Yennayer 2977: where to celebrate the Amazigh New Year in January 2027

On Tuesday 12 January 2027, Algeria celebrates Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year, which opens year 2977 of the Amazigh calendar. A public holiday since 2018, Yennayer is first of all a family celebration around a meal, and in several regions it brings popular festivities. Here is what to know, and where to spend it if you want to travel.

Yennayer 2977: the date

• The day: Tuesday 12 January 2027. Since 2018, 12 January has been one of Algeria's legal holidays: a paid day off.
• The evening before: the festive meal is traditionally eaten the night before, on Monday 11 January 2027.
• Year 2977: the Amazigh calendar counts years from 950 BC, a symbolic date linked to King Shoshenq I (Chachnaq). January 2026 opened year 2976, so January 2027 opens year 2977.
• Regional differences: dates and length of the celebrations vary from one region and family to another; some festivities last several days.

As 12 January falls on a Tuesday, taking Sunday 10 and Monday 11 off gives you five days, from Friday 8 to Tuesday 12 January. The winter school holidays will be over by then: classes resume on Sunday 3 January.

A family celebration around a meal

At the heart of Yennayer is the dinner on the eve, imensi n yennayer: a generous meal, often couscous with vegetables and meat or poultry, whose recipe changes from region to region. Many families also give the house a thorough clean to start the year. If you are invited, it is the moment to taste the local dishes and listen to the elders' stories.

Where to celebrate Yennayer in Algeria

Yennayer is celebrated all over the country in different forms. A few regions are especially known for their celebrations.

In Kabylie (Tizi Ouzou, Béjaïa). In the villages Yennayer brings festivities and, in some of them, communal meals. In town, the cultural centres usually offer exhibitions, shows and galas. To stay in Tizi Ouzou, see Hotel Ittourar, bookable on Nreservi, Hotel Lalla Khedidja and all our addresses in Tizi Ouzou and Béjaïa.

In Tlemcen and among the Beni Snous. In the Beni Snous area near Tlemcen, Yennayer is linked to the Ayred carnival, a masked parade around the figure of the lion. To stay: Hotel Alcazar Tlemcen (formerly Renaissance), ibis Tlemcen or our other addresses in Tlemcen.

Elsewhere in Algeria. From the Aurès to the Sahara, each region has its own dishes and customs. The official programmes for January 2027 had not been published by mid-November 2026: watch for announcements from the cultural centres and municipalities of your chosen region in early January.

Combine Yennayer with a winter break

January is also snow season in the mountains. From Tizi Ouzou you can drive up to Tikjda in the Djurdjura or walk in the Yakouren forest near Azazga. Further west, Chréa overlooks Blida. Snow cover is irregular: check before you go.

Tikjda in winter · Yakouren · Chréa

For more ideas this season (desert, Tunisia, Istanbul), read where to go in December from Algeria.

Practical tips

1. Book early if you are aiming for a town in celebration: with 12 January a public holiday, demand may be higher around that date.
2. Prepare for winter: in Kabylie as around Tlemcen, evenings are cold and mountain roads may be snowy. Check the weather and road conditions.
3. On the public holiday, government offices are closed and some shops too: do your shopping the day before.
4. Couples should read our article on the family record book at hotels before booking.

Book in dinars

On Nreservi, you book your hotel online. From Algeria, you pay in dinars without a bank card: BaridiMob, bank transfer or cash at our Telemly office. Living abroad and coming home for Yennayer? You can also pay online by bank card, and your voucher is sent to you after payment.

See hotels in Tizi Ouzou

Sources: Médiaterranée (October 2026), Office Holidays, Radio Algérie (January 2026), Algérie 360 and TSA.

Nreservi, online travel agency — 1st floor, 116 boulevard Colonel Krim Belkacem (Telemly), Algiers Centre — +213 540 28 40 40.