- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Bhutan festivals · 2027 guide
Gasa Tshechu 2027: masked dances below the northern snow peaks
A three-day festival at Gasa Dzong, the northernmost dzong on the road from Punakha. Expected on 16 to 18 March 2027, with the Gasa hot springs nearby.
- 16 to 18 March 2027
- Gasa Dzong, northern Bhutan
- Hot springs nearby
16 to 18 Mar
Expected dates in 2027
1646
Year Gasa Dzong was founded
2,800 m
Approximate altitude of Gasa Dzong
3 to 4 h
Drive from Punakha
About the festival
A frontier dzong and its festival
Gasa Dzong stands on a ridge in the far north of western Bhutan, with snow peaks behind it. Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel founded it in 1646 to guard the routes from Tibet, and it is still the administrative centre of Gasa, Bhutan’s least populated district. Gasa is also the gateway to the highland villages of Laya and Lunana.
The Gasa Tshechu fills the dzong courtyard for three days with masked dances and families from the surrounding villages, including Layaps in their conical bamboo hats when they come down from the high country. Combine it with a soak in the Gasa Tshachu hot springs below the dzong, which Bhutanese visit for their healing waters.
- Founded by the Zhabdrung in 1646
- Gateway to Laya and Lunana
- Hot springs below the dzong
Festival facts
Gasa Tshechu 2027 at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates in 2027 | 16 to 18 March 2027 |
| Venue | Gasa Dzong (Tashi Thongmoen Dzong) |
| District | Gasa (northern Bhutan) |
| Altitude | About 2,800 m at the dzong |
| Getting there | About 3 to 4 hours by road from Punakha up the Mo Chhu valley |
| Hot springs | Gasa Tshachu, a short drive or walk below the dzong |
| Accommodation | Simple guesthouses and campsites; many visitors stay near the hot springs |
| 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 Gasa Tshechu
Masked dances
Cham in the courtyard of Gasa Dzong.
Gasa Dzong
A 17th-century fortress below snow peaks.
Highland visitors
Layaps and villagers from across the district.
Hot springs
Bathing pools fed by natural springs.
Mountain views
The northern Himalaya above the valley.
Atsaras
Jesters who keep the crowd laughing.
History and meaning
About Gasa
Gasa Dzong
The Zhabdrung built Gasa Dzong in 1646 as one of a chain of forts protecting western Bhutan from invasions from the north. Its round watchtowers and position on a spur make it unlike most other dzongs. It is the seat of the district administration and the local monk body.
Gasa Tshachu
The hot springs below the dzong are among the most visited in Bhutan. Bhutanese come in winter and spring to bathe for aches and illnesses, often staying several days. The pools have been rebuilt with modern facilities after flood damage in the past.
Planning
How to plan your visit
How to plan it
Gasa is a day’s drive from Punakha, so most visitors spend two or three nights. The same week, Talo Tshechu (also 16 to 18 March) is held above Punakha, and Paro Tshechu starts on 18 March. With careful timing you can see Gasa and still reach Paro.
Trekking from Gasa
Gasa is the end point of the Laya trek and the start of routes into Laya and Lunana. Spring is cold at altitude, so serious treks are better in autumn.
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 Gasa 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.
Gasa Tshechu: questions
Expected on 16 to 18 March 2027 at Gasa Dzong.
By road from Punakha, about 3 to 4 hours.
Yes. They are below the dzong and open to visitors with a guide.
No. Bhutanese festivals are free. You attend with your licensed guide, who also explains the dances.
The Department of Tourism lists 16 to 18 March 2027 as the tentative 2027 dates. Lunar dates are occasionally adjusted, so we reconfirm before you book flights.
See Gasa 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: Gasa Dzong below snow peaks (Choying Leki Drukpa, CC BY-SA 4.0); Gom Kora temple beside the Drangme Chhu (Franzfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0).
