Festivals are when Gilgit-Baltistan’s culture is most visible: polo on a high pass in summer, ice hockey on a frozen lake in winter, and spring gatherings in the villages. This section lists the festivals that have their own pages on this site and explains what each source does — and doesn’t — tell you.
The single most important thing to know is that dates move. Several of these events depend on snow, ice, road conditions or a calendar announced each year. We don’t print a fixed date unless one of our pages records it, and even then we treat it as a past edition rather than a promise. Check the event page and the latest local announcements before you build a trip around any festival.
Festival pages in this section
| Festival | Season | Where | What our source says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noroz | Spring | Parts of Gilgit-Baltistan | A traditional spring celebration of cultural heritage, community and seasonal renewal |
| Jashn-e-Mefang | Not published | Gilgit-Baltistan (no district given) | A cultural celebration tied to local traditions and community life |
| Shandur Polo Festival | Summer | Shandur Pass, Ghizer | A yearly polo festival at what the district materials call the highest polo ground in the world |
| Khalti Ice Hockey Festival | Winter | Khalti Lake, Ghizer | Named as a tourist attraction on the Ghizer district page |
| Sevendays Winter Feast | Winter | Across districts | Department-reported events promoting winter sports such as ice hockey, with a documented 2025 Hunza edition |
Most of these pages draw on department sources accessed on 27 August 2026.
Spring: Noroz
The Noroz page describes it as a traditional spring celebration observed in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, reflecting cultural heritage, community traditions and seasonal renewal. For many communities it’s a time to honour local identity and share goodwill. The page mentions gatherings, hospitality, shared meals and other traditional forms of celebration, and stresses that customs differ by community and place.
For visitors: the page asks you to approach Noroz respectfully, follow local guidance and treat community events as invitations to learn — not as fixed tourist schedules. Dates, venues and public activities vary by year and place, so check current local information and ask whether events are open to visitors.
Summer: the Shandur Polo Festival
Department materials describe the Shandur Polo Festival as a sports festival held each year at Shandur Pass. The Ghizer district page notes the highest polo ground in the world and a yearly freestyle polo tournament in summer.
The Shandur Pass place page adds a picture of the event. It describes teams from Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral playing fast freestyle mountain polo on small horses, bands playing traditional music between chukkers, and a temporary tent city on an otherwise empty plateau. It says there are no hotels on the pass, that rooms nearby fill during festival week, and that Phander is the best base on the Gilgit-Baltistan side.
When is it?
Our pages don’t agree on a single answer — and we’d rather tell you that than pick one:
- The best time to visit guide and the Ghizer destination page say it’s held in the first week of July in most years.
- The Shandur Pass page says it was traditionally held on 7–9 July, but that recent editions fell in June: 20–22 June in 2025 and 11–13 June in 2026. It says festival dates are set each spring.
So treat early summer as the window and wait for the official announcement before booking. The Shandur page also warns that floods closed the Gilgit–Shandur road in July 2026, so check road news as well. Shandur is also one of the road approaches named in the department FAQ; see road approaches.
Winter: ice hockey at Khalti and the Sevendays Winter Feast
Two winter events have pages here. Our pages are careful to keep them apart — and so should you.
Khalti Ice Hockey Festival. The Ghizer district page names it at Khalti Lake as a tourist attraction. The Khalti Lake page says the department lists it as an annual January event, but that dates and format depend on the ice. A cold winter freezes the lake hard enough for ice hockey and skating. A mild one doesn’t.
Sevendays Winter Feast. The department reports Sevendays Winter Feast events that promote winter sports such as ice hockey across the districts, and documents a 2025 Hunza edition. Our page records that report. It doesn’t announce a later edition — none was in its source.
Why the two get mixed up
The Khalti Lake page records that the second Sevendays Winter Feast was held at Khalti from 22 to 24 January 2024. It had been planned for elsewhere and was moved because the ice wasn’t thick enough. It also says the January 2025 winter sports festival was held in Hunza and Skardu rather than at Khalti. In other words, the Sevendays feast moves between districts, and in one year it used the same lake as the Khalti festival. They are still two named events.
For visitors: winter festivals don’t reopen the high passes. The best-time guide says the named passes are closed or difficult in winter, while valley towns such as Hunza and Gilgit stay reachable. Check road and festival news in December, and have a plan B if the ice fails.
Year-round: Jashn-e-Mefang
The Jashn-e-Mefang page describes a cultural celebration associated with local traditions in Gilgit-Baltistan. It’s rooted in community participation, centred on gatherings, cultural expression and local hospitality. The page says programmes differ by place and year, and that visitors should expect a community-led atmosphere rather than a single fixed format. Our source gives neither a season nor a district — so neither do we. Ask locally or check official tourism notices before planning around it.
Other celebrations mentioned on our pages
Some celebrations don’t have festival pages yet but are mentioned elsewhere on the site:
- Ginani, which the cultural heritage of Hunza article associates with the start of the harvest season in Hunza.
- Woolyo, the yak race and festival at the Shimshal Pass pastures, which the Shimshal Valley page places in late July or early August, with singing and dancing.
- Festival dances in Ghanche. The Ghanche destination page names Mandoq Taimo and Ragi Taimo as festival dances, not a weekly show. See Dances of Ghanche.
How to plan a festival trip
- Pick the season first. Summer polo and winter ice hockey are different trips. The Ghizer page says they don’t fall in the same season.
- Wait for the announcement. Use our pages as a guide to timing, then confirm current dates locally or through official tourism notices.
- Book transport and beds early, flexibly. The Ghizer page recommends booking festival transport through a DTS-listed operator rather than an informal roadside offer. See hiring a tour operator and our registered tour operators directory.
- Camp legally. The FAQ says camping is allowed only in designated areas, with a tourism department permit and leave-no-trace principles. See camping regulations.
- Check alerts. Road closures are posted under alerts.
- Bring cash. The FAQ recommends carrying cash because cards aren’t widely accepted. See local currency and cash.
Being a good guest at a festival
Festivals are community events first. The FAQ asks visitors to respect local culture, dress modestly and remove shoes before entering a mosque or a local house; see visitor customs and dress. Ask before photographing people, and remember photography is prohibited in restricted and sensitive areas; see photography restrictions. At Shandur, the place page advises keeping well back from the stone walls during play.
This website doesn’t sell festival tickets, rooms or transport. For the wider cultural background, see our culture section.
Frequently asked questions
Which festivals have pages on this site?
Noroz, Jashn-e-Mefang, the Shandur Polo Festival, the Khalti Ice Hockey Festival and the Sevendays Winter Feast.
What is Noroz in Gilgit-Baltistan?
Our Noroz page describes a traditional spring celebration observed in parts of the region, marked by gatherings, hospitality and shared meals. Customs differ between communities.
When is the Shandur Polo Festival?
It is a yearly early-summer event. Our guides say the first week of July in most years, while the Shandur page records June dates in 2025 and 2026. Wait for the official announcement.
Where is the highest polo ground in the world?
The Ghizer district materials describe the ground at Shandur Pass as the highest polo ground in the world.
When is the Khalti Ice Hockey Festival?
The Khalti Lake page says the department lists it as an annual January event, but it depends on the lake freezing hard enough.
Is the Sevendays Winter Feast the same as the Khalti festival?
No. They are separate named events. The Sevendays feast moves between districts, and in January 2024 it was held at Khalti.
What is Jashn-e-Mefang?
A cultural celebration tied to local traditions and community life. Our page doesn’t give a date or district, and says programmes vary by place and year.
Can I buy festival tickets on this site?
No. This website doesn’t sell tickets, rooms or transport. Use a licensed operator and check official announcements.
Can I camp at a festival?
Only in designated camping areas, with a tourism department permit and leave-no-trace practices, according to the FAQ.
Are festival dates fixed every year?
No. Our festival pages say dates and activities vary by year and place, and the winter events depend on ice and weather.