LEH: The dates for the Apricot Blossom Festival 2026 have been announced, marking the return of Ladakh’s spring celebration that draws visitors to the region’s apricot-growing villages when the trees burst into bloom.
Organised across several apricot clusters of Ladakh, the festival will be held from April 8 to April 16, covering villages in both Leh and Kargil districts. The event celebrates the flowering of the local apricot variety known as “Chuli Mendok,” which paints the valleys in shades of pink beneath the Himalayan peaks during early spring.
According to the schedule released for the festival, the opening event will take place on April 8 at Garkone in Kargil district. The celebrations will then move across various villages known for apricot cultivation.
The programme will continue on April 9 at Dha Bema in Leh district, followed by Darchiks in Kargil on April 10 and Skurbuchan in Leh on April 11. The next event will be held at Karkitchoo in Kargil on April 12.
After a short gap, the celebrations will resume on April 14 at Tyakshi in Leh district, followed by Minjee in Kargil on April 15, while the concluding event will take place at Tyger in Leh on April 16.
The festival highlights the natural beauty of Ladakh during the apricot blooming season while providing a platform for local communities to showcase their traditions and livelihoods. Visitors will be able to witness cultural performances, traditional music, and local cuisine prepared using apricots, one of the region’s most valued crops.
Organisers said the festival will also feature handicraft displays, village markets, and community stalls, allowing tourists to experience Ladakhi culture at the grassroots level while supporting local artisans and producers.
Held every spring in apricot-growing belts, the festival has become a popular attraction for travellers seeking to witness the short but striking flowering season in Ladakh’s villages. The events are expected to draw both domestic and international visitors eager to see the region’s orchards in full bloom while engaging with local traditions.
The apricot blossom season usually lasts only a few weeks, making the festival an opportunity to experience Ladakh’s landscape as orchards across the valleys transform into fields of pink and white blossoms.
