Black necked Crane Festival

Kinley Tshering

Festival expert and Historian

Why this Tour

Among the rarest festivals for a rare bird in Bhutan

The Black Necked Crane festival is celebrated on November 11 every year at the courtyard of Gangtey Goenpa in Phobjikha valley. It is an occasion for the locals to rejoice and celebrate the arrival of this rare and glorious bird. This becomes an inseparable part of their each day lives during the winter months.

We organize the festival to create awareness. It helps us in understanding the significance of conserving the endangered Black-Necked Cranes.

When the majestic birds, the black necked crane migrates to and from Bhutan, people believe that they circle the Gangtey Goenpa 3 times. The locals believe this is a gesture of gratitude the birds convey for their peaceful stay in the valley of Phobjikha. The 11th of November also marks the birth anniversary of the 4th King of Bhutan. This makes the black necked crane festival even more auspicious.

The festival includes cultural programs such as:

Folk songs
Some black-necked crane themed dances
Mask dances performed by the local people
crane dances
environmental conservation-themed dramas
Songs by school children

The welcoming of the rare and majestic birds in the country.

what's included

We being a licenced travel agents operating directly under the Tourism council of Bhutan are mandated to provide our valued guests with a few services and the others are because we wouldn't want our guests to have anything less.

All Accommodation
All Meals
A Licensed English speaking travel guide
All internal Transportation
Monumental entry fees
Tourist sim cards
Bottled drinking mineral water
Evening Tea

What You Need to Know

The best time to visit Bhutan is March to May and September through to November.
Visiting in a group of more than three at a time reduces the cost.
Bhutan consists of sub tropical, sub-alpine and alpine regions in-spite of being a small country
Bhutan has four seasons consisting of summer, autumn, spring and winter
The country is carbon negative and consists of about 72 percent of forest coverage

ambo Tip: Extend your stay for about 15 days and explore the mesmerizing eastern Bhutan

Why We Love This Tour

The welcoming of a rare kind of bird with a festival is something not seen everywhere
The tour takes you into the heart of one of the most beautiful places in the country
Since the tour is in Phobjikha, it covers other amazing places like Thimphu, Paro and Punakha
The timing of the festival is in November when the weather is almost always romantic in Bhutan