Visit Bhutan during Thimphu Festival and get to know Bhutan more closely

Bhutan is a beautiful country on the lap of the great Himalayas surrounded by China in the north and India in south, east and west. Over the past few years, Bhutan government has been promoting the country as a tourism hub in The Himalayan region. Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB) is continuously highlighting different tourism destinations and major festivals to catch attention of tourists from different parts of the world. A few tour operators, licensed and registered with TCB, have been offering unique tour programmes in Bhutan- Thimphu Festival in Bhutan is one of them.

History and Tradition of Thimphu Festival:

This festival is one of the most popular festivals in Bhutan. It’s held in honour of Guru Rinpoche, the Saint who taught Buddhism in Bhutan during 8th century. In local language, the festival is known as Tsechus and its simultaneously observed in all parts of this beautiful Himalayan Country. The festival holds on auspicious days and months according to Bhutanese calendar, and falls normally during the last week of September every year.

Tradition behind Bhutan Festival:

Thimphu festival is a rich form of oral tradition in Bhutan where the Bhutanese pass their century old values, spiritual beliefs and mythology through traditional dance and dramas. Monks take preparation well-ahead of the festival through their prayers and meditations prior to the festival. They also perform unique dances with mask on their faces and special attire that are traditionally believed to be inspirations of enlightened beings. The Bhutanese people believe that watching these mystical dances is essential to get blessings from Buddha and other Gurus.

Observation by local people:

Local people in Bhutan participate in this festival with great enthusiasm. People dress up in their finest clothes and attractive jewellery, pack foods in traditional bamboo baskets and visit dzongs or monasteries to observe and actively participate in the festival. Bhutan's deep faith and devotion are the special mark of this traditional festival in Bhutan.

Other aspects:

This festival simultaneously takes place in all major cities like Thimphu, Paro, Ura and Wangdu, etc. in Bhutan. Tourists prefer to attend Thimphu festival for its vicinity to the international airport; furthermore, there are plenty of high class hotels available in the capital to stay comfortably. The preparation for the festival starts at least ten days before the festival, hence coming here a few days ahead and visiting local dzong where the monks make preparations for the festival is a different experience for foreign tourists.

Holiday in Bhutan is amidst leading tour operater, licensed and registered with Tourism Council of Bhutan, located in the capital city Thimphu. We offer unique tour programmes for guests and customized holidays.