FESTIVAL CALENDAR · LADAKH · 014

Festivals in Ladakh.

14 festivals across Ladakh — organised by month.

January

Zanskar Chadar Trek Season

Zanskar Valley

The frozen Zanskar River becomes a walkable highway — the legendary Chadar (ice sheet) trek connecting Zanskar to Leh, one of the world's most extreme winter treks.

February

Dosmoche Festival (Diskit)

Nubra Valley

Two-day Buddhist festival at Diskit Monastery in Nubra Valley with Cham masked dances, ritual destruction of evil effigies, and prayers for the new year.

Likir Dosmochey (Stromochey) Festival

Likir

One of the most important monastic festivals in Ladakh held at Likir Monastery. Features vibrant masked dances (Cham) performed by monks in elaborate costumes depicting the triumph of good over evil. Sacred rituals and votive offerings (Dosmochey) are performed to ward off evil spirits.

March

Nowruz (Balti New Year)

Turtuk

Balti New Year celebration marked by special dishes, egg painting, egg fights, singing, dancing around fires, and traditional music. Believed that the winner of the egg fight will have good luck during the year.

June

Hemis Festival

Leh

Cham dance with masked monks at Hemis Monastery. Sacred Thangkas displayed. Drums, horns, ritual drama.

Lamayuru Yuru Kabgyat

Lamayuru

Sacred Cham dance festival at the moonland monastery of Lamayuru, one of Ladakh's oldest monasteries (11th century), with mask dances depicting the victory of good over evil.

July

Karsha Gustor

Zanskar Valley

Two-day monastic festival at Karsha Gompa, Zanskar's largest monastery, with Cham dances, oracle prophecies, and ritual burning of evil effigies.

Korzok Gustor

Tso Moriri

Monastic festival at Korzok Gompa on the shores of Tso Moriri at 4,595m, with Cham dances by monks and Changpa nomads gathering from surrounding camps.

Kargil Vijay Diwas

Kargil

National commemoration at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass of India's 1999 victory, with military ceremonies, wreath-laying, and veteran tributes at -60°C winter-famous Drass.

Pangong Nomad Festival

Pangong Tso

Celebration of Changpa nomadic culture near Pangong Tso with pashmina goat herding demonstrations, butter tea ceremonies, and traditional Changpa tent exhibits.

August

Munshi Aziz Bhat Memorial Festival

Kargil

Cultural festival in Kargil celebrating local Purig and Balti culture with traditional music, archery, polo, and food from the Shia Muslim heritage of the region.

September

Ladakh Festival

Leh

Polo matches, archery, traditional music, masked dances. Cultural performances at multiple monasteries.

Nubra Valley Festival

Nubra Valley

Cultural festival showcasing the Balti and Nubra heritage with yak polo, double-humped Bactrian camel rides at Hunder dunes, and traditional music.

October

Hanle Stargazing Festival

Hanle

Astronomy event at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle at 4,500m — one of the world's highest observatories — with public telescope sessions and astrophotography.