Bhutan, also known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, richly celebrates its ancient Buddhist culture through colorful mask dances. Most of the festivals are held in honor of Guru Rinpoche, with the main celebration falling on the 10th of the Lunar Bhutan Festival Calendar. Your visit to Bhutan would be incomplete without participating in one of these vibrant festivals. Make sure to check the Bhutan Festival dates for 2024 and 2025 to include one in your Bhutan Tour Itinerary.

Bhutan Festival, or Tshechu, the festival of mask dances, is one of the most vibrant legacies of Bhutan's intangible cultural gems, dating back as far as the 8th century. The Indian saint, Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Lotus-born, is credited with bringing the Tantric form of Buddhism to the country and propagating these colorful mask dances.

These mask dance festivals occur throughout the year. You can always check the Bhutan Festival Calendar below and try to include one in your Bhutan Tour Package.

The mask dance festivals celebrate the onset of the harvest season when the barns are full and the skies are sunny, or they mark the dawn of a new spring season, just before the blooming flowers and vibrant colors appear. The festival is celebrated annually across all 20 districts of Bhutan and typically lasts for 3 to 5 days. The event generally concludes with the unfurling of the Thongdrel, a giant Buddhist applique that is displayed only once a year. This unveiling is believed to bring joy and fulfillment into one's life.