Bhutan Archery Festival

Considered as Bhutan’s national sport, archery is a big thing in Bhutan. In fact, most of the country’s traditional festivals often include an archery tournament held amidst a breathtaking landscape. Archery in Bhutan is not like the usual archery game you’ve witnessed in the past, which is why you should take the opportunity to witness the game during your Bhutan tour.

If you’re a fan of archery, then you have every reason to visit the beautiful country of Bhutan. This article will help you in planning for your Bhutan trip. Here, you’ll learn more about the Bhutan Archery Festival, where and when you can witness an archery game, and other important things you need to know. We’ll also offer insights on what to expect when watching an archery game in the country and a little bit of history about the game.

Contests and Festivals to Experience Archery in Bhutan

Archery games are being held all over Bhutan during local festivals, religious events, and national holidays. Here’s a list of festivals and events where you can watch an archery game during your trip to Bhutan.

Bhutan Thimphu Tshechu Festival

If you happen to be in Thimphu around the second week of October, you will have an opportunity to witness an archery game live. This will take place during one of Bhutan’s grandest festivals, the Thimphu Tshechu Festival. The archery game of Thimphu Tshechu Festival will be held in the Changlimithang Stadium, which is the country’s national stadium and it’s free for everyone to watch.

National Coronation Archery Tournament

The National Coronation Archery Tournament in Bhutan is the country’s national archery tournament, which is held in honor of the king. Started in 2008, the tournament was meant to celebrate the coronation of the country’s current reigning king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Since then, the tournament is being held yearly with a goal to preserve the country’s unique culture and tradition. The tournament is usually scheduled on the first day of October with the final game played on the 1st of November in celebration of the Coronation Day.

BAF International Style Archery Competition

Sponsored by Yangphel Archery, the BAF International Style Archery Competition is an international archery event in Bhutan held between the months of September and October. The competition usually takes place in Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu, at the Changlimithang Stadium and Archery Ground. This event allows Bhutanese style archers from all over the world to compete in the said tournament.

Other Events and Festivals

Aside from the archery events mentioned above, there are also competitions of different archery skills being held during religious festivals like the Tibetan Buddhist New Year. Also, there are archery contests and demonstrations being held in every region in the country from July to August.

If you want to see a local archery festival or event during your trip in Bhutan, please feel free to contact us and tell us your travel plan. Our experienced travel consultant will help you arrange a Bhutan tour with Archery Festival experience.

How to Plan a Bhutan Tour with Archery Experience

If you’re planning to witness archery competitions and tournaments during your Bhutan tour, it’s important that you plan your trip well. Although archery is held across the country on various occasions, it’s important that you know what the dates are so you can schedule your trip and not miss these archery events. Here are some tips:

Choose the Best Time to Go

It is the first thing you need think about while planning your trip to Bhutan. Since most of the local festivals and events have an archery game competition, and there are festivals almost every month in Bhutan, it is easy to see a local archery competition whenever you go to Bhutan.

Among all the months, September, October and November have the most festivals. So it is suggested to visit Bhutan during these months to have more choices for Archery festivals.

Make Your Reservation in Advance

Once you decide when to go, you need to book your Bhutan tour as early as possible, especially when you plan to visit Bhutan with an archery experience in festival months, like October and November.

For every popular festival, such as the Tshechu in Thimphu and Paro, there are not only thousands of local Bhutan people coming in, but also many international travelers coming from all over the world.

In this case, an early reservation can make you have a better choice for accommodation, flight tickets booking, etc.

Book Your Trip with an Accredited Tour Operator

Take note that all tourists visiting Bhutan would need a visa and must book their holidays with an accredited tour operator or any of their International counterparts. If you want to witness an archery tournament or competition during your trip, the tour company can arrange this for you.

Archery contests are being held all year round in Bhutan and can be found in almost every local village in the country. Your tour operator can personalize your Bhutan trip and include a visit of these local villages where you can witness a traditional archery game live.

Don’t Miss the Chance to Visit the Changlimithang Archery Range and Workshops

If you are keen to learn about the national sport of Bhutan, include a visit of the Changlimithang Archery Range and Workshops in your tour. This place is just inside the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimpu and is open for you to visit at any time of the year. Simply inform the tour company if you want to include this place in your tour of Bhutan.

More Facts about Bhutan Archery

History of Archery in Bhutan

Archery in Bhutan is considered a distinctive martial arts sport that’s used during fighting and war in the early centuries. Locals during the early times would use archery to kill their enemies and defend their kingdom. The bow and the arrow have since been considered the main weapon for defense and survival in the country. Aside from fighting, it’s also used for hunting and in defending against animal attacks.

The bows and arrows have also played a significant role in some of Bhutan’s myths and legends and many images of Buddhist gods can be seen holding a bow and arrow. Around the 1920s, during the reign of Bhutan’s second king, the archery game has become a very popular sport in the country. It is said that the king is an ardent archer. When the country joined the United Nations in 1971, archery was declared as their national sports.

About Archery Competition

The main equipment used for archery is the bows and arrows, and each player should have their own equipment when joining the competition. Traditionally, a team of archery players consists of 13 participants. Each member is expected to play the sport in full enthusiasm and energy. They will take turns in shooting two arrows in one direction, with a distance of as far as 145 meters. If the arrow hits any part of the target, the player gains 2 points. Whoever reaches 25 points first will be declared the winner.

Uniform of Archery Players

Archery tournament is considered a formal event in Bhutan. Thus, participants are expected to wear a uniform. The archers would wear Gho, the traditional and national dress of men in Bhutan, along with a pair of sneakers and knee-high socks. Although not required, visitors are also encouraged to wear the country’s traditional dress. Otherwise, you can wear any clothing that you find comfortable. In some cases, organizers might prohibit visitors from wearing hats, caps, shorts, and short skirts.

The Archery Celebration Dance

One of the things that make the archery in Bhutan unique is the celebratory dance that performed after the player successfully hits the target. This is one of the things that most visitors would actually look forward to when witnessing an archery game in Bhutan.

Each of the team has its own dancers and singers that will cheer for them every time a target is hit. The performance is also meant to distract the opponents and make them miss the target. Whenever the opponent would miss a target, the performers will make loud sounds as a form of celebration. These cheerers wore colorful costumes and have local musical instruments, which make them even more exciting to watch.

Bhutan Women in Archery Game

The archery game in Bhutan is played mostly by men, although, women are very much welcome to attend. In fact, you’ll find lots of local women in the audiences. Most of them are the wives of the archers who are there to cheer for their husbands. They would also prepare mouthwatering local dishes and refreshing drinks to encourage the participants. Some women would also take part in the celebratory dances to cheer their husbands and mock the opposing team.

Nowadays, there are now some local Bhutanese women who are showing interest in archery. In fact, a lone woman archer is among the hundreds of archers who participated in the recent open archery tournament held in Paro. It won’t be surprising to see more women competing in the country’s local tournaments soon enough.

Conclusion

Whether you are a fan of archery or not, witnessing an archery game in Bhutan is truly an exciting experience. Aside from the exciting celebratory dance, the competitions are usually held amidst a breathtaking backdrop. Exploring Bhutan has been in the bucket list of most travelers. The country is known for its stunning landscapes, ancient temples and fortresses, and colorful festivals. Attending local festivals is often the best way to witness archery competitions in Bhutan. This is also the best time to learn more about archery and how this sport played a significant role in the country’s tradition and history.