 27 | Aug 6 | July 20 | July 31 |
Ganden Thangka Display | Ganden Monastery | Aug | Aug 01 | Aug 18 | July 31 | Aug 10 |
Shoton Festival | Lhasa | Sept 1 – 7 | Aug 22 | Sept 1 – 7 | Aug 14 -20 | Aug 25 – 30 |
Nachu Horse Racing | Nachu | Aug | Aug | Aug 10 – 16 | Aug 10-16 | Aug 10-16 |
Lhabab Duchen Festival(Buddha’s Descent Day) | Almost all Tibet | Nov | Nov 10 | Nov 20 | Nov 03 | Nov 13 |
Pal Lhamo Festival | Lhasa | Dec | Dec 03 | Dec 13 | Nov 25 | Dec 06 |
Ganden Ngacho | Almost all Tibet | Dec | Dec | Dec 23 | Dec 05 | Dec 16 |
Labrang Monlam Festival | Amdo,Labrang | — | Mar 3rd | Sept 02 | ||
Lithang Horse Racing Festival ( Not permanent) | Lithang | — | Aug 02 | Aug 01 – 05 | ||
Jye Kundo (Yushu) Horse Racing Festival | Yushu | July 25th | July 25 | July 25 |
Tibetan Traditional Festivals List
- Tibetan New Year
- Monlam Prayer Festival
- The Great Prayer Festival
- Tibet Butter Lamp Festival
- Saga Dawa Festival
- Tibet Shoton Festival
- Tibet Bathing Festival
- Tibet horse Race Festival
- Buddha Unfolding Festival
- Tsong Khapa Butter Lamp Festival
- Universal Prayers Festival
- Harvest Festival (Ongkor in Tibetan)