Black Necked Crane Festival Tour - 8 days

Your tour to the most popular Black Necked Crane Festival begins with a flight to the valley town of Paro. The sceneries of the surrounding hills, as you land in the Paro International airport, are thrilling. The Jichu Drake and Jumolhari mountains come into sight at a far distance. Upon your arrival, you will be greeted by our Bhutanese guide and driven to a restaurant for lunch.

After lunch, you will head to the city of Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. The road leads to the confluence of the Paro and Thimphu rivers adorned with Chortens. Nearby on the left side of the road, you will pass through the Tachogang Lhakhang built by the trader Thangthong Gyelpo in the 15th century. Upon your arrival in Thimphu, you will be transferred to your hotel for some rest. After being briefed by your guide about the tour to follow, you will head out to the streets to explore the evening market. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Thimphu. 

Thimphu District offers an exceptional opportunity to visit some of the most eminent tourist destinations in Bhutan. Most of these destinations illustrate the art, culture, economy, and religion of the Land of Druk. 

Our first visit will be to the nearby King’s Memorial Chorten, which is also regarded as the ‘most visible religious landmark in Bhutan’ due to its prime location in the capital city. Unlike other Chortens, the National Memorial Chorten does not contain any human remains. It was built to honor the third Druk of Bhutan, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, in 1974. 

You will then take a visit to the National Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Arts and crafts, and traditional paper factory. Brief visits to these places represent the economy and administration of Bhutan. 

Motithang Takin Reserve is next on the list of most famous tourist destinations. You will be driven to Motithang in Thimphu for an entrance to the preserve, once a mini zoo. It is now a habitat for the national animal of Bhutan, Takin. 

Tashi Chhoedzong is a big fortress situated on the banks of the Wang Chhu river. It is also dubbed as ‘Fortress of Glorious religion.’ The monastery has over thirty temples, chapels and shrines collectively. 

If time permits, you can visit the Buddha Dordenma or Buddha Point on the northern side of the district. You will be amazed by the gigantic Sakyamuni Buddha statue standing 54m/177ft tall. The statue represents peace and prosperity in the world and was built recently on the 60th anniversary of the fourth Druk of Bhutan. After enjoying your tour, head back to your hotel in the city. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Thimphu. 

A visit to Punakha characterizes the third day of your trip, and your drive to Punakha takes you through plush pine and rhododendron-clad forest along the Thimphu-Tsirang Highway. En route, you will make a stop at the Dochu La pass at an elevation of 3140m. Mesmeric views of the high-standing mountains can be seen from the viewpoint. The Dochu La pass also has 108 memorial chortens and the Druk Wangyel Lhakhang built-in 2004 by the Queen mother of Bhutan. The temple sees an annual winter Druk Wangyel Tsechu festival in December celebrated in gratitude to the monarch and the Royal Army. 

From thereon, the drive continues until you reach the Metshina village. From the village, you will take a 20-minute walk through rice fields towards the Chimi Lhakhang temple. Lama Druk Kuenley built the temple, also called the Divine Madman, for his unique ways of promoting Buddhism in Bhutan. The temple is decorated with phallus objects and paintings on the walls symbolizing fertility as part of his distinct fascinations. Hence, it is called The Fertility Temple and draws an increasing number of travelers, particularly women who come to receive blessings. From there on, you will enter the Punakha Valley. 

Upon your arrival, you will visit the Punakha Dzong, the second largest and second oldest fortress in Bhutan. It was once the seat of the Bhutanese Government and the office of the King during the time that Punakha was the capital of the country. Situated between the Mo Chhu and Pho Chhu rivers, it is a majestic wonder. After the visit, you will head to your hotel in Punakha for the night. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Punakha. 

On this day, you will be heading to the roosting grounds of the Black-necked cranes in Phobjikha valley. The drive from Punakha to the last town before central Bhutan, Wangduephodrang, is only 30 minutes away. The town is characterized by stone and bamboo works and streets with Getshi monks. From there on, you will head through the forest of oak and rhododendron till you reach the Lawala pass at the elevation of 3,250m. The pass is decorated with dwarf bamboos and views of the high Himalayas in Bhutan. 

You will then take a downhill road until reaching the Phobjikha valley. From a distance, you can witness the regal Gangtey Goempa, which will be your next day's visit. After reaching your hotel and taking some rest, you can stroll out in the valley's streets to interact with the locals about the Black Crane Festival. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Phobjikha. 

Today is one of the most exciting days of your entire tour, as you will witness the celebratory events at the Black Necked Crane Festival. Early in the morning, after having some breakfast, you will head to the Gangtey Goemba. This monastery is the only Nyingmapa monastery in central Bhutan. Its construction dates back to the 17th century during the prophecies made by the saint Pema Lingpa. 

Black Necked Cranes have long been believed to be the incarnation of two deities who protect the Phobjikha valley. The rare Black Necked Cranes are the winter visitors in the valley. They fly from the Tibetan Plateau towards the valley to escape the harsh winter conditions in Tibet. The Black Necked Crane season in Bhutan begins in mid-October and lasts till February. The Gangtey Monastery is mostly known for being the premises where the Black Necked cranes are seen circling the monastery three times as they fly to the valley three times as they return to the Tibetan Plateau. Most pilgrims believe that the cranes are practicing the Kora/circumambulation. 

To welcome the black cranes in the Phobjikha valley, the Black Necked Crane Festival is held on the premises of the Gangety Monastery on 11th November annually. You will be astounded by the huge turnout of children, women, and men from neighboring villages and towns to attend the festival. You will witness short plays, folk and mask dances. Most interesting above all is the crane mask dances done by the performers. The festival began in 1998 and has since seen an increase in tourists' inflow to witness Bhutan's rich heritage. As the festival proceeds, you will observe the wonderful cranes flying high in the hilltops of the valley. 

After witnessing one of the most famed festivals in Bhutan, you can even visit the Crane Observation and Education Center. It is delightful to watch the Bhutanese residents ensuring the protection of the beautiful creatures in their valley. Then, you will take a stroll in the Gangety nature trail passing the Semchubara village on the way before taking a descend to the Khewa Lhakhang. From there on, you will head back to your hotel for the night. 

Overnight stay at hotel in Gangtey. 

On this day, you will take a long drive from Gangtey to Paro valley. The drive traces your step backward as you head to Lawala Pass, then Wangduephodrang through the Thimphu-Wangdue Phodrang Highway. From there, the road leads to Punakha valley until crossing Thimphu. You will cross the Royal Botanical Park, then through the zigzag Thimphu -Punakha Highway, reach the Dochu La pass again with the mesmerizing views of the Himalayas. Passing the Lam Sonam Zangpo Lhakhang on the way, you will continue until Semtokha. You will continue the drive to Paro along with Wang Chu and Pa Chu river. Check into your hotel on arrival.   

After taking some rest in your hotel, you can head out to the streets of Paro. Adjacent to your hotel, you can visit the Rinpung Dzong, known to be one of the largest fortresses in Bhutan. It is also known as the ‘Fortress of the Heaps of Jewels.’ Next, you can visit the Kyichu Lhakhang prominent for the Jowo Temple, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan known to have been built in the 7th century. Guru Rimpoche is believed to have visited the vicinity and left his imprint. In the evening, after the short sightseeing visits, you can head to the local gift shops to find some souvenirs to take back home. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Paro. 

A tour in Bhutan cannot end without visiting one of its most iconic cultural landmarks, the Paro Taktsang/ Tiger’s Nest Monastery. Today you will take a hike up the cliff, 900m above the Paro valley floor. On the way uphill, you will pass through pine forests and a sacred pool. Upon reaching the amazing monastery you will be baffled by the architectural structure and the detailed carvings on the doors and windows. The buildings are interconnected to each other by stone ways. You will find prayer flags fluttering in the wind and prayer wheels being spun by pilgrims. Faint hints of the Buddhist prayers being chanted by the monks can be heard in the vicinity. 

The history of the monastery dates back to ancient times with the myth that Guru Rimpoche, the spiritual leader of Bhutan, flew on his Tiger’s back and landed in the Thulo Phuk cave. Then he proceeded to meditate for months and years in the Pel Phuk cave. Guru Rimpoche is primal in bringing Buddhism to Bhutan as per the legends. Surrounding these caves, the Tiger’s Nest monastery has been built. At the elevation of 3,120m, the monastery seems to be clinging to the edge of the cliff. Its strategic placement has been great in offering the views of the Paro valley floor and the high Himalayas on the horizon. Each year, the Tiger’s Nest monastery sees many tourists and Buddhist pilgrims who flock to worship the statues and observe the paintings of the ancient relics. After the visit, you will head downhill from where you will be driven to Paro. 

Overnight stay at a hotel in Paro. 

On this day, you will be bidding farewell to the Land of Druk. We will drive you to the airport and bid farewell. You will board a flight towards home from the Paro International Airport. The memories of your visit to the cultural heritage sites will flood your mind. But most of all, the visitors to Gangety Goempa, views of the Black-Necked Crane, and the amazing dance, drama, and singing performances in the Black-Necked Crane Festival will remain with you as you head back home. 

If you wish to go on a similar festival tour in Bhutan or extend your tour in Asia to India and Nepal's neighboring countries, you can freely reach out to us again.