- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Bhutan festivals · 2027 guide
Rhododendron Festival 2027: flowers and folk culture at Lamperi
Two days of rhododendrons, food and cultural shows at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi, just below Dochula. Expected on 22 to 23 April 2027.
- 22 to 23 April 2027
- Royal Botanical Park, Lamperi
- About 1 hour from Thimphu
22 to 23 Apr
Expected dates in 2027
2
Days of the festival
47 km²
Area of the Royal Botanical Park
1 h
Drive from Thimphu
About the festival
Bhutan's first botanical park in bloom
The Royal Botanical Park at Lamperi lies just east of Dochula pass on the road from Thimphu to Punakha. It was Bhutan’s first botanical park and covers about 47 square kilometres of forest, with a rhododendron garden, walking trails and a small lake. In late April the slopes flower red, pink and white.
The Rhododendron Festival celebrates that bloom over two days, with guided walks, displays of local food and crafts, folk songs and dances and cultural programmes. It is one of the most accessible festivals in the country, close to Thimphu and on the main route most first-time visitors already follow. It also makes a pleasant change from the masked dances of the tshechus.
- Easy to reach from Thimphu
- Walks through flowering forest
- Food, crafts and folk shows
Festival facts
Rhododendron Festival 2027 at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates in 2027 | 22 to 23 April 2027 |
| Venue | Royal Botanical Park, Lamperi |
| District | Thimphu (western Bhutan) |
| Altitude | Around 3,000 to 3,300 m, near Dochula |
| Getting there | About 1 hour from Thimphu, just past Dochula on the road to Punakha |
| Best for | Families, walkers and photographers |
| Nearby | Dochula pass and its 108 chortens, and the Lungchuzekha hike |
| 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 Rhododendron Festival
Rhododendrons
Forests and gardens in full bloom.
Nature trails
Short walks through the park.
Folk performances
Songs and dances from different regions.
Local food
Stalls of Bhutanese dishes and snacks.
Crafts
Handicrafts and textiles on display.
Dochula
The 108 chortens a few minutes away.
History and meaning
About the park and the festival
Lamperi's forests
The park protects mixed forest of oak, fir and rhododendron between Thimphu and Punakha, and it is home to birds and, in the higher forest, red pandas. It also includes a rhododendron garden where many of Bhutan’s species are planted together.
Why April
At around 3,000 metres, most rhododendrons flower from late March to early May. The festival is timed for late April, when the bloom on the slopes around Dochula is usually at its best.
Planning
How to plan your visit
Fitting it into a classic trip
The park sits on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, so you can stop on the day you cross Dochula. Spend the morning at the festival, then continue to Punakha for lunch. Spring is also the season for Ura Yakchoe in Bumthang.
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 Rhododendron Festival
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.
Rhododendron Festival: questions
Expected on 22 to 23 April 2027 at the Royal Botanical Park, Lamperi.
About an hour by road, just past Dochula pass.
No. Rhododendron Week is a separate festival in Merak, eastern Bhutan, on 3 to 9 April 2027.
No. Bhutanese festivals are free. You attend with your licensed guide, who also explains the dances.
The Department of Tourism lists 22 to 23 April 2027 as the tentative 2027 dates. Lunar dates are occasionally adjusted, so we reconfirm before you book flights.
See Rhododendron Festival 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.
