- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Bhutan festivals · 2027 guide
Nalakhar Tshechu 2027: the Swan Temple's winter festival
Three days of masked dances at Ngang Lhakhang, the Swan Temple, at the head of the Chhoekhor valley in Bumthang. Expected on 13 to 15 December 2027.
- 13 to 15 December 2027
- Ngang Lhakhang, Bumthang
- Walk-in temple
13 to 15 Dec
Expected dates in 2027
15th c.
Century the temple was founded
1 h
Drive north of Jakar
15 min
Walk from the road head
About the festival
A festival at the end of the road
Ngang Lhakhang, the Swan Temple, stands in the upper Chhoekhor valley north of Jakar, beyond the last villages most visitors see. It was founded in the 15th century by Lama Namkha Samdrup, and its festival, the Nalakhar Tshechu, honours him with three days of masked dances, prayers and blessings for a good harvest.
Getting there is part of the experience. You drive about an hour on a farm road past Thangbi Lhakhang, cross a footbridge and walk about 15 minutes along the river to the temple. The dances are performed by monks and lay people, and the crowd is almost entirely local. In December the valley is frosty and very quiet.
- A 15th-century temple
- A short walk from the road
- Almost entirely local crowd
Festival facts
Nalakhar Tshechu 2027 at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates in 2027 | 13 to 15 December 2027 |
| Venue | Ngang Lhakhang, Chhoekhor |
| District | Bumthang (central Bhutan) |
| Altitude | About 2,800 m |
| Getting there | About 1 hour by farm road from Jakar past Thangbi, then a 15-minute walk |
| Weather | Cold December days and freezing nights |
| Nearby | Thangbi Lhakhang, Jambay Lhakhang and Kurjey |
| 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 Nalakhar Tshechu
Masked dances
Cham by monks and lay dancers.
Ngang Lhakhang
The Swan Temple, founded in the 15th century.
Riverside walk
A short path to the temple along the river.
Village crowd
Farming families from the upper valley.
Harvest blessings
Prayers for prosperity in the year ahead.
Winter valley
Frosty mornings and clear skies.
History and meaning
About Ngang Lhakhang
The founder
Lama Namkha Samdrup founded Ngang Lhakhang in the 15th century. The festival is held in his honour and to ask for happiness, prosperity and a good harvest for the valley.
The upper Chhoekhor valley
The farm road north of Jakar passes Thangbi Lhakhang and climbs through fields and pine forest. Few tourists come this far, and the walk to the temple gives a real sense of rural Bumthang.
Planning
How to plan your visit
Planning
Stay in Jakar and drive up each morning. Combine the first day with the Jambay Lhakhang Singye Cham, also on 13 December, and the Goenpai Drupchen in Trongsa earlier in the month. Bring warm layers and good shoes for the walk.
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 Nalakhar 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.
Nalakhar Tshechu: questions
Expected on 13 to 15 December 2027 at Ngang Lhakhang.
Drive about an hour north of Jakar, then walk about 15 minutes along the river.
Lama Namkha Samdrup, in the 15th century.
No. Bhutanese festivals are free. You attend with your licensed guide, who also explains the dances.
The Department of Tourism lists 13 to 15 December 2027 as the tentative 2027 dates. Lunar dates are occasionally adjusted, so we reconfirm before you book flights.
More festivals
Other festivals around the same time
See Nalakhar 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: Ngang Lhakhang, the Swan Temple, in Bumthang (Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY 2.0); Jambay Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan (Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0); Jakar Dzong above the Chamkhar valley in Bumthang (Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0); Trongsa Dzong on its ridge above the Mangde Chhu (Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0).
