The Festivals of Bhutan

• Witness the intense color and energy of Bhutan’s sacred festivals, ancient rites of religious veneration
• Rub shoulders with joyous local crowds attending the festivities in elaborate dress
• Discover centuries-old handcraft traditions, and perhaps take home a dramatic carved mask

A crowd of thousands watches enrapt as masked dancers leap and whirl in the air. The dancers are monks, elaborately costumed as animals, demons and demi-gods, engaged in a centuries-old storytelling ritual through movement and melodrama. Mischievous atsara, or clowns, tease the crowd with whimsical whips and wooden phalluses, conferring blessings of fertility on amused young observers. Between the dances, the spectators, attired in silk brocade, join in vigorous renditions of folk songs and religious chants. The spectacle is a Tsechu, a sacred Buddhist festival that captures the color and culture of Bhutan in an annual rite of tradition. In the courtyards of the dzongs – Bhutan’s magnificent fortress-monasteries – dramatists portray deities and dancers twirl to the music of trumpets, cymbals and flutes, honoring the great Guru Rimpoche, ‘born of a lotus flower,’ who brought Buddhism to the kingdom in the 8th century. In a grandiose depiction of the power of compassion and the triumph of good over evil, Bhutan’s festivals offer the traveler an immersion into a most unique and uplifting culture.

Location of Adventure

Bhutan

Accommodations
Our specially selected accommodations are chosen for their authenticity and convenience and range from traditional Bhutanese guesthouses powered by generators and heated by wood burning stoves to beautiful, modern hotels. All have private facilities.

Included

All accommodations, meals (as noted in itinerary), hotel and airport transfers and all ground transportation, services of a Expedition Leader and/or local English speaking guides, permits as required, guided sightseeing and admission fees as per the itinerary.

Not Included

Travel to the start and end point of trip, gratuities, passport and visa fees, items of personal nature (souvenirs, laundry, phone calls, bar bills, etc.), airport and government taxes (if applicable), travel insurance.

Physical Requirements

Level of rating: Moderate

These trips are leisurely overland trip with several days of driving and walks that may be 3-4 hours in length and involve climbing steep stairs in monasteries. Elevation will vary from 40 feet (Bangkok) to 7,710 feet (Thimpu).

Getting There & Getting Home

The best way to fly into Bhutan is from Bangkok(Thailand), Delhi (India) or Kathmandu (Nepal). Call us to help you with flight itinerary suggestions.

When to Go

Bhutan’s busy festival calendar means you can visit most any time of year to witness one of these dramatic spectacles. The tsechus at Paro and Thimphu are the largest, but any festival promises an unforgettable experience of energy, joy and color. The Jambay Lhakhang Drub includes a spectacular fire-blessing ceremony where locals run beneath a giant flaming gate made of dry grasses, with embers falling on their heads. If you wish to include other activities in Bhutan with your festival experience, keep in mind that trekking is best from April to May and from late September to November, while winter is optimal for bird-watching in the south.

Practical Information

Due to the increasing interest in the festivals, these are the busiest times of the year for tourism. If you plan to attend a festival, we strongly recommend that you book your trip well in advance because seat availability on Druk Air is limited and hotel rooms nearby a festival fill up fast.



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2010 Sample Itineraries & Fees

These are sample itineraires designed for your reference. You may choose a trip that suits your needs in terms of length and time of year for travel. The options and combinations are many. Call our Asia360 specialists and we will help you create an unsurpassed travel experience

9-Day Thimphu Tsechu Festival

From $2,995
Day 1: Fly to Paro / sightseeing

Day 2: Drive to Thimpu

Days 3-6: Attend Thimpu Tshechu

Day 7: Drive to Wangdiphodrang / visit Punakha dzong

Day 8: Return to Paro / hike to Taktsang Monastery

Day 9: Depart Bhutan

10-Day Paro Tsechu Festival, with Kathmandu
From $3,395
Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu, Nepal

Day 2: Fly to Paro, Bhutan / drive to Thimpu

Day 3: Thimpu sightseeing

Day 4: Drive to Wangdiphodrang / visit Punakha dzong

Days 5-7: Return to Paro / attend Paro Tsechu

Day 8: Fly to Kathmandu

Day 9: Kathmandu sightseeing

Day 10: Depart Nepal

14-Day Jambay Lhakhang Drub Festival

From $4,595
Day 1: Fly to Paro / sightseeing

Day 2: Hike to Taktsang Monastery

Day 3: Drive to Thimphu

Day 4: Thimphu

Day 5: Drive to Wangdiphodrang / visiting Punakha dzong

Day 6: Drive to Trongsa via Gengtey Monastery

Day 7: Drive to Bumthang / visit Jakar and Jambay Lakhang monasteries

Day 8: Attend Jambay Lakhang Drub

Day 9: Day trip to Ura Valley and Ura village

Day 10: Drive to Wangdiphodrang

Day 11: Drive to Thimphu

Day 12: Visit Tango Monastery

Day 13: Drive to Paro

Day 14: Depart Bhutan

16-Day Wangdi Festival with Chomolhari Trek

From $5,095

Plus $855 Bangkok-Paro-Bangkok flight

Day 1: Arrive Bangkok, overnight at Novotel Airport Hotel

Day 2: Fly to Paro / drive to Thimphu

Day 3: Sightseeing in Thimphu / drive to Punakha

Days 4-5: Participate in Wangdi Festival

Day 6: Drive to Paro / sightsee

Day 7: Visit Drugyal Dzong / begin trek

Days 8-10: Trek to Chomolhari base camp at Jangothang

Days 11-14: Trek back to Drugyal Dzong

Day 15: Day trip to hike up to Taktsang

Day 16: Fly Paro to Bangkok, connect to ongoing flight

This trip is rated Moderate to Challenging

Deposit: 25% of fee (non-refundable)

Estimated prices are based on two travelers only

Your trip will be customized to meet your needs and will be priced according to length of trip, hotels chosen and time of year. Our Adventure Specialists will assist you in choosing the trip that best meets your desires.

Prices are per person based on double occupancy and are given in US Dollars.