Lhasa’s festival calendar follows the Tibetan lunar calendar, so dates shift by several weeks each year relative to the Western calendar. Tibet’s most important religious and cultural celebrations draw pilgrims from across the plateau, transforming the city with masked dances, giant thangka unveilings, and butter lamp displays. This guide covers the major events with approximate timing and what to expect as a visitor. For help choosing the best season, see our best time to visit Lhasa guide.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Losar (Tibetan New Year)
When: Usually February, occasionally early March (first day of the first Tibetan lunar month). Where: Throughout Lhasa, with the largest gatherings at Jokhang Temple and Barkhor. Losar is the most important holiday in the Tibetan calendar, lasting 15 days with the first 3 days being the main celebration. Families gather for elaborate meals, visit monasteries to offer prayers, and burn juniper incense. On Losar Eve, locals eat guthuk (a special soup with dumplings containing symbolic items). For visitors, this is both a spectacular cultural window and a logistical challenge: most restaurants, shops, and government offices close for 3-7 days. The Barkhor circuit becomes especially lively with pilgrims in formal chubas (traditional robes). If visiting during Losar, stock up on food and supplies beforehand, and confirm that your hotel will operate full services.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Monlam (Great Prayer Festival)
When: 4th to 25th day of the first Tibetan lunar month (follows Losar, usually February-March). Where: Jokhang Temple and Barkhor. Established by Je Tsongkhapa in 1409, Monlam brings thousands of monks to Lhasa for collective prayer, philosophical examinations, and religious ceremonies. The festival culminates on the 15th day with the Butter Lamp Festival (Chunga Choepa), when the Barkhor is illuminated by thousands of yak-butter lamps and elaborate butter sculptures are displayed. The 24th day features a ritual exorcism ceremony where a torma (effigy) is carried through the streets and burned. Note that Monlam was banned for many years and its observance has fluctuated; check current status with your tour operator.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Saga Dawa
When: 15th day of the fourth Tibetan lunar month (usually May or June). Where: Throughout Lhasa, with key observances at Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, and along the Lingkhor (outer pilgrimage circuit). Saga Dawa commemorates Sakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, making it the holiest day in Tibetan Buddhism. Pilgrims circumambulate temples and the city itself, perform prostrations, release animals, and give alms. The entire Barkhor becomes a moving river of pilgrims. Karma (merit) from good deeds is believed to be multiplied many times over on this day. For visitors, it is a deeply atmospheric time to observe devotion at its most intense. Photography should be discreet and respectful. Many Tibetans refrain from eating meat during the entire fourth lunar month.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Shoton (Yogurt Festival)
When: 30th day of the sixth Tibetan lunar month (usually August, occasionally late July). Where: Drepung Monastery (dawn ceremony), Norbulingka (daytime picnics and opera). Shoton, meaning “Yogurt Festival,” originated as a religious occasion when laypeople offered yogurt to monks emerging from their summer retreat. Today it opens with a pre-dawn ceremony at Drepung Monastery where a giant thangka (religious tapestry) of Sakyamuni Buddha, measuring roughly 30 by 20 metres, is unfurled on the hillside as the sun rises. Thousands of pilgrims gather before 5:00am; arrive by 4:00am to secure a viewing spot. The scene of the thangka emerging against the dawn sky with incense smoke and chanting is unforgettable. Later in the day, Lhasa residents picnic at Norbulingka while Tibetan opera (Lhamo) troupes perform. The festival runs 5-7 days. Hotels book solid months in advance. See our Lhasa accommodation guide for hotel booking strategies during festival periods.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Garma Rigi (Bathing Festival)
When: For 7 days starting when the planet Venus appears in the sky (usually September). Where: Along the Lhasa River (Kyichu). During Garma Rigi, Tibetans believe the river water is blessed with healing properties as Venus transits. Families set up tents along the riverbanks, bathing and washing clothes in the cold water. It is a picnic-oriented, family-friendly festival rather than a religious ceremony. The stretch of river south of the city centre near the Lhasa Bridge is the most popular gathering point. Visitors are welcome to observe and photograph, but bathing in the river yourself requires tolerance for very cold water.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Butter Lamp Festival (Chunga Choepa)
When: 15th day of the first Tibetan lunar month (the culminating day of Monlam, usually February-March). Where: Barkhor circuit. On this night, the Barkhor is transformed by thousands of butter lamps placed along the circuit, on rooftops, and in monastery courtyards. Elaborate yak-butter sculptures (torma), some several metres high, are displayed depicting deities, flowers, and auspicious symbols. The effect of flickering lamps against the dark winter sky, with the Potala Palace illuminated in the background, is otherworldly. Dress for extreme cold: February nights in Lhasa drop to -6°C or lower. The festival marks the end of the Monlam prayer gathering.
Lhasa Events and Festivals: Annual Calendar at a Glance
Losar: February (first lunar month). Monlam and Butter Lamp Festival: February-March (first lunar month). Saga Dawa: May-June (fourth lunar month). Shoton Festival: August (sixth lunar month). Garma Rigi Bathing Festival: September. Note that all dates are approximate and shift annually. Check with your tour operator or the Tibet Tourism Bureau for exact dates when planning your trip. Festival dates are typically confirmed 2-3 months in advance.
