Shoton Festival

Background

"Shoton" means "yogurt banquet" in Tibetan. It began as a religious celebration and is now a festival for everyone, with Tibetan opera and the thangka unveiling as its highlights. At sunrise on the first day, a giant Buddha thangka about 30 metres high and 20 metres wide is unrolled on the hillside beside Drepung Monastery, where pilgrims and visitors gather to pray. Over the following week or two, Tibetan opera (Ache Lhamo) is staged at Norbulingka and other venues, and many families pitch tents in the gardens with food and yogurt for "lingka" picnics, often staying for days.

Local customs

• Watch the dawn thangka unveiling at Drepung Monastery
• see Tibetan opera at Norbulingka
• join a "lingka" picnic

Travel tips

• Shoton begins on the 30th day of the sixth Tibetan month and lasts about a week, with the schedule announced each year (it began on August 12 in 2026). The unveiling takes place around sunrise, so you need to set off up the hill before dawn
• paths are narrow and crowded, so go at your own pace. Lhasa is at high altitude, so take care to avoid altitude sickness when you first arrive. Foreign visitors need the required permits to enter Tibet. Tickets and transport arrangements are subject to official announcements.

2027 schedule

• In 2027 the 30th day of the sixth Tibetan month falls around August 30
• the exact Shoton schedule is pending official announcement.