Plan your trip · Nubra Valley
What's on in Nubra Valley
Nubra's festivals follow the Buddhist and Islamic calendars, and the biggest fall in winter, when few visitors come. Dates move every year, so confirm them before you book.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Nubra Valley right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.
The year in Nubra Valley
Nubra Valley runs on a short season: the festivals that matter cluster into the months the passes and roads are comfortably open, and a lot of the calendar simply stops in deep winter. Broadly, Jul – Sep and Apr – Jun is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.
Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.
Across Ladakh
Hemis Festival
🗓️ June–JulyTwo days of masked dance at Hemis monastery, the largest of the Ladakhi monastic festivals.
Planning: Peak season — permits, rooms and cars all need booking well ahead.
Nationwide
Diwali
🗓️ October–NovemberThe biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.
Holi
🗓️ MarchColoured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.
Navratri and Dussehra
🗓️ September–OctoberNine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.
Eid al-Fitr
🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each yearThe end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.
Makar Sankranti and Pongal
🗓️ mid-JanuaryThe harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
Dosmoche at Diskit
The Dosmoche festival, sometimes called the Festival of the Scapegoat, is held at Diskit Monastery, usually in February. Monks in masks and brocade perform cham dances in the courtyard, and villagers from across the valley come to watch. It follows the Tibetan lunar calendar, so the date moves each year. Winter travel to Nubra needs planning: bring serious cold-weather gear, and expect Khardung La to close for a while after snowfall.
Losar
Losar, the Ladakhi new year, falls in the winter months, often around December. Homes are cleaned, special food is cooked and families visit monasteries. It is a family festival more than a show for visitors, but you may be welcomed in if you stay in a homestay.
Eid in Turtuk
Turtuk and the Balti villages celebrate Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Both move by about 11 days earlier each year. Villagers dress up and visit one another, and prayers are held at the mosque. Be a quiet guest, and do not photograph prayers.
Hemis is not in Nubra
Some calendars list the Hemis festival (usually June or July) under Nubra. Hemis Monastery is south-east of Leh, a full day's drive from Diskit. If you want to see it, plan it as part of your Leh days, then cross into Nubra afterwards.
In the summer season
Summer brings few fixed festivals to Nubra. Village monasteries hold smaller events in some years, and Ladakh's tourism department runs events around Leh in September. Ask your host what is on during your stay. See the best time to visit for the season.
Questions
Nubra Valley — FAQ
When is the Diskit Monastery festival?
Dosmoche at Diskit is usually held in February. It follows the Tibetan lunar calendar, so confirm the year's dates with the monastery or a Leh travel agent before you plan around it.
Can tourists watch the cham dances at Diskit?
Yes. Visitors watch from the courtyard edges and rooftops. Dress warmly, do not block the dancers or the monks, and do not use flash.
Is the Hemis festival held in Nubra Valley?
No. Hemis Monastery is south-east of Leh, a long way from Nubra. Combine it with your acclimatisation days in Leh before crossing Khardung La.