Festival
Druk Wangyel Tshechu
The festival on the pass, danced by the army
- 13 December 2026
- Druk Wangyel Lhakhang, Dochu La, Thimphu
The festival
What happens
Dochu La is the pass, at about 3,100 m, on the road from Thimphu to Punakha. On it stand 108 chortens and, on the rise above them, Druk Wangyel Lhakhang, a temple built between 2004 and 2008 under the patronage of the Queen Mother, Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The festival is held on the open ground in front of the temple.
It is a young festival, first held in 2011, and it keeps the same date in the ordinary calendar each year, 13 December, which most Bhutanese festivals do not. It was founded to honour the Fourth King and the armed forces.
What makes it different
At every other tshechu the dancers are monks and laymen. Here they are soldiers of the Royal Bhutan Army, trained for months for this one day. Some of the dances are the familiar ones of the tshechu and some were composed for this festival, among them a dance of heroes that recalls the army’s campaign of 2003. The costumes and masks were made new for it, and the whole is staged with a precision that is a soldier’s more than a monk’s.
The setting does the rest. In December the sky over the pass is usually clear, and behind the dancers the eastern Himalaya runs along the horizon, with Gangkhar Puensum, the highest mountain in Bhutan, among the peaks.
Practical notes
- The pass is about an hour from Thimphu and it is cold: a few degrees above freezing at best, with a wind. Dress for standing still outdoors all morning.
- The festival lasts one day. Come early: the road over the pass is the only one, and it is crowded.
- You sit on the grass slope above the dance ground. Bring something to sit on.
- There is a cafe on the pass, and it is busy on the day.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Druk Wangyel Tshechu
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.
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Starts and ends in Paro
From US$1,260 per person Enquire about this trip
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Day 1
Arrive in Paro and drive to Thimphu
Your guide meets you at the airport and we drive to Thimphu. In the afternoon we visit the National Memorial Chorten and the Buddha Dordenma.
- Travel
- 54 km, about 1 hour
- Altitude
- Thimphu, 2,334 m
- Overnight
- Thimphu
- Meals
- Lunch, dinner
-
Day 2
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 3
Druk Wangyel Tshechu, then Punakha
We leave Thimphu early for Dochu La and spend the morning at the festival. In the afternoon we drive on down to Punakha, 1,900 m lower and a good deal warmer.
- Travel
- 76 km in all, 2 to 3 hours of driving
- Altitude
- Dochu La, 3,100 m
- Overnight
- Punakha
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 4
Punakha to Paro
We visit Punakha Dzong when it opens, at the meeting of two rivers, then drive back over Dochu La, now quiet again, and on to Paro.
- Travel
- About 130 km, 4 hours
- Altitude
- Paro, 2,200 m
- Overnight
- Paro
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
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 6
Depart from Paro
Your guide and driver take you to the airport after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Prices
What the trip costs
| Group size | Price in US dollars |
|---|---|
| Solo traveller | US$1,770 |
| 2 travellers | US$1,285 per person |
| 3 or more travellers | US$1,260 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
Bhutan Signature Journey
Thimphu, Punakha, Paro
Six days with a night in each of the three western valleys: two in Thimphu, one in Punakha and two in Paro.
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.
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 Druk Wangyel Tshechu
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.