Festival tour · 12 days, 11 nights

12 Day Trashigang Tshechu Festival Tour 2027: Enter Through Guwahati, Leave From Paro

Start in the far east of Bhutan for all three days of the Trashigang Tshechu, 7 to 9 December 2027, then travel west through Mongar and Bumthang and fly to Paro.

7 to 9

December 2027, Trashigang Tshechu

1659

Trashigang Dzong built

1740

Chorten Kora built, about

Full festival days

Trip overview

The biggest festival of the east

Trashigang is the largest district in eastern Bhutan, and its dzong, built in 1659, stands on a rocky spur high above the meeting of the Drangme Chhu and the Gamri Chhu. For three days each winter its courtyard fills with people from every corner of the east, including the Brokpa herders of Merak and Sakteng in their red wool tunics and spidery yak-hair hats.

The tentative 2027 dates for the Trashigang Tshechu are 7 to 9 December. The dances follow the classical tshechu programme, performed by the monks of the dzong and local dancers, and the crowd is almost entirely Bhutanese. If you want to see a big festival without crowds of foreign visitors, this is one of the best choices in the country.

Most travellers never reach Trashigang because it is so far from Paro. This trip solves that by entering Bhutan from the south. You fly into Guwahati in India, drive to the border town of Samdrup Jongkhar, and reach Trashigang in time for the opening day. After the festival and a day in Trashi Yangtse, you travel west through Mongar and Bumthang and fly back to Paro for the Tiger’s Nest.

Highlights

Highlights of the trip

Trashigang Tshechu

Three days at the dzong above two rivers.

Brokpa visitors

Herders from Merak and Sakteng in traditional dress.

Chorten Kora

The great white stupa of Trashi Yangtse.

Thrumshing La

The high pass between east and centre.

Bumthang

Bhutan's oldest temples.

Tiger's Nest

The cliff monastery, at the end of the trip.

Itinerary at a glance

Twelve days at a glance

Dates are for the 2027 festival. We confirm them before you fly.

Day 1: Arrive in Guwahati

Fly into Guwahati, drive to Samdrup Jongkhar.

Day 2: To Trashigang

Climb from the plains into the eastern hills.

Day 3: Trashigang Tshechu, day one

Opening day at the dzong.

Day 4: Trashigang Tshechu, day two

A full day at the festival, Brokpa visitors.

Day 5: Trashigang Tshechu, final day

The last day of the festival.

Day 6: Trashi Yangtse

Gom Kora and Chorten Kora.

Day 7: To Mongar

West to Mongar.

Day 8: Over Thrumshing La

The great drive to Bumthang.

Day 9: Bumthang

A day among the oldest temples.

Day 10: Fly to Paro

Domestic flight to Paro.

Day 11: Tiger's Nest

Hike to Paro Taktsang.

Day 12: Depart

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Guwahati to the Bhutan border

You fly into Guwahati in Assam, where our Indian driver meets you and drives you about three hours to the border. Your Bhutanese guide meets you at Samdrup Jongkhar, helps you through immigration, and takes you to your hotel in the border town.

Day 2

Up into the east

The road climbs from the plains through subtropical forest to Wamrong and Khaling, where the National Handloom Development Centre trains weavers, and on through Kanglung, home of Sherubtse College. You reach Trashigang in the late afternoon.

Day 3

The festival opens

You spend the first day of the Trashigang Tshechu in the dzong courtyard. The festival opens with the dances that purify the ground, and the crowd grows through the day as families arrive from the villages. Your guide explains the dances and the meaning of the masks.

Day 4

The second day

The second day is often the busiest. Look for the Brokpa herders from Merak and Sakteng, in red and black wool and their unusual felt hats, and for the fine weaves of the women of Radi and Bartsham. In the afternoon you can walk down into Trashigang town, with its small shops and the main square.

Day 5

The final day

The last day includes some of the most important dances of the tshechu, including the dances of Guru Rinpoche’s eight manifestations. In the afternoon you can drive to Rangjung, about half an hour away, to visit its monastery.

Day 6

Gom Kora and Chorten Kora

You drive north along the river to Gom Kora, a temple beside a rock where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated and subdued a demon. Then you continue to Trashi Yangtse to see Chorten Kora, a large white stupa built in the 18th century in the style of Boudhanath in Kathmandu. Trashi Yangtse is also known for its wooden bowls and its school of traditional arts.

Day 7

On to Mongar

You drive west over Kori La to Mongar, about three hours, and visit Mongar Dzong. The afternoon is free to walk around the town, which sits on a ridge above the Kuri Chhu valley.

Day 8

Over Thrumshing La to Bumthang

You climb almost 3,000 metres from the Kuri Chhu to Thrumshing La, at about 3,750 metres, through forests rich in birds, then cross into the Ura valley and down to Bumthang. On a clear winter day you see the high Himalaya from the pass.

Day 9

A day in Bumthang

You visit Jambay Lhakhang, Kurjey Lhakhang, Tamshing Lhakhang and Jakar Dzong. The Jambay Lhakhang Singye Cham and the Nalakhar Tshechu are both listed for 13 December 2027, so you may catch one of them today.

Day 10

Fly back to Paro

You fly from Bumthang to Paro, about 30 minutes, and spend the afternoon at Rinpung Dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang.

Day 11

Hike to the Tiger's Nest

The hike to the Tiger’s Nest takes five to six hours return. December mornings are cold but usually crystal clear. In the evening you can book a hot stone bath.

Day 12

Fly home

After breakfast your guide drives you to Paro airport for your flight home.

Where you stay

Simple, clean hotels in the east and 3-star hotels in Bumthang and Paro.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1	Samdrup Jongkhar	Best available hotel	Near the border
2 to 6	Trashigang	Best available hotel	Near the dzong
7	Mongar	Best available hotel	Simple, clean
8 and 9	Bumthang	3-star or 4-star hotel	Chamkhar valley
10 and 11	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Upgrades available

Trashigang has few hotels, and they fill during the festival. We book as soon as you confirm.

What the price covers

Included and not included

Included

Bhutan visa (USD 40) and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night
Hotels as listed, 3-star as standard, with 4-star and luxury upgrades on request
All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
A licensed English-speaking guide for the whole trip
Domestic flight from Bumthang to Paro
Indian car and driver from Guwahati to the border
Private car or SUV with a Bhutanese driver, and all transfers
Entry fees to dzongs, temples and museums
Bottled water in the car

Not included

Flight into Guwahati and out of Paro
Indian visa for non-Indian nationals
Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend
Drinks, laundry and other personal costs
Tips for your guide and driver
Anything not listed under included

Price on request

Tell us your budget and we will send our best price

We don’t publish one fixed price, because hotels, season and group size change the total a lot. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this Trashigang Tshechu tour.

How we price

What decides the cost of this trip

Government fees

The SDF is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, plus a USD 40 visa. These are fixed by the Government of Bhutan and paid through us.

Hotels you choose

Group size, hotel style and the domestic flight change the total most.

Season and dates

Festival weeks are the busiest of the year. Booking early holds better rooms and seats.

Group size

Guide and car costs are shared, so the price per person drops for two, three or four travellers.

We send a written, itemised quote before you pay anything. No booking fees.

Good to know

Planning your Trashigang Tshechu trip

About Trashigang Dzong

Trashigang Dzong was built in 1659 to defend eastern Bhutan against raids from Tibet. It stands on a narrow spur with steep drops on three sides, and was for a long time the seat of the governor of the east. Today it houses the district administration and the monk body, and the tshechu is held in its main courtyard, which is small enough that you are always close to the dancers.

Entering Bhutan through Samdrup Jongkhar

Samdrup Jongkhar is an official entry point for international visitors, and entering here saves you about three days of driving from Paro to the east. You need a Bhutan visa, which we arrange, and, if you are not Indian, a valid Indian visa for the time in Assam. Guwahati has direct flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Bangkok and several other cities.

Meeting the Brokpa

The Brokpa are semi-nomadic herders from the high villages of Merak and Sakteng, east of Trashigang. They have their own language and dress, and many come down for the tshechu. If you want to visit their villages, our Merak Sakteng trek walks between the two.

Travelling in eastern Bhutan

The east sees only a small share of Bhutan’s visitors, and that is part of its appeal. Roads are narrower, drives are long and hotels are simpler than in Paro or Thimphu, usually clean family-run places rather than resorts. In return you get quiet dzongs, villages that rarely see tourists and some of Bhutan’s best weaving. We use a comfortable SUV, keep driving days to a sensible length and build in rest stops. Our 14 day Eastern Bhutan tour covers the region in more depth.

Travelling in winter

December to February is cold, dry and clear. Days are often sunny and pleasant in the valleys, but mornings and evenings drop close to freezing, and colder still in Bumthang and the high passes. Hotels have heaters and many have electric blankets. Pack thermal layers, a down jacket, gloves and a warm hat. In return you get blue skies, sharp mountain views, few other visitors and, in Phobjikha, the black-necked cranes.

About the 2027 dates

Festival dates follow the Bhutanese lunar calendar, so they move every year. The dates on this page come from the tentative 2027 festival list released through Bhutan’s Department of Tourism. Tentative means what it says: a monastery or dzongkhag can still shift a day. We check again when you book and a few weeks before you fly, and if a date moves we move the trip with it. Our 2027 festival calendar lists every event in one place.

Festival etiquette

A tshechu is a religious event first and a show second. Dress neatly, with shoulders and knees covered; a collared shirt or jacket is a good idea. Stay at the edge of the dance ground, never walk across it, and switch off your camera flash. Don’t climb on walls or temple roofs for a better angle. The atsara clowns may tease you or ask for a small note; laugh along, it is part of the blessing. Our guide to Bhutan’s festivals explains the dances in more detail.

Village festivals and big tshechus

The big tshechus in Paro and Thimphu draw thousands of people, including many visitors. Village and temple festivals are different. The courtyard is smaller, the crowd is mostly local farmers in their best clothes, and the dancers are often villagers or monks from the nearest lhakhang. You stand closer, you see more of the ritual, and you will probably be offered butter tea or a cup of ara. The trade-off is fewer facilities: there may be no seats, no shade and only basic toilets nearby, so bring a cushion, a hat and patience.

Visa, SDF and guide rules

Every visitor except Indian nationals needs a visa, which costs USD 40 and is issued online before you fly. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, with half rates for children aged 6 to 11. A Department of Tourism notice from April 2026 confirms that visitors travel with a licensed guide. We file the visa and pay the SDF for you. Read more in our Bhutan visa guide and SDF guide.

Flying into Paro

Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro, mainly from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata and Singapore. Pilots land by sight between the ridges, so morning flights are the most reliable. We suggest a night in your hub city on the way in. Our flights to Bhutan page lists every route.

Trashigang Tshechu tour: questions

How much does the Trashigang Tshechu tour cost?

It depends on your hotels, group size and dates. Tell us your budget and we will reply within 24 hours with our best price, including the SDF, visa, hotels, meals, guide and car.

When is the Trashigang Tshechu in 2027?

The tentative dates are 7 to 9 December 2027, at Trashigang Dzong. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and we confirm them again before you travel.

How do I get to Trashigang?

This trip enters Bhutan from Guwahati through Samdrup Jongkhar, about two days by road from the airport.

Do I need an Indian visa?

Yes, unless you are an Indian citizen, because you start in Assam.

Will I see the Brokpa?

Very likely. Many herders from Merak and Sakteng come to the festival.

Do I drive all the way back west?

You drive to Bumthang over three days with stops, then fly to Paro.

Are eastern hotels comfortable?

They are simple and clean. We book the best available.

When should I book?

Four to six months ahead.