Central Bhutan · Gangtey
The valley of the black-necked cranes
About Phobjikha
Phobjikha is a wide glacial valley of open grassland, pine forest and small farms, high on the western slopes of the Black Mountains. It is one of the most peaceful places in Bhutan.
Each winter, rare black-necked cranes fly over the Himalaya from the Tibetan plateau to spend the cold months in the valley’s marshes. Local people welcome them as sacred birds, and the valley’s electricity runs underground so that the cranes can land safely.
Above the valley stands Gangtey Goemba, an important monastery with a small village around it. Come to walk the Gangtey nature trail, watch the cranes, and spend a night in a farmhouse.
Featured highlights
Winter visitors
From late October to February, black-necked cranes graze in the marshy heart of the valley. Watch them quietly from the edge of the wetland, and visit the crane centre to learn about these shy, graceful birds and the work to protect them. When they arrive and leave, they are said to circle the monastery above, bringing blessings to the valley.
Village life
Phobjikha’s farmhouses are simple, warm and welcoming. Spend a night with a local family, eat potatoes and buckwheat grown in the valley, warm up by the wood stove, and wake to frost on the fields and the calls of the cranes.
Monastery on the hill
Founded in the 17th century, Gangtey Goemba sits on a forested ridge overlooking the whole valley, surrounded by a small village of traditional houses. Visit in the early morning or evening, when the young monks’ chanting drifts across the courtyard and the valley below fills with mist.
Every November
Each year on 11 November, the courtyard of Gangtey Goemba fills for the Black-Necked Crane Festival. Schoolchildren perform crane dances, and villagers celebrate the birds’ return with songs, masked dances and stories about protecting the valley’s wildlife.
Tell us what you’d love to see, and we’ll shape the journey around you.
Travel with purpose
Your visit helps protect the cranes and supports the families of the valley.
Included in every price, it helps pay for Bhutan’s free healthcare and education, and for protecting its forests.
We stay in family homestays and farmhouses, and buy from the weavers and farmers you meet along the way.
Every trip is planned by our family in Thimphu, so what you spend stays in Bhutan and with the people you meet.
Trips that visit Phobjikha
Book a trip as it is, or use it as a starting point and change the days, places and hotels to suit you.
Autumn · Thimphu · Punakha · Gangtey · Bumthang
Price on request
Festivals
Dates follow the lunar calendar and are tentative until officially confirmed. See all festivals
