Mongar - Trashigang Festival

Mongar – Trashigang Tsechus.

Festival Date: 2-5 Dec 2011

Tshechus are important festivals in Bhutan. Many tourists around the world come to Bhutan only to see Tshechus. Tschechus normally take place over 3-4 days during which mask dances are performed. The theme of the dances mainly revolves around Buddhism and human life. That is the reason why every Bhutanese go and see the Tshechu festivals. Besides being an important Buddhist festival, it is also a time for family gathering. It is also a time when tourists can see a vast range of hand woven Bhutanese traditional wears as people who come to see the Tshechu wear their best dresses.

The Mongar - Trashigang Tsechus is performed in the winter month. Many people are gathering in the respective dzongs for witnessing the Tsechu. People from Marak and Sakten with their unique costumes can be seen during the Trashigang Tsechu. It is a very good time and opportunity to mingle with the people from eastern Bhutan and at the same time to explore the unexplored places in the unexplored country.

The detailed program is as follows:

Day 01. 13/Nov/2010 (Sat) DEL-GAU-S/Jongkhar (Bhutan).

The representative of Authentic Bhutan Tours will receive at Guwahati Airport in India. After receiving we will drive a while and then we will stop at a restaurant for lunch. Then we will continue our journey to S/Jongkhar. At Rangia, which is about 1hrs 30minutes drive from Guwahati, we will stop for tea or coffee and also for the restroom (toilet). We will also stop just before reaching the S/Jongkhar main gate to complete the immigration process. On reaching S/Jongkhar, we will check in to hotel in S/Jongkhar and the Bhutan immigration we will be done by your guide or group organizer from Authentic Bhutan Tours. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel S/Jongkhar.

Day 02. 14/Nov/2010 (Sun) S/Jongkhar – Trashigang.

After our early breakfast, we will drive to Trashigang. The drive will take about 7hrs 30minutes through the tropical and subtropical forest. You will also see the villages of eastern Bhutan are located at the hilltops and scattered. Lunch will be served as hot pack lunch. Then we will continue our journey to Trashigang. If we have time, we will visit Khaling Handloom Center and Kanglung Zangtopleri Lhakhang. Or we will visit on our way back to Trashigang. Dinner and over night stay at Hotel Trashigang.

Day 03. 15/Nov/2010 (Mon) Trashigang – Mongar.

Today we will drive to Mongar over Korila pass (2400m). The drive will take about 3hrs 30minutes. On reaching Mongar, we will visit the festival place and then we will visit Mongar Hotel for lunch. After our lunch, we will continue to enjoy with Mongar Festival. Towards the evening, we will stroll around Mongar town. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Mongar.

Day 04. 16/Nov/2010 (Tue) Mongar – Trashigang.

Today we will enjoy Mongar festival till lunch time. The lunch will served at Mongar. Then we will drive to Trashigang. On reaching Ngatshang, we will visit small temple, Tashichoepheling Lhakhang. Here we will spend about 1hour experiencing the life of monks and interacting with them. This will be a good opportunity to experience and learn about the monk’s life in Bhutan. We will continue our journey to Trashigang. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Trashigang/Rangjung

.

Day 05. 17/Nov/2010. (Wed) Trashigang Halt.

After an early breakfast, we will drive to Trashigang Dzong to witness the Thongdrel Ceremony, which will be one of the main high lights of your visit to explore the unexplored places in the unexplored country-Bhutan. Thongdrel means ‘liberation at sight’ and it is a big Thangkha. Here we will see the people from Merak & Sakten, who are semi-nomadic people with unique costumes. After the Thongdrel Ceremony, we will drive to Trashi Yangtshi and we will visit Chhorten Kora and Gomphu Kora.Lunch will be served as hot pack lunch. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel Trashigang/Rangjung.

Day 06. 18/Nov/2010 (Thu) Trashigang/Rangjung - S/Jongkhar.

We will drive to S/Jongkhar. If we have not visited the Kanglung Zangtopleri Lhakhang & Khaling Handloom Center, we will visit today on our way to S/Jongkhar. Lunch will be served as hot pack lunch. Continue our journey to S/Jongkhar. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at Hotel S/Jongkhar. Today dinner time, we will see off our drivers and guides here at the hotel.

Day 07. 19/Nov/2010 (Fri) S/Jongkhar – Gauwahati.

Toady after an early breakfast, we will drive to Guwahati which is about 3hrs drive. Your guides and organizer will finish the formalities of Immigration about 6:15 AM and we will be ready to drive to Guwahati at 6:20 AM. We also have to wait for a while at Indian Immigration, and then we will continue our journey to Guwahati. If possible, we will complete all the immigration formalities both for Bhutan and India on 18^th evening. We will bid farewell to some of our guides and organizer here at Guwahati Airport. We wish a very safe and pleasant journey back to your country; at the same time we look forward to see you again in this unexplored country – Bhutan in near future.

Tashi Delek & Tank You.