Bhutan's Department of Tourism has recently announced that they will be organising seven marquee festivals between November 2023 and April 2024 as an homage to the country's national identity. The festivals include the Black Necked Crane Festival, Bhutan Bird Festival, Druk Wangyel Tshechu, Punakha Dromche Punakha Tshechu, Paro Tshechu, and the Rhododendron Festival.
Tsechus (any of the annual religious Bhutanese festivals) are celebrated on auspicious days and months in the Bhutanese calendar and last up to four days, during which a series of highly stylised masked dance rites are performed. These festivals feature mystical dances, melodic rhythms, and mythical stories that have echoed through the kingdom's mountains for centuries.
The Black-Necked Crane Festival is a highly anticipated event in Bhutan and took place on November 11, 2023, in Gangtey Valley, a four-hour drive from Thimphu. The festival is dedicated to the black-necked cranes who migrate to Bhutan from different regions such as Tibet, China, and Arunachal Pradesh, India. The event features mask dances like Drametse Ngachham, Pachham, and Zhana Ngachham.
Various cultural performances by students pay homage to these globally vulnerable birds. Gangtey Valley serves as one of the winter roosting grounds for the black-necked cranes, which gives visitors the unique opportunity to observe these majestic birds up close. Apart from this, visitors can also explore the Gangtey Goenpa temple, hike towards the lower valley, and learn about the local ways of life.
The Bhutan Bird Festival is a three-day event that is headed to take place from November 13-15, 2023, in Tingtibi, located in the Zhemgang district. Tingtibi is known as the eco-tourism capital of Bhutan and home to over 500 species of birds, including the Pallas's Fish Eagle, Satyr Tragopan, Rufous-necked Hornbill, Spotted Elachura, Blue-capped Rock Thrush, Emerald Cuckoo, Nuthatch, and the critically endangered White-bellied Heron.
The festival is aimed at promoting bird-watching and upscale eco-tourism in the region while enhancing the local economy. Visitors can enjoy cultural and entertainment programs by local bands, dancers, and singers, mask dances, and traditional Bhutanese music. The festival will also have food stalls displaying local cuisines such as kharang, smoked fish, bamboo shoots, pickles, fruits, cereals, and tongpa, alcoholic beverages made from wheat served in bamboo containers, which is a favourite of locals and foreign visitors alike.
The Druk Wangyel Tshechu is an annual festival that will take place on December 13, 2023, at the Dochula mountain pass, which is only a short drive (45 minutes) away from the capital Thimphu. This festival is set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayan mountain range, and many sacred dances are performed here, retelling the bravery and sacrifices of the Royal Bhutan Army. The festival will feature various mask dances and traditional Bhutanese folk dances.
Many unique dances are performed during the festival, making it different from other religious festivals nationwide. One of the most popular dances is the dance of Gadpo and Ganmo—the dance of the old men and women, a dance of the heroes, and the dance of guardian deities—performed in reverence of the main protector deities of dharma. The Druk Wangyel Tshechu is a must-see event, and visitors can enjoy the unique performances while admiring the stunning views of the Himalayan mountain range in the backdrop.
Punakha Dromche is going to be held from February 16 to 18, 2024, and is a unique festival as it dramatically reenacts a 17th-century battle against the Tibetan army. The festival features local militia men or ‘pazaps’ dressed in traditional battle regalia, reminiscent of the time when, in the absence of an armed force, eight great villages or ‘tshochen’ from Thimphu and Punakha came forward and expelled the invading Tibetan forces who had come to take away the sacred relic, Rangjung Kharsapani.
The battle reenactment is followed by a demonstration of ‘norbu chushani’ or immersion of relics in the Mo Chhu River. To hoodwink the Tibetan invaders, the 17th-century unifier of Bhutan, Zhabdrung Rinpoche, is said to have dropped a decoy of the sacred relic into the Mo Chhu River. This demonstration by the river is watched by hundreds of people gathered in the Dzong. On the final day of Punakha Dromche, a massive copper bowl inscribed with scriptures is dragged into the centre of the courtyard. The bowl is filled to the brim with alcohol, which is then blessed and distributed to the people attending the festival.
The three-day annual Punakha Tshechu is going to take place from February 19 to 21, 2024, in the Punakha Dzong courtyard. Punakha Tshechu, like all other tshechus, is held in reverence of Guru Rinpoche, the tantric Buddhist Vajra master, and is one of the most popular tshechus in the country. It is attended by locals and foreign visitors, as well as people from across the country. The tshechu will feature various mask dances or ‘cham’ and traditional Bhutanese folk dances. People dress in their best festival attire, and families bring picnic lunches to come and watch the festival.
The annual Paro Tshechu has been scheduled to take place on March 21-25, 2024, at the beautiful Rinpung Dzong in Paro, the district where the country's first and only international airport is located. The festival will feature various mask dances and traditional Bhutanese folk dances performed by both monks as well as locals. The main highlight of the festival is the unfurling of the immense embroidery of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Throngdrel) on the final day, depicting the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. The giant embroidery covers the entire three-story wall, and many people queue up to view and get blessings from the throngdrel every year.
The two-day festival marks the beginning of the spring season and showcases an exhibition of several types of blooming rhododendron species found in the park, spanning an area of around 50 km. The Rhododendron Festival will be held on April 13-14, 2024, at the Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi, which is about 35km from the capital Thimphu. The main objective of the festival is to celebrate the rich flora, culture, and food of Bhutan while creating awareness on climate change and conservation of the environment.
Bhutan has currently identified and recorded 46 species of rhododendron, including four that are endemic to Bhutan: Rhododendron kesangiae, Rhododendron pogonophyllum, Rhododendron Bhutanese, and Rhododendron flinckii. The Royal Botanical Park in Lamperi houses about 29 of these species. The festival will feature games and cultural and entertainment programs, including mask dances, traditional Bhutanese music, and dances by the local communities and school children.
Applying for a visa or permit to Bhutan is a simple process that all visitors must follow before travelling to the country (except for tourists from India, Maldives, and Bangladesh, who have some exceptions). You can apply for a visa or permit online or via a Bhutanese Tour Operator. It is mandatory for all guests to pay Bhutan's Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) of USD 100 per person per night.
Children may avail of concessionary rates. In addition to SDF, guests must also pay a non-refundable, one-time visa application fee of USD 40. Indian guests pay SDF of INR 1,200 per person per night. The SDF is used to fund important cultural, environmental, health, and educational projects across Bhutan.
Visa Processing Time: Around five days.