Festivals
Festival calendar
Monastery mask dances, new years and harvest days, month by month, with the community each one belongs to.
Most Sikkim festivals follow the Tibetan or Lepcha lunar calendar, so they move by two to four weeks from year to year. We list the usual months; ask us for the exact date in the year you travel. Monasteries are places of worship: dress modestly, ask before photographing and keep out of the dance ground.
January
Nyingma monastic community …
Enchey Detor Chaam
Each winter, the monks of Enchey Monastery above Gangtok perform the Detor Chaam, two days of masked dances in the courtyard on …
Lepcha
Namsoong at Namprikdang
Namsoong is the Lepcha new year and harvest festival. Since 1979 its best-known public celebration has been held at Namprikdang, a riverside …
Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims…
Maghe Purne at Khecheopalri Lake
On the full moon of Magh, pilgrims from Sikkim, Darjeeling, Nepal and Bhutan gather at the sacred Khecheopalri Lake to pray and …
Nepali-speaking communities…
Maghe Sankranti Mela, Jorethang
Jorethang's Maghe Sankranti mela, held on the Rangeet riverbank since 1961, is one of the biggest Nepali community festivals in Sikkim. It …
Nepali-speaking communities…
Maghe Sankranti on the Teesta
Maghe Sankranti marks the first day of the Nepali month of Magh and the turn from the coldest weeks towards spring. Families …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
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Nyingma monastic community …
Enchey Detor Chaam
Each winter, the monks of Enchey Monastery above Gangtok perform the Detor Chaam, two days of masked dances in the courtyard on …
Bhutia, Lepcha, Sherpa and …
Bumchu at Tashiding
Once a year the lamas of Tashiding open a sealed sacred vase and read the coming year in its water: full means …
Bhutia and Lepcha Buddhists…
Pemayangtse mask dances (Chaam)
On the last two days of the Tibetan year, the monks of Pemayangtse, the senior Nyingma monastery of Sikkim, dance in masks …
Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims…
Maghe Purne at Khecheopalri Lake
On the full moon of Magh, pilgrims from Sikkim, Darjeeling, Nepal and Bhutan gather at the sacred Khecheopalri Lake to pray and …
Hindu communities of Sikkim…
Maha Shivaratri at Char Dham, Solophok
Maha Shivaratri, the great night of Shiva, is the biggest day of the year at Siddhesvara Dham on Solophok hill above Namchi, …
Bhutia, Sherpa, Tamang and …
Losar at Aritar Gumpa
Losar is the Tibetan Buddhist new year. At Aritar Gumpa, a Kagyu monastery above Lampokhari lake, and at village gumpas up the …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartMarch
Bhutia, Lepcha, Sherpa and …
Bumchu at Tashiding
Once a year the lamas of Tashiding open a sealed sacred vase and read the coming year in its water: full means …
Hindu communities of Sikkim…
Maha Shivaratri at Char Dham, Solophok
Maha Shivaratri, the great night of Shiva, is the biggest day of the year at Siddhesvara Dham on Solophok hill above Namchi, …
Bhutia, Sherpa, Tamang and …
Losar at Aritar Gumpa
Losar is the Tibetan Buddhist new year. At Aritar Gumpa, a Kagyu monastery above Lampokhari lake, and at village gumpas up the …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartApril
Buddhist, Lepcha and Bhutia…
Tholung Kamsel
Every three years the sealed boxes of relics at Tholung Monastery in Upper Dzongu are opened, aired in the sun and shown …
Kirat Khambu Rai
Sakewa at Mankhim
Sakewa is the great earth-worship festival of the Kirat Khambu Rai. On Mankhim hill above Aritar, the Rai community gathers at its …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartMay
Buddhists of all Sikkimese …
Saga Dawa
Saga Dawa marks the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing into parinirvana, celebrated on the full moon of the 4th Tibetan month, in …
Kirat Khambu Rai
Sakewa at Mankhim
Sakewa is the great earth-worship festival of the Kirat Khambu Rai. On Mankhim hill above Aritar, the Rai community gathers at its …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartJune
Buddhists of all Sikkimese …
Saga Dawa
Saga Dawa marks the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing into parinirvana, celebrated on the full moon of the 4th Tibetan month, in …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartJuly
Buddhist (Bhutia, Lepcha, S…
Drukpa Tshe-zi at Reesum Gumpa
Drukpa Tshe-zi marks the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath. The Soreng district administration says people from around Rinchenpong …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartAugust
Bhutia and Lepcha, with all…
Pang Lhabsol
Pang Lhabsol is the festival at which Sikkim honours Kangchenjunga as its guardian deity and remembers the blood-brotherhood pact between the Lepcha …
Bhutia and Lepcha, with all…
Pang Lhabsol at Ralang Monastery
Pang Lhabsol honours Kangchenjunga, worshipped in Sikkim as Dzö-nga, the guardian deity of the land, and recalls the blood-brotherhood oath between the …
Buddhist (Bhutia, Lepcha, S…
Drukpa Tshe-zi at Reesum Gumpa
Drukpa Tshe-zi marks the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath. The Soreng district administration says people from around Rinchenpong …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartSeptember
Bhutia and Lepcha, with all…
Pang Lhabsol
Pang Lhabsol is the festival at which Sikkim honours Kangchenjunga as its guardian deity and remembers the blood-brotherhood pact between the Lepcha …
Bhutia and Lepcha, with all…
Pang Lhabsol at Ralang Monastery
Pang Lhabsol honours Kangchenjunga, worshipped in Sikkim as Dzö-nga, the guardian deity of the land, and recalls the blood-brotherhood oath between the …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartNovember
Buddhist, Lepcha and Bhutia…
Tholung Kamsel
Every three years the sealed boxes of relics at Tholung Monastery in Upper Dzongu are opened, aired in the sun and shown …
Kirat Khambu Rai
Sakewa at Mankhim
Sakewa is the great earth-worship festival of the Kirat Khambu Rai. On Mankhim hill above Aritar, the Rai community gathers at its …
Limbu (Yakthung)
Chasok Tangnam
Chasok Tangnam is the Limbu harvest festival, held on the full moon of Mangsir, when the first grain of the year is …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartDecember
Bhutia, with Lepcha Namsoon…
Losoong and the Kagyed dance
Losoong is the Sikkimese Bhutia new year and harvest festival, held in December. In Gangtok it is preceded by the Kagyed dance …
Lepcha
Namsoong at Namprikdang
Namsoong is the Lepcha new year and harvest festival. Since 1979 its best-known public celebration has been held at Namprikdang, a riverside …
Bhutia and Buddhist monasti…
Phodong Monastery Chaam
Phodong Monastery, a Karma Kagyu seat 38 km north of Gangtok, holds its annual masked dance on the 28th and 29th days …
Kirat Khambu Rai
Sakewa at Mankhim
Sakewa is the great earth-worship festival of the Kirat Khambu Rai. On Mankhim hill above Aritar, the Rai community gathers at its …
Limbu (Yakthung)
Chasok Tangnam
Chasok Tangnam is the Limbu harvest festival, held on the full moon of Mangsir, when the first grain of the year is …
Gurung (Tamu)
Tamu Lhosar at the Gurung Gumpa
Tamu Lhosar is the Gurung new year. Near Rinchenpong it is marked at Rinchen Choling Monastery, the Gurung Gumpa at Meghi Dara, …
Plan a trip around a festival
Tell us dates, people and budget. We send a day-by-day plan with every cost shown. StartNot sure where to start?
We match districts to your month, your budget and the people travelling with you. StartAsk the Gangtok desk
An itemised quote within one working day. No payment to start. StartGet my price
Want to be there on the day?
Tell us which festival and roughly when. We confirm the date for your year, book rooms early and plan the days around it.
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