Everest & Solukhumbu · Khumjung
Gyalpo Lhosar (Sherpa New Year)
ग्याल्पो ल्होसार
Gyalpo Lhosar is the Tibetan lunar new year that Sherpa families in Khumbu and Solu celebrate in February or March, with house cleaning, new prayer flags, monastery visits and days of visiting relatives. It is a national public holiday in Nepal.
Lhosar means new year, and Gyalpo, king, refers to the royal new year of the Tibetan calendar that Sherpas share with Tibetans and other Himalayan Buddhists. Nepal marks it as a public holiday. In Khumbu it arrives at the cold, quiet end of winter, when many lodges are shut and families who spent the season in Kathmandu often come home.
The days before are for cleaning. Houses are swept, the old year's bad luck is thrown out, and new prayer flags go up on rooftops and passes. On the day itself families visit the gompa, offer white khata scarves and butter lamps, and then go from house to house. Every host pours chhang or tea and expects you to accept at least three times. Food is rich for winter: fried khapse biscuits, meat, and plenty of butter tea.
For visitors, Lhosar is a good reason to walk in late February or early March. Nights are well below freezing above Namche and some high lodges are still closed, but the trails are empty, the light is sharp and the villages are at their most hospitable. Dates follow the lunar calendar and shift each year; check current status before you travel.
Tips
- Accept chhang or tea with your right hand, or both hands, and sip rather than refuse outright
- Carry a white khata scarf if you plan to visit a gompa or a family; shops in Namche sell them
- Walk with warm layers: February nights in Khumjung often fall below minus 10 °C
Questions
When is Sherpa Lhosar?
Sherpas celebrate Gyalpo Lhosar, the Tibetan lunar new year, which usually falls in February or early March. The exact date changes every year with the lunar calendar. Nepal's government declares it a public holiday, so offices and some shops close. In Khumbu, celebrations run for several days of gompa visits and family calls. Check current status before you travel.
Is it a good time to trek to Everest during Lhosar?
It can be, if you handle cold well. Trails are quiet, skies often clear and villages are festive. The catch is temperature: nights in Khumjung and Namche drop well below freezing, and above Dingboche many lodges stay closed until March. We suggest lower routes such as Namche, Khumjung and Tengboche at Lhosar rather than a full Base Camp trek.
What is the difference between Sherpa Lhosar and Tamang Lhosar?
Nepal has three Lhosars. Tamang communities celebrate Sonam Lhosar in January or February, Gurungs mark Tamu Lhosar at the end of December, and Sherpas, along with Tibetans, celebrate Gyalpo Lhosar in February or March. All three are new year festivals, but they follow different calendars and traditions, and each is a public holiday in Nepal.
How should visitors behave at a Lhosar celebration?
Accept what is offered, at least a sip, with your right hand or both hands, and say tashi delek, the Sherpa and Tibetan greeting for good fortune. Walk clockwise around chortens and inside gompas. Ask before taking photos of people or altars. A small gift such as fruit or biscuits is welcome if a family invites you in.