Festival tour · 8 days, 7 nights

8 Day Rhododendron Festival Tour 2027: Spring Flowers at Lamperi and Dochula

Bhutan’s Rhododendron Festival at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi, 22 to 23 April 2027, with forest walks, Punakha, Paro and the Tiger’s Nest in full spring bloom.

22 to 23

April 2027, Lamperi festival

Rhododendron species in Bhutan, about

3,100 m

Dochula pass, about

3 to 9

April 2027, Merak Rhododendron Week

Trip overview

When the forests turn red, pink and white

Bhutan has around 46 species of rhododendron, from low shrubs in the alpine meadows to trees taller than a house in the forests around 3,000 metres. In spring they flower in waves, starting with the red tree rhododendron in March and moving up the hills to the pinks, whites and yellows of April and May. One species, Rhododendron kesangiae, is found only in Bhutan and is named after the Royal Grandmother, Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck.

The Rhododendron Festival is held at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi, a protected forest just below Dochula on the road from Thimphu to Punakha. The tentative 2027 dates are 22 and 23 April. The park has walking trails through rhododendron forest, a lake and a visitor centre, and during the festival there are guided flower walks, cultural performances, local food stalls and displays about Bhutan’s plants.

This trip is timed for peak flowering. You see Thimphu, spend the festival days at Lamperi and on the trails around Dochula, go down to Punakha, then end in Paro with the Tiger’s Nest. If you want a wilder spring trip, the eastern district of Trashigang also holds a Rhododendron Week in Merak from 3 to 9 April 2027, which we can plan for you.

Highlights

Highlights of the trip

Rhododendron Festival

Flower walks and culture at the Royal Botanical Park.

Lamperi trails

Forest paths through rhododendron and magnolia.

Dochula

108 chortens among flowering trees.

Punakha Dzong

The fortress where two rivers meet.

Spring birds

Laughingthrushes and sunbirds in the forest.

Tiger's Nest

The cliff monastery above Paro.

Itinerary at a glance

Eight days at a glance

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

Day 1: Arrive in Paro

Land in Paro, drive to Thimphu.

Day 2: Thimphu

A full day in the capital.

Day 3: Rhododendron Festival, day one

Dochula and the festival at Lamperi.

Day 4: Rhododendron Festival, day two

A longer trail walk at Lamperi.

Day 5: Punakha

Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang, Khamsum Yulley.

Day 6: To Paro

Back over Dochula to Paro.

Day 7: Tiger's Nest

Hike to Paro Taktsang.

Day 8: Depart

Transfer to Paro airport.

Day 1

Arrive and drive to Thimphu

Your guide meets you at Paro airport and drives you to Thimphu, about an hour and a half. In the afternoon you visit the Memorial Chorten and walk through the town.

Day 2

A day in Thimphu

You visit the Buddha Dordenma, the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, the Folk Heritage Museum and Tashichho Dzong. In the afternoon you can walk a short section of forest trail above the city to see the first rhododendrons.

Day 3

Dochula and the festival

You drive up to Dochula, at about 3,100 metres, and then down to the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi for the opening of the Rhododendron Festival. You join a guided flower walk through the forest, watch the cultural performances and try local food at the stalls. In the late afternoon you continue down to Punakha.

Day 4

Into the rhododendron forest

You drive back up to Lamperi, about an hour, for the second day. This time you walk one of the longer trails in the park, through stands of tree rhododendron, magnolia and oak, with a stop by the lake. Your guide points out the different species, and in spring the forest is full of birds. You return to Punakha in the afternoon.

Day 5

A day in Punakha

You visit Punakha Dzong, built in 1637, where jacaranda trees flower purple in the courtyard in April and May. You walk through rice fields to Chimi Lhakhang and hike up to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorten for a view over the valley.

Day 6

Back to Paro

You drive back over Dochula to Paro. In the afternoon you visit Rinpung Dzong, the National Museum in the old watchtower and Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.

Day 7

Hike to the Tiger's Nest

The hike to the Tiger’s Nest takes five to six hours return. In late April the trail is lined with flowering rhododendron, and the forest smells of pine. In the evening you can book a hot stone bath.

Day 8

Fly home

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

Where you stay

Comfortable 3-star hotels as standard, with upgrades on request.

Nights	Place	Where you stay	Why we chose it
1 and 2	Thimphu	3-star or 4-star hotel	Central
3, 4 and 5	Punakha	3-star or 4-star hotel	Valley views
6 and 7	Paro	3-star or 4-star hotel	Upgrades available

April is spring high season. We hold rooms 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
Private car or SUV with a Bhutanese driver, and all transfers
Entry fees to dzongs, temples and museums
Bottled water in the car
Entry to the Royal Botanical Park

Not included

International flights into and out of Paro (we can book them for you)
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 Rhododendron Festival 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

Hotel style and group size 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 Rhododendron Festival trip

About the Royal Botanical Park

The Royal Botanical Park sits in Lamperi, between Dochula and Punakha. It protects a large block of temperate forest that is home to many rhododendron species, as well as red pandas, birds and other wildlife. It has a visitor centre, a small lake and several marked trails. The park hosts the Rhododendron Festival each spring.

When do rhododendrons flower?

Flowering depends on altitude and the weather. Red tree rhododendrons bloom first, from March at lower levels. Mid-April to mid-May is the peak around 3,000 metres, at Dochula and Lamperi. Higher up, on trekking routes above 4,000 metres, the dwarf species flower in May and June. A late cold snap can delay the season by a week or two.

Merak Rhododendron Week

The tentative 2027 calendar also lists a Rhododendron Week at Shetemey in Merak, Trashigang, from 3 to 9 April. Merak is a high Brokpa village in the far east, a long way from Paro, so it suits a longer trip. Our Merak Sakteng trek can be timed to include it.

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.

Best time to go

March to May brings rhododendrons and warm valley days. October and November have the clearest skies and the best mountain views. December to February is cold, bright and quiet, with cranes in Phobjikha. June to August is the monsoon: green and peaceful, with rain most afternoons. Our month-by-month guide has more detail.

Temple etiquette

Cover shoulders and knees in dzongs and temples, take off hats, and walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels. Photography is not allowed inside shrine rooms. Your guide explains each place before you go in. Read more in our Bhutan travel rules guide.

Altitude

Paro sits at about 2,200 metres and Thimphu at about 2,300. Most people feel fine after a slow first day. Drink plenty of water, go easy on alcohol at first, and tell your guide about headaches or poor sleep. The Tiger’s Nest, at about 3,120 metres, comes later in the trip for this reason.

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.

Rhododendron Festival tour: questions

How much does the Rhododendron Festival 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 Rhododendron Festival in 2027?

The tentative dates are 22 and 23 April 2027, at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and we confirm them again before you travel.

Where is Lamperi?

Just below Dochula on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, about an hour from Thimphu.

How many rhododendron species does Bhutan have?

About 46, including Rhododendron kesangiae, which grows only in Bhutan.

Is there another rhododendron festival?

Yes. Merak in Trashigang holds a Rhododendron Week from 3 to 9 April 2027.

Do I need to be fit?

The flower walks are easy to moderate. The Tiger’s Nest is the hardest day.

Will the flowers be out?

Late April is usually peak season around 3,000 metres, but flowering depends on the weather.

When should I book?

Three to five months ahead, as April is busy.