Festival
Ap Chundu Lhasel
Haa honours its guardian, with a white horse at the head
- 1 November 2026
- Lhakhang Karpo to Jangkakha, Haa
The festival
What happens
Every valley in Bhutan has its own protecting deity, older than the temples. Haa’s is Ap Chundu, and no valley is closer to its guardian. Every house in Haa flies a white flag for him. The stories told of him are of a defender: of how he won fire for the valley, and of how he led an invading army from Tibet over a cliff. Lhakhang Karpo, the White Temple, is held to be one of his two homes.
The Lhasel is the day on which the valley makes its offering to him. Since 2023 the district has held it on 1 November each year; before that the day was chosen from the almanac and fell in November or December.
What happens
It begins before dawn at Lhakhang Karpo with rituals in the temple. A shot is fired, and a white horse is led out. No one rides it: Ap Chundu himself is believed to be in the saddle, unseen. The horse leads a procession down the valley to Jangkakha, about ten kilometres away, stopping eight or ten times on the road where people wait with offerings.
At Jangkakha the offering is made. Animals were once sacrificed here. That was ended some years ago, and the offerings are now of food and drink.
This is not a performance and nothing is staged for visitors. You walk with the procession, or wait for it along the road, as the people of Haa do. At Jangkakha the guardian’s flag is raised on a tall tree, the dancers of the district perform, the men of Yangthang dance the dance of the warriors, and a medium speaks the guardian’s words for the year to come. Then lunch is served to everyone who has come.
Practical notes
- It starts in the dark, and at 2,700 m on the first of November that means frost. Dress warmly and bring a torch.
- Wear shoes you can walk ten kilometres in, on a road.
- Keep back from the horse, and ask before photographing the rituals.
- There are only a few hotels and farmhouse stays in Haa.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Ap Chundu Lhasel
A private trip, with your own guide and driver, timed so that you are there for the festival. Every day of it can be changed.
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Starts and ends in Paro
From US$1,595 per person Enquire about this trip
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Day 1
Arrive in Paro
Your guide meets you at the airport. After lunch we visit the National Museum, in the old watchtower above the valley, and Rinpung Dzong below it.
- Altitude
- Paro, 2,200 m
- Overnight
- Paro
- Meals
- Lunch, dinner
-
Day 2
Hike to Tiger's Nest
We walk up to Taktsang in the morning, with a rest at the teahouse on the way, and visit Kyichu Lhakhang in the afternoon.
- Travel
- About 7 km on foot, 4 to 5 hours
- Altitude
- Tiger's Nest, 3,120 m
- Overnight
- Paro
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 3
Over Chele La to Haa
We climb through forest to Chele La, the highest road pass in the country, where prayer flags cover the ridge and Jomolhari shows to the north on a clear day. Then down into the Haa valley, where we visit Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo, the White Temple and the Black Temple.
- Travel
- 60 km, about 2 hours
- Altitude
- Chele La, 3,988 m
- Overnight
- Haa
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 4
Ap Chundu Lhasel
We are at Lhakhang Karpo before first light for the start of the rituals, and follow the white horse and the procession down the valley towards Jangkakha, walking as much of the way as you wish with the vehicle close behind. The afternoon is free to rest.
- Altitude
- Haa, 2,700 m
- Overnight
- Haa
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
Haa to Thimphu
We follow the Haa Chhu down its gorge to the main highway and turn north to Thimphu. In the afternoon we visit the Buddha Dordenma and the National Memorial Chorten.
- Travel
- About 112 km, about 4 hours
- Altitude
- Thimphu, 2,334 m
- Overnight
- Thimphu
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
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Day 6
Thimphu
We visit the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, where the thirteen traditional arts are taught, then the Textile Museum and Changangkha Lhakhang. Tashichho Dzong opens once the offices close.
- Altitude
- Thimphu, 2,334 m
- Overnight
- Thimphu
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 7
Depart from Paro
Your guide and driver take you to the airport at Paro, an hour from Thimphu, after breakfast.
- Travel
- 54 km, about 1 hour
- Meals
- Breakfast
Prices
What the trip costs
| Group size | Price in US dollars |
|---|---|
| Solo traveller | US$2,125 |
| 2 travellers | US$1,715 per person |
| 3 or more travellers | US$1,595 per person |
Prices are per person in US dollars and include the Sustainable Development Fee and the visa fee.
This trip runs privately, on the dates of the festival. Festival dates are tentative until the year itself, so confirm them with us before you book flights.
Included
- Sustainable Development Fee (US$100 per person per night)
- Bhutan visa fee (US$40) and visa processing
- 3-star hotels, in a twin or double room
- All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Licensed English-speaking guide throughout
- Private vehicle and driver, including airport transfers
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- Entry fees for monuments and museums, about US$90 per person
- Flights to and from Paro
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Drinks, laundry and personal spending
- Single room supplement, US$35 per room per night
See it for yourself
Other trips that fit this festival
Any of these can be timed to the festival dates. Tell us which days you want to be there.
Cultural tour
Complete Western Bhutan
Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and 1 more
A week through four valleys: Thimphu, Punakha, the high crane valley of Phobjikha, and Paro with Tiger's Nest.
Cultural tour
Bhutan Highlands Explorer
Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and 2 more
Eight days through western Bhutan at an easier pace, with Phobjikha, a third night in Thimphu and the drive up to Chele La at 3,988 m.
Questions
Asked about this festival
Are festival dates fixed?
Most are not. Bhutan’s festivals follow the lunar calendar, so they fall on different dates each year. The Department of Tourism and the Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators publish a list for each year and label it tentative, because dates can still move.
Our festival calendar shows the official dates and the day we last checked them. Confirm with us before you book flights. The Black-Necked Crane Festival is the exception: it is held on 11 November every year. If you are deciding between festivals, read how to choose a Bhutan festival.
Can I take photographs at a festival?
Yes, in the courtyard or festival ground, from where you are sitting. Do not step into the dance area or block other people’s view, and ask before photographing anyone at close range. Photography is never allowed inside temples and shrines.
A few rituals may not be photographed at all, among them the midnight Tercham at Jambay Lhakhang. Your guide will tell you. Drones are not permitted.
What should I wear to a festival?
A festival is a religious occasion and Bhutanese come in their best clothes. Wear long sleeves and full-length trousers or a long skirt, and take off your hat inside a dzong. You will be sitting on stone for hours, often in strong sun, so bring a cushion, a sun hat for outside the dzong, water and a warm layer for the early morning.
Enquire
Plan a trip around Ap Chundu Lhasel
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.