Nepal has one of the longer public-holiday calendars in the region. A typical year carries somewhere between 25 and 35 gazetted holidays, depending on how many fall on weekends and whether regional days are counted. This list covers the public holidays observed in 2082 BS (mid-April 2025 to mid-April 2026 AD), grouped by category, with brief notes on each day. For festivals tied to the lunar tithi cycle, exact AD dates shift each year — confirm against the annual patro published at the start of the BS year.

National civic holidays

These are tied to the solar Bikram Sambat calendar and fall on the same BS date every year.

Nepali New Year (Navabarsha) — 1 Baisakh. The first day of the BS year, celebrated nationwide with family gatherings, new clothes, and outdoor processions.
Loktantra Diwas (Democracy Day) — 11 Baisakh. Commemorates the 2006 People's Movement and the restoration of democracy.
International Labour Day — 18 Baisakh (1 May AD). A workers' holiday observed across the public and organised private sector.
Republic Day (Ganatantra Diwas) — 15 Jestha. Marks the 2008 declaration of Nepal as a federal democratic republic.
Constitution Day (Sambidhan Diwas) — 3 Ashwin. Celebrates the 2015 promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal.
Prajatantra Diwas (Democracy Day) — 26 Magh (later renamed in some traditions). Commemorates the 1951 movement that ended the Rana regime.
International Women's Day — 8 March AD (around 24 Falgun in 2082 BS). Public holiday for women.

Religious and cultural holidays — Hindu

These follow the lunar tithi cycle and shift by a few days each year. The list below names the festival and the BS month it falls in for 2082 BS.

Ram Navami — Chaitra Shukla Navami. Birthday of Lord Ram, marking the end of Chaite Dashain.
Buddha Jayanti — Baisakh Purnima. Birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana of the Buddha, observed by both Hindu and Buddhist communities.
Janai Purnima and Raksha Bandhan — Shrawan Purnima. Brahmin and Chhetri men change the sacred thread (janai); sisters tie protective bands on brothers' wrists.
Gai Jatra — day after Janai Purnima. Newar festival commemorating departed family members with a public procession.
Krishna Janmashtami — Bhadra Krishna Ashtami. Birthday of Lord Krishna; observed with night-long bhajans and temple visits.
Haritalika Teej — Bhadra Shukla Tritiya. Women's festival with day-long fasting, red saris, and visits to Shiva temples. See our companion piece on Teej festival dates.
Indra Jatra — Bhadra Purnima. Kathmandu's classical street festival, with the Kumari procession at Hanuman Dhoka.
Ghatasthapana — Ashwin Shukla Pratipada. Start of Dashain.
Phulpati — Ashwin Shukla Saptami. Public procession from Gorkha to Kathmandu.
Maha Ashtami — Ashwin Shukla Ashtami. Day of major Durga worship.
Maha Navami — Ashwin Shukla Navami. Vishwakarma puja (worship of tools and vehicles).
Vijaya Dashami — Ashwin or Kartik Shukla Dashami. The tika day of Dashain.
Kojagrat Purnima — Ashwin or Kartik Purnima. Final day of Dashain.
Laxmi Puja — Kartik Krishna Trayodashi or Amavasya. Central day of Tihar; lamps lit across homes.
Govardhan Puja / Mha Puja — Kartik Shukla Pratipada. Fourth day of Tihar, also the Newar new year.
Bhai Tika — Kartik Shukla Dwitiya. Fifth day of Tihar.
Chhath — Kartik Shukla Shashthi. Sun and Chhathi Maiya worship, particularly in the Terai.
Maghe Sankranti — 1 Magh. Winter harvest festival, solar transit into Capricorn. See our piece on Maghe Sankranti explained.
Saraswati Puja (Basant Panchami) — Magh Shukla Panchami. Worship of the goddess of learning; many students start their first day of school on this day.
Maha Shivaratri — Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi. Major Shaiva festival; Pashupatinath sees hundreds of thousands of visitors.
Holi / Fagu Purnima — Falgun Purnima. Festival of colours. Hill regions and Terai observe on consecutive days under the gazette.
Chaite Dashain — Chaitra Shukla Ashtami / Navami. Spring Dashain, smaller in scale than autumn Dashain.

Religious and cultural holidays — Buddhist, Tibetan, and other

Sonam Lhosar — falls in Magh. New year for Tamang community.
Gyalpo Lhosar — falls in Falgun. New year for Sherpa, Tibetan, and Yolmo communities.
Tamu Lhosar (Lhochhar) — 15 Poush. New year for Gurung community; gazetted holiday.
Buddha Jayanti — Baisakh Purnima. Listed under Hindu observances above; the day is the central Buddhist holiday of the year.
Eid al-Fitr — observed by Muslim communities; date set by lunar Islamic calendar, varies sharply year to year.
Eid al-Adha (Bakra Eid) — observed by Muslim communities; also varies year to year.
Christmas Day — 25 December AD (around 10–11 Poush). Public holiday for Christian community.

Regional and community holidays

Some holidays are gazetted only for specific regions or only for specific communities:

Holi (Hill) and Holi (Terai) — observed on consecutive days; only one is a holiday in any given district depending on location.
Chhath — major holiday in the Terai; less observed in the hills, though gazetted nationally.
Madhesh Provincial Days — additional regional holidays gazetted by the Madhesh province government.
Janajati holidays — Lhosar holidays apply principally to the respective ethnic communities, though they are gazetted nationally for those communities.
Maithili new year (Jur Sital) — observed in the eastern Terai around mid-April.

Restricted and observance days

Some days are observed but not full public holidays — government offices stay open, schools may have programmes, and certain communities or sectors close.

Martyr's Day (Sahid Diwas) — 16 Magh. Public homage at Sahid Gate; flag at half-mast.
Independence Day of various nations — observed by foreign embassies, not by the Nepali public.
Children's Day — falls in mid-Bhadra.
Teachers' Day — Guru Purnima, Ashadh Purnima.

What changes on a public holiday

Government offices, including District Administration Offices, Land Revenue Offices, the Department of Passports, and the Department of Customs, are closed.
Schools and universities are closed. The Dashain–Tihar window typically includes a longer extended break.
Banks are closed on most gazetted holidays. The Nepal Rastra Bank publishes the official list each year; double-check the calendar at the start of FY 2082/83.
Courts are closed.
Markets and shops vary. Major festivals like Vijaya Dashami and Laxmi Puja see most shops closed; smaller holidays may pass with shops open.
Public transport generally runs, though long-distance buses may be overbooked around festivals.
Health services at hospitals and emergency clinics remain open.

How holiday dates are decided

The Government of Nepal publishes an annual list of gazetted holidays through the Ministry of Home Affairs. The list is built from:

Fixed BS calendar dates (1 Baisakh, 15 Jestha, 3 Ashwin, 26 Magh, etc.).
Lunar tithi-based festival dates, calculated by the Calendar Determination Committee.
Religious observances confirmed by community religious authorities (e.g. Eid dates by Muslim community leaders, Lhosar dates by Buddhist and ethnic community organisations).
Regional gazettes from provincial governments adding province-specific days.

For exact dates each year, refer to the printed patro or the gazette notice issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays does Nepal have in a year?

Typically 25 to 35, depending on how regional holidays and weekend overlaps are counted. The exact count varies year to year because of how tithi-based festivals fall.

If a holiday falls on a Saturday, is Friday or Monday a holiday too?

No. Unlike some Western systems, Nepal does not generally observe substitute holidays for weekend overlaps. The holiday is simply absorbed into the weekend.

Are private-sector employees entitled to public holidays?

Yes, under the Labour Act 2074. Private employers must grant leave on gazetted holidays, though some sectors (hospitality, transport, healthcare) may require staff to work with overtime compensation.

Where can I check the exact AD date of a religious holiday?

Use the BS to AD converter once you know the BS date from the patro, or check the today in Nepali date page on the morning of a likely holiday.

Do banks always close on Saturdays?

Yes. Saturday is the standard weekly off for banks and most government offices in Nepal. The week effectively runs Sunday through Friday.

Practical takeaway

Nepal's public-holiday list is long, varied, and woven from civic, religious, and regional threads. Knowing which days will close offices and which will close shops helps you plan everything from passport applications to flight bookings. For the specific dates each year, lean on the published patro and the BS to AD converter; for deeper context on the bigger festivals, see Dashain 2083 dates, Tihar 2083 dates, and the 2082 BS year guide.