Duration
8 nights
From
USD 2,190
per person · festival season
Grade
Easy
Season
Timed to Paro (Mar/Apr) or Thimphu (Sep/Oct) Tsechu
The Journey
Bhutan at its most theatrical. Reserved courtyard seats at the great masked-dance festivals, timed precisely to the lunar calendar by our festival specialists — plus the valleys, dzongs and farmhouses in between.
Private · 1–10 travellers
Highlights
- Two full days of cham masked dances from reserved seats
- The unfurling of the giant thongdrel at dawn
- Atsara (sacred clown) encounters in the crowd
- Festival dress: wear a kira or gho fitted for you
- Photography briefing from a local documentary photographer
The route, day by day
9 days, unhurried.
Day 01
Arrive Paro
Arrival, fitting of your gho or kira for festival days, and an evening walk through Paro's shuttered wooden shopfronts.
Day 02
Festival day one
Early entry to the dzong courtyard. Cham dances of the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. Picnic lunch amid the crowds.
Day 03
Festival day two — the thongdrel
Pre-dawn arrival for the unfurling of the four-storey silk thongdrel, taken down before sunlight touches it. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 04
Paro → Thimphu
Drive to the capital. Textile academy, the giant Buddha and an evening archery match — Bhutan's national obsession.
Day 05
Thimphu → Punakha
Over Dochula pass to the winter capital. Punakha Dzong, where the festival tradition began in 1670.
Day 06
Punakha valley
Morning suspension-bridge walk and a river-side picnic. Optional gentle rafting on the Mo Chhu.
Day 07
Return to Paro
Back over the passes. Farewell dinner in a heritage farmhouse with butter tea and ara.
Day 08
Tiger's Nest
The pilgrimage hike to Taktsang — quieter now the festival crowds have gone.
Day 09
Depart Paro
Transfer to the airport for departure.
What's included
- ✓All SDF fees & Bhutan visa
- ✓Reserved festival courtyard seating (arranged months ahead)
- ✓Cultural guide specialised in festival iconography
- ✓Traditional dress rental for festival days
- ✓Boutique hotels, all meals & private vehicle
Not included
- —International airfare into Paro
- —Travel insurance
- —Camera fees where applicable
- —Personal expenses & tips
Flying in? We book every Drukair & Bhutan Airlines route into Paro alongside your journey — call +975 17904838 for fares.
Reserve
Make it yours.
Send a booking inquiry and a named curator in Paro will confirm availability, tailor the route to your pace, and hold your dates — all within 24 hours.
+975 17904838 · +975 77358643
planetrevenuemgt@gmail.com
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