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Visiting Kathmandu During Dashain & Tihar: 10 Things International Travelers Should Know
If you are in Kathmandu during Dashain and Tihar, you didn't just book a holiday. You landed in the middle of Nepal's soul.
For us at Taleju Boutique Hotel, Jyatha - Thamel, this is our favorite time of the year. The city changes completely. The usual buzz of Thamel quiets down, the skies fill with kites, and a few weeks later, every single window in the alley lights up with thousands of oil lamps.
For 2026, Dashain will be celebrated from October 11 to 21 (Tika Day on Oct 21) and Tihar from November 8 to 12 (Laxmi Puja on Nov 10). If you are staying with us during that time, here is what you really need to know - not from a guidebook, but from our team who lives it every year.
1. Thamel and Kathmandu Will Feel Surprisingly Peaceful
During Dashain, almost everyone who has a home village leaves Kathmandu. Shops in Asan, New Road and even parts of Thamel will be closed for 3-4 days around Fulpati to Tika. Traffic almost disappears.
For you as our guest, this is a gift. This is the only time you can walk to Durbar Square, Swayambhunath and Patan without crowds and horns. At Taleju Boutique Hotel, our restaurant, bar, reception, WiFi, and room services stay open 24/7 even on Tika Day, so you will always have a comfortable base while the city is quiet outside.
Local Tip: Use our rooftop to fly kites in the evening - we will arrange kites and dhuri for you.
2. Book Your Flights and Transport NOW - It Gets Fully Sold Out
Dashain and Tihar are Nepal's Thanksgiving and Christmas combined. Everyone is flying home. Domestic flights and tourist buses get overbooked and prices go up 2-3 times.
If you are planning to arrive or depart from Kathmandu between Oct 12-20 or Nov 7-11, tell us early. Our front office team helps our guests re-confirm flights, arrange private cars when buses are full, and offers free airport transportation as per availability. Don't wait till the last week.
3. Dashain is Celebrated Inside Homes, Not on the Streets
Many travelers look for a big parade. Dashain is different. The main rituals happen inside family homes - planting Jamara on Ghatasthapana, and elders giving red Tika and blessings to younger ones on Vijaya Dashami.
You should not enter a family's private Tika ceremony uninvited. But you can experience Dashain around us: Watch the traditional Linge Ping (bamboo swings) at Tudikhel, visit the Taleju Temple at Basantapur which opens only once a year on Maha Navami, and see the kite-filled sky from our terrace. We also arrange a small Dashain Tika and Jamara for our guests who are far from family.
4. Tihar is the Most Beautiful Time to Stay in Thamel
If you can choose, stay for Tihar. We call it the Festival of Lights and Flowers. For five nights, our entire Chhusya Galli lane and all of Thamel glows with diyo oil lamps, fairy lights and huge Rangoli art made from colored powder and petals.
Each day is special - Kaag Tihar (crows), Kukur Tihar (dogs - every dog, even street dogs, gets a marigold garland), Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja, Goru Tihar, and finally Bhai Tika for brothers and sisters.
From Taleju Boutique Hotel, you just need to walk. Patan and Bhaktapur at 6:30 PM during Tihar are unforgettable. Bring a good camera.
5. When Deusi-Bhailo Groups Come to Our Hotel, Please Join In
During Tihar nights, groups of children and locals go door-to-door in Thamel singing Deusi and Bhailo, playing drums and dancing to bless the house.
Yes, they will come to Taleju Boutique Hotel too. We love it. We invite our guests to come down to the lobby, clap, and enjoy. A small offering of Rs. 100-500 is customary and appreciated. It's the warmest Nepali welcome you will ever get. Please ask before filming their faces.
6. Banks, Government Offices and Many Shops Will Be Closed
This is very practical. Immigration office for visa extension, banks, and money exchanges will be closed for 3-5 days during Dashain and 2-3 days during Laxmi Puja.
Our advice for all our international guests:
· Withdraw cash before Fulpati (Oct 18)
· Exchange money in Thamel a day earlier
· If you need a visa extension, do it a week before
Our front desk can guide you to the nearest ATM that still has cash, and we accept cards at the hotel.
7. Food Changes - And You Should Try It
During Dashain, the whole city feasts on goat meat and sel roti - that sweet, ring-shaped homemade rice bread. During Tihar, sel roti and sweets are everywhere.
Our in-house restaurant will have a special Dashain and Tihar festive menu with sel roti, mutton curry and authentic Nepali thali. Thamel restaurants stay open, but many authentic local Newari places will be closed. If you are vegetarian or vegan, please inform our restaurant team one day in advance during festival days so we can arrange options.
8. Dress and Etiquette - Small Things That Matter
You don't need to wear traditional Nepali dress, but modest clothing is respected near temples. And two small requests from locals:
· Never step on a Rangoli in front of a doorway - it's a sacred welcome for Goddess Laxmi. Walk around it.
· Don't interrupt a Bhai Tika ceremony for a photo. You can watch from a respectful distance.
Our staff will be happy to put Tika for you if you wish - just ask at reception on Tika Day.
9. It Gets Loud During Tihar Nights
Tihar is joyful and loud. Firecrackers, music, and Deusi-Bhailo groups with speakers can go till midnight. This is not a disturbance, it's celebration.
At Taleju Boutique Hotel, we have solid hardwood flooring and well-insulated rooms with double-glazed windows and air conditioning, which helps a lot. Still, if you are a light sleeper, ask us for a room away from the street side and we will arrange earplugs. Most of our guests actually end up enjoying the music from their balcony.
10. The Best Memories Are Just Outside Our Door
Forget the tourist checklist for these few days. The best of Dashain and Tihar is right here in Jyatha and Thamel.
At 6 AM, walk to Asan Bazaar and see flower sellers making 5-foot-long marigold garlands. In the evening, watch kids flying kites from our rooftop with the Himalayan breeze. At night, follow the lights to a small chowk where a family is making a giant Rangoli.
We are located in the heart of Thamel, so everything is walkable - temples, markets, pubs, and local tea shops. And when you want to come back, you come back to a quiet, peaceful, luxury space with a 10-inch spring mattress, hot shower, and warm hospitality.
Staying with us during Dashain & Tihar?
Let us make it special. We can:
· Arrange kites and rooftop access during Dashain
· Provide complimentary Tika and Jamara blessings on Vijaya Dashami
· Arrange marigold garlands and diyo lamps for Tihar
· Help you book flights/buses before they sell out
This is not just a hotel stay in Kathmandu. This is coming home for Nepal's biggest festivals.
Book Direct for Festival Season & Get Best Rate:
Contact us at Taleju Boutique Hotel, Chhusya Galli, Jyatha, Thamel, Kathmandu or check availability on our website. Our festival dates sell out early.
We wish you a very Happy Dashain and a bright Tihar in advance - Dashain ko Shubhakamana!
