Festival
Samdrup Jongkhar Tshechu
A midwinter festival at the eastern gate
- 22–24 December 2026
- Samdrup Jongkhar, Samdrup Jongkhar
The festival
What happens
Samdrup Jongkhar is the town at the south-east corner of Bhutan, on the edge of the plains of Assam. It is the oldest town in the country, grown up round the trade that came through the gate, and for anyone travelling the east by road it is the way in or the way out. It lies barely 200 m above sea level, and in December, when the valleys of the north are frozen, it is pleasantly warm.
Its tshechu is held for three days in the eleventh month of the Bhutanese calendar, in December or January.
What we can tell you
It is the festival of the district and its monks, with the masked dances of any tshechu, and people come to it from the villages of the southern hills. Very little has been written about it for visitors, and we would rather say so than invent it. Accounts of it describe three days in the eleventh month, ending with the showing of a thongdrel of the Guru.
It is not a festival to cross the world for. It is a very good reason to begin a winter journey through eastern Bhutan here, on these days.
Practical notes
- Guwahati, in Assam, is the nearest airport, about three hours away by road.
- Trongsa Tshechu and Lhuentse Tshechu end as this one begins, in the winter of 2026.
- Thrumshing La, on the road west to Bumthang, can close for a day or more after snow in January.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Samdrup Jongkhar 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.
- 11 days / 10 nights
- Samdrup Jongkhar to Paro
From US$2,635 per person Enquire about this trip
-
Day 1
Arrive at Samdrup Jongkhar
Guwahati, in Assam, is the nearest airport, about three hours by road from the border. Your guide meets you at the gate, and if you arrive in time we go straight to the festival.
- Travel
- About 3 hours by road from Guwahati
- Overnight
- Samdrup Jongkhar
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 2
Samdrup Jongkhar Tshechu
A day at the festival. In the late afternoon we walk through the bazaar by the gate, where traders from both countries have dealt with one another for a century.
- Altitude
- Samdrup Jongkhar
- Overnight
- Samdrup Jongkhar
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 3
Samdrup Jongkhar to Trashigang
A full day on the road north, climbing out of the plains through forest to the ridges of the east. We stop at the weaving centre at Khaling and at Sherubtse College in Kanglung before the road drops to Trashigang.
- Travel
- 180 km, about 7 hours
- Altitude
- Trashigang, 1,160 m
- Overnight
- Trashigang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 4
Gom Kora and Trashi Yangtse
We follow the river north to Gom Kora, the temple and black rock where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated, and on to Trashi Yangtse for Chorten Kora, the great white stupa, and the school of traditional arts.
- Travel
- 112 km there and back, about 4 hours of driving
- Altitude
- Trashi Yangtse, 1,750 m
- Overnight
- Trashigang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
Trashigang to Mongar
We visit Trashigang Dzong on its spur above the river in the morning, then drive west over Kori La to Mongar.
- Travel
- 90 km, 3 to 4 hours
- Altitude
- Mongar, 1,600 m
- Overnight
- Mongar
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 6
Over Thrumshing La to Bumthang
The longest drive of the trip and the finest: down to the Kuri Chhu, then up through cliffs and forest to Thrumshing La, the highest road pass on the highway, and down past Ura into Bumthang.
- Travel
- 198 km, 7 to 8 hours
- Altitude
- Bumthang, 2,600 m
- Overnight
- Bumthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 7
The temples of Bumthang
We visit Jambay Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in the country, walk on to Kurjey Lhakhang and cross the river to Tamshing Lhakhang.
- Altitude
- Bumthang, 2,600 m
- Overnight
- Bumthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 8
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 9
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 10
Thimphu
An hour's drive brings us to the capital for the day: the Buddha Dordenma, the National Memorial Chorten and the weekend market if it is on. We return to Paro in the evening.
- Travel
- 108 km there and back, about 2 hours of driving
- Altitude
- Thimphu, 2,334 m
- Overnight
- Paro
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 11
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$3,505 |
| 2 travellers | US$2,835 per person |
| 3 or more travellers | US$2,635 per person |
Prices are per person in US dollars and include the Sustainable Development Fee and the visa fee. The domestic flight from Bumthang to Paro is not included: it is charged at the airline's fare.
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.
Cultural tour
Bhutan from East to West
Trashigang and the east, Bumthang, Trongsa and 1 more
Seventeen days across the whole country, out to Trashigang and the weaving villages of the east and back to Paro.
Where
Samdrup Jongkhar, Samdrup Jongkhar
- Samdrup Jongkhar Festival ground
Samdrup Jongkhar
The border with Assam, and the road out of the east
Pemagatshel
Two old monasteries in the south-eastern hills
Trashigang and the east
Weaving villages, pilgrim sites and long roads
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 Samdrup Jongkhar Tshechu
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.