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Diyas for Divali Deepavali

30 festival guides

Festivals worth travelling for

Fairs, festivals and seasons that change a destination completely — when they happen, the best days to be there, and how early to book before prices jump.

Fact-checked By the Elitech Travels editorial desk
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In India

Varanasi Puja religious ceremony at nightKartik Purnima

Dev Deepawali

The ghats of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

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The idols at the Durga Puja of Shobhabazar Sarbojonin, Kolkata - 2016Late September or October — Shashthi to Vijayadashami in Ashwin

Durga Puja

Kolkata, West Bengal

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Panoramic view of Taj Palace Hotel and Taj Tower with the iconic Gateway of India in the background, overlooking the Arabian Sea in MumbaiBhadrapada — late August or September

Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganeshotsav)

Mumbai, Maharashtra — Lalbaug, Parel, King's Circle and Girgaum Chowpatty

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Carnival in Goa - Panjim 2019 - Picture 2The four days before Ash Wednesday — February or early March

Goa Carnival

Panaji, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa, Goa

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A night lit up on Makar Sankranti Uttarayana Festival with Kites and Lights IndiaUttarayan

International Kite Festival and Uttarayan

Ahmedabad (Sabarmati Riverfront and the old-city pols) and across Gujarat

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Hampi / Karnataka, India - Shrine on Hemakuta Hill with view on Virupaksha TempleUsually January to March

Hampi Utsav (Vijaya Utsav)

Hampi, Vijayanagara district, Karnataka

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Reverie Sarang DeshpandeLate June or early July — 10th and 11th days of the fifth Tibetan month

Hemis Festival (Hemis Tsechu)

Hemis Monastery, near Leh, Ladakh

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Such is the zest of Holi that there’s no holding back of the innermost desire to soak in the colours of joy and companionship.Phalguna month

Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan (Braj Holi)

Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana and Nandgaon, Uttar Pradesh

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Zeliang Naga Tribesmen of Nagaland, India rehearsing their traditional dance during Hornbill Festival on 10th Dec 2014.1–10 December every year

Hornbill Festival

Kisama Heritage Village, near Kohima, Nagaland

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East facade of Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, RajasthanSecond half of January

Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF)

Hotel Clarks Amer, JLN Marg, Jaipur, Rajasthan

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Photo, taken during Kullu Dussehra 2011, showing the main procession at about 4pm on the northern end of Dussehra Ground.Seven days from Vijayadashami — usually October

Kullu Dussehra

Dhalpur Maidan, Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

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Getting ready for LosarLadakhi Losar in December; Tibetan Losar in February or March

Losar (Buddhist New Year)

Ladakh, McLeodganj (Dharamshala), Sikkim and Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh)

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Mysuru Palace - Illuminated Night ViewNavaratri — late September or October

Mysuru Dasara

Mysore Palace and city, Mysuru, Karnataka

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Flooded Godavari River at Ramkund Panchavati due to heavy rains in Nashik as seen from the Ahilyabai Holkar BridgeOnce every 12 years; main bathing days expected around July–September 2027

Nashik Simhastha Kumbh Mela

Ramkund, Nashik and Kushavarta, Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra

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Onam PookalamChingam month — August or September

Onam

Across Kerala, especially Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Thrissur and Alappuzha

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This media file is uploaded with Odia loves WikipediaAshadha Shukla Dwitiya — late June or early July

Rath Yatra

Bada Danda (Grand Road), Puri, Odisha

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an Old tribe Man in Annual Pushkar Cattel fair in Rajasthan, India.Late October or November

Pushkar Camel Fair

Pushkar, Ajmer district, Rajasthan

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White salt desert at Rann of KutchNovember to early March; full-moon nights are the highlight

Rann Utsav

Tent City, Dhordo, Kutch, Gujarat

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Elephants at Thrissur PooramMedam month — late April or early May

Thrissur Pooram

Vadakkunnathan Temple and Thekkinkadu Maidan, Thrissur, Kerala

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An Apatani Old lady in Ziro valley of Arunachal PradeshLate September

Ziro Festival of Music

Ziro Valley, Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh

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Abroad

毎年4月に新潟県上越市で開催される高田城址公園観桜会の、夜桜と越後高田城三重櫓のライトアップ。上野恩賜公園、弘前公園と共に、三大夜桜と呼ばれる。Late March to early April in Tokyo and Kyoto; mid-April to early May further north

Cherry Blossom Season (Sakura)

Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and across Japan

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A row of Chinese Lanterns at night in Chinatown, Singapore during the Chinese New Year seaon.Late January or February

Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year)

Chinatown, Marina Bay and across Singapore

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Decorating a chalet in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin, France).Late November to 23–24 December; a few run into early January

European Christmas Markets

Germany, Austria, Alsace (France), Czech Republic and beyond

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Silhouette of a Boat on a Body of Water With FountainEarly or mid-December to mid-January

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)

Malls, souks and waterfronts across Dubai, UAE

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The Royal Mile from the CastleAugust

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Tulips at the Keukenhof , Lisse, South Holland, the Netherlands 2018-04-14Mid-March to early or mid-May; tulips peak in mid to late April

Keukenhof and the Dutch tulip season

Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherlands

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Festival Yi Peng. ChiangMai, Tailandia.Full moon of the 12th Thai lunar month — November

Loy Krathong and Yi Peng

Across Thailand; biggest in Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Bangkok

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Tarian ogoh ogoh or Ogoh ogoh danceUsually March

Nyepi (Balinese Day of Silence)

Bali, Indonesia

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Neuschwanstein Castle at Schwangau , Bavaria , Germany .About 16–18 days from mid or late September

Oktoberfest

Theresienwiese, Munich, Germany

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Water Festival in Thailand's ,Songkran Festival Day,at Wat Trisirimongkon ,Korat13–15 April every year

Songkran (Thai New Year)

Across Thailand — Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya

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Frequently asked questions

How early should I book for a festival trip?
Three to six months ahead for the big ones — Pushkar, Rann Utsav, Hornbill, Durga Puja in Kolkata, Oktoberfest and cherry blossom season in Japan. Rooms near the venue sell out first and prices can double.
Are festival dates fixed?
Many follow the lunar calendar and move every year. Each guide gives the usual window and, where announced, the next confirmed dates.

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