- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Bhutan festivals · 2027 guide
Gangtey Tshechu 2027: masked dances above the crane valley
Three days of dances at Gangtey Goemba, the great Pema Lingpa monastery above the Phobjikha valley, with a thongdrol on the last day. Expected on 13 to 15 October 2027.
- 13 to 15 October 2027
- Gangtey Goemba, Phobjikha
- Thongdrol on the last day
13 to 15 Oct
Expected dates in 2027
1613
Year Gangtey Goemba was founded
3,000 m
Approximate altitude of Phobjikha
3 h
Drive from Punakha
About the festival
A festival at a great monastery
Gangtey Goemba sits on a forested spur above the Phobjikha valley in Wangdue Phodrang district. It was founded in 1613 by Pema Thinley, grandson of Terton Pema Lingpa, and it is the main seat of the Pema Lingpa tradition in western Bhutan. A major restoration ran from 2002 to 2008.
The Gangtey Tshechu fills the monastery courtyard for three days in autumn with masked dances of the Pema Lingpa tradition, and on the last morning a thongdrol is displayed. The valley below is green and golden in October, just before the black-necked cranes arrive. For many guests this is the most beautiful setting of any festival in Bhutan.
- At a 17th-century monastery
- Pema Lingpa dances
- Just before the cranes arrive
Festival facts
Gangtey Tshechu 2027 at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates in 2027 | 13 to 15 October 2027 |
| Venue | Gangtey Goemba, Phobjikha |
| District | Wangdue Phodrang (western Bhutan) |
| Altitude | About 2,900 to 3,000 m |
| Getting there | About 3 hours from Punakha |
| Thongdrol | Displayed on the final day |
| Accommodation | Farmhouses, small lodges and luxury lodges in the valley; book early |
| Entry | Free and open to visitors with a licensed guide; the SDF and visa rules apply as on any day |
Dates follow the Department of Tourism’s tentative festival list for 2027 and the lunar calendar. They can shift by a day or two, so we confirm them before you book flights.
What you will see
Highlights of Gangtey Tshechu
Masked dances
Cham of the Pema Lingpa tradition.
Thongdrol
A great thangka displayed on the final day.
Gangtey Goemba
A monastery founded in 1613 and restored in 2008.
Valley views
The wide glacial valley of Phobjikha.
Local families
Villagers from across Phobjikha.
Nature trail
The Gangtey nature trail starts near the monastery.
History and meaning
About Gangtey
Gangtey Goemba
Pema Thinley founded the monastery in 1613 on a site prophesied by his grandfather Pema Lingpa. It is the seat of the Gangteng Tulku, and its huge wooden pillars and courtyard make it one of the finest monasteries in Bhutan. The restoration completed in 2008 used traditional methods throughout.
Phobjikha in October
The Phobjikha valley is the main winter home of the black-necked crane, which arrives from late October. A visit for the Gangtey Tshechu often catches the first cranes, and the Black-necked Crane Festival follows on 11 November.
Planning
How to plan your visit
An October festival route
See the Wangdue Tshechu on 8 to 10 October, then climb to Phobjikha for Gangtey on 13 to 15 October. Continue east to Bumthang for Thangbi Mewang, or return west to Paro. Read our Phobjikha guide for lodges.
Etiquette
How to behave at a Bhutanese festival
Festivals are religious events first, so dress as you would for a temple: long sleeves and long trousers or a long skirt, and no hats inside the dzong or temple. Never walk across the dance ground, even when it looks empty between dances. Photography is usually allowed from the edges without flash, but some rituals and inner temples are off limits; your guide will tell you when to put the camera away. Ask before taking close-up portraits.
Arrive early for a good spot, bring water, a hat and a cushion or mat, and expect to be teased by the atsaras, the masked clowns who keep the crowd in order. If someone offers you food or a cup of tea, it is polite to accept. Our guide to Bhutanese festivals explains the dances in more detail.
Trips
Build a trip around Gangtey Tshechu
Every trip is private, so we can time it to the festival dates and add the places nearby.
Before you go
Travel rules for 2027
Every visitor except Indian, Bangladeshi and Maldivian nationals needs a visa, which costs USD 40 and is arranged by your tour operator. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027; children under 6 pay nothing and children aged 6 to 12 pay half. Indian visitors pay INR 1,200 per night. Tourists travel with a licensed guide beyond the first checkpoint and stay in certified hotels or homestays.
The SDF does not change during festival weeks, but hotel rooms near popular festivals fill early. See our visa and SDF guide and Bhutan travel rules.
Gangtey Tshechu: questions
Expected on 13 to 15 October 2027 at Gangtey Goemba.
Possibly the first arrivals; most cranes come from late October.
About 3 hours by road.
No. Bhutanese festivals are free. You attend with your licensed guide, who also explains the dances.
The Department of Tourism lists 13 to 15 October 2027 as the tentative 2027 dates. Lunar dates are occasionally adjusted, so we reconfirm before you book flights.
See Gangtey Tshechu in 2027
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check the festival date, hold hotels nearby and send a day-by-day plan with one price that includes the SDF, visa, guide and car.
Photo credits, via Wikimedia Commons: Jakar Dzong above the Chamkhar valley in Bumthang (Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0); Countryside in Wangdue Phodrang (Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0); Mount Jomolhari from the Bhutan side (Christopher Fynn, CC BY-SA 3.0).
