Losar
Feb–Mar, Tibetan new year (lunar calendar)
Losar falls on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, usually in February and sometimes early March. Across Sikkim it is celebrated by communities of Tibetan heritage, and in the high villages of Lachung and Lachen, where most families trace their roots across the passes, it is the main holiday of the winter. Preparations begin days earlier with house cleaning and special food.
The festival is mostly private and religious. Families visit the monastery to make offerings and light butter lamps, hang new prayer flags and spend the first days visiting relatives. Some hotels and shops close or run on reduced staff for a few days. For visitors, this means a quieter village and, if you are lucky, an invitation to tea.
Losar comes at the snowiest time of year, when the road to Lachung can close after fresh falls and Zero Point is usually shut. If you plan a snow trip around Losar, keep spare days in Gangtok, confirm that your hotel is open over the holiday and check current status before you travel.
How to do it well
- Confirm your Lachung hotel is open over Losar, as some family hotels close.
- Visit the Lachung Monastery in the morning, dress modestly and walk clockwise.
- Bring a khada scarf or small gift if you are invited into a home.
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is Losar in 2027
Losar follows the Tibetan lunar calendar, so the date moves each year, usually falling in February or early March. Check the published Tibetan calendar or ask your Sikkim operator once the date is announced. Sikkim usually declares a holiday for it. Check current status before you travel.
How is Losar celebrated in Lachung
Mostly at home and in the monastery: cleaning houses, preparing special food, making offerings and lighting butter lamps at the gompa, hanging prayer flags and visiting relatives. It is a family and religious festival, not a public show, so visitors should watch respectfully and not expect organised events.
Can tourists visit Lachung during Losar
Yes, if the road is open and your permit is issued. February is snow season, so closures are possible. Some hotels and shops close for a few days, and the village is quieter. Confirm your hotel booking specifically for the Losar dates and keep a buffer day in Gangtok.
Is Losar the same as Losoong
No. Losar is the Tibetan new year, in February or March. Losoong is the Sikkimese new year and harvest festival of the Bhutia community, held on the first day of the eleventh Tibetan month, usually in December, and preceded by masked dances at Phodong and Rumtek.