Masked cham dancers at a Bhutanese tshechu

Bhutan festival dates, 2027

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 2027

  • 11–13 February 3 days Lhamoi Dromchhen Trongsa Dzong Trongsa Upcoming
  • 13–15 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 Upcoming
  • 16–18 February 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 Upcoming
  • 20 February 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 Upcoming
  • 20 February 1 day Tharpaling Thongdrol Tharpaling Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
  • 22–24 February 3 days Tangsibi Mani Tangsibi Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming

March 2027

  • 8 March 1 day Chhorten Kora — Drukpa Kora Chhorten Kora Trashi Yangtse Upcoming
  • 16–18 March 3 days Gasa Tshechu Gasa Dzong Gasa Upcoming
  • 16–18 March 3 days Gomphukora Gom Kora Lhakhang Trashi Yangtse Upcoming
  • 16–18 March 3 days Talo Tshechu Talo Gonpa Punakha Upcoming
  • 16–18 March 3 days Zhemgang Tshechu Zhemgang Dzong Zhemgang Upcoming
  • 18–22 March 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 Upcoming

April 2027

  • 3–9 April 7 days Rhododendron Week Trashigang Upcoming
  • 16–18 April 3 days Domkhar Tshechu Domkhar Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
  • 18–22 April 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 Upcoming
  • 22–23 April 2 days Rhododendron Festival Lamperi Botanical Park, Dochula Thimphu Upcoming

June 2027

  • 12–14 June 3 days Nimalung Tshechu Nimalung Dratshang Bumthang Upcoming
  • 14 June 1 day Kurjey Tshechu Kurjey Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming

September 2027

  • 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 Upcoming

October 2027

  • 5 October 1 day Thimphu Drubchen Tashichho Dzong Thimphu Upcoming
  • 8–10 October 3 days Wangdue Tshechu Wangdue Phodrang Dzong Wangdue Phodrang Upcoming
  • 10–12 October 3 days Tamshing Phala Chhoepa Tamshing Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
  • 10–12 October 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 Upcoming
  • 13–15 October 3 days Gangtey Tshechu Gangtey Gonpa Wangdue Phodrang Upcoming
  • 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 Upcoming
  • 15–16 October 2 days Thangbi Mewang Thangbi Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
  • 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

November 2027

  • 6–8 November 3 days Chhukha Tshechu Chhukha Dzong Chhukha Upcoming
  • 6–8 November 3 days Haa Tshechu Lhakhang Karpo Haa Upcoming
  • 6–9 November 4 days Jakar Tshechu Jakar Dzong Bumthang Upcoming
  • 6–9 November 4 days Pemagatshel Tshechu Pemagatshel Dzong Pemagatshel Upcoming
  • 8 November 1 day Dechenphu Tshechu Dechenphu Lhakhang Thimphu Upcoming
  • 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
  • 14–17 November 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
  • 15–17 November 3 days Prakhar Duchhoed Prakhar Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming

December 2027

  • 3–5 December 3 days Goenpai Drupchen Trongsa Upcoming
  • 6–8 December 3 days Mongar Tshechu Mongar Dzong Mongar Upcoming
  • 6–8 December 3 days Phuntsholing Tshechu Phuntsholing Chhukha Upcoming
  • 7–9 December 3 days Trashigang Tshechu Trashigang Dzong Trashigang Upcoming
  • 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
  • 13 December 1 day Jambay Lhakhang Singye Cham Jambay Lhakhang Bumthang Upcoming
  • 13–15 December 3 days Nalakhar Tshechu Ngaa Lhakhang Bumthang 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
Crowds in the courtyard at Thimphu Tshechu