Bhutan festival dates, 2026
Every tshechu and seasonal festival in the Bhutanese calendar, with the dates confirmed by the Department of Tourism. Pick the one you want to see and we will build the trip around it.
February 2026
- 22–24 February 3 days Lhamoi Dromchhen Trongsa Dzong Trongsa Held
- 24–26 February 3 days Punakha Dromchoe A re-enactment of the seventeenth-century defence of the dzong, staged by the men of Punakha before the tshechu begins. Punakha Dzong Punakha Held
- 27 February – 1 March 3 days Punakha Tshechu Three days of cham dancing in the winter capital, where the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu meet — the warmest festival of the Bhutanese spring. Punakha Dzong Punakha Held
March 2026
- 3 March 1 day Tharpaling Thongdrol Tharpaling Lhakhang Bumthang Held
- 5 March 1 day Chhorten Kora — Dakpa Kora The first of the two circumambulations of the great white stupa, walked through the night by the Dakpa people of Arunachal. Chhorten Kora Trashi Yangtse Held
- 5–6 March 2 days Tangsibi Mani Tangsibi Lhakhang Bumthang Held
- 19 March 1 day Chhorten Kora — Drukpa Kora Chhorten Kora Trashi Yangtse Held
- 26–28 March 3 days Gasa Tshechu Gasa Dzong Gasa Held
- 26–28 March 3 days Gomphukora Gom Kora Lhakhang Trashi Yangtse Held
- 26–28 March 3 days Talo Tshechu Talo Gonpa Punakha Held
- 26–28 March 3 days Zhemgang Tshechu Zhemgang Dzong Zhemgang Held
- 29 March – 2 April 5 days Paro Tshechu Bhutan's best-known festival, closing before dawn on the last day with the unfurling of the giant Guru Throngdrel across the face of the dzong. Rinpung Dzong Paro Held
April 2026
- 7–9 April 3 days Haa Spring Festival Haa Valley Haa Held
- 13–14 April 2 days Rhododendron Festival Lamperi Botanical Park, Dochula Thimphu Held
- 26–28 April 3 days Domkhar Tshechu Domkhar Lhakhang Bumthang Held
- 28 April – 2 May 5 days Ura Yakchoe The Ura valley's own festival, built around a sacred image brought out of the temple once a year. Ura Lhakhang Bumthang Held
June 2026
- 22–24 June 3 days Nimalung Tshechu Nimalung Dratshang Bumthang Held
- 24 June 1 day Kurjey Tshechu Kurjey Lhakhang Bumthang Held
September 2026
- 5 September 1 day Tour of the Dragon A 268-kilometre mountain-bike race across four passes, ridden in a single day. Bumthang to Thimphu Bumthang Held
- 17 September 1 day Thimphu Drubchen Tashichho Dzong Thimphu Held
- 19–21 September 3 days Haa Tshechu Lhakhang Karpo Haa Held
- 19–21 September 3 days Wangdue Tshechu Wangdue Phodrang Dzong Wangdue Phodrang Held
- 21–23 September 3 days Tamshing Phala Chhoepa Tamshing Lhakhang Bumthang Held
- 21–23 September 3 days Thimphu Tshechu The capital's tshechu fills the dzong courtyard for three days and is the easiest of the great festivals to reach. Tashichho Dzong Thimphu Held
- 24–26 September 3 days Gangtey Tshechu Gangtey Gonpa Wangdue Phodrang Held
- 26–27 September 2 days Thangbi Mewang Thangbi Lhakhang Bumthang Held
October 2026
- 14–15 October 2 days Jhomolhari Mountain Festival Held at 4,000 metres on the Jhomolhari trek, in the yak-herding settlements below the mountain. Soe Yaksa, below Jhomolhari Thimphu Held
- 18–21 October 4 days Jakar Tshechu Jakar Dzong Bumthang Held
- 18–21 October 4 days Pemagatshel Tshechu Pemagatshel Dzong Pemagatshel Held
- 19–21 October 3 days Chhukha Tshechu Chhukha Dzong Chhukha Held
- 21 October 1 day Dechenphu Tshechu Dechenphu Lhakhang Thimphu Held
- 23–24 October 2 days Royal Highland Festival Two days at 3,800 metres among the Layap herders — yak parades, highland sports and the year's mastiff show. Laya Gasa Upcoming
- 26–29 October 4 days Jambay Lhakhang Drup The oldest temple in Bhutan, and the festival that ends with the naked fire dance danced at midnight. Jambay Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
- 27–29 October 3 days Prakhar Duchhoed Prakhar Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
November 2026
- 11 November 1 day Black-Necked Crane Festival Marks the return of the cranes to the Phobjikha valley for the winter, danced by the schoolchildren who share it with them. Gangtey Gonpa, Phobjikha Wangdue Phodrang Upcoming
- 14–16 November 3 days Goenpai Drupchen Trongsa Upcoming
- 17–19 November 3 days Mongar Tshechu Mongar Dzong Mongar Upcoming
- 17–19 November 3 days Phuntsholing Tshechu Phuntsholing Chhukha Upcoming
- 18–20 November 3 days Trashigang Tshechu Trashigang Dzong Trashigang Upcoming
- 24 November 1 day Jambay Lhakhang Singye Cham Jambay Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
- 24–26 November 3 days Nalakhar Tshechu Ngaa Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
December 2026
- 13 December 1 day Druk Wangyel Tshechu Danced by the armed forces at the 108 chortens on Dochula, with the eastern Himalaya behind them. Druk Wangyal Lhakhang, Dochula Thimphu Upcoming
- 17–21 December 5 days Lhuentse Tshechu Lhuentse Dzong Lhuentse Upcoming
- 17–21 December 5 days Trongsa Tshechu Trongsa Dzong Trongsa Upcoming
- 22–26 December 5 days Nabji Lhakhang Drup Nabji Lhakhang Trongsa Upcoming
- 22–24 December 3 days Samdrup Jongkhar Tshechu Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong Samdrup Jongkhar Upcoming
Tshechu dates follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar and are confirmed year by year, so they move against the Western calendar and can still shift by a few days. Please reconfirm with us before booking non-refundable flights.
Festival tours
See a tshechu the way it is meant to be seen.
Festival weeks fill the valleys — hotels in Paro and Thimphu go months ahead. Tell us which festival you want to be at and we will hold the rooms, the guide and the dzong access around it, and pair it with a trek or a cultural journey either side.
Plan a festival trip