Black-Necked Crane Festival
Ways to Discover Bhutan/Festival Journeys

Black-Necked Crane Festival

Celebrate the return of the endangered black-necked cranes to the Phobjikha valley, with dances by local children at Gangtey Goenpa.

Duration
7 days · 6 nights
Route
Paro · Thimphu · Punakha · Gangtey
2027 dates
8–14 November (festival 11 November)
Level
Easy
Sample itinerary — draft for review

Dates follow the Department of Tourism's tentative 2027 festival calendar and may shift with the lunar calendar — we confirm them when you book. See all 2027 festival dates

Every autumn, black-necked cranes fly over the Himalaya from the Tibetan plateau to spend the winter in the Phobjikha valley. On 11 November the community celebrates their return with a festival of songs and dances, including a crane dance performed by local schoolchildren.

It is an intimate, joyful festival with a conservation message, set in one of Bhutan's most beautiful valleys.

Highlights

  • The festival at Gangtey Goenpa
  • Watching wintering cranes on the valley floor
  • The crane dance by local children
  • Punakha Dzong and Dochula
  • The Tiger's Nest

Day by day

  1. Day 1Mon 8 Nov

    Arrive in Paro · drive to Thimphu

    Meet your guide and drive to the capital; afternoon at the Memorial Chorten.

    National Memorial Chorten
    National Memorial Chorten · Photo: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. Day 2Tue 9 Nov

    Thimphu to Punakha

    Over Dochula pass to Punakha Dzong.

    Dochula
    Dochula · Photo: David Broad, CC BY 3.0
  3. Day 3Wed 10 Nov

    Punakha to Gangtey

    Drive into Phobjikha, the cranes' winter home. Visit the Black-Necked Crane Visitor Centre and watch the birds on the valley floor at dusk.

    Black-necked crane
    Black-necked crane · Photo: Aditya Laghate, CC BY-SA 3.0
  4. Day 4Thu 11 Nov

    Festival day (11 November)

    Spend the day at Gangtey Goenpa for the festival's songs, masked dances and the children's crane dance.

    Black-Necked Crane Festival
    Black-Necked Crane Festival · Photo: Doug Knuth from Woodstock, IL, CC BY-SA 2.0
  5. Day 5Fri 12 Nov

    Gangtey to Paro

    A long, scenic drive back west over Dochula.

    Dochula
    Dochula · Photo: David Broad, CC BY 3.0
  6. Day 6Sat 13 Nov

    The Tiger's Nest

    Hike to Paro Taktsang.

    Paro Taktsang
    Paro Taktsang · Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0
  7. Day 7Sun 14 Nov

    Depart

    Transfer to Paro airport for your onward flight.

    Paro International Airport
    Paro International Airport · Photo: Vinayaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0
Signature Experiences

Included on this journey

Farmhouse Stay
06

Farmhouse Stay

 Traditional Hot Stone Bath
09

Traditional Hot Stone Bath
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