The Phobjikha Valley Bhutan is located nearly 7 hours car drive from Paro International Airport. It is the roosting ground of endangered bird spice black-necked cranes in Bhutan (Grus nigricollis). The Glacial valley of Phubjikha valley Bhutan is a U-shaped valley. They migrate to the valley from Tibetan Plateau and Siberia during the extreme winter season. The beauty of birds and amazing view is they circle the Gangtey Monastery three times. They again repeat the process while returning back to Tibet and Siberia.
Phubjikha Valley Bhutan is U-shaped valley with marchy land and is surrounded by beautiful traditional Bhutanese houses. The valley is famous for black-necked cranes, which are globally endangered threatened bird species. The area is about 163 square kilometers and is declared a protected area by Government. It is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN).
The Phobjikha Valley Bhutan is purely an Agrian economy and most people depend upon Tourism, which runs Homestays. The road is connected to the National highway running from West to Eastern Bhutan. Now the village is connected with two mobile service providers. The people of Phubjikha valley mainly produce organic potatoes which are exported to neighboring countries like India and Nepal. PEPSICO company gets organic potatoes to produce potato chips for the international market in India.
Royal Government of Bhutan with RSPN agency protect the endangered crane through conservation measure like transmission lines for electric supply have not been permitted to the area where cranes roost. Other measures like Solar heaters, solar-powered cells, and diesel generators are used to provide electricity. Now the valley is connected by the national grid using underground electrical cables.
Black Necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Goenpa is celebrated every year on 11th November coinciding with the 4th King of Bhutan birthday. You can observe the colorful Mask Dance Festival of Bhutan and the Crane Festival welcoming the black-neck cranes from the Tibetan region. Black-necked crane Festival is the only and best festival in the valley of Phubjikha Valley Bhutan.
Gangtey Monastery Bhutan is the oldest monastery in Bhutan. It is located on the hilltop at an elevation of 2800m under the Wangdiphodrang district. It was built in 1613 by the first Peling Gyalsé Rinpoche or Gangteng Tulku, Rigdzin Pema Tinley, who was the grandson of the great Bhutanese “treasure revealer” Terchen Pema Lingpa.
Before you reach Phubjikha glacial valley you will be visiting the Gangtey Monastery Bhutan. It is an important monastery for the Nyingmapa school of thought.
Phobjika valley just below the Gangtey Goenpa is famous as the winter nesting ground of black-necked cranes which migrate there from Tibet. A popular legend states that they circle the Gangtey Monastery three times on their final landing approach, then do the same upon departure at the end of the season.
The Gangtey Nature hike starts near Gangtey Goenpa if you are traveling from Punakha/Wangdue/Thimphu. You can start either way depending upon your time and itinerary. The Gangtey Nature allows you to catch hold of the beauty of the Phobjikha Valley. The two-hour trail will take you beautiful rural village and the deep forest of Pines. Hikers will make their way from the Gangtey Monastery through dense pine forests, flower meadows, and grasslands to reach the bottom of the Phubjikha Glacial valley.
While on trek you will get a chance to check out the smell of pine in the air and the picturesque Valley of Phubjikha. The Gangtey nature trail offers nature lovers a chance to admire the vast green meadows. It is a good opportunity for bird watchers and enthusiasts to spot the Black-necked Cranes. The endangered birds migrate from the Tibetan plateau and Siberia to the valley of Phubjikha during the winter months. A visit to the Crane Information Centre is highly recommended for bird lovers.
The black-necked crane is availabe in Himalaya region. The migrate from Tibet and Siberia to Bhutan every winter every year. They migrate to lower region of Himalays. In local language it is called as ” Thrung Thrung Keh Narp”, which means thin, tall and black necked.
Every winter Cranes when they migrate to Phubjikha Valley they circle the Gangtey Goenpa Monastery three times and land in the marshy land. They do while coming and while going back after winter. Bhutanese belief that birds behaviour of paying reverence to the three sacred jewels of Buddhism. Traditional stories also beief for the sign of good harvest of agricuture products of the valley and wellbeing.
The Royal Society for Protection of Nature(RSPN) established Crane Information center for display of materials on the cranes and their environment. It is to guide and conserve endangered birds. You can see high end telecope to watch the birds in the glacial valley of Phubjikha.