BHUTANFor culturally curious travellers
For travellers drawn to living traditions, local food and meaningful encounters. Walks are adjustable, with a gentler alternative to Tiger’s Nest.
Private spring festival journey · 12 days
Bhutan’s Three Spring Festivals 2027
12–23 March 2027. Gasa, Talo and Paro Tshechus, woven together with forest paths, farmhouse kitchens and time to simply be.
- Duration
- 12 days / 11 nights
- Route
- Thimphu · Gasa · Punakha · Paro
- Style
- Private & handcrafted
- Travel dates
- 12–23 March 2027
The journey in one thought
Three celebrations. Time to belong.
A drumbeat in Gasa’s mountain air. A song passed down through Talo’s families. The first light of morning in Paro as people gather for blessings. This private Bhutan spring festival tour brings three distinct celebrations into one journey, with your guide helping you understand what you witness and your own pace deciding how long you stay.
Travel for twelve days through Thimphu, Gasa, Punakha and Paro. Between selected festival sessions, walk an old forest trail, share the work of a farmhouse kitchen and drift along the river. Yoga, a Paro spa treatment and a traditional hot stone bath give the active moments a gentler counterpart. We stay in Paro through 22 March for the final festival morning, departing the following day.
A considered route through western Bhutan
Two nights in Thimphu, one in Punakha before Gasa, two in Gasa, three more in Punakha and three in Paro. Twelve days, 12–23 March 2027.
A personal spring rhythm
Selected festival sessions leave room for tea, conversation and rest. Gasa’s road journey and Paro’s pre-dawn finale are balanced with quieter valley days.
The story of the journey
Five experiences to carry home
Three festival settings, a welcome at a family table and the paths between them: a journey experienced at human pace.
Three spring festivals
Different traditions. One carefully timed journey.
The published tentative 2027 calendar lists Gasa and Talo Tshechus for 16–18 March and Paro Tshechu for 18–22 March. We visit Gasa on the 16th and Talo on the 18th, with a transfer day between them, then attend Paro’s final morning on the 22nd. Your guide selects meaningful sessions rather than filling whole days with courtyard attendance.
Day by day
Twelve days, with room between the celebrations.
From 12–23 March 2027, follow a private route from the capital to Gasa, back through Punakha and on to Paro. Two opening nights in Thimphu leave room for everyday encounters, while a Punakha stop breaks the northbound drive before the celebrations begin.
Day01
12 March 2027 · Paro → Thimphu
A gentle welcome to Bhutan.
Meet your Raven guide and chauffeur at Paro Airport and follow the river valleys to Thimphu. Settle into your hotel before tea, an easy neighbourhood stroll and a relaxed welcome dinner. If your flight arrives early, choose a short visit to the Memorial Chorten; otherwise, let the first afternoon belong to rest.
- Pace
- Easy arrival · about 1–1½ hours driving
- Overnight
- Thimphu
Day02
13 March · Thimphu
Morning yoga, market flavours and local craft.
Start with a gentle guided yoga session, then discover Thimphu through its farmers’ market, small shops and living craft traditions. Browse seasonal produce at Kaja Throm, often called the weekend market but open beyond weekends. Meet a craftsperson where arrangements allow, pause for a local lunch and leave the afternoon open for a café, riverside stroll or quiet time at your hotel.
- Pace
- Flexible cultural day · optional yoga
- Overnight
- Thimphu
Day03
14 March · Thimphu → Yusipang → Punakha
An old forest path to Dochula.
Drive to the Yusipang area near Om Amriti and join a guided section of the Trans Bhutan Trail towards Dochula. Walk beneath forest canopy at a comfortable pace, with the start point and distance agreed to suit your group. The full uphill section is a substantial walk; a shorter segment with a vehicle transfer to the pass keeps the day gentler. Pause for lunch and the 108 chortens, then descend to Punakha. Keep the evening quiet before tomorrow’s mountain drive.
- Pace
- Adjustable forest hike · scenic transfer
- Overnight
- Punakha
Day04
15 March · Punakha → Gasa
Follow the river into the northern mountains.
Leave after breakfast for Gasa, following the Mo Chhu into increasingly forested mountain country. Allow generous time for tea, lunch, photographs and road conditions rather than adding a fixed sightseeing schedule. Settle into your arranged farmhouse or seasonal camp for two nights. Meet your hosts over a simple warming dinner and prepare for the next morning’s festival.
- Pace
- Mountain travel day · regular comfort stops
- Overnight
- Gasa
Day05
16 March · Gasa Tshechu
A celebration in the mountain air.
Join Gasa Tshechu for a carefully chosen session of sacred mask dances and local performances. Your guide introduces the religious context and helps you observe respectfully as families gather from the district. Guests who wish may wear Bhutanese national dress with dressing assistance. Step away for lunch and rest; later, choose a village stroll or a visit to the Gasa hot springs if access, travel time and local conditions permit.
- Pace
- Selected festival session · flexible afternoon
- Overnight
- Gasa
Day06
17 March · Gasa → Punakha
Back to the valley, with time to settle.
Travel south after breakfast, taking the mountain road at an unhurried pace. Stop for a meal and views along the Mo Chhu, then return to your Punakha countryside base for three nights. Spend the late afternoon reading, walking a nearby village lane or simply resting. There is no festival visit to rush to today.
- Pace
- Scenic transfer · quiet afternoon
- Overnight
- Punakha
Day07
18 March · Talo Tshechu
Dress for a village celebration.
Let your guide help you put on a gho or kira before travelling to Talo. Join a selected festival session, preferably timed around the afternoon programme and the village’s cherished Mani Sum song tradition when confirmed. Watch dances, meet the atmosphere of families gathering and enjoy an unhurried meal. Your guide explains the difference between sacred performances and lighter atsara moments, with breaks whenever you need them.
- Pace
- Selected festival session · village time
- Overnight
- Punakha
Day08
19 March · Punakha
Yoga, river time and a farmhouse table.
Begin with gentle yoga, then enjoy a guided rafting outing selected for your group’s confidence and the river conditions. Follow it with a leisurely riverside lunch. After a rest, visit a farmhouse for a hands-on cooking session: help prepare the evening’s dishes with your hosts, learn about local ingredients and sit down to dinner together. Archery or khuru, Bhutanese darts, can be arranged if you prefer a little play before cooking.
- Pace
- Yoga · rafting or riverside walk · farmhouse dinner
- Overnight
- Punakha
Day09
20 March · Punakha → Paro
A slow arrival in Paro, then time for yourself.
Drive west through Dochula with comfortable breaks and lunch along the way. Settle into your Paro stay for three nights and enjoy a pre-arranged spa treatment. If you have energy, take a short stroll through Paro town for small shops and tea. Guests keen to cycle may choose a short guided ride on a suitable valley route instead of town time, subject to equipment, daylight and conditions.
- Pace
- Scenic travel day · spa · optional town stroll
- Overnight
- Paro
Day10
21 March · Paro Taktsang
Tiger’s Nest, followed by warmth and hospitality.
Walk steadily through pine forest towards Tiger’s Nest, allowing roughly five to seven hours for the return hike, monastery visit and rests. Guests who prefer a gentler day can explore Kyichu Lhakhang, the National Museum or rural Paro. Afterwards, unwind in a traditional farmhouse hot stone bath and share an early home-style dinner. Keep the evening short: tomorrow’s festival morning begins before dawn.
- Pace
- Optional substantial hike · bath and early dinner
- Overnight
- Paro
Day11
22 March · Final day of Paro Tshechu
Before dawn, a sacred farewell to the festival.
Rise before dawn for the unveiling of the Thongdrel, the great sacred appliqué image associated with Guru Rinpoche, subject to the confirmed monastic programme and access. Join the gathering for blessings in a gho or kira if you wish, with your guide helping you dress and navigate the morning. After breakfast, choose a dance session or return to rest. Explore local food stalls and games where operating; archery and khuru activities depend on the day’s local programme. Leave the afternoon free for a final Paro stroll.
- Pace
- Pre-dawn start · flexible festival morning · rest
- Overnight
- Paro
Day12
23 March · Paro → Departure
Leave with more than photographs.
Enjoy breakfast as your flight time allows, then transfer privately to Paro International Airport. Your guide and chauffeur see you off after twelve days of mountain gatherings, village songs, shared meals and the last morning of Paro Tshechu.
- Pace
- Private airport transfer
- Overnight
- Departure
Why Raven designed it this way
The festivals set the dates. You set the pace.
Gasa and Talo share the same festival dates. Visiting Gasa first, travelling south the next day and attending Talo afterwards avoids trying to combine a mountain transfer with a ceremony. An initial Punakha night breaks the outward journey, while two Gasa nights provide a complete day in the north.
Three final nights in Paro protect both Tiger’s Nest and the last Tshechu morning. Cycling stays optional; the trail walk can be shortened; a festival session can end when you are ready. Spa time, farmhouse dining and tea breaks belong in the itinerary rather than being fitted around it.
Where you may stay
Characterful stays, thoughtfully placed.
Choose intimate hotels and countryside retreats in Thimphu, Punakha and Paro, with room categories tailored to your preferences. Gasa is different: a welcoming local farmhouse or carefully arranged seasonal camp offers a closer connection to place, with simpler facilities. Raven confirms heating, bathrooms, bedding and access before recommending your northern stay.
- Thimphu · 2 nights: time for local arts, the farmers’ market and a gentle introduction to Bhutan.
- Punakha · 1 night before Gasa, then 3 nights after; Gasa · 2 nights: a broken-up mountain journey, Talo Tshechu and farmhouse hospitality.
- Paro · 3 nights: spa time, Tiger’s Nest and the final festival morning, with departure the next day.
Festival-period rooms and Gasa arrangements are limited. Your private proposal confirms all eleven nights, the facilities and any upgrades.
Read Raven’s approach to staysPractical clarity
What Raven takes care of
Your private proposal sets out the accommodation, meals, activity arrangements, visa and applicable Sustainable Development Fee. Festival attendance on this itinerary does not itself include an SDF waiver. Spa treatments, clothing arrangements and river activities are specified clearly before you book.
Your private arrangements
- Private journey design, visa processing and applicable SDF as confirmed in your proposal
- Private airport transfers and road transport throughout the confirmed journey
- A licensed Raven guide and private chauffeur
- Eleven nights in the confirmed properties and room categories
- Meals, refreshments and farmhouse hospitality as specified
- Guided sessions at Gasa, Talo and Paro Tshechus, national-dress arrangements and confirmed cultural-site fees
- The agreed Trans Bhutan Trail walk, yoga sessions, farmhouse cooking and Tiger’s Nest or a gentler alternative
- Confirmed rafting, riverside lunch, Paro spa treatment, hot stone bath and in-country support
Not normally included
- International flights unless expressly included
- Travel insurance, including appropriate medical and evacuation cover
- Alcohol, shopping, laundry and personal expenses
- Tips and gratuities
- Hotel and room upgrades beyond the confirmed proposal
- Optional activities and treatments not specified as included
- Applicable card and bank-transfer charges
- Costs arising from unforeseen changes to flights or travel arrangements
Rest and personal choices
Movement, warmth and a little stillness.
Begin selected mornings with gentle guided yoga, letting the practice suit your experience and energy. In Paro, leave time for a spa treatment after the valley journey and a traditional hot stone bath following Tiger’s Nest. Cycling is an optional alternative to quiet town time, never an extra obligation. Your proposal confirms the yoga instructor, treatment and bath arrangements.
Questions before you travel
Your spring journey, explained.
Practical answers about three festival visits, Gasa’s mountain setting, walking choices and private arrangements.
When are Gasa, Talo and Paro Tshechus in 2027?
The published tentative calendar lists Gasa and Talo for 16–18 March 2027 and Paro for 18–22 March. This tour runs 12–23 March, visiting Gasa on the 16th, Talo on the 18th and Paro on its final morning, the 22nd. Raven reconfirms the dates and local programmes before travel.
What makes the three festivals different?
Gasa brings sacred dances and local performances into a mountain district gathering. Talo is known for its village dance traditions and the Mani Sum songs associated with the closing programme. Paro is a larger community celebration, with a pre-dawn Thongdrel display on its final day, subject to monastic confirmation. Your guide explains the religious meaning and etiquette.
How are the eleven nights arranged?
Spend two nights in Thimphu, one in Punakha before travelling north, two in Gasa, three more in Punakha and three in Paro. Splitting the Punakha stay breaks the outward drive and places you back in the valley before the Talo festival visit.
Do we spend whole days at the festivals?
No. We plan selected sessions, generally around half a day, with flexibility for tea, meals and rest. Talo may favour an afternoon session for its closing songs. Paro requires a pre-dawn start for the Thongdrel; you can rest afterwards and choose whether to watch more dances. Gho or kira dressing assistance can be arranged, and your guide explains respectful photography and temple etiquette.
Is Tiger’s Nest compulsory?
No. The Tiger’s Nest walk includes sustained uphill sections and many steps; allow roughly five to seven hours including rests and the monastery visit. Guests may choose Kyichu Lhakhang, the National Museum or rural Paro instead. The Trans Bhutan Trail walk is also adjustable, with vehicle transfers available at agreed access points.
What are Gasa and the roads like in March?
Gasa has colder mornings and evenings and simpler accommodation than the western valley hotels. Mountain roads are winding, and weather or roadworks can change driving times. Bring layers and walking shoes with good grip. Your guide checks road and trail access and adjusts the programme when necessary; hot-spring access is not guaranteed.
Are yoga, rafting, spa and the hot stone bath included?
These experiences form part of the proposed journey, with their exact arrangements and inclusions set out in your quotation. Rafting depends on water levels, weather and guest suitability; a riverside walk is an alternative. Yoga instruction, a Paro spa treatment and a farmhouse hot stone bath are booked in advance. Cycling is optional. Your proposal separately confirms the applicable SDF, visa, stays and meals.
Your journey starts with a conversation
What would you like to discover in Bhutan?
Tell us who is travelling, your interest in Gasa, Talo and Paro, preferred stays and walking comfort. We will shape your private Bhutan spring festival journey around meaningful celebrations, hands-on encounters and time to unwind.
Begin a private conversation