Bathing Carnival Bhutan 2026: Telung, Pemagatshel, 6–8 Nov
By Best of Bhutan Research Desk · October 31, 2026 · 7 min read
The second Bathing Carnival Bhutan takes place from 6 to 8 November 2026 at Telung, in the Nganglam area of Pemagatshel, in eastern Bhutan. It is a three-day festival built around water: mass bathing, water games, fly fishing, local food and crafts. The Department of Tourism (DoT) organises it with the Pemagatshel Dzongkhag Administration, and Mongar Dzongkhag is also involved, according to Travel Trade Journal and BW Travel.
On 31 October, BBS reported that preparations at Telung were nearly complete and that local producers from Pemagatshel and neighbouring Mongar were getting their stalls ready.
This post covers the dates, the programme, where Telung is, how travellers can reach it, and what is still unconfirmed.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | What has been announced |
|---|---|
| Event | Bathing Carnival Bhutan (BCB), second edition |
| Dates | 6–8 November 2026 (three days) |
| Venue | Telung, Nganglam, Pemagatshel Dzongkhag, eastern Bhutan |
| Location | About 30 km from Nganglam towards Gyalpozhing (BBS) |
| Theme | "Celebrating the Joy of Water" |
| Organisers | Department of Tourism with Pemagatshel Dzongkhag Administration; Mongar Dzongkhag involved |
| Cultural link | Thruebab (Blessed Rainy Day), when natural water is considered blessed |
| First edition | 22–24 September 2025, held with Thruebab |
| Future dates | Every year from 1–3 November at Telung, starting in 2027 |
| Entry fee / tickets | Not announced in published reports |
What Is the Bathing Carnival Bhutan?
The Bathing Carnival is a new festival. It is not a tshechu and has no masked dances. It takes its idea from Thruebab, the Blessed Rainy Day, when Bhutanese families traditionally bathe outdoors in streams and springs because the water is considered blessed on that day. You can read more about that holiday on our Blessed Rainy Day festival page.
The first edition ran from 22 to 24 September 2025 at Telung, timed to coincide with Thruebab, BBS reported at the time. Kuensel described it as the country's first festival of its kind.
The 2026 edition is later in the year, after Thruebab. The organisers say they chose 6–8 November so it would not clash with Project 108, the raising of 108 Jangchub Chortens in Gelephu on 1 November (TTR Weekly). Our Project 108 explainer covers that event. From 2027, the carnival will move to a fixed slot of 1–3 November each year.
What Happens Over the Three Days
The published programme mixes water sports, games, food and crafts. According to the DoT announcement as reported by Travel Trade Journal and BW Travel, it includes:
Water events
- Mass bathing
- Tug-of-water-war
- Water fights and a water bucket relay
- Water balloon throwball
- Fly fishing
Games and entertainment
- Balloon shooting and ring throwing
- A laser light show
- A "masher hunt"
Food, crafts and culture
- Bamboo mat dining and a Valley Fruit Feast
- Local markets
- Demonstrations of Tsatshi Buram, a local sugar candy
- Demonstrations of the dung and jaling, traditional Bhutanese wind instruments
- A group dance on the final day
The organisers have not published a day-by-day schedule. If you want to see a particular event, ask your tour operator to confirm the timing closer to the date.
Local producers and markets
The market is a big part of the event for local communities. BBS reported that stalls this year will include handmade cotton goods from Dungmaed Gewog, cassava products from Chhoekhorling Gewog and services from the Golden Masheer Eco Lodge in Yangbari, Mongar. One Yangbari producer told BBS he earned more than Nu 100,000 over the three days of the first edition. Another producer from Chhoekhorling said he brought only cassava flour last year and will add cookies and cakes this year after training from the Dzongkhag.
For travellers, this is a rare chance to buy directly from producers in a part of Bhutan that few visitors reach.
Where Is Telung?
Telung is in the south of Pemagatshel Dzongkhag, in eastern Bhutan. BBS places it about 30 km from Nganglam on the road towards Gyalpozhing. That road is the 77 km Gyalpozhing–Nganglam highway, which links Nganglam with Mongar Dzongkhag and was inaugurated in 2018 (The Bhutanese).
Pemagatshel's Dzongdag, Singay Dorji, said the carnival is "evolving into something truly special" and invited visitors to explore the district, which he called the Lotus Valley of eastern Bhutan (Travel Trade Journal).
Why It Matters
Most visitors to Bhutan see only the western valleys: Paro, Thimphu, Punakha and sometimes Bumthang. The east gets a small share of tourists. The six eastern dzongkhags, including Pemagatshel and Mongar, are now preparing their own tourism action plans to change that. We covered those plans in our eastern Bhutan tourism plans post.
An annual event with fixed dates helps. Tour operators can only sell a festival if they know when it will happen. Moving the carnival to a permanent 1–3 November slot from 2027 gives operators and travellers a date they can plan around a year ahead.
The DoT has also framed the event as a way to get travellers beyond the familiar routes. DoT Director Damcho Rinzin said the first edition was a success and that the second will build on it, working with Pemagatshel and Mongar (BW Travel).
What It Means for Travellers
Getting there
Telung is a long way from Paro. Plan for the journey to take most of your trip unless you fly part of the way. The main options:
- Overland from western Bhutan: drive east along the lateral road to Mongar, then south to Gyalpozhing and on towards Nganglam. Telung is on that road. This takes several days from Paro and works best as part of a longer east-west itinerary.
- Fly part of the way: Drukair flies domestic routes from Paro to Bumthang, Gelephu and Yonphula (Trashigang), as noted in coverage of the Air India–Drukair interline deal. Flying to Yonphula or Bumthang cuts a day or more of driving. Check schedules, as domestic flights are limited.
- Enter from India in the east: Samdrup Jongkhar is the main eastern entry point for travellers coming from Guwahati in Assam. See our Samdrup Jongkhar guide for that route.
Fees and rules
The standard rules for international tourists apply. You pay the Sustainable Development Fee for each night in Bhutan, and you must travel with a licensed guide. You must also stay in Department of Tourism-certified hotels, homestays or campsites. Our certified accommodation guide explains how to check. Accommodation around Nganglam and Telung is limited, so book early.
No entry fee or ticketing system for the carnival itself has been published. Mark this as unconfirmed and check with your operator.
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is on the programme. Mongar's Dzongdag, Lungten Jamtsho, highlighted fishing on one of the region's longest rivers (Travel Mail), but the published material does not name the river or explain permit arrangements for visitors. Ask your operator before you pack a rod.
Combine it with other eastern festivals
November is festival season in the east. The Mongar Tshechu and Pemagatshel Tshechu usually fall in November or December. A trip that combines the Bathing Carnival with one of these, plus a few nights in Mongar and Trashigang, makes the long drive worthwhile. Our opinion piece on going east and staying longer makes the case for that kind of trip.
Related Planning Pages
- Eastern Bhutan tourism plans and route map
- Blessed Rainy Day (Thruebab)
- Mongar and its dzong
- Understanding the SDF
- Bhutan's certified accommodation rules
- All Bhutan festivals
FAQ
When is the Bathing Carnival Bhutan 2026?
From 6 to 8 November 2026. From 2027, it will be held every year from 1 to 3 November.
Where is the Bathing Carnival held?
At Telung, in the Nganglam area of Pemagatshel Dzongkhag in eastern Bhutan, about 30 km from Nganglam on the road to Gyalpozhing.
Can foreign tourists attend the Bathing Carnival?
Yes. The Department of Tourism is promoting it to international and regional travellers. Normal tourism rules apply: a licensed guide, the SDF for each night and certified accommodation.
Is there an entry fee for the Bathing Carnival?
No entry fee has been announced in published reports. Check with your tour operator before you travel.
What is Thruebab?
Thruebab, or Blessed Rainy Day, is a Bhutanese holiday at the end of the monsoon. Many Bhutanese bathe outdoors on that day because natural water is considered blessed. The Bathing Carnival is based on this tradition.
Sources
- BBS — Second bathing carnival to showcase local products in Pema Gatshel, 31 October 2026
- Travel Trade Journal — Bhutan to host second Bathing Carnival in PemaGatshel from November 6–8, 2026, 23 October 2026
- BW Travel — Bhutan to host second edition of Bathing Carnival from November 6 to 8, 23 October 2026
- Travel Mail — Bathing Carnival Bhutan returns for its second edition, 22 October 2026
- TTR Weekly — Bathing Carnival Bhutan, September 2026
- BBS — Pema Gatshel to host first-ever Bathing Carnival, September 2025
- Kuensel — Pemagatshel to host first Bathing Carnival Bhutan 2025, September 2025
- The Bhutanese — 77 km Gyalpozhing–Nganglam Highway inaugurated, May 2018
- Upstox — Air India and Drukair interline pact, August 2026
Planning a trip to eastern Bhutan around the Bathing Carnival or the November tshechus? Talk to us and we will build the route, flights and certified stays around the dates.