Culture & Celebration
Bhutan's Living Festivals
Tshechu — "day ten" — are the great festivals of the Bhutanese year: sacred mask dances performed in dzong courtyards, believed to bless all who witness them.
A festival like no other
For centuries, Bhutanese communities have gathered each year in the courtyards of their dzongs, where monks and villagers perform cham — sacred dances in masks of gods, demons and animals that retell the legends of Buddhism.
A tshechu is not a performance staged for visitors. It is devotion, celebration and social occasion in one: families arrive in their finest dress, picnic in the courtyards, and stay from the first dance to the last. Visitors are welcomed guests at one of the world's most extraordinary living traditions.
Festival dates follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar and shift every year. We verify exact dates against the official festival calendar before any booking is confirmed — just ask us.
Major Festivals of the Kingdom
Autumn (lunar calendar)
Thimphu Tshechu
Tashichho Dzong, Thimphu
The kingdom's largest festival — three days of sacred cham dances attended by thousands from every district.
Related journeySpring (lunar calendar)
Paro Tshechu
Rinpung Dzong, Paro
One of Bhutan's oldest festivals, famed for the dawn unfurling of a giant sacred thongdrel on its final day.
Related journeySpring (lunar calendar)
Punakha Tshechu & Drubchen
Punakha Dzong, Punakha
Sacred dances and a unique historical re-enactment, set in the courtyard of Bhutan's most beautiful dzong.
Related journeyAutumn (lunar calendar)
Wangdue Phodrang Tshechu
Wangdue Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang
Celebrated for its ornate masks and the Raksha Mangcham — the great dance of the judgment of souls.
Related journeyLate autumn (lunar calendar)
Jambay Lhakhang Drup
Jambay Lhakhang, Bumthang
A night-time festival of fire and dance at one of Bhutan's oldest temples, in the spiritual heartland of Bumthang.
Related journeyNovember (lunar calendar)
Black-Necked Crane Festival
Gangtey, Phobjikha Valley
The valley celebrates the arrival of the endangered cranes with songs, dances and community festivities.
Related journeyPlan a festival journey
Festival travel needs early planning — hotels fill months ahead. Tell us which celebration calls to you and we will confirm the dates and design the journey around it.
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