Bhutan Festival Experience
Bhutan has almost 200 festivals (or tshechus) each year. These range from small local events in a single village to great celebrations in major monasteries. Attending a festival in Bhutan, such as the Paro Festival is an experience like no other. You’ll have the opportunity to mingle with friendly local people and immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of ancient Bhutanese culture.
Time your travel to Bhutan to catch one of our favourite festivals in Bhutan!
We can plan a tour to incorporate one of these festivals for you. They can be used as the basis of a tour or added to another itinerary. Contact us for more information about adding one of these special events into your Bhutan vacation.
Please note that Bhutan Festival dates are based on the lunar calendar, and sometimes change without notice. If we are including a festival in your itinerary we work on the most up to date information there is.
In the crisp mountain air, hundreds of local Bhutanese people come together to celebrate their country, their religion, and their unique culture. Their elaborate clothing is the same as has been worn by generations before them, a bloom of colourful brocade and patterned weave. Their smiles are infectious. The energy of the event buzzes with the joy that is ever-present in the Dragon Kingdom.
Bhutan Festivals 2025
spring highlights (february, march & April)
Punakha Festival (TsHechu)
2025: 9-11 March
Where: Punakha Dzong
A unique festival that recreates in dramatic fashion a historic battle between the Bhutanese and Tibetan armies that took place in the 17th century. Bhutan was victorious, marking the beginning of a new age of peace and stability for the country.
Goes best with: Spirit of Bhutan Tour or Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Chhorten Kora festival (Trashiyangtshe)
2025: 14 march & 29 March
Where: Chorten Kora, Trashiyangtshe
TANGSIBI MANI festival (URA)
2025: 15-17 march
Where: Tangsibi Lhakhang, Ura Bumthang
The Tangbi Mani Festival, held at the historic Tangbi Temple in Bumthang, is a vibrant three-day celebration that unites the villages of Tangbi, Goling, and Kharsath. This traditional festival brings the temple to life with colors, music, and devotion. Monks perform sacred rituals while locals honor their ancestors and celebrate their roots. The festival is believed to bring happiness, ensure a bountiful harvest, and usher in prosperity. It’s a time of reverence, joy, and community spirit.
Gomphu kora TSHECHU (Trashigang)
2025: 5-7 April
Where: Gom Kora Lhakhang, Trashigang
Gomphu Kora is attended by locals and tribal people from Merak and Sakten who circumambulate the gonpa throughout the night. Very few foreigners attend this festival.
Talo Tshechu
2025: 5–7 April
Where: Talo
Watch clown dances and masked dancers at a rural festival with very few tourists.
Paro Festival (TsHechu)
2025: 8-12 April
Where: Rinpung Dzong, Paro
Monks and laypeople perform mesmerising symbolic dances in one of Bhutan's biggest annual festivals. Lasting for five days in the spring, the Paro Tsechu is a joy-filled celebration in the town and a highlight of the year in Bhutan.
Goes best with: Paro Festival Journey and any itinerary in Bhutan
RHODODENDRON FESTIVAL
2025: 22-24 APRIL
Where: Lamperi Botanical Park, Thimpu
The Rhododendron Festival celebrates the arrival of spring, when vibrant rhododendron flowers bloom across Bhutan. It raises awareness of Bhutan’s biodiversity, promotes conservation, and honors the nation’s cultural heritage, emphasizing the importance of preserving its natural resources for future generations. Bhutan is home to 46 species of rhododendrons, with 29 found in the Lampelri Botanical Park, just 35 km from Thimphu. The festival highlights these flowers, which symbolize purity, beauty, and resilience in Bhutanese folklore.
Domkhar Festival (TsHechu)
2025: 7-9 May
Where: Chumey, Bumthang
For a very intimate, local experience of Bhutanese festivals, the best place to go is the countryside. Chumey is a tiny village off the beaten track in Bumthang, where you can be immersed in the Bhutanese lifestyle and traditions without the crowds. Read more here in our article about Bumthang’s Festivals.
Goes best with: Bhutan Heart & Soul Tour or Central & Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Ura YakChoe
2025: 9-13 May
Where: Ura Lhakhang, Bumthang
Known for its famous dancing, this colourful festival is held on Ura’s hilltop monastery. A key component of the 3-day proceedings is an ancient Buddhist statue of passed on from the generation to generation. Read more here in our article about Bumthang’s Festivals.
Goes best with: Bhutan Heart & Soul Tour or Central & Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Read more here in our article about Bumthang’s Festivals.
Autumn Highlights (September & October)
Wangdue Festival (TsHechu)
2025: 30 Sep - 2 Oct
Where: Wangdue Phodrang
The vibrant colours and sounds of the Tsechu brighten the usually quiet town of Wangdue Phodrang for three days in autumn. See the giant thangka, a sacred Buddhist image, that's only shown once a year at this time.
Goes best with: Spirit of Bhutan Tour or Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Thimpu Festival (TsHechu)
2025: 2-4 Oct
Where: Thimpu
The Bhutanese capital's biggest festival is a Buddhist extravaganza attended by thousands of people from the neighbouring districts. Monks and laypeople perform sacred religious dances, dressed in elaborate costumes and masks to represent deities from Buddhist lore.
Goes best with: Any tour in Bhutan
Thangbi Mani
2025: 7-8 October
Where: Chokhor, Bumthang
This colourful village festival can only be reached by foot. Masked dancers perform in the grounds of an ancient monastery founded in 1470. The highlight is the fire blessing (Mewang) ceremony where locals leap over flames to purify themselves. Read more here in our article about Bumthang’s Festivals.
Goes best with: Bhutan Heart & Soul Tour or Central & Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Gangtey Festival (TsHechu)
2025: 5-7 October
Where: Gangtey Gonpa, Phobjikha
The streets fill with colourful prayer flags during this 3-day festival and sacred masked dances are held in the large courtyard of Gangtey Gonpa monastery overlooking the fertile Phobjikha valley.
Goes best with: Bhutan Heart & Soul Tour or Central & Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Royal Highland Festival
2024: 23-24 October
Where: Laya
In the remote mountains of northwestern Bhutan, the Laya highland people showcase their unique culture and celebrate the highland lifestyle for two wonderful days. Only accessible by foot, this festival is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see people living the way they have for centuries.
Goes best with: Laya Ghasa Trek, tailor-made tour to Punakha
Jakar Festival (TsHechu)
2025: Jakar 29 oct - 1 Nov
Where: Jakar Dzong, Bumthang
Bumthang, in eastern Bhutan, is the cultural heartland of the country. Jakar Monastery's annual festival is a highlight in the area, a riot of colour and music for three days that enlivens the crowd in the otherwise quiet forested valleys of Bumthang.
Goes best with: Bhutan Heart & Soul Tour or Central & Western Bhutan Walking Holiday
Jambay Lhakhang Drup FEstival (bumthang)
2025: 5-8 NOVEMBER
Where: Jambay Lhakhang, Choekhor, Bumthang
One of Bhutan’s most famous festival, Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival is famous for its naked dance ( performed late at night) as well as the fire dance. This spectacular festival draws locals and toursists alike to the Bumthang Valley.
Prakhar Duchhoed FEstival (bumthang)
2025: 6-8 NOVEMBER
Where: Prakar Khakhang, Chumni, Bumthang
This annual three day festival is held at the Prakar Lhakhang in Chummi gewog in Bumthang.
Black Necked Crane Festival (Phobjikha)
2025: 11 NOVEMBER
Where: Gangtey Gonpa, Phobjikha
The Black-necked Crane Festival celebrates the majestic bird after which it is named. Native to the Tibetan Plateau, the Black-necked Crane migrates to Bhutan each autumn, heralding the harvest season and holding deep cultural significance for the local communities. During this vibrant one-day festival, local children perform a special crane dance in colorful costumes, paying homage to the bird, while other traditional folk performances bring the spirit of the season to life. Join us for a unique cultural celebration that honors both nature and tradition!
Mongar Tshechu Festival (Mongar)
2025: 28-30 NOVEMBER
Where: Mongar Dzong, Mongar
Trashigang Tshechu Festival (Trashigang)
2025: 29-30 NOVEMBER, 1 December
Where: Trashigang Dzong, Trashigang
Druk Wangyal Tsechu (DOCHULA FESTIVAL)
2025: 13 DECEMBER
Where: Dochula Pass (3,100 m), between Thimphu and Punakha
The Dochula Festival, or Druk Wangyel Tshechu, is held annually to honor the Fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, and commemorate the Royal Bhutan Army’s victory over insurgents in 2003. Established in 2011, it is uniquely performed by the Army, who train in folk and mask dances. Set at 3,1oo meters, Dochula Pass offers breathtaking views of the Himalayas and provides a unique opportunity to experience Bhutanese culture through traditional music, dance, and performances.
