Festivals Of Bhutan

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Following are the festivals held in Bhutan filled with colors, tradition and variety of significance.

Paro Tshechu

Paro Tshechu or Paro Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the country and takes place over 5 days. The Paro Festival date coincides  in springtime when the peach flowers are in  full bloom.The tapestry of colors, Rainbow-hued mask dancers against the striking white monastery , decorated singers and pleasant weather, makes the Paro Festival worth witnessing.  It  also allows for the opportunity for warm social interaction with the locals. 

On the first day, all mask dances are held inside the courtyard of the Dzongs. On subsequent days, the festival will then be held at the courtyard outside the Dzong. A thongdrel (large tapestry) will be unfurled on the last day of Paro festival.

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Thimphu Tshechu

Unlike other Festivals in Bhutan, the Thimphu festival occurs in two parts. The first part of the festival is called Lhamo Dromche which takes place in the night at 3 AM in front of the deity Palden Lhamo for 3 consecutive days; followed by the Gongdue Tshechu, the four days public presentation of Thimphu Tshechu.

The four day Thimphu Festival consists of 25 sacred mask dances conducted in full vigour and twenty four traditional Folk songs. From the second day through the fourth day  is a Government holiday where people come  together and share time with family and friends and participate in the Thimphu Festival..

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Punakha Tshechu

Gasa Tshachu ( Gasa Hot Spring)

The hot spring of Gasa is close to the banks of the Mo Chhu River and accessible by road. She is believed to have healing powers, and the famed hot springs draw people from near and far, the locals as well as tourists. A trip to Gasa is incomplete without dipping in the Gasa hot spring. In addition, there are over 104 menchus (medicinal spring water) in Gasa.

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Royal Highlander Festival

The Royal Highlander Festival is a festival of its own kind. The festival introduces you to the way of nomadic people living at an altitude of 3,800 meters. The Royal Highland Festival showcases the Highlander’s cultural display and exhibits the highlands as a pride of Bhutan. Various interesting competitions on highland animals including the Yaks, horses, and Mastiffs will be held.

The festival was started by the fifth Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck to show appreciation for a small number of indigenous people inhabiting the high mountains of northwest Bhutan. The celebration is held at Laya, a small beautiful town where life ticks to a different time. However, you may need to trek for two days to reach this place. Laya-Gasa trekking route offers the most pristine and unspoiled landscape of Bhutan. 

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Rhododendron Festival

The festival celebrates the rhododendrons flowers, which blossom abundantly in Bhutan. It features the rhododendron garden walk and exhibition, local culture and cuisine, arts & crafts, traditional games, cultural programs, guided walks & activities. The festival displays different species that are in full bloom in their natural habitat.

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Ura Yakchoe-Festival

Ura Yakchoe is a beautiful summer festival conducted in the valley of Ura at Bumthang. Yakchoe literally means Yak offering.It is likely that the festival had animalistic origins before it was turned into a Buddhist ceremony. Even today, archaic rituals are performed during the festival by the priest dressed as the Bonpo to invoke the cattle god.

The Ura Yakchoe Festival is an interesting event to witness. It projects Bhutan’s effort to preserve Bhutan’s culture along with modernity. The festival begins with a long procession from Gaden (the seat of Ura’s local lama) to Ura. The procession passes through meadows, and brooks which provide a magnificent backdrop to the event. Having arrived in the Ura valley, the festival begins with rituals of exorcism, followed by several dozens of sacred dances impregnated with deep spiritual wisdom, folk dances and the event continues for 5 days.

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Tamzhing Phala Choepa

The annual Tamzhing Phala Choepa held at the Tamzhing monastery in Bumthang is a festival associated with the construction of the Tamzhing monastery in the 16th century by Terton Pema Lingpa and his protective deity, Dorji Phagmo or the Diamond Sow.

The festival got its name as Phala Choepa following a mask dance performed by Terton Pema Lingpa, wearing a mask of a pig, sculpted himself. The tradition also is a celebration of the time when Pema Lingpa’s protective deity or Yidam Dorji Phagmo appeared in the form of a pig and presented him the design of the monastery and help him in the construction of the temple.

The three-day festival is a display of a series of mask dances among which is the Khandroi Gar Cham, a 500-year-old dance, once performed during the consecration of the monastery. People from different parts of Bumthang and also from other parts of Bhutan gather to witness the dances of Terton (treasure revealer) Pema Lingpa (Peling Sung Cham), which are performed by the monks of Tamzhing Monastery.

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Wagdue Phodrang Tshechu

The Wangdue Phodrang festival is held in the beautiful valley of Wangdue Phodrang. It usually takes place in fall for three days.  Wangduephodrang Festival is famous for Raksha Mangcham or the Dance of the Ox. 

Unlike other festivals in Bhutan, Wangduephodrang Festival is conducted in Tencholing Army Ground. Earlier it was conducted in  Wangdue Phodrang Dzong but after it caught fire in 2012 , the venue for the Festival was changed to Tencholing Army Ground  . Wangdue Phodrang Festival is full of colour, symbol and song. There is a lot of laughter, jokes and food sharing among relatives and friends. You can also wear Bhutanese attire and take part in the festival.

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Haa Summer Festival

Haa Festival is held in summer unlike other festivals in Bhutan which usually take place in fall or spring. To beat the heat, you can join the Haa Festival in summer. The weather is pleasant in Haa during summer.

The Haa festival is celebrated with uplifting energy. It is a festival of Nomads with unparalleled insight into the lives of Nomadic Herders. 

It showcases lively mask dances, traditional folk songs, artifacts and traditional sports. The Haa Summer Festival can greatly open the window to Bhutan Culture and Tradition . Tourists can also experience the night at one of the many village homestays and enjoy the hospitality of the local people of Haa Valley.

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Jambay Lhakhang Drub

Jambay Lhakhang Drup or Jambay Lhakhang festival is an enthralling festival of Bhutan.  The festival is held at Jambay Lhakhang which is one of the oldest temples in BhutanThe fire offering and the naked dance topping the list. Both of these programs are held at night on a full moon day. The locals believe that passing through the Fire offering in the form of an arch will burn away all the obstacles.

The naked dance represents the primordial wisdom of awareness and emptiness which was  initiated by Terton Dorji Lingpa. Simply watching the naked dance is supposed to empower one with the ability to overcome the obstacles of anxiety and fear. Jambay Lhakhang festival also consists of other dances like the Dance of Four Groups of Garudas, the Stick Dance, the drum dance of Dorji Lingpa, Dance of Lord of Death,  Dance of Dramitse and many other colorful and unique dances.

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Black Necked Crane Festival

The Black-Necked Crane festival is celebrated in the courtyard of Gangtey Gonpa, in Phobjikha Valley to herald the coming of endangered and majestic birds. It is held on the 11th of November, coinciding with the birthday of our fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuk. The festival is uplifting with mask dances, crane dances, and other cultural items. 

The annual black-necked crane festival is organized to generate awareness and understanding of conserving the endangered Black‐necked cranes. It is also a time for the local villagers to come together and celebrate the festival with their friends and family.

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Gomphu Kora Tshechu

If magic and myths fascinate you then you cannot miss the unique Eastern Bhutan Festival of Gomphu Kora. It is uplifting, and colorful with tremendous religious significance. The people all over Eastern Bhutan including the tribes from neighboring Arunachal Pradesh, come to witness the Gom Kora Festival in their finest attire. Gom Kora itself is a place of magic. It has the ambience of medieval time with gigantic monolithic rocks rising from the paddy fields and the  roaring Dangmechu river in the background.

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Punakha Drupchen

Punakha Drupchen is an annual festival celebrated for about 3 days usually in February or March. It’s a spectacular celebration of the 17th-century triumph of Bhutanese armies over Tibetan invaders. Palden Lhamo, Bhutan’s patron god, is also honored throughout the festival.

The Punakha Dzong comes to life with the sound of trumpets, drums, and cymbals during Punakha Drupchen. The festival’s high point is a reenactment of old battle scenes, in which actors in period costumes portray the victory of the Bhutanese army.

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Druk Wangyal Festival

The Dochula Festival, also known as the Druk Wangyel Tshechu, was established in 2011 under the patronage of Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. It stands out from other festivals because it is entirely performed by the Royal Bhutan Army instead of the usual involvement of monastic figures. To prepare for this unique event, the soldiers undergo an intensive three-month training program in folk and mask dances. The festival commences at 9 am and concludes at 4:15 pm, offering a day filled with vibrant cultural performances.

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Jakar Tshechu Festival

A Celebration of Heritage: The Jakar Tshechu Festival

The Jakar Tshechu Festival, held in the grand Jakar Dzong, is a three-day extravaganza in the Bumthang District of Bhutan. This annual event showcases sacred mask dances performed by Buddhist monks, accompanied by enchanting folk songs and dances by local villagers. The festival attracts visitors dressed in their finest attire, including tourists eager to witness this cultural spectacle. With its rich traditions and spiritual significance, the festival serves as a joyous gathering where communities unite, offering prayers and discussions for a prosperous year ahead. It is a vibrant celebration that embodies Bhutan’s cultural heritage and reverence for Guru Rimpoche, the Second Buddha

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Nimalung Tshechu

 Nimalung Festival is performed in Nimalung Lhakhang which is located in Chumey in Bumthang. Tshechu is held once a year in the 5th month of the Bhutanese calendar. The 9-meter-wide Thongdrol of Guru Rimpoche is displayed for the attendees. In addition to inspiring wonder, it is said to cleanse the sins of all those who look upon it. During Tshechu, a series of colorful and spectacular mask dances are performed. Click on the Festival Dates of Bhutan mentioned below to know the dates of this festival. Nimalung Tshechu. 

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Date Of The Festivals

NameTownStart DateEnd Date
Punakha DrubchenPunakhaFeb 16, 2024Feb 18, 2024
Punakha TshechuPunakhaFeb 19, 2024Feb 21, 2024
Tharpaling ThongdrolBumthangFeb 24, 2024
Thangbi ManiBumthangFeb 25, 2024Feb 27, 2024
Zhemgang TshechuZhemgangMar 17, 2024Mar 19, 2024
Gasa TshechuGasaMar 17, 2024Mar 19, 2024
Talo TshechuPunakhaMar 17, 2024Mar 19, 2024
GomphukoraTrashigangMar 17, 2024Mar 19, 2024
Paro TshechuParoMar 21, 2024Mar 25, 2024
Chhorten KoraTrashigangMar 25, 2024Apr 08, 2024
Rhododendron FestivalThimphuApr 13, 2024Apr 14, 2024
Domkhar TshechuBumthangApr 18, 2024Apr 20, 2024
Ura YakchoeBumthangApr 20, 2024Apr 24, 2024
Nimalung TshechuBumthangJun 14, 2024Jun 16, 2024
Kurjey TshechuBumthangJun 16, 2024
Haa Summer FestivalHaa ValleyJul 14, 2024Jul 15, 2024
Tour of the Dragon (Mountain Bike Race)ThimphuSep 02, 2024
Thimphu DrubchenThimphuSep 09, 2024
Wangdue TshechuWangdue PhodrangSep 11, 2024Sep 13, 2024
Tamshing Phala ChhoepaBumthangSep 13, 2024Sep 15, 2024
Thimphu TshechuThimphuSep 13, 2024Sep 15, 2024
Gangtey TshechuWangdue PhodrangSep 16, 2024Sep 18, 2024
Thangbi ManiBumthangSep 17, 2024Sep 19, 2024
Thangbi MewangBumthangSep 18, 2024Sep 19, 2024
Jakar TshechuBumthangOct 10, 2024Oct 12, 2024
Chhukha TshechuChukhaOct 10, 2024Oct 12, 2024
Jhomolhari Mountain FestivalThimphuOct 14, 2024Oct 15, 2024
Prakhar DuchhoedBumthangOct 18, 2024Oct 20, 2024
Royal Highland festival (Laya)LayaOct 23, 2024Oct 24, 2024
Dechenphu TshechuThimphuNov 03, 2024
Mongar TshechuMongarNov 09, 2024Nov 11, 2024
Pemagatshel TshechuPemagatshelNov 09, 2024Nov 11, 2024
Trashigang TshechuTrashigangNov 09, 2024Nov 11, 2024
Black Necked Crane FestivalWangdue PhodrangNov 11, 2024
Nalakhar TshechuBumthangNov 15, 2024Nov 17, 2024
Jambay Lhakhang DrupBumthangNov 15, 2024Nov 18, 2024
Jambay Lhakhang Singye ChamBumthangNov 15, 2024
Lhuentse TshechuLhuentseDec 08, 2024Dec 10, 2024
Trongsa TshechuTrongsaDec 08, 2024Dec 10, 2024
Druk Wangyel TshechuThimphuDec 13, 2024
Samdrupjongkhar TshechuSamdrup JongkharDec 13, 2024Dec 15, 2024
Nabji Lhakhang DrupTrongsaDec 15, 2024Dec 16, 2024
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