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Dancers performing in a dzong courtyard during a festival

Festival Tours

Punakha Tshechu Festival Tour

  • 7 Days / 6 Nights
  • Paro · Thimphu · Punakha · Phobjikha

Witness the Norbu Chushum and Drametse Nga Cham dances in the courtyard of Punakha Dzong, the most photogenic festival setting in Bhutan.

About this journey

Bhutan Punakha Tshechu Festival for Bhutan Tour and Travels

the Punakha Festival is one of Bhutan's most spiritually charged festivals for your Bhutan Travel and Tour on unfolds within the magnificent courtyard of Punakha Dzong with Bhutan Festival cultural tour. The Punakha Festival was introduce in 2005 to preserve Bhutan's Buddhist culture and traditionaland to honors the legacy of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the visionary leader who unified Bhutan. The performances are accompanied by ancient chants and the resonant thunder of long horns, and each dance tells a moral story where good triumphs over evil as joyful, colorful expression of Bhutan's Buddhist philosophy spiritual Wellness.

Witness Bhutan Punakha Festival masked dances at Punakha Dzong by taking brilliant photoshoot of the festival events and the incredible Dzong backdrop. The festival is usually held in February or March, according to the Bhutanese lunar calendar, and normally lasts three days, followed by a special final day featuring the sacred Thongdrol.

Punakha Festival Major attractions your can see during your Bhutan Tour:

  • Masked dances, colourful masked dances depict Buddhist deities, spiritual beings, historical stories and the triumph of good over evil.
  • Norbu Chushum, one of the distinctive performances associated with Punakha Tshechu, portraying the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.
  • Drametse Nga Cham, a powerful traditional dance accompanied by drums, performed as part of the festival programme.
  • The Thongdrol, the final-day unveiling of the huge sacred image is one of the most spiritually significant moments. Devotees gather to receive its blessings.

Tour Punakha Festival:

Single Traveler: USD $1690
2 Travelers: USD $1490 per person 
3 Travelers and Above: USD $1390 per person

Day-by-day itinerary

Every journey is private and can be adjusted to your pace, interests and travel dates.

Day1Arrival at Paro International Airport

Our representative from Exclusive Bhutan Journey will welcome you at Paro airport and drive to Thimphu.

  • Tachong Lhakhang (monastery) located on the bank of Paa Chhu River, built in late 1300s by great Tibetan saint Drupthob Thangthong Gyalpo.
  • Chuzom Bridge, where one can get to see three type of stupas in one place and beautiful location to take pictures.

On reaching Thimphu, check in the Hotel.

Overnight in Thimphu

Day2Explore tour around Thimphu

After breakfast ride around Thimphu visiting site:

  • Buddha Statue, facing Thimphu valley down below is the worlds’ largest and tallest Buddha statue standing at the height of 169 feet (52m). From here one can have a 360-degree view of Thimphu city.
  • View Tashichho Dzong, just near bank of the Wangchu River, Tashicho Dzong was built in 1641 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and enlarged in 1694 by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgay. Today, the dzong is the seat of the central government, His Majesty the King’s office, and the summer residence of the Central Monastic Body.
  • Textile Museum visit, Bhutan culture and traditional weaving can be seen.
  • Simply Bhutan, Get to see Culture and Traditional of Bhutan.
  • Bhutan Postal Museum visit
  • Memorial Chorten, it was built in 1974 by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Ashi Phuntsho Choden in memory of her son, Third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.
  • Royal Takin Reserve (Endanger Animal)
  • Craft Bazaar

Afternoon day hiking with beautiful view of Thimphu CITY

  • Leisure time at Town

Overnight at Thimphu

Day3Drive from Thimphu to Punakha

After breakfast drive towards Punakha via Dochula pass.

  • Dochula Pass, an hour's drive from Thimphu will take you to this pass (3140 m) where one can have a superb view of the Eastern Himalayas on a clear day with a powerful binocular telescope. Visit the beautiful 108 chortens.
  • Chimi Lhakhang (Temple of Fertility), famously known for its fertility shrine, where couples unable to concieve come here for blessing.
  • Punakha Dzong, the dzong is situated on a stretch of a land where two rivers – Phochu and Mochu – meet. The dzong was built by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in and the first monarch, King Ugyen Wangchuck, was crowned there and it served as the capital of the country until 1955.
  • Hike To Khamsum Yulluen Lhakhang (optional)
  • Suspension Bridge

Overnight at Punakha

Day4Witness Bhutan Punakha Festival Tour and drive to Phobjikha Valley

After Breakfast witness Punakha festival, the Punakha Festival is one of Bhutan's most spiritually charged festivals for your Bhutan Travel and Tour on unfolds within the magnificent courtyard of Punakha Dzong with Bhutan Festival cultural tour. The Punakha Festival was introduce in 2005 to preserve Bhutan's Buddhist culture and traditionaland to honors the legacy of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the visionary leader who unified Bhutan. The performances are accompanied by ancient chants and the resonant thunder of long horns, and each dance tells a moral story where good triumphs over evil as joyful, colorful expression of Bhutan's Buddhist philosophy spiritual Wellness. Witness Punakha Festival masked dances at Punakha Dzong by taking brilliant photoshoot of the festival events and the incredible Dzong backdrop

And afternoon drive to Phojikha valley which is located east of Punakha is a beautiful and most scenic glacial valley of Bhutan. This valley serves as roosting spot for Black necked crane, one of the rarest and endangered species of bird which migrates during winter months (November, December, January, February) from Tibetan plateaus and northern region of India.

  • Trail Walk to Phobjikha Valley.
  • Visit Black Neck crane center

Once reach Phojikha valleys go around for short trail walk around Gangtey monastery.

Overnight at Phobjikha Valley

Day5Drive from Phobjikha Valley Punakha to Paro

After breakfast drive towards back to Paro.

  • Visit Botanical Garden and Dochula pass, view the Himalayan Ranges in clear day and fresh air.
  • Ta Dzong (national museum), the dzong was built in the mid-17th century as a watchtower overlooking Paro Dzong and the circular dzong houses the National Museum of Bhutan.
  • Paro Rinpung Dzong, at the bank of Pachu River, Paro Dzong, formally known as Rinchen Pung Dzong was built in 1644 under the command of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It is one of the most beautiful and historically important dzongs in the country.
  • River side stop and visit
  • Paro Airport Viewpoint

Overnight at Paro.

Day6Paro Taktsang monastery hike

After breakfast drive towards Taktsang base from where the hike begins. Horse riding facilities are available till view point.

  • Taktsang monastery, the monastery is located 900 m above Paro valley on the face of a rocky cliff. Taktshang is perhaps the most famous monastery in the country. The monastery was named Taktshang after Guru Rinpoche flew there from Kurtoe Singay Dzong (Eastern Bhutan) riding on a tigress to subdue a demon.
  • Kichu Lhakhang, the temple is one of the two among 108 temples built by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century to subdue a demon that lay supine across Tibet and Bhutan. (optional).

Overnight at Paro

Day7Final Departure from Paro International Airport

After breakfast, your guide and driver will see you off at Paro International airport for your onward destinations.

Good to know

  • Private tours: your own guide, driver and vehicle throughout.
  • The Bhutan visa fee of USD $40 and the Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) apply to international visitors; the details are included in your written quote.
  • Payment terms and the cancellation policy are set out on our payment terms page.

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