Festival
Gasa Tshechu
A dance of twenty-one men, under the snow peaks
- 16–18 March 2027
- Gasa Dzong, Gasa
The festival
What happens
Gasa is the least populated district of Bhutan and the furthest north that a road goes. Its dzong, Trashi Thongmon, stands at 2,800 m on a spur above the Mo Chhu, with the snow peaks on the Tibetan border filling the sky behind it. It was built in the 17th century, and unlike any other dzong its outer wall is curved, with three watchtowers standing guard above it. A fire damaged it badly in 2008, and it has been restored.
It was through Gasa that Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan, came into the country from Tibet in 1616.
The Goen Zhey
The tshechu is held for three days in the second month of the Bhutanese calendar, in March or April. Its masked dances are those of other tshechus. What belongs to Gasa is the Goen Zhey, a slow dance and song performed by twenty-one men from the villages of Goen, in long red robes and black jackets, with a cloth of yellow round the head. It is said to have been first sung to welcome the Zhabdrung as he came over the pass from Tibet, and it is held to be the oldest of the dances of its kind.
The audience is as much to look at as the dancers. People of Laya, the highest villages in the district, walk down for the festival, the women in their conical hats of woven bamboo.
The hot springs
Below the dzong, beside the river, are the hot springs of Gasa, which Bhutanese families visit for a week at a time in winter. The pools were destroyed by a flood and rebuilt, and reopened in 2023.
Practical notes
- Gasa is reached by a narrow road up the Mo Chhu from Punakha. It is about 75 km and takes around three hours.
- There is very little accommodation. The district runs guest houses at the hot spring below the dzong, which have to be booked ahead, and some visitors camp.
- March at 2,800 m is cold at night, and snow is possible.
- In 2027 Talo Tshechu, above Punakha, falls on the same three days.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Gasa 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.
- 8 days / 7 nights
- Starts and ends in Paro
From US$1,925 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
Over Dochu La to Punakha
We cross Dochu La, where 108 chortens stand on the pass and the Himalaya shows on a clear morning, and come down to Punakha. In the afternoon we walk through the fields to Chimi Lhakhang and visit Punakha Dzong.
- Travel
- 76 km, 2 to 3 hours
- Altitude
- Punakha, 1,242 m
- Overnight
- Punakha
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 3
Up the Mo Chhu to Gasa
We follow the river north from Punakha, through forest that is home to takin and, in the tree tops, golden langur. The dzong comes into sight on its spur from far below. We arrive for the afternoon's dances.
- Travel
- About 75 km, about 3 hours
- Altitude
- Gasa, 2,800 m
- Overnight
- Gasa
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 4
Gasa Tshechu
A day at the festival in the courtyard of the dzong. Your guide finds out when the Goen Zhey will be danced so that we are there for it. Late in the afternoon we go down to the hot springs beside the river.
- Altitude
- Gasa, 2,800 m
- Overnight
- Gasa
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
Gasa to Punakha
A last hour at the festival, then the drive back down the valley. In the afternoon we visit Punakha Dzong and cross the suspension bridge above it.
- Travel
- About 75 km, about 3 hours
- Altitude
- Punakha, 1,242 m
- Overnight
- Punakha
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 6
Punakha to Paro
We drive back over Dochu La and on to Paro. In the afternoon we visit the National Museum and Rinpung Dzong.
- Travel
- About 130 km, 4 hours
- Altitude
- Paro, 2,200 m
- Overnight
- Paro
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 7
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 8
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$2,460 |
| 2 travellers | US$1,995 per person |
| 3 or more travellers | US$1,925 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 Gasa Tshechu
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.