Losar (Tibetan New Year)
लोसार
Also known as: Gyalpo Losar, Sherpa Losar
New Year celebration of Tibetan Buddhist communities - Sherpa (Solukhumbu), Tamang (Helambu), and Tibetan refugee communities. Three different Losar celebrations occur within weeks of each other: Tamu Lhosar (Gurung), Sonam Lhosar (Tamang), and Gyalpo Losar (Tibetan/Sherpa).
When
February
Gregorian (approximate — lunar dates shift yearly)
Nepali month
Magh / Falgun
Bikram Sambat calendar
Duration
3–15 days
Tourist appeal
High
Buddhist · Mountains
Losar (lo = year, sar = new) is the most important celebration in Tibet and among Nepal's Tibetan-heritage communities. Monasteries hold elaborate cham (masked dance) ceremonies. Homes are cleaned, new prayer flags hoisted, altars decorated with barley dough sculptures (torma), and families feast on khapse (deep-fried pastries) and chang (barley beer).
Traditions & rituals
Cham masked dance ceremonies at major monasteries (Tengboche, Kopan, Shechen)
New prayer flags raised at dawn
Altar decorated with kapase (star-shaped dough) and torma
Chang (barley beer) and khapse shared with neighbours
Fire and smoke rituals to drive away negative energies
What people eat during Losar (Tibetan New Year)
When does Losar (Tibetan New Year) fall this year?
Losar (Tibetan New Year) is observed in the Nepali months of Magh / Falgun, which corresponds to roughly February in the Gregorian calendar. Most Nepali festivals follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar, so the precise day moves each year. Use our converter to map any Bikram Sambat date to the Gregorian calendar.
Nepali date converter (BS ⇄ AD) →Losar (Tibetan New Year), answered
Common questions about the date, duration and meaning of Losar (Tibetan New Year).
When is Losar (Tibetan New Year) celebrated?+
Losar (Tibetan New Year) falls in February — the Nepali months of Magh / Falgun in the Bikram Sambat calendar. Because most Nepali festivals follow the lunar calendar, the exact Gregorian dates shift slightly each year.
How long does Losar (Tibetan New Year) last?+
Losar (Tibetan New Year) lasts 3–15 days.
What is the significance of Losar (Tibetan New Year)?+
New Year celebration of Tibetan Buddhist communities - Sherpa (Solukhumbu), Tamang (Helambu), and Tibetan refugee communities. Three different Losar celebrations occur within weeks of each other: Tamu Lhosar (Gurung), Sonam Lhosar (Tamang), and Gyalpo Losar (Tibetan/Sherpa).
Who celebrates Losar (Tibetan New Year) and where?+
Losar (Tibetan New Year) is primarily a Buddhist festival, celebrated mainly in the Mountains.
What food is eaten during Losar (Tibetan New Year)?+
Traditional Losar (Tibetan New Year) foods include Khapse (deep-fried pastry), Guthuk (noodle soup with dumplings), Chang (barley beer), Tsampa (roasted barley flour).
Other festivals of Nepal
Sources & data note
Festival dates follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar and shift each Gregorian year; the approximate Gregorian months reflect the typical recent range. Cultural details on Losar (Tibetan New Year) are sourced from the Nepal Tourism Board and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.