8 days/ 7 nights · Private tour
Tour highlights
About this tour
The Paro Tshechu is the most famous festival in Bhutan. From 18 to 22 March 2027, the Paro valley fills with music, masked dancers and families in their finest silk. On the final morning, before sunrise, a giant thangka is unrolled on a tall wall, and thousands gather to receive its blessing.
This eight-day tour keeps you in Paro for the whole festival. As a result, you see the dances on several days, the dawn unveiling and the hike to Tiger’s Nest, without long drives in between. Spring blossom and clear skies make March a lovely time to visit.
The festival honours Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. Monks and laymen perform cham, sacred masked dances that tell stories of good defeating evil. Meanwhile, the atsaras, masked clowns, joke with the crowd and bless children.
The first day takes place inside the courtyard of Rinpung Dzong. After that, the dances move to a large open ground above the dzong. On the last morning, the thongdrel, a thangka several storeys high, is shown at dawn and rolled away before the sun can touch it.
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.
Want to stay longer? Add the Punakha Valley with our 7-day Bhutan itinerary. Or see every Bhutan festival tour for 2027.
Your Paro 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. Hotels in Paro fill early for festival week, so book three to six months ahead.
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 18 to 22 March 2027. The dawn thangka unveiling takes place on the final day.
Yes. It is the most popular festival in Bhutan. Your guide knows where to stand and when to arrive.
Days are mild and sunny, with peach and pear blossom in the valley. Mornings and evenings are cool.
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 · full day · 2,300 m After breakfast, you visit Buddha Dordenma, the giant golden Buddha watching over the valley. Next, you see young artists at work in the School of Traditional Arts and browse the craft bazaar. In the evening, you visit Tashichho Dzong, the seat of government, as the light turns gold. Overnight: Thimphu
Thimphu to Paro · 55 km · about 1.5 hours You drive back to Paro in the morning. After lunch, you join the crowd inside the courtyard of Rinpung Dzong for the opening dances. Your guide explains the meaning of each mask. In the evening, you walk through Paro town, busy with festival visitors. Overnight: Paro
Festival ground above Rinpung Dzong · full day You arrive early to find a good spot on the open festival ground. Dancers in masks and silk spin through the morning, and the atsaras keep everyone laughing. At midday, you share a picnic with local families. In the afternoon, you return for more dances or visit the National Museum. Overnight: Paro
Paro · full day You spend the morning at the dances. After lunch, you visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan, and the ruins of Drukgyel Dzong. In the evening, an optional hot stone bath in a farmhouse is the perfect end to the day. 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
Festival ground · before sunrise You rise around 3 am and walk to the festival ground in the dark. As the sky turns pink, the giant thangka is unrolled on the wall, and the crowd moves forward for a blessing. After breakfast, you return for the final dances. 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.
