Festival
Zhemgang Tshechu
The festival of the Kheng country
- 16–18 March 2027
- Zhemgang Dzong, Zhemgang
The festival
What happens
Zhemgang is the district south of Trongsa, where the mountains fall away towards the plains in ridge after ridge of forest. This is Kheng, three old territories with a language of their own, known for bamboo and cane work and for some of the richest wildlife in the country.
A hermitage was founded on the ridge at Zhemgang in the 12th century by a lama from Tibet, Zhang Dorje Drakpa. The dzong was built on the same place in 1655, when the three parts of Kheng were brought into the new state of Bhutan.
The festival
The tshechu is held for three days in the second month of the Bhutanese calendar, in March or April, in the courtyard of the dzong. There are the masked dances of the tshechu, performed by monks and laymen, and the songs and dances of the Kheng villages, which are not heard elsewhere. Accounts of the festival say it ends with the showing of a thongdrel of Guru Rinpoche.
Practical notes
- Zhemgang is reached by road south from Trongsa. It is 110 km and takes four to five hours.
- Accommodation is simple and limited.
- The town lies at about 1,900 m and is mild in March.
- Talo Tshechu and Gasa Tshechu, in the west, fall on the same days in 2027.
See it for yourself
A trip planned around Zhemgang 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
- Starts and ends in Paro
From US$2,635 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
-
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 Trongsa
We cross Pele La into central Bhutan. The dzong comes into view across the gorge a good half hour before the road reaches it. In the afternoon we visit the watchtower museum above the town.
- Travel
- About 3 hours of driving, plus stops
- Altitude
- Trongsa, 2,200 m
- Overnight
- Trongsa
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 5
Trongsa to Zhemgang
We drive south down the valley of the Mangde Chhu, watching the trees for golden langurs, and climb to Zhemgang on its ridge, arriving for the afternoon at the festival.
- Travel
- 110 km, 4 to 5 hours
- Altitude
- Zhemgang
- Overnight
- Zhemgang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 6
Zhemgang Tshechu
A day at the festival in the courtyard of the dzong. Your guide explains each dance as it begins.
- Altitude
- Zhemgang
- Overnight
- Zhemgang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 7
Zhemgang to Trongsa
A last hour at the festival, then back north to Trongsa, where we visit the dzong and the watchtower museum above it.
- Travel
- 110 km, 4 to 5 hours
- Altitude
- Trongsa, 2,200 m
- Overnight
- Trongsa
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 8
Trongsa to Bumthang
A short drive over Yotong La and down through the Chumey valley, where yathra, the patterned woollen cloth of Bumthang, is woven. In the afternoon we visit Jakar Dzong.
- Travel
- About 2 hours of driving
- Altitude
- Bumthang, 2,600 m
- Overnight
- Bumthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
-
Day 9
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 10
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 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.
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
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.
Cultural tour
Kingdom in Full
Haa, Bumthang, Trongsa and 2 more
Eleven days and seven valleys, from Haa in the far west to Bumthang in the centre, with every major dzong on the way.
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 Zhemgang Tshechu
Hotels near festival grounds fill early. Tell us your dates and we will check what is still available.