Phobjikha Valley
A glacial valley of open grassland and pine forest, best known as the winter home of the rare black-necked crane.
Overview
A wide, U-shaped glacial valley with no visible power lines — they're buried underground to protect the valley's most famous winter visitors, the endangered black-necked cranes that migrate here from the Tibetan plateau each year. Outside crane season, Phobjikha is simply one of Bhutan's most peaceful landscapes: open grassland, scattered farmhouses, and pine forest climbing the slopes.
Highlights
- Wintering grounds of the rare, endangered black-necked crane
- Gangtey Monastery overlooking the valley floor
- Power lines buried underground to protect crane habitat
- The Black-Necked Crane Information Centre and observation point
- Wide open grassland framed by pine-forested ridges
Things to Do
- Watch black-necked cranes from the observation point (Nov–Feb)
- Walk the Gangtey Nature Trail across the valley floor
- Visit the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre
- Explore Gangtey Monastery on the ridge above the valley
- Stay overnight in a valley lodge for sunrise over the grassland
Popular Places
Black-Necked Crane Information Centre
A small visitor centre with telescopes and exhibits on the cranes that winter in the valley each year.
Gangtey Nature Trail
An easy, well-marked walk across the valley floor through pine forest, meadow, and farming hamlets.
Gangtey Goemba
The 17th-century monastery on the ridge above Phobjikha, seat of the Pema Lingpa lineage of Nyingma Buddhism.
Cold for its elevation, especially in winter, with frequent frost and a raw, misty chill that settles into the valley floor. Summers are cool and green, and the valley can turn foggy with little warning at any time of year.
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