Ladakh is known for its rich Buddhist culture and its different cultural aspects can be seen in its numerous fairs and festivals celebrated throughout the year. The best time to visit Ladakh is during its festive season, especially during winters. Festivals of Ladakh are best way to have a glimpse of Ladakhi culture. There are a number of fairs and festivals that takes place in Leh-Ladakh region and during this festive season, Ladakh becomes alive when people from different walks of life participate to celebrate and enjoy the festive spirit. The whole festivals of Ladakh can be divided into two broad categories : the annual monastic and the non-monastic or the new years festivals.

Monastic Festivals :
The monastic festivals are generally held in different monasteries on an annual basis. Various    monastic festivals in Buddhist gompas showcase the unique confluence of religious and day to day affairs of the Ladakhi people. Dances, dramas in the courtyards of the monasteries are the prime attractions of these festivals. During these festivals Buddhist Lamas perform several rituals by wearing colourful clothes with masks. These festivals represents various aspects of Buddhism.

Dosmoche Festival :
This festivals is celebrated as one of the two New year festivals and is held during the second half of the month of February. Dosmoche festival is celebrated in all most all the monasteries of Leh and Ladakh. Its is celebrated at the Leh, Likir and Diksit monasteries in the month of February. The same festival is held at Spituk, Stok, Thiksey and Matho monasteries between the months of November and March.

Various types of offering are the important features of this festivals. During this festival, people from all walks of life including the Lamas gather at a place to burnt these offerings as sacrifice. The common believe behind this is that these offerings carries away all the evils and inaugurate a prosperous new year.

Losar - Tak :
Celebrated in the month of January every year, Losar is the most famous socio-religious event of Ladakh. The festival is the second new year celebration, which continues for two weeks. The festival was first originated in 15th century and during this event Buddhist make offerings to God. In this festival people visit gompas and other local shrines for offerings. The festival contains both Buddhist and pre-Buddhist religious practices. In the last day of the festival, people lit torches and chant religious prayers to protect themselves from evil spirit.

Lamayuru Yuru Kab-Gyat Festival :
This spectacular festival is celebrated on the month of July every year at the Lamayuru monastery about 127 kms west of Leh. During this festival, the Lamas perform sacred dance by wearing masks. This two-day festival concludes with the destruction of sacrificial offerings. This attracts tourists and pilgrims from all parts of Ladakh.

Hemis :
This is one of the most popular monastic festival celebrated in the Hemis Gompa, which is the largest in Ladakh. Held in the month of June-July, this festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of religious Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. A religious icon painted on cloth known as thangka is the prime attraction of this festival. The thangka is displayed after every 12 years and is the source of main tourist attraction.

The Hemis Festival is one of the best ways which displays the rich cultural heritage of Ladakh. Religious mask dance, beautiful handicraft items are the prime highlights of this festivals.