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Gangtey
and Phobjikha Valley
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Bhutan's Tourism Destinations |
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Bhutan Information |
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Phobjikha Valley |
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Phobjikha
Valley
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| Phobjikha
Valley and Gangtey village are situatetd east of Punakha and northeast
of Wangduephodrang. |
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| 130
km and a 5 hours drive from Thimphu lies Phobjikha Valley at an elevation of 9,500 feet (3000 m).
On
the drive into the valley you can encounter the historic Gangtey Goempa monastery
built in the 17th century. Situated on a prominent hilltop, this Monasterythat
is the home of the Gangtey Tulku, a highly respected reincarnate
lama, dominates the scenery.
Phobjikha is a wide, beautiful alpine wetland valley where the Black Necked Cranes fly down from Tibet to spend the winter. These majestic birds are some
of only 5000 left in the world today. |
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The
hill side vegetation is mostly pine forests, interspersed with Rhododendron
trees, with thick brush-like bamboo carpeting the floor.
East
of Punakha, the road passes through the colourful village of Wangdue
Phodrang and climbs past deep ravines with dizzying drops to the little
visited, picturesque valley of Phobjikha, home to the quaint rural
settlement of Gangtey.
| Gangtey
Gompa |
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Gangtey
Village and Gangtey Gompa
| The Gangtey
Gompa is lying at an altitude of 3000 m about 50 km east of Wangdue
Phodrang.
Gangtey
Gompa, an old Monastery dating back to the 17th Century can be visited.
From 2005 to 2006 the Gompa is under renovation.
A
few kilometres past the Gompa is the valley where black necked cranes make their home in the winter migrating down from the arid plains of Tibet
to spend the cold season in a milder and lower climate. |
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| Potatoes
are the main cash crop in the valley |
Gangtey
Goemba (under renovation) |
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Phobjikha Valley: Potato fields
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an elevation of 3,000 metres on the western slopes of the Black Mountains,
Phobjikha is one of Bhutan's few glacial valleys.
A
designated conservation area, it is winter home of the endangered black-necked
crane. The quaint village is dominanted by the 16th century Gangtey Goemba,
which includes a school, meditation facilities and quarters for monks,
and is home to the mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa, one of the
region's historically important Buddhist treasure discoverers. |
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A
stay in the Phobjikha Valley begins with a stroll through the Gangtey village
before visiting the ancient altars and ramparts of the massive Goemba.
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Phobjikha
Valley
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Numerous nature
walks and treks are offered by the seemingly endless expanse of valley,
some winding through miniature forests of dwarf bamboo and across a trout
filled brook. Throughout the winter, the reclusive black-necked cranes
can be viewed from the nearby Crane Centre or a viewing hide situated
near their main nesting and feeding grounds.
top
| Black
Necked Cranes |
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In
Bhutan the Black Necked crane locally known as the Thrung Thrung Karm is deeply revered as a heavenly bird and a harbinger of good luck. The
crane appears in Bhutanese folklore, songs, dances and historical references.
Of
an average height of 1.5 metre with a distinctive black neck,
and a life span of 70 to 80 years, the cranes feed on plant roots
and tubers on wetlands and shores of lakes and ponds.
They breed
in northern Tibet in the summer and make the journey to Bhutan and
the Indian states of Arunchal Pradesh and Ladakh between October to January
for the winter and leave by March and April. The Phobjikha valley in Wangduephodrang is another roosting area for the cranes in Bhutan.
Once
abundant in parts of China, Bhutan and India, black-necked crane (Grus
nigricollis) numbers have dwindled in recent decades, and, as a result,
have been listed on the IUCN red list of endangered species. It is estimated
that there are only 5,000-6,000 cranes left in the wild. The wetlands of
Bhutan and southern Tibet are the wintering sites of these birds, while
northern Yunnan and the eastern part of Ladakh in India serve as their
breeding grounds.
With only
6,000 cranes left in the world the birds are listed as an endangered
species. In 1998 the Royal Society for Protection of Nature and the
International Crane Foundation (ICF) USA, collared four cranes with radio
bands to study their migration route.
| Information on Bhutan |
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Gangtey
Village - Phobjikha Valley
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