7 days/ 6 nights · Private tour
Tour highlights
About this tour
The Punakha Tshechu fills the courtyard of Punakha Dzong with music, masked dancers and families in their finest clothes. In 2027, it runs from 16 to 18 February, when the valley is mild and sunny. This seven-day tour gives you three days at the festival, plus Thimphu and the hike to Tiger’s Nest.
Punakha Dzong is the most beautiful fortress in Bhutan, and it was the seat of government for centuries. Watching the dances here, with the two rivers flowing past the walls, is a moment you will not forget.
A tshechu honours Guru Rinpoche, who brought Buddhism to Bhutan. Monks and laymen perform cham, sacred masked dances that tell stories of good defeating evil. Meanwhile, clowns called atsaras tease the crowd, and families share picnics in the shade.
Just before the tshechu, the Punakha Dromchoe recalls a famous 17th-century victory. Hundreds of men dressed as warriors, called pazaps, march and dance in the courtyard. If you want to see both, arrive a few days earlier and we will add them to your plan.
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 more festivals? See every Bhutan festival tour for 2027, season by season. Prefer a quieter trip? Our 7-day Bhutan itinerary covers the same valleys without the crowds.
Your Punakha Tshechu tour starts from US$2,100 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 near Punakha fill early for festival week, so book 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 16 to 18 February 2027. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar, so we confirm them when you book.
Yes. Punakha sits low at about 1,200 metres, so days are mild and sunny, while the high passes may have snow.
Yes. The Lhamoi Dromchhen in Trongsa runs just before it, from 11 to 13 February 2027.
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 Punakha · 72 km · about 3 hours · Dochula Pass 3,100 m You climb to Dochula Pass, where 108 chortens stand against the Himalaya, then drop into the warm Punakha Valley. After lunch, you walk across the wooden bridge into Punakha Dzong for your first afternoon of dances. Your guide explains what each mask means. In the evening, you relax by the river. Overnight: Punakha
Punakha Dzong · festival day · 1,200 m Today you join the locals early, when the courtyard is still cool and the first horns sound. Dancers in silk and brocade spin through the morning, and the atsaras keep everyone laughing. At midday, you share a picnic in the shade. In the afternoon, you can return to the dances or walk the long suspension bridge. Overnight: Punakha
Punakha to Paro · 125 km · about 4.5 hours You spend the morning at the last day of the festival, when the crowd is at its biggest. After lunch, you cross Dochula and follow the river roads to Paro. In the evening, you walk through Paro town. 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.
