Festival
Prakhar Duchhoed
A family temple's festival in the Chumey valley
- 27–29 October 2026
- Prakhar Lhakhang, Chumey, Bumthang
The festival
What happens
Chumey is the first of Bumthang’s four valleys that a traveller from the west comes to, and Prakhar stands in the middle of it, on a spur where two streams meet. The temple was founded in the 16th century by Tenpe Nyima, a grandson of Pema Lingpa, the saint of Bumthang. The story is that white monkeys came each night to carry on the building where the masons had stopped, and the place is named for them.
A large house was added beside the temple in the 1930s, and the whole became the seat of the lords of the valley. It belongs to the same family still.
The festival
The Duchhoed is held for three days in the ninth month of the Bhutanese calendar, in October or November, in honour of Thukse Dawa Gyeltshen, Pema Lingpa’s son and Tenpe Nyima’s father, whose reliquary stands in the temple. Masked dances are performed in the courtyard, and the villages of the valley come to watch, to eat together and to dance.
It falls on the same days as Jambay Lhakhang Drup, half an hour away in the next valley: 27 to 29 October in 2026, and 15 to 17 November in 2027. Visitors go to Jambay Lhakhang for the fire blessing and the dance at midnight, and Prakhar is left to the people of Chumey. If you want a festival with no other foreigners at it, come here by day and go to Jambay Lhakhang after dark.
Practical notes
- Bumthang lies at 2,600 m and late-autumn nights fall to freezing or below.
- Chumey is where yathra, the patterned woollen cloth of Bumthang, is woven. The workshops along the road are worth a stop.
- Stay in Jakar, half an hour away.
- Bumthang has a limited number of hotel rooms, and with two festivals at once they fill early.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Prakhar Duchhoed
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.
- 9 days / 8 nights
- Starts and ends in Paro
From US$2,195 per person Enquire about this trip
-
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
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Day 3
Punakha to the Phobjikha valley
We drive up through Wangdue Phodrang to the wide glacial valley of Phobjikha, visit Gangtey Goenpa on its rise above the marsh, and walk the nature trail down through the pines.
- Travel
- 75 km, 2 to 3 hours
- Altitude
- Phobjikha, 3,000 m
- Overnight
- Phobjikha
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 4
Phobjikha to Bumthang, by Trongsa
We cross Pele La into central Bhutan, stop at Trongsa for the dzong and lunch, and reach Bumthang in the late afternoon.
- Travel
- About 5 hours of driving, plus stops
- Altitude
- Bumthang, 2,600 m
- Overnight
- Bumthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
Prakhar Duchhoed, and Jambay Lhakhang after dark
We drive back over the hill to the Chumey valley for a day at Prakhar. In the evening, if you wish, we go to Jambay Lhakhang, where the other festival of these days holds its rituals after dark.
- Travel
- About 50 km there and back, 1 hour of driving
- Altitude
- Bumthang, 2,600 m
- Overnight
- Bumthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 6
The temples of Bumthang
We spend the morning at Jambay Lhakhang for its masked dances, performed a few metres from where you sit, then walk on to Kurjey Lhakhang and cross the river to Tamshing Lhakhang.
- Altitude
- Bumthang, 2,600 m
- Overnight
- Bumthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 7
Fly to Paro
The flight to Paro takes about 25 minutes. In the afternoon we visit the National Museum and Rinpung Dzong.
- Travel
- Flight of about 25 minutes
- Altitude
- Paro, 2,200 m
- Overnight
- Paro
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 8
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 9
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$2,805 |
| 2 travellers | US$2,275 per person |
| 3 or more travellers | US$2,195 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
- Domestic flight from Bumthang to 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.
Festival tour
Jambay Lhakhang Drup Festival Tour
Bumthang, Trongsa, Phobjikha and 1 more
Ten days to central Bhutan for the late-autumn festival at Jambay Lhakhang, known for its fire blessing and midnight dance.
Cultural tour
Heart of the Himalayas
Punakha, Phobjikha, Trongsa and 1 more
Nine days from Paro to Bumthang by road, through Punakha, Phobjikha and Trongsa, with a short flight back.
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 Prakhar Duchhoed
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.