BHUTAN’S BLACK MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL RETURNS THIS OCTOBER
- The Black Mountain Festival returns to Trongsa on 3–4 October 2026, inviting travelers to experience the destination beyond a transit stop.
- Explore traditional cuisine, crafts, indigenous sports, local products, and performances, including a special showcase of the Monpa community of Jangbi.
- Set against the Black Mountain range, Trongsa offers panoramic landscapes, rich biodiversity, and over 87% forest cover, making it a compelling nature-and-culture getaway.
Looking for a long-weekend escape that goes beyond the usual tourist trail? Trongsa in central Bhutan is inviting travellers to slow down, explore, and experience its heritage, communities, and landscapes as the fifth edition of the Black Mountain Festival returns on 3–4 October 2026.
Held at Yid-Zhin Throm, this year’s festival expands beyond the main venue through a regional highway activation, bringing five gewogs, Trongsa-Nubi, Tangsibji, Drakteng, Langthel, and Korphu to life with welcome gateways and community-led experiences.
Under the theme “Trongsa Through Time: Celebrating Heritage, Creativity, and Community,” the festival offers travelers a closer look at the region’s distinctive traditions. Expect indigenous sports, traditional cuisine, local produce, crafts, and performances, alongside storytelling and drama competitions.
One of the highlights will be the showcase of the Monpa community of Jangbi, where visitors can discover traditional attire, cane and bamboo crafts, and locally produced goods. The festival will also feature the Garp-Lung-Ghi Khorlo Bangjug, a traditional cross-country race, adding an active element to the cultural experience.
Beyond the celebrations, Trongsa’s setting makes the journey equally compelling. Framed by the Black Mountain range, the district offers panoramic valleys, rich biodiversity, and over 87% forest cover, while serving as the seat of Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park.
This October, the Black Mountain Festival offers travelers a reason to make Trongsa more than a stopover and turn it into the destination itself.