Dashain and Tihar 2027 in Nepal: Dates, Closures and Trekking

Last updated 10 October 2026.

Short answer: In 2027 both festivals come ten to twelve days earlier than in 2026. Dashain begins around 30 September, Fulpati is on Wednesday 6 October, Maha Navami on Friday 8 October, and the tika day of Vijaya Dashami on Saturday 9 or Sunday 10 October. Tihar follows with Laxmi Puja on Friday 29 October, Govardhan Puja on Saturday 30 October and Bhai Tika on Sunday 31 October. Dashain affects trekking through transport and some teahouses. Tihar barely does. The Nepal government has not yet issued its 2027 holiday notice.

Both festivals now fall inside the 2027 autumn season, so they matter if you plan an Everest Base Camp trek or any other October trek. I wrote full guides for 2026, Dashain 2026 and Tihar 2026. This one is for next year. It gives the expected dates, what will close, what it means for a trek and which of our 2027 departures sit next to the festivals.

When is Dashain in 2027?

Hindu festivals follow the lunar calendar, so the dates move earlier by ten to twelve days each year. These are expected dates from Nepali festival calendars for Kathmandu. The government confirms the holiday list each year, and sometimes a ritual day straddles two calendar days.

Why 9 or 10? The tenth lunar day starts on the morning of 9 October and ends around midday on 10 October, so calendars name different days. Public holiday lists show 10 October. I will update this page when the government publishes its notice. In 2026 the holiday ran for seven days from Fulpati, from 17 to 23 October. If the pattern repeats, the 2027 holiday would run from about 6 to 12 October. That is my expectation, not a notice.

When is Tihar in 2027?

Laxmi Puja, Govardhan Puja and Bhai Tika are the three dates that two calendars agree on. The first two days can overlap, so some calendars put the crow and dog days differently. Laxmi Puja is the new moon night, when houses are cleaned, lit with oil lamps and strung with marigold garlands. It is the evening to be out in Patan or Bhaktapur with a camera. Our 2026 Tihar guide describes each day.

What closes during Dashain and Tihar?

Government offices and banks close for the holiday. Do any money changing or paperwork before it starts. Many small shops and restaurants in Kathmandu close around tika so the owners can go home, although Thamel tourist restaurants stay open. Kathmandu is quiet, and the roads in the valley are often easy. Tihar is milder. Offices close for the holiday, but most things keep running, and the streets are full of lights.

Is Dashain a bad time to trek in Nepal?

No. October is the start of the best trekking season, and Dashain does not change the mountains. The festival affects three things: transport to the trailhead, how many trekking staff are free, and how busy the lodges are. Most lodges stay open. Some smaller teahouses run on skeleton staff or close briefly for tika, and many Nepalis use the holiday to walk themselves. In the high Khumbu, the Sherpa communities follow Buddhist traditions, so you feel Dashain mostly in Kathmandu and the lower trails. If you are on the trail when it begins, you may be offered tika in a lower village, which is a memory people keep.

The rush on the roads is the real cost. A parliamentary committee report in September 2026 estimated that 600,000 to 1 million people would leave the Kathmandu Valley for Dashain that year. There is no 2027 figure, so I will not invent one, but expect the same pattern: full buses, tight domestic flights and slow roads in the days around Fulpati. A private vehicle is still on the same road, but you are not queuing for a seat. Our guides and porters want time with their families too, so staff rosters are set well in advance. That is another reason to book early. My teahouse booking guide explains the lodge side.

What happens to flights and permits?

The Lukla flights run from Manthali airport in Ramechhap between roughly 25 September and 30 November, so the whole of Dashain and Tihar is inside the window. That means a midnight pick-up and a four to five hour drive. A weather delay leaves a backlog of two to three days, and in Dashain week domestic flights carry more Nepali passengers than usual. Keep a spare day at each end and do not book your flight home for the day after the trek. My Manthali guide has the detail.

Restricted-area and climbing permits need 48 hours in government working days, and holiday days do not count. If your trek starts near the holiday, lodge paperwork well before it begins. For Manaslu, the permit is USD 100 a week plus USD 15 a day from September to November. For Upper Mustang it is USD 50 a day. Both are in our price.

Which of our 2027 departures sit next to the festivals?

Here is where our Monday departures sit against the festival days. There is none on 11 October.

Our Monday departures for ten treks run on 27 September, 4, 18 and 25 October and 1, 8, 15 and 22 November. The full lists are in my October 2027 guide and November 2027 guide. If none suits you, tell me your dates and I will run the trek privately, even for one person, at the same price.

What is there to see in Kathmandu during the festivals?

You do not need a ticket. For Dashain, walk and look. The Fulpati procession reaches Tundikhel with an army parade, and temples are busy on Navami. If a family invites you for tika on Dashami, say yes, bring fruit or sweets and take your shoes off at the door. For Tihar, the best evening is Laxmi Puja on 29 October. Walk the old streets of Patan or Bhaktapur, and look for the rangoli at doorways and the children who go from house to house singing Deusi and Bhailo. Expect noise in the evenings, because firecrackers are officially banned but still used. My festival calendar lists the rest of the year.

When should you book a trek around Dashain or Tihar?

Two to three months ahead, which means early July to early August for the 4 October departure. If your trek overlaps a festival, book at the early end of that window. The deposit is 10 per cent and the balance is paid in Kathmandu. My booking guide explains why Lukla seats and teahouse beds go first.

The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, so there is no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice (seven days for restricted areas), to any date within one year. If we cannot run your trip, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on permits or flights. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu, in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients. Your licensed guide is named after you book. Kathmandu hotels are not included in any trek price, so I quote them separately.

Questions people ask

When is Dashain 2027? It begins around 30 September, Fulpati is on 6 October and Maha Navami on 8 October. The tika day is 9 or 10 October. The government has not issued its notice yet.

When is Tihar 2027? Laxmi Puja is on Friday 29 October, Govardhan Puja on Saturday 30 October and Bhai Tika on Sunday 31 October.

Why is Dashain earlier in 2027 than in 2026? Festival dates follow the lunar calendar, so they move earlier by ten to twelve days a year here. Tika was on 21 October in 2026.

Can I trek during Dashain? Yes. The trails and most lodges stay open. The problems are the roads, domestic flights and some small teahouses.

Do the Lukla flights run during Dashain? They run from Manthali, but with a heavier load. Allow a spare day at each end of the trek.

Is Tihar worth seeing? Yes. Laxmi Puja on 29 October turns Kathmandu into a sea of light. It disturbs trekking far less than Dashain.

Will you run a trek on 11 October 2027? There is no fixed departure that day. I can run it privately, even for one person, at the same price.

How do you book?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, group size and the trek you have in mind. I will tell you how the festivals touch your dates and send the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.