Himalayan villages empty as residents move down to escape winter cold

KATHMANDU: Himalayan settlements have grown unusually quiet in recent days as plummeting temperatures drive residents to lower-altitude areas.

Many locals have left their highland homes, leaving the villages sparsely populated.

In Mikwakhola Rural Municipality–5, upper areas such as Tokpegola and Loden are now largely deserted.

Residents have moved “downwards” to lower settlements, taking their livestock and belongings with them.

“During winter, people often leave their highland homes to escape the cold,” said Milan Dorji Sherpa of Tokpegola. “Those involved in livestock farming or local businesses relocate to houses or pastures in lower areas. Some also travel elsewhere for visits or social gatherings.”

Under normal circumstances, Tokpegola is home to seven families, but all the houses are now empty.

Across upper regions like Ghunsa and Phalel, roughly 40–45 families reside, but more than half have left their homes since late Mangsir.

According to local Cheten Dandu Sherpa, most residents not involved in tourism move elsewhere during winter. Farmers, busy with cultivation during the rainy season, often relocate to Kathmandu, Sikkim, Darjeeling, or stay in other homes during the cold months of Poush and Magh.

In Ghunsa, many families engaged in tourism remain in their homes. “Most children have moved to cities for education, so this period also becomes an opportunity to meet children and relatives,” Cheten added.

Annually, residents of the district’s highland regions move to lower areas during winter.

While entire villages used to be deserted in the past, improved electricity, communication, and other facilities now mean that only a portion of residents leave their homes during the cold season.