Bhutan is noted for its Tshechus, or festivals, which are held annually on dates which are chosen by the lamas according to the Buddhist lunar calendar. The festivals are held on the tenth day of the lunar month, in honor of Guru Rinpoche, the great Indian tantric saint who brought the teachings of the Buddhist Dharma from Tibet to Bhutan in the 8th century, because it is on the tenth day that he is said to have performed his great deeds. Each locality has a certain time of year during which the festival is performed. These Tsechus are also large social gatherings, which perform the function of social bonding among people of remote and spread-out villages. Large markets also congregate at the fair locations, leading to brisk commerce. This is a great time to see and inter-mingle with villagers from far and near that congregate – sometimes walking for days and weeks – to participate in the festival. The festivals are generally preceded by a rituals and dances performed by monks or trained laymen in beautiful costumes of brilliantly colored silk and papier mache masks to the accompaniment of traditional instruments. The dances are usually held in the open courtyard of the local Dzong, or monastery/district administrative center, and attended by the local people who come to receive the blessings conferred upon the onlookers. This is a great time to be in the Dragon Kingdom.

 

If our published programs and dates do not match your timings or preference, then look through the tentative Festival Dates here and call us to build a personalized trip based on your desired festival dates.

FESTIVAL	PLACE	DATES
Nabji Lhakhang Drup (Naked Fire Dancers)	Nabji Village, Trongsa	Jan 12 – 14, 2017
Bhutanese New Year	Throughout the Kingdom
Punakha Drubchen	Punakha Dzong, Punakha	Mar 02 – 06, 2017
Punakha Tsechu	Punakha Dzong, Punakha	Mar 07 – 09, 2017
Thongdrel Punakha	Punakha Dzong, Punakha	Mar 09, 2017
His Majesty’s Birthday	Throughout the Kingdom	Feb  21,22, 23, 2017
Chorten Kora I	Trashi Yangste	Apr 11, 2017
Nomads Festival	Bumthang
Chorten Kora II	Trashi Yangste	Apr 26, 2017
Gasa Tsechu	Gasa Dzong, Gasa
Zhemgang Tsechu	Zhemghang Dzong, Zhemgang
Talo Tsechu	Talo (near Punakha)
Gomphu Kora	Gom Kora Lhakhang Trashighang	Apr 04 – 06, 2017
Paro Tshechu	Rinpung Dzong, Paro	Apr 07 – 11, 2017
Dzongdrakha Festival (Last day  of Paro Festival)	Paro Valley (near Bonde village)	Apr 06  & 12, 2017
Domkhar Tsechu	Chummey Valley, Bumthang
Rhododendrong Spring Festival	Near Thimphu	Apr 18 – 20, 2017
King III Birthday	Throughout the Kingdom	May 02, 2017
Ura Yakchoe	Ura, Bumthang	May 07 – 10, 2017
Nizergang Tsechu	Wangdifodrang, Wangdue
Lord Buddha Parinirvna	Throughout the Kingdom
Kurjey Tsechu	Kurjey Lhakhang Choekhor,  Bumthang	Jul 03, 2017
Haa Summer Festival	Haa, Haa Valley
Guru’s Birthday	Throughout the Kingdom
First Sermon of Lord Buddha	Throughout the Kingdom
Lham Tsom Dance	Thimphu
Blessing Rainy Day	Throughout the Kingdom
Matsutake Mushroom Festival	Ura Village, Bumthang	Aug 22 – 23, 2017
Tour of the Dragon (Bicycle Race)	Bumthang – Thimphu	Sep 02, 2017
Thimphu Drubchen	Tashichodzong, Thimphu	Sep 25 – 29, 2017
Wangdi Phodrang Festival	Tencholing Army Grounds Wangdiphodrang, Wangdue	Sep 28 – 30, 2017
Gangtey Tsechu	Gangtey, Phobjhika Valley
Tamshing Phala  Choedpa	Tamshing Lhakhang Choekhor Valley, Bumthang	Sep 30 – Oct 02, 2017
Thimphu Tsechu	Tashichodzong, Thimphu	Sep 30 – Oct 02, 2017
Thangbi Mani	Thangbi lhakhang, Choekhor Valley, Bumthang	Oct 04 – 06, 2017
Shelmakha Dromchoed	Chhukha
Shingkhar Rabney	Shingkhar, Ura, Bumthang
Chhukha Tsechu	Chhukha Dzong, Chukha
Jakar Tsechu	Jakar Dzong, Bumthang
Pemagatshel Tsechu	Pemagatshel Dzong, Pemagatshel	Nov 01 – 03, 2017
Jambay Lhakhang Drup	Jambay Lhakhang, Bumthang	Nov 03 – 06, 2017
Black Necked Crane Festival	Gantey Gompa, Phobjhika Valley	Nov 11, 2017
Children’s Day	Throughout the Kingdom	Nov 11, 2017
Prakhar Duchhoed	Prakhar Lhakhang, Chummi Valley, Bumthang	Nov 15 -17,  2016
Constitution Day	Throughout the Kingdom
Descending Day of Lord      Buddha	Throughout the Kingdom
Mongar Tsechu	Mongar Dzong, Mongar	Nov 25 – 28, 2017
Trashighang Tsechu	Trashighang Dz. Trashighang	Nov 26 – 29, 2017
Jambe Lakhang, Singhe  Cham	Jambay Lhakhang, Choekhar valley, Bumthang	Dec 03, 2017
Sumdrang Kangsol	Ura Valley, Bumthang
Tang Namkha Rabney	Tang Namkha Lhakhang Tang, Bumthang
Nang Lhakhang Tsechu	Ngaa Lhakhang, Bumthang	Dec 03 – 05, 2017
Druk Wangyel Tshechu	Do Chu La, Near Thimphu	Dec 13, 2017
National Day	Throughout the Kingdom	Dec 17, 2017
Trongsa Tsechu	Trongsa Dzong, Tsongsa	Dec 25 – 28, 2017
Lhuntse Tsechu	Lhuntse	Dec 25 – 28, 2017
Nabji Lhakhang Drup	Nabji Lhakhang, Nabji, Trongsa

Dates are accurate as of June 2016. These are tentative dates for the calendar year. We do our best, but dates may change due to re-calculation and other issues