Tihar 2026 runs from Saturday 7 November to Wednesday 11 November. Laxmi Puja, the main night of the festival, is on Sunday 8 November, and Bhai Tika is on Wednesday 11 November.
Tihar 2026 Calendar — All Five Days
| Day | Date | Nepali date (BS 2083) | What it marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kaag Tihar (काग तिहार) | Saturday 7 November | Kartik 21 | Crows are honoured as messengers |
| 2. Kukur Tihar (कुकुर तिहार) and Laxmi Puja (लक्ष्मी पूजा) | Sunday 8 November | Kartik 22 | Dogs are honoured; the main evening of Tihar, when homes are lit for Goddess Laxmi |
| 3. Gai Tihar (गाई तिहार) | Monday 9 November | Kartik 23 | Cows are honoured |
| 4. Goru Tihar (गोरु तिहार), Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja (म्हपुजा) | Tuesday 10 November | Kartik 24 | Oxen are honoured; the Newar community performs Mha Puja and begins the Nepal Sambat new year |
| 5. Bhai Tika (भाइटीका) | Wednesday 11 November | Kartik 25 | Sisters put tika on their brothers |
Different calendars can place an individual ritual a day apart, because the festival follows lunar dates. If a specific puja or the exact auspicious time (sait) matters to your family, check the announcement from the official panchang committee, which is published closer to the date.
What Happens on Each Day
Day 1 — Kaag Tihar (7 November)
Crows are treated as messengers, and families leave food for them on roofs and in courtyards at dawn. It is the quiet opening of the festival.
Day 2 — Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja (8 November)
Dogs, including street dogs, are given tika, flower garlands and a good meal. In the evening comes the main event of Tihar: Laxmi Puja. Houses are cleaned, doorways are decorated with coloured rangoli, and rows of lamps and lights are lit to welcome the goddess of wealth. Groups of children and young people begin going from house to house singing Deusi and Bhailo.
Day 3 — Gai Tihar (9 November)
Cows, sacred in Hindu tradition, are worshipped with garlands and tika.
Day 4 — Goru Tihar, Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja (10 November)
Oxen are honoured. In the Kathmandu Valley the Newar community performs Mha Puja, a ritual worship of one’s own body and life, and it marks the start of the new year in the Nepal Sambat calendar.
Day 5 — Bhai Tika (11 November)
The most emotional day for many families. Sisters put a seven-coloured tika on their brothers’ foreheads, hang garlands around their necks, and wish them a long life. Brothers give gifts in return. Families travel from across Nepal and abroad to be together for it, which is why transport is at its busiest around this date.
Is Tihar a Public Holiday?
Yes, offices and schools close for Tihar. One published summary of the Ministry of Home Affairs notice gives the holiday period as 8 to 12 November. Holiday notices can differ between government, banks and private companies, so confirm your own dates with your employer or the official notice before you plan leave around them.
Planning Travel Around Tihar
Most families want to be at home from Laxmi Puja through Bhai Tika, so the realistic travel window is after 11 November. What you can still book depends on how long each visa takes — we have worked it out in what you can still book from Nepal after Tihar.
- Leaving right after Bhai Tika: only destinations with short visas are realistic now. See the Tihar booking guide.
- The Maldives needs no visa in advance — see the Maldives guide.
- Planning for December? Visa deadlines for Europe, Turkey and Hong Kong are close. Read the Christmas and New Year guide.
- Bringing your parents home or sending them away while you are abroad? See our guide for NRNs.
For the wider picture of the festival season, see our Dashain and Tihar holiday guide and the month-by-month planning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Tihar 2026?
From Saturday 7 November (Kaag Tihar) to Wednesday 11 November (Bhai Tika).
When is Laxmi Puja in 2026?
Sunday 8 November. It is the main night of the festival.
When is Bhai Tika in 2026?
Wednesday 11 November, the fifth and last day.
When is Kukur Tihar in 2026?
Sunday 8 November. This year it falls on the same day as Laxmi Puja.
How many days is Tihar?
Five days. Each day honours a different animal or relationship, ending with Bhai Tika.
Why is travel so busy around Tihar?
Many Nepalis living abroad and in other cities travel home for the festival, so flights and buses are full in the days before it and again afterwards.
Plan Your Trip After Tihar
Tell us your leave dates and who is travelling, and we will tell you honestly what is still possible. Message our team, browse all destinations, or check visa requirements in our app.
White Tiger Holidays — IATA accredited, Government of Nepal authorized, arranging travel from Kathmandu since 2009.
