Living on this highest plateau of world, with longer rough weather days, Tibetan people get well adapted to the climate and land and surprisingly boost with amazing culture and art. They are tough herdsmen and hardworking peasants. They are also people with faith. They are grateful to what nature and their gods bless them with. To show gratitude, pray for harvest and well-beings of their loved ones, they hold an array of festivals. The calendar is full of festivals from dance music festivals, festivals of racing, Buddhism, harvest, flowers, and three festivals held in different places on different date for celebrating new year. Thinking of the year-round celebrations with the beautifully dressed Tibetans, and their chanting, dancing, solemn praying, the Snow of Land seems not cold at all. Now welcome to get on board of this festival tour to see the festivals of themes and their unique charms.
Like Han Chinese, who celebrate the traditional new year festival, the Spring Festival, according to the lunar calendar, Tibetan people are still having their traditional new year, which takes place according to Tibetan calendar. Actually, there are four Tibetan New Year Festivals happening one after another from November, respectively in Gongbu of Nyingchi, Purang of Ngari, Shigatse, and Lhasa.
Gongbu New Year
Tibetan calendar date: the 1st day of October
Modern date: November
Venue: Gongbu Jiangda County
Description: This is the earliest one of the four Tibetan new year festivals. It was first celebrated by the brave soldiers prior to their fatal war journey. They thought they might not be able to make it to the new year of the day. So, they celebrated ahead of the time. This afterward became the new year in the ancient Gongbu region to commemorate the bravery of the guardians of their homeland.
Benefit: What makes Gongbu New Year stands out is that it normally falls in the late autumn. And in Gongbu and around, the autumn foliage is still at the most beautiful. Therefore, we can call it the warmest and most color-abundant new yea of Tibet.
Bonus: You can travel further to the east of Nyingchi, to visit the Mount Namcha Barwa for November is a great time to spot a clear view of the peak.
Gongbu New Year Celebration
Purang New Year
Tibetan calendar date: the 1st day of November
Modern date: December
Venue: Purang County, Ngari, the West Tibet
Description: Purang County is home to the holy mountain Kailash (or Gang Rinpoche, in Tibetan) and the sacred lake Manasarovar. This region is reputed as the roof of “the roof of the world”, as the average altitude is the highest among the seven prefecture-level cities of Tibet. This is also the coldest and aridest part of Tibet. Traveling to Purang for the local new year experience could be a little challenging because of the winter chill. However, you can expect some of the most beautiful stargazing nights here.
Shigatse New Year
Tibetan calendar date: The 1st day of December
Modern date: January
Introduction: Shigatse is well-renowned as the Granary of Tibet. Farming of highland barley, potatoes and other crops and veggies have always been prosperous in the past and present. The diligent Tibetan people normally start spring plowing in the first month of Tibetan calendar. To avoid the overlapping of busy farming duties and new year celebrations, the Shigatse people decided to celebrate their big event one month ahead of the original new year.
Venue: Shigatse area
Lhasa New Year
Tibetan calendar date: From the 29th of December to the 15th of the first month
Modern date: February
Tradition: The Lhasa New Year is called Losar in Tibetan language. This is still the most widely celebrated new year of Tibet. For tourists, the Tibetan New Year offers more than festive atmosphere. The winter quietness actually can give you a feeling of outsider who's left alone and not bothered by anyone, but enjoying a perfect winter hideaway in this “city of sunlight”. The pilgrims traveling from far flung areas are another type of travelers. The difference between them and you, might be that they've found clear faith and you might be still on the journey to search. This land and her people are one of the most hospitable in the world. As long as you're kind and open-hearted like them, you'll feel immediately at home.
Lhasa New Year Celebration
Saga Dawa Festival
Tibetan calendar date: The entire April
Modern date: in May or June
Important Venues: Lhasa and Mount Kailash
Knowledge: Saga Dawa is held to commemorate the Shakyamuni Buddha for his birth, enlightenment and nirvana all happen into April of Tibetan calendar. Along with a series of rituals, prostration done by pilgrims is the most important part of Saga Dawa. In Lhasa, people can do the circuit prostration around the Jokhang Temple or take the route around Lhasa. At Mount Kailash, the most devout do the 52-kilometer kora. Saga Dawa is believed as the most significant festival of religion, which draws not only Tibetan Buddhism believers but also followers from the neighboring countries and regions whose religions have close bond with Tibetan Buddhism. Check 15 Days Mt. Kailash Kora of Saga Dawa Festival.
Pilgrims Doing the Kora around Mt. Kailash
Shoton Festival
Tibetan calendar date: July
Modern date: August
Tradition: The displaying of a giant Buddha Thangka marks the beginning of the celebrations of Shoton Festival. The Tibetan opera performing, garden party, picnics in the wilderness, yak racing, equestrian performance are also included. Check 5 Days Tibet Shoton Festival Tour.
The Display of a Giant Buddha Thangka at Drepung Monastery
Tsurphu Cham Dance Festival
Tibetan calendar date: December 29
Modern date: February
Venue: Tsurphu Monastery, 70 km from Lhasa
Tradition: This is a religious festival as well as for welcoming the Tibetan new year. The most important ritual is the Cham dance performing. The Tibetan people put on their traditional robes, wearing colorful belts and knives, with various masks on, while performing the religious dancing to the music played by traditional musical instruments such as yak-skin drums, So-na, etc. This particular dance is called Cham in Tibetan language, which can date back to one thousand years ago.
Tsurphu Cham Dance Festival
Horse Racing Festival
In different regions of Tibet, the horse racing festivals are held at different times. Some happen in May or June; others take place in July or August. The most grandeur horse racing festivals including the Gyantse Darma Festival, Nagqu Horse Racing Festival, Damxung Horse Racing Festival, and more. Besides the racing in Tibet Autonomous Region, this kind of festival is also celebrated in the Tibetan-inhabited areas in Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, and Yunnan Province.
This traditional competitive festival is also a great time for the young horseman to declare the coming of age. They dress up finely and try their best in the races and performances, while the Tibetan women sing and dance. The verdant grassland with the dotted wildflowers, turns into a gala party ground for young men and young women to get known about each other.
Nagqu Horse Racing Festival
Ongkor Festival
Tibetan calendar date: July or August
Modern date: August or September
Tradition: The exact dates and venues of the Ongkor Festival vary depending on the ripening times of the crops in different regions. It is normally the lamas in the local temples who decide when and where to hold the Ongkor Festival. This festival is to pray for the good harvest.
Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival
Modern date: end of March, held annually
Venue: The past 17th Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival was held on March 23, 2019 in Gala Village.
Flower watching spots: Suosong Village, Zhibai Village, Tunbai Village, Bomi County, and more areas in Nyingchi area.
Celebrations: Flower watching is the highlight of the festival. These peach trees are mostly growing in the wild, aging hundreds of years. Some of them grow in rows or blocks besides the green spring farming fields; Some are pretty friends of the running Nyang River; Some are the loyal companions of the Tibetan households. You can either choose a good view point to take an overlook view with the snow-capped Mount Namcha Barwa in the background, the evergreen forests in the middle of the scene, and the rivers and flowering trees in the foreground. You can also just find a cozy accommodation in one of the villages and wander freely into the hills or fields to look for one or two individual trees to have some romantic memory-creating pictures taken.
Nyingchi Peach Blossom Festival
Shannan Azalea Festival
Modern date: May
Venue: Lebu Valley, Shannan City, located 409 km from Lhasa by road,
Altitude: 2,800 meters
Flower watching spots: The southern slope of Bola Mountain
Description: Every May and June, Lebu Valley turns into the showground of the alpine azaleas. A wide variety of azalea species spare no efforts to make the area pretty and draw thousands of flower lovers to discover the hidden beauties in this far flung areas from cities. Apart from the evergreen forests and the stunning flowers, this region is also abundant in culture diversity of the minority groups. The main residents in this region are Menba people. Their homes are scattered at the foothills in a charming order, guarded by the mighty mountains and hidden by the dense forests.
