In order to experience the most unique Tibetan culture, there are some traditional Tibetan festivals that cannot be missed when you travel to Tibet.

1.Saga Dawa Festival

Tibetan Buddhism has a primary influence on the art, music, and festivals of Tibet. Many Tibetan traditional festival has a close relationship with Tibetan Buddhism.， Such as Saga Dawa Festival. The Saga Dawa Festival is considered highly significant in Tibet. The terms "Saga Dawa" came from two words "saga" which means "the fourth" and "dawa" which means “month.”The best way to experience the Saga Dawa Festival is to avail of a Saga Dawa Festival Tour of Tibet. During this tour, you can join the celebrating crowd at Dzongyab Lukhang Park right at the foot of the Potala Palace for an afternoon picnic. These gatherings have become a mostly-awaited yearly gatherings wherein people would wear their most beautiful attires while they dance and picnic(the locals call it Lingka).

Most significant festivities of Saga Dawa Festival are celebrated in Lhasa. However, you will also witness a feverish celebration of the Saga Dawa Festival around Mt. Kailash, considered to be the holiest mountain of Tibet. During the Festival, you would witness thousands of Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims worshipping at the foot of this holy mountain.

2.Shoton Festival

Shoton Festival is a traditional religious festival for all the Tibetans that live not only in Tibet Autonomous Region, but also in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces. It starts from late June or early July of the Tibetan calendar, which normally is in August of the solar calendar. In the Tibetan language, “Sho” means yogurt, “Ton” means banquet, so, you can consider it as a feast of eating yogurt. Accompanied by the wonderful Tibetan opera performances and the ceremony of unfolding huge Tangka, it is called the “Tibetan Opera Festival” or “Unveiled Buddha Festival” as well. Besides the main activities, people can watch breathtaking yak or horse races for optional. 

3.Losar Festival--Tibetan New Year

We always say that the best way to explore Tibetan culture is to attend the Tibetan festivals. Tibetan New Year, called as Losar as well, is the most important festival for Tibetan people. It is usually held during February and March when Tibet is closed for foreigners. Thus, international travelers have little chance to see this big feast in person.

Same as all the celebrations for the new year in the world, Losar Festival is also a happy time with family together to discard the old year and bring in the new one. Besides, as a minority nationality, nearly every single Tibetan people is a good singer or dancer. Compliance with nature, they get used to express their emotions by singing and dancing. So, if you are traveling to Tibet during this time, your ear will be fed with festive music all around.

The biggest difference with Chinese New Year is the continuous chanting as Tibet is a religious place where all the people have faith in Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan people believe that the evil demons exit everywhere. So, in Losar Festival, there will be a very important activity which is for dislodging the evil. Tibetan people will hold some traditional ceremonies handed down generation by generation. They dressed up in their folk costumes, chanting Buddhist scripture and passing fire torches on the street. Expel the evil while praying for good luck and bliss for the coming new year.

Besides of the above activities, there is another interesting one, the antimasque. For example, the deer dance, or the funny fight between the king and its subordinates, which can make people laugh out loud.

In one world, Losar Festival is a celebration full of music, dance, and joy.

For various reasons, there are different funeral customs around the world. What is the most incredible funeral rite you know? For me，The Tibet Sky Burial Custom is very is the most incredible funeral ritual. Can you imagine that when your loved one dies, his body will be chopped and used to feed vultures? This is really unimaginable, but in Tibet， It is a very important Buddhist custom.