8 days/ 7 nights · Private tour
Tour highlights
About this tour
The Gangtey Tshechu takes place at Gangtey Monastery, on a ridge above the wide, glacial valley of Phobjikha. From 13 to 15 October 2027, monks and villagers perform masked dances in the monastery courtyard. With only a few hundred people watching, it feels intimate and very local.
This eight-day tour gives you three days in Phobjikha, plus Thimphu, Punakha Dzong and the hike to Tiger’s Nest. Autumn colours fill the valley, and the air is crisp and clear.
Big festivals in Thimphu and Paro draw thousands of people. By contrast, Gangtey is small, so you can stand close to the dancers and chat with farming families. The monastery itself dates from the 17th century and is home to a community of monks.
Phobjikha is also the winter home of the rare black-necked cranes. The first birds usually arrive in late October, so a few early cranes may greet you.
Dress modestly, with long sleeves and long trousers or a skirt, and bring a warm layer for the early mornings. Photos are welcome in the courtyard. However, please do not use flash, step into the dance space or climb on walls. Your guide will find you a good spot and explain each dance as it happens.
Arriving earlier? The Thimphu Tshechu runs just before this one, so you can see both in one trip. Or see every Bhutan festival tour for 2027.
Your Gangtey Tshechu tour starts from US$2,400 per person, and group discounts are available. The price covers the Sustainable Development Fee, hotels and all meals. It also includes a private vehicle and driver, a licensed guide, taxes and entry fees. Flights, insurance and drinks are extra.
The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per night right now. That is half the standard rate set by Bhutan’s official tourism site. However, this lower rate is confirmed only until 31 August 2027. We have been licensed since 2012 and have welcomed more than 2,000 travellers.
It is planned for 13 to 15 October 2027. We confirm the exact dates when you book.
Days are fresh and sunny, but nights drop close to freezing at 3,000 metres. Bring warm layers.
In a comfortable lodge or farmhouse in the valley, so you can walk to the monastery.
Day by day
This itinerary shows one way to enjoy this trip. We can change any day, add or remove places, change the pace or the hotels, and add a festival. Every journey we run is curated around you.
Paro to Thimphu · 55 km · about 1.5 hours · 2,300 m Your flight drops into the Paro Valley, and your guide greets you with a white scarf. You follow the river to Thimphu, stopping at Chuzom, where three small stupas mark the meeting of two rivers. In the afternoon, you visit the Memorial Chorten, where elders turn prayer wheels. In the evening, you walk the main street of the capital. Overnight: Thimphu
Thimphu to Punakha · 72 km · about 3 hours · Dochula Pass 3,100 m You climb through pine forest to Dochula Pass, where 108 chortens stand against the Himalaya. On clear days, a line of snow peaks fills the horizon. Then the road drops into the warm Punakha Valley. In the afternoon, you walk through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang, the temple of the Divine Madman. Overnight: Punakha
Punakha to Phobjikha · about 78 km · 3 hours · 3,000 m You follow the river past Wangdue, then climb through oak and rhododendron forest into Phobjikha. After lunch, you walk up to Gangtey Monastery for the first afternoon of dances. In the evening, you settle into your lodge as the valley turns gold. Overnight: Phobjikha
Gangtey Monastery · festival day · 3,000 m You join the villagers early, when the monastery courtyard is still cold and the horns echo across the valley. Dancers in masks spin through the morning, and the atsaras make everyone laugh. In the afternoon, you walk the gentle nature trail across the valley floor. Overnight: Phobjikha
Phobjikha to Punakha · about 78 km · 3 hours You watch the final morning of dances, the most sacred part of the festival. After lunch, you drive back down to the warm Punakha Valley. In the late afternoon, you cross a wooden bridge into Punakha Dzong. Overnight: Punakha
Punakha to Paro · 125 km · about 4.5 hours with stops You cross Dochula once more for a last look at the mountains, then follow the river roads to Paro. In the afternoon, you visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, and walk down from Rinpung Dzong across a covered wooden bridge. Overnight: Paro
Tiger's Nest hike · about 500 m climb · 4 to 6 hours return · 3,100 m You set off early through pine forest hung with prayer flags, climbing about 500 metres to the viewpoint opposite the monastery. From there, steps lead past a waterfall to Taktsang itself, clinging to the cliff above the valley. Your guide tells the story of Guru Rinpoche, who is said to have flown here on a tigress. In the afternoon, your legs can rest with an optional hot stone bath in a farmhouse. Overnight: Paro
Paro airport · short transfer After breakfast, your guide and driver take you to Paro airport and see you off with a farewell scarf. We hope to welcome you back soon, perhaps for a festival in another season.
Package does not include insurance of any kinds, and that you are required to obtain separate coverage from your home country or any insurance company of your choice.
Tell us your dates, and we will shape this trip around you.
