Travelling in Nepal during Dashain means arriving in the middle of the country's biggest festival. In 2026 it runs from October 11 to October 25, with the main day, Tika, on Wednesday, October 21. It lands in the clearest weeks of the autumn trekking season, so a lot of visitors end up here for it without planning to. Your trip will still work. Buses and domestic flights fill up and offices close for about a week, and knowing that in advance is most of what planning around it takes.
Dashain 2026 dates
Dashain lasts fifteen days and follows the lunar calendar, so the dates move every year. In 2026 it opens with Ghatasthapana on Sunday, October 11, when families plant barley seeds in a dark room. The yellow shoots that grow, called jamara, are worn at Tika ten days later.
Phulpati, the seventh day, falls around October 17. A procession carries sacred plants into Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu, and offices and banks start closing. The next two days, Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami, are the days of animal sacrifice at Durga temples. On Navami people also bless their vehicles and tools.
Vijaya Dashami, usually just called Tika, is Wednesday, October 21. Elders put a red tika of rice, yogurt, and vermilion on the foreheads of younger relatives, starting at the auspicious time, which in 2026 is 11:53 in the morning. The festival closes with the full moon of Kojagrat Purnima on Sunday, October 25.
The government holiday runs roughly from Phulpati to two days after Tika, about October 17 to 23. Sources differ by a day on some of the middle dates, so treat those as close rather than fixed. Tihar, the festival of lights, follows two weeks later, November 7 to 11, with Laxmi Puja on November 8.
What closes and what stays open
Dashain is a family festival. Millions of people who work in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and the other cities go home to their villages, often for a week or more. Kathmandu empties in a way that surprises first-time visitors, most noticeably in the days around Tika.
Government offices and banks shut for the holiday week, and so do many small shops and family-run eateries outside the tourist areas. If you need a visa extension or anything else from an office, get it done before Phulpati. ATMs keep working in the cities, but machines in smaller towns can run low on cash, so take out what you need beforehand.
The tourist economy keeps going. Hotels, trekking lodges, and most restaurants in Lakeside Pokhara and Thamel stay open, because October is their busiest month. Some places run on fewer staff, and a few family-run spots close for Tika day itself. Sightseeing, paragliding, and boating in Pokhara carry on as normal, and our Pokhara sightseeing day tour runs through the festival.
Travelling in Nepal during Dashain by road and air
Transport is the part that needs planning. In the week before Tika, buses out of Kathmandu are packed with people heading home, and the government opens advance booking on long routes weeks ahead because demand is so high. Tourist buses between Kathmandu and Pokhara sell out several days before the busiest dates. Domestic flights fill up too, and fares rise.
After Tika the flow reverses. Families travel back to the cities, and many Nepali families take a holiday of their own, with Pokhara and Chitwan the most popular choices. Expect crowded buses and busier hotels in Pokhara in the days after October 21, and again at Tihar in November.
A few ways to keep it simple:
- Book any long bus or domestic flight as soon as your dates are fixed. Waiting until you arrive in Nepal is how people end up stuck in Kathmandu for an extra day.
- Avoid long road journeys on Phulpati and on the two or three days before Tika, when the highways out of Kathmandu are at their busiest.
- Travel on Tika day itself if you can. Most Nepalis are at home receiving tika, and the roads are usually quiet.
- Use a private vehicle for the long legs. It does not depend on a bus timetable or a seat being free, and you choose the departure time. Our car rental in Pokhara covers the Kathmandu road, Chitwan, Lumbini, and airport runs, with the driver and fuel included.
For the main road leg, the Pokhara to Kathmandu route page covers the drive and the vehicles. If you land at Pokhara International Airport during the holiday, our guide to the Pokhara airport transfer explains how to book a pickup ahead so you are not negotiating for a taxi on a festival afternoon.
Trekking during Dashain
Trekking routes stay open. October is peak season on the Annapurna and Everest trails, and the teahouses depend on it, so they keep their doors open through the festival. The difference is people. Guides, porters, drivers, and lodge staff have families too, and many want to be home for Tika.
That has two practical effects. First, book your guide and transport before you arrive, so the agency can plan staffing around the holiday. Picking up a guide in Pokhara the day before you start is harder in the week of Tika than at any other time of year. Second, expect a few teahouses to run on a smaller team, with a shorter menu or slower service for a day or two.
Some trekkers time the start of a trek so they are on the trail over Tika. The trails are busy with foreign trekkers in October anyway, but you skip the travel rush in the cities, and a teahouse family may invite you to join their tika. When you book one of our treks from Pokhara for October, we set the start date around the festival.
Seeing the festival as a visitor
Dashain happens mostly inside homes, but a good part of it is visible from the street.
From the first days of the festival, children and adults fly kites from the rooftops of Kathmandu and Pokhara, and kite fights run all afternoon. In villages, and in some city neighbourhoods, people build tall bamboo swings called ping, and everyone from children to grandparents takes a turn.
The temples are busiest on Ashtami and Navami. In Pokhara that means Bindhyabasini temple above the old bazaar, the city's main Durga temple, where lines of families bring offerings. In Kathmandu the Taleju temple in Durbar Square opens to the public once a year, on Navami. Be aware that animal sacrifice is part of these two days. You will see goats, ducks, and buffalo killed at the major temples, so skip them if you would rather not.
Tika day is the most personal part. If a Nepali friend, host, or guide invites you to receive tika, accept. Elders bless the younger family members, give a little money, and feed everyone. Dress modestly, and expect to be fed more than once.
When Dashain is the wrong time
For most visitors Dashain is a bonus. It suits you less if you need an office for paperwork during your stay, or if you planned to wing it on local buses with nothing booked. If your dates are flexible and you want the same weather with calmer transport, the first week of October or the first half of November, between Dashain and Tihar, are good alternatives. Our guide to the best time to visit Nepal sets autumn against the rest of the year.
FAQ
When is Dashain in 2026?
Dashain runs for fifteen days, from Ghatasthapana on Sunday, October 11 to Kojagrat Purnima on Sunday, October 25, 2026. The main day, Vijaya Dashami or Tika, is Wednesday, October 21. Government offices and banks close for roughly a week around Tika, about October 17 to 23.
Is it a good idea to visit Nepal during Dashain?
Yes, if you plan for it. October weather is some of the best of the year and treks, hotels, and tourist restaurants in Pokhara and Kathmandu stay open. The catch is transport. Buses and domestic flights fill with people going home, so book them early or use a private vehicle.
Are treks open during Dashain?
Yes. Trekking routes in the Annapurna and Everest regions stay open, and October is peak season. Some teahouse staff, guides, and porters take a few days off around Tika, so arrange your guide and transport in advance rather than on arrival.
What closes during Dashain in Nepal?
Government offices, banks, and many local shops and small restaurants close from around Phulpati to a few days after Tika, when staff go to their home villages. Kathmandu gets noticeably empty. Tourist hotels, trekking lodges, and most businesses in Lakeside Pokhara and Thamel keep running. Carry some cash in case ATMs run low.
