Christmas and New Year in Kathmandu 2026: What to Expect and How to Celebrate

Christmas in Kathmandu 2026 is a quieter, warmer affair than at home, and that is exactly why many travellers love it. Nepal is mainly Hindu and Buddhist, but Christmas Day is a public holiday, and the city's churches, hotels and cafés celebrate it with lights and special menus. A week later, New Year's Eve brings music and crowds to Thamel. Here is what to expect, and how to spend the holidays with a Nepali family.

How Christmas is celebrated in Kathmandu

Nepal's Christian community is small but growing, and churches across the valley hold carol services and midnight services on Christmas Eve. In the tourist areas, cafés put up trees and lights, and many restaurants serve a Christmas dinner. Outside those places, it is an ordinary working-week holiday: shops stay open, and life goes on as usual.

That mix is part of the charm. You can have a festive dinner in the evening and spend the day at a temple, a stupa or on a forest trail, with clear skies and the Himalaya on the horizon.

Christmas at Sacred Trails

We are a Nepali family, and we love sharing the holidays with our guests. In December the rooftop is the best seat in the house: sunrise tea with the Shivapuri forest in front of you, and the lights of the valley at night. Breakfast is cooked fresh every morning, and heaters and extra blankets are ready for the cold nights.

New Year's Eve in Kathmandu

New Year's Eve is the liveliest night of the winter in Thamel, with live music, packed streets and countdowns in the bars and restaurants. Many hotels hold parties. If you want to join in, Thamel is 8–10 km from Budhanilkantha by taxi; we can book a driver to bring you home after midnight, when taxis are hard to find.

If you prefer a quiet start to the year, stay in the hills. From our rooftop you can watch fireworks across the valley, then walk into Shivapuri on New Year's morning while the city sleeps.

Tamu Lhosar on 30 December

The day before New Year's Eve, the Gurung community celebrates Tamu Lhosar, its own new year, with cultural programmes, traditional dress and dancing. In Kathmandu the main events are usually held in public grounds and community halls, and visitors are welcome to watch.

Kathmandu weather at Christmas

Late December is dry and sunny, with comfortable afternoons and cold mornings and nights. Budhanilkantha is a little higher than central Kathmandu, so evenings are cooler. Pack a warm jacket, a hat and layers for the morning. Mountain views are often at their best, which makes it a good time for a short trek such as Poon Hill.

Things to do over the holidays

• Walk to Budhanilkantha Temple at dawn, when the air is crisp and the crowds are small.
• Hike in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park to Nagi Gompa or Shivapuri Peak for winter views.
• Spend a day at Boudhanath Stupa, Pashupatinath and Kathmandu Durbar Square on our Kathmandu City Tour.
• Take a day trip to Bhaktapur or Patan for medieval squares and winter sunshine.
• Shop for gifts: pashmina, singing bowls, tea and handmade paper.
• Fly to Pokhara or start a short trek with clear mountain views.

Booking for Christmas and New Year

December and January nights earn our 1% Christmas and New Year festival offers. Our rooms are from $35 a night with breakfast, and the family apartment is $70 a night.

Book direct and offers combine: 5% off stays of 3 nights or more (6% for 7 nights or more), 5% off when you book 14 or more days ahead (6% for 30 or more days), and an extra 1% in big festival months. The booking form adds every offer you qualify for.