Nepal has its official calendar that begins from the first day of the first month Baishak. It is known as "Navavarsha" in Nepal. This very first day is observed as Nepali New Year which usually falls in the first/second week of April. People go for picnics, have get-togethers and celebrate the day socializing in various ways as this day is also a national holiday.

"Bisyau" jatra meaning the festival celebrated in the memory of slaying of serpents. In the passage of time the term changed from ‘Bisyau’ to Bisket jatra. The festival is celebrated at Bhaktapur, a medieval town from 12th century, still maintained in the same manner and only 13km East of Kathmandu.

Since the Bisket begins in the last days of the Nepalese year and ends in the beginning days of the New Year it is regarded as the New year festival as well. During the seven days of the festival chariots of God. Bhairava and Goddess Bhadrakali are pulled with lot of merriment within the town limits. At a place called Lyasinkhel a lyasin or a tall pole is erected with two long embroidered cloths hanging from it. These cloths represent two evil serpents who in the past had troubled the royal family by mysteriouly killing every suitor to the princess at night. Ultimately a brave prince with the blessings of Goddess Bhadrakali came along and killed them even as they appeared from the nostrils of the sleeping princess and began to enlarge themselves. Thus, to show the townspeople the cause of previuos suitors' death they were hung from the pole and at present the cloths represent them.

Buddha's birth anniversary is celebrated every year during full moon day of May in Nepal. On this day people swarm in Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Patan to pay homage to Lord Buddha and also visit Buddha's birth place in Lumbini and chant prayers and burn butter lamps. Lord Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha Gautam but he abandoned his luxurious life when he realized the misery of mankind and went in search of enlightenment.

This festival is the biggest socio - cultural event of Patan. The wheeled chariot of deity known as Bungdyo or Red Machhendranath is made at Pulchowk and dragged through the city of Patan is several stages till in reaches the appointed destination. The grand finale of the festival is called the Bhoto Dekhaune or the showing of a vest” A similar kind of chariot festival to Machhendranath is also held in Kathmandu city in the month of March April.

The Teechi (also pronounced "Teji") festival is an annual event indigenous to Lo-Manthang (Upper Mustang). The name is an abbreviation of the word "Tempa Chirim" which translates as "Prayer for World Peace". This festival commemorates the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation "Dorjee Sonnu" over a demon called Man Tam Ru, a vicious creature feeding on human beings and causing storms and droughts.

The Teeji festival usually takes place during the last week of May and last for 3 days. Dances performed by the monks of Lo Manthang's  and choedhe' monastery during the celebration display. The harassment of Ma Tam Ru Ta (in a dance called Tsa Chham on the first day), the birth of Dorjee Sonnu s the demon's son (on the second day called Nga Chham), theattempt to return the demon to lord Buddha's realm (on the third and final day). The Teeji festival dances are all organized by the Choedhe Monastery, which is that of the Shakya sect of Lo Manthang.

It is celebrated in all the Sherpa settlements in the month of July. The Sherpa of Kathmandu and Helambu regions participate in dancing on this day.

Following the arrival of the monsoons and the planting season in the fields, Buddhists in the Kathmandu Valley observe the Gunla festival. The month long event celebrates a 'rains retreat' initiated 25 centuries ago by the Buddha.

Gunla is a time for prayer, fasting, meditation and religious music. Worshippers climb past jungles, stone animals, great statues of Buddha and begging monkeys to the hilltop at Swayambhu where daily prayers begin before dawn. Oil lamps, prayer flags, religious statues and paintings adorn the monasteries whilst temple bells chime and powerful incense fills the air. Important statues are put on display and the teachings of Lord Buddha are remembered as the rains feed the rice crop.

On Janai Purnima, when the moon is full in August, high caste Hindus chant the powerful Gayatri mantra and change their Sacred Thread (or janai) while a red or yellow protection chord (a rakshya bandhan) is tied around the wrists of other Hindus and Buddhists. Many pilgrims journey to the mountains north of Kathmandu to emulate Lord Shiva by bathing in the sacred lake of Gosaikunda.

Those unable to make the trek north, celebrate at Shiva's Kumbheshwor Mahadev temple. Here a pool with an image of Shiva at its centre is filled with water believed to have come from Gosaikunda.