- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Bhutan festivals · 2027 guide
Zhemgang Tshechu 2027: a festival in Bhutan's green south
Masked dances at Zhemgang Dzong in the forested Kheng region of south-central Bhutan. Expected on 16 to 18 March 2027.
- 16 to 18 March 2027
- Zhemgang Dzong
- Golden langur country
16 to 18 Mar
Expected dates in 2027
3
Days of the festival
1,900 m
Approximate altitude of Zhemgang town
3 to 4 h
Drive south from Trongsa
About the festival
The Kheng region's festival
Zhemgang is a district of steep forested hills in south-central Bhutan, home to the Kheng people and to some of the country’s richest wildlife. Its dzong sits on a ridge above the Mangde Chhu, on a site linked by tradition to the 12th-century lama Zhang Dorje Drakpa. The Zhemgang Tshechu is held there over three days each spring.
Very few foreign travellers come to Zhemgang, so the festival feels entirely local. On the road you have a good chance of seeing golden langurs, a rare monkey found only in Bhutan and a small part of India. Zhemgang is also known for its bamboo and cane crafts, and for its warm, low valleys that lead towards Royal Manas National Park.
- A rarely visited southern district
- Golden langurs along the road
- Kheng culture and crafts
Festival facts
Zhemgang Tshechu 2027 at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Dates in 2027 | 16 to 18 March 2027 |
| Venue | Zhemgang Dzong |
| District | Zhemgang (south-central Bhutan) |
| Altitude | About 1,900 m in town; much lower in the river valleys |
| Getting there | About 3 to 4 hours south of Trongsa on the road towards Gelephu |
| Wildlife | Golden langurs are often seen along the Trongsa to Zhemgang road |
| Accommodation | Basic hotels in Zhemgang; better choice in Trongsa or Gelephu |
| 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 Zhemgang Tshechu
Masked dances
Cham in the dzong courtyard.
Zhemgang Dzong
A ridge-top dzong above the Mangde Chhu.
Golden langurs
Rare golden monkeys in the forest.
Cane and bamboo
Baskets and crafts made by Kheng weavers.
Kheng families
A local crowd in festival dress.
Forests
Some of Bhutan's most biodiverse forests.
History and meaning
About Zhemgang
The dzong
Zhemgang Dzong stands where the lama Zhang Dorje Drakpa is said to have built a small hermitage in the 12th century. The dzong was founded on the site in the 17th century and has been renovated several times. It houses the district administration and monk body.
Kheng culture
The Kheng region has its own language, Khengkha, and a long tradition of bamboo and cane weaving. Villages are spread across steep valleys, and farming here mixes maize, rice and forest products.
Planning
How to plan your visit
Fitting Zhemgang in
Zhemgang works best on a route between Trongsa and Gelephu in the south, which has flights to Kolkata. A south-to-north or north-to-south journey through Zhemgang shows a side of Bhutan most visitors never see.
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 Zhemgang 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.
Zhemgang Tshechu: questions
Expected on 16 to 18 March 2027 at Zhemgang Dzong.
In south-central Bhutan, about 3 to 4 hours south of Trongsa.
Often, yes, along the road between Trongsa and Zhemgang.
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 Zhemgang 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: Trongsa Dzong on its ridge above the Mangde Chhu (Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0); 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).
