Visit this wildlife reserve for the overwintering Black-necked Cranes and its excellent walking trails with sweeping views over the pine covered slopes. The cranes are attracted to Phobjikha Valley by the abundance of dwarf bamboo growing in the marshlands. They are highly respected by the Bhutanese, who have buried all the electricity cables in the valley to ensure their safety. These birds arrive in November and return to Tibet around mid-February.
The Phobjika valley is also referred to as Gangtey valley or just Gangtey. This vast U-shaped valley in central Bhutan is the best-known marshland in Bhutan, popular for its scenic splendour and cultural uniqueness. The valley is rich in faunal biodiversity and has, apart from the globally threatened black-necked cranes Grus nigricollis, 13 other globally threatened species including the imperial eagle. The surrounding forests have wildlife like wild boar, barking and sambar deer, bears, leopards and the Serow, a Himalayan goat-antelope. Within the ambit of the valley, an area of about 3.7 mi2 has been declared a Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance.
A special festival in the Gangtey Monastery courtyard welcomes them with masked dancers performing like the graceful birds. Flocks of majestic cranes leave their roosting grounds in search of food before dawn.
