Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha Valley: An Hidden Gem in Bhutan

Welcome to the Valley of the Cranes Phobjikha, a pristine and bowl-shaped glacial valley located nearly 3,000 meters above sea level in central Bhutan. The imposing Black Mountains border the valley to the east and wild mountains of the Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park to the south. It offers some of the most serene and spiritual landscapes in Bhutan.

The valley’s abundance of wild blue pine, rhododendron, and maple trees, draped with ghostly lichen informally known as “old man’s beard,” makes you feel like Phobjikha is frozen in time. Life here unfolds slowly. Electric power only recently began to seep into the valley and many of the homes still derive heat from an open hearth. Sometimes referred to as Gangtey after the hilltop monastery overlooking the valley, Phobjikha beckons travelers into a world undisturbed for several centuries.

A Sense of Rural Timelessness

In this alpine basin, villagers farm potatoes in quilted fields while also looking after herds of yaks, cattle and ponies. Nomadic herders quietly traverse the valley. When spring comers on the slopes, wildflowers blossom, but by winter the landscape covered in soft, welcoming snow. Locals stay until November 12th when the wintering Black-Necked Cranes arrive.

These magnificent birds are revered across Bhutan. They migrate from the Tibetan Plateau to the Phobjikha marsh as their wintering habitat. With their arrival, we celebrate the Crane Festival at Gangtey Goemba, an emotional gathering of music, masked dances, and happiness. For many, the cranes are sacred representations of the spirits of dead monks coming home.

What to See and What to Do

The spiritual and architectural highlight of Phobjikha is the 17th-century Gangtey Goemba. There are five surrounding temples with a central tower, paintings, and fabulous views of the valley. In the front courtyard of the goemba, novice monks may proudly portray themselves as footballers. These packs of young boys and young men happily contrast the deep faith and gravity of the goemba.

A birdwatcher’s dream is the Gangtey Nature Trail, where a series of hides allow intimate views of the cranes from late October to February. You can always stop in at the RSPN Crane Centre where you can look through their telescopes, and listen to exhibits designed to increase your understanding of crane behaviours, conservation and the ecology of the valley.

Away from the Mainstream

For those interested in less-well known sacred sites, the 14th-century Nyelong Dechenling provides a small, sincerely humble hillside chapel with slightly more elaborate religious relics and also sacred springs of water that are regularly used for healing purposes. Farther afield, the Kumbhu Lhakhang is one of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries and a magical place to spend time to escape and imbibe both Buddhist and more pre-Buddhist Bon traditions.

A Living Landscape

As mentioned you will find red foxes, Himalayan black bears, barking deer, and if you are lucky, the ever-elusive leopard. It is helpful to have binoculars instantly available here because if you are lucky, you may see the Black-Necked Cranes do their three circling clockwise approaches around Gangtey Monastery upon their arrival and return home a memorable ritual adds power to the mystery of the enchanting Phobjikha.