Festival
Wangdue Tshechu
The dance of the ox, at the dzong rebuilt after the fire
- 8–10 October 2027
- Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang
The festival
What happens
Wangdue Phodrang Dzong stands on a high ridge between two rivers, the Punatsang Chhu and the Dang Chhu, half an hour down the valley from Punakha. It was founded in 1638 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan, and its tshechu is said to have been started soon afterwards.
On 24 June 2012 the dzong burnt to the ground. It was being repaired at the time, so most of its relics were in store and were saved. The rebuilding took eight years, and the new dzong was consecrated on 11 November 2022. The tshechu, which was held at an army ground near by in the years between, is danced once more in the courtyard of the dzong.
What you see
The tshechu runs for three days in the eighth month of the Bhutanese calendar, in September or October. Its best-known dance is the Raksha Mangcham, the dance of the ox, which shows the judgment of the dead: the ox-headed Raksha weighs each soul’s good deeds against its bad before the Lord of Death. People believe that those who have watched it will know what to expect when their own time comes, and will not be afraid.
Around it are the other dances of the tshechu, the songs and dances of the women of the valley, and the atsaras with their jokes. Accounts of the festival say it ends with the showing of a thongdrel of Guru Rinpoche.
A week of festivals
In 2027 Wangdue Tshechu falls on 8 to 10 October. Thimphu Tshechu begins on the day it ends, and Gangtey Tshechu, an hour and a half up the road in Phobjikha, follows from 13 to 15 October. One trip can take in all three.
Practical notes
- Wangdue Phodrang is low and warm, at about 1,270 m. Days in early October are hot in the sun.
- Most visitors stay in Punakha, half an hour away, where there are more hotels.
- Dress as you would for a temple, and bring a hat for the sun that you can take off inside the dzong.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Wangdue 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.
- 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 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
Wangdue Tshechu
We drive down the valley to Wangdue Phodrang for a day at the festival. Your guide explains each dance as it begins, and finds out when the Raksha Mangcham will be performed so that we do not miss it.
- Travel
- 42 km there and back, about 1 hour of driving
- Altitude
- Wangdue Phodrang, 1,273 m
- Overnight
- Punakha
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 4
The festival again, then Punakha Dzong
A second morning at the tshechu. In the afternoon we return to Punakha and visit its dzong, then cross the suspension bridge upstream.
- Travel
- 42 km there and back, about 1 hour of driving
- Altitude
- Punakha, 1,242 m
- Overnight
- Punakha
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
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 6
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 7
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$2,125 |
| 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.
Festival tour
Thimphu Tshechu Festival Tour
Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and 1 more
Eight days in the clear weather of autumn, with the capital's three-day tshechu and, when the dates allow, a village festival in Phobjikha.
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.
Where
Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang
- Wangdue Phodrang Festival ground
Wangdue Phodrang
A rebuilt dzong, Pele La and the way to Phobjikha
Punakha
The old capital, where two rivers meet
Phobjikha
The valley of the black-necked cranes
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 Wangdue Tshechu
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.