Planning a trip around a Bhutan festival is one of the best decisions you can make. This Bhutan festival calendar for 2027 gives you every major date in one place, so you can choose your festival first and build the rest of your journey around it.
Bhutan’s festivals follow the lunar calendar, so the dates move every year. That is why so many travellers get them wrong. Below, you will find the 2027 dates we use to plan our own trips, grouped by season, with a short note on what makes each one special.
How to Use This Bhutan Festival Calendar
Start with the season you can travel in. Then pick one festival as the “anchor” of your trip and add two or three valleys around it. Most of our guests spend two or three days at a festival and the rest of the week exploring.
Book early. Hotel rooms near the big festivals, especially in Paro and Thimphu, fill months ahead. If you know your festival, it is wise to reserve now.
Winter Festivals: February 2027
Lhamoi Dromchhen, Trongsa — 11–13 February. A quiet, local festival in central Bhutan, held at the great dzong of Trongsa. You will see few other visitors here.
Punakha Tshechu — 16–18 February. Punakha Dzong sits where two rivers meet, and in February the valley is mild and green. Because it falls only days after Trongsa, you can enjoy two winter festivals on one trip.
Winter is also the calmest time to travel. Days are sunny, skies are clear, and you share the courtyards mostly with Bhutanese families.
Spring Festivals: March and April 2027
Paro Tshechu — 18–22 March. This is Bhutan’s best-known festival. On the final morning, before sunrise, a giant embroidered thangka called a thongdrel is unrolled over the dzong wall. Our Paro Tshechu trip times your stay so you are in place for that moment, and pairs it with the Tiger’s Nest hike.
Ura Yakchoe, Bumthang — 18–22 April. A village festival in a high valley, with a sacred relic carried in procession. Apple trees are often in blossom.
Rhododendron Festival, Lamperi — 22–23 April. Not a religious festival, but a celebration of the forests near Dochula pass, when the hillsides turn crimson.
Summer Festivals: July and August 2027
Haa Summer Festival — July (dates to be confirmed). A celebration of nomad life in the Haa valley: yak herders, local food, games and songs.
Matsutake Mushroom Festival, Ura — August (dates to be confirmed). A small harvest festival in Bumthang where you can join villagers foraging for wild mushrooms.
Summer is the monsoon season, so expect showers. In return, you get green valleys, flowers and very few crowds.
Autumn Festivals: October 2027
October is Bhutan’s busiest month, with the clearest mountain views of the year.
Thimphu Tshechu — 10–12 October. The capital’s festival fills the courtyard of Tashichho Dzong with thousands of people in their finest clothes. Our Thimphu Tshechu journey adds Punakha and the Tiger’s Nest.
Gangtey Tshechu, Phobjikha — 13–15 October. An intimate monastery festival in a wide glacial valley.
Jomolhari Mountain Festival — 14–15 October. Held at the foot of Mount Jomolhari, reached on a short trek. Expect yak herder culture and talks on snow leopard conservation.
Royal Highland Festival, Laya — 23–24 October. One of the highest festivals on Earth, in a remote village reached only on foot. This one is for fit trekkers.
Late Autumn and Winter Festivals: November and December 2027
Black-Necked Crane Festival, Phobjikha — 11 November. The rare cranes arrive from Tibet to spend winter in the valley. Local schoolchildren perform dances in their honour at Gangtey Monastery.
Jambay Lhakhang Drup, Bumthang — 14–17 November. Famous for its fire blessing at night, when people run under a burning gate for good luck. It pairs well with the crane festival.
Druk Wangyel Festival, Dochula — 13 December. Held on an open pass at 3,100 m, with the Himalaya behind the dancers on a clear day.
Tips for Your First Festival
- Dress well. Bhutanese people wear their best clothes to a tshechu. Long sleeves and long trousers or skirts are respectful. You are welcome to wear a gho or kira; your guide can help you get one.
- Arrive early. The best places in the courtyard go fast, especially in Paro and Thimphu.
- Photograph with care. Photos are usually fine, but never use flash, never step into the dance area, and follow your guide’s advice inside temples.
- Remember it is religious. The mask dances are blessings, not a show staged for visitors. Watching quietly earns you real smiles.
For official festival listings, you can also check the Department of Tourism’s festival pages before you book.
Plan Your 2027 Festival Trip
Outside Thimphu and Paro, every visitor needs a licensed Bhutanese guide, so most travellers plan their trip with a local operator. We have been that local partner since 2012, welcoming more than 2,000 travellers in over 250 groups. Our festival trips start from US$300 per person per day, including the Sustainable Development Fee, guide, vehicle, hotels and meals.
Browse every Bhutan festival tour we run for 2027, or send us your dates and we will match you to the right festival.
Bhutan Festival Calendar FAQ
When is the best festival to visit in Bhutan?
For the biggest atmosphere, choose Paro Tshechu in March or Thimphu Tshechu in October. For fewer crowds, choose Punakha in February or the crane festival in November.
Do Bhutan festival dates change every year?
Yes. Most festivals follow the lunar calendar, so dates move each year. Always check the current year’s calendar before booking flights.
Do I need a ticket to attend a tshechu?
No. Festivals are free and open to everyone. Your guide will help you find a good place to sit.
How far ahead should I book a festival trip?
For Paro and Thimphu, six months or more is wise, because festival hotels fill first. Smaller festivals can often be booked a few months ahead.
Can I see two festivals on one trip?
Yes. Good pairings in 2027 are Trongsa and Punakha in February, Thimphu and Gangtey in October, and the crane festival with Jambay Lhakhang Drup in November.
