Paro Tshechu Festival

Once a year the Paro valley fills with colour for the Tshechu — a religious festival where monks and laymen perform the sacred cham, whirling masked dances that dramatise the triumph of good over evil and bless all who watch.

We place you in the heart of it, with reserved viewing and a guide who unpacks the meaning behind every mask and movement. On the final dawn a giant applique thangka, the Thongdrel, is unfurled across the dzong wall — seeing it is said to cleanse a lifetime of sin.

Around the festival we weave the essential Bhutan: the Tiger's Nest, the capital Thimphu, and the glacial Chele La pass with its ridgeline of prayer flags.