Black-necked Crane Festival
Watch masked crane dances at Gangtey Monastery on 11 November.
Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan
Witness the Black-necked Crane Festival in Bhutan.
Every November, hundreds of black-necked cranes glide into the Phobjikha Valley from the Tibetan Plateau, and the local community marks their arrival with a day of masked dances at Gangtey Monastery. Join a small group of up to 12 travellers for 8 days across Bhutan, timed for this one festival and a night in a village homestay.
Festival
11 Nov 2026
Location
Phobjikha, Bhutan
Duration
8 Days / 7 Nights
Group Size
Max 12 Guests
Guide
Licensed Bhutanese Guide
Limited Places. Small Groups. November 2026.
Why This Tour
Why you will never forget Bhutan's crane festival
Most Bhutan itineraries move through the dzongs and call it done.
This departure is timed for the one day a year the Phobjikha Valley celebrates the return of the black-necked crane, with masked dances performed by local schoolchildren in the courtyard of Gangtey Monastery.
You will spend a night in a village homestay in the valley itself, not just passing through, alongside the Tiger's Nest hike, Punakha Dzong and Dochu La Pass that make up the rest of this small group journey.
It is one guaranteed festival date a year, with a maximum of 12 travellers and a Bhutanese guide throughout.
Small Groups
Intimate tours of 2 to 12 guests
Licensed Guide
A certified Bhutanese guide throughout
What You Will See
The Crane Festival, Tiger's Nest and the dzongs of Bhutan.
An 8 day loop from Paro through Punakha and Phobjikha to Thimphu and back, built around the one November morning the valley celebrates the cranes.
Taktsang Monastery
Hike to the Tiger's Nest, perched 800m above the Paro valley floor.
Punakha Dzong
Explore the fortress where the Phochu and Mochu rivers meet.
Dochu La Pass
Cross 108 chortens at 3,050m with Himalayan views on either side.
Gangtey Village Homestay
Share a night with a local family in the Phobjikha Valley.
Plus the unmissable moments
- Chimi Lhakhang, the fertility temple
- Nado Poizokhang incense factory
- Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten walk
- Thimphu's weekend market and Memorial Chorten
- Ta Dzong and the National Museum of Bhutan
- Optional hot stone bath after the Tiger's Nest hike
The Tour
8 days. 7 nights. One festival, once a year.
Paro to Paro, small group of up to 12 travellers, 3-star hotels plus a village homestay. Tour dates: 7 to 14 November 2026. Black-necked Crane Festival: 11 November.
Day by day itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Paro
Settle in, then visit Ta Dzong and the National Museum before walking to Paro Dzong.
Day 2
Dochu La Pass, Chimi Lhakhang
Cross the 3,050m pass with its 108 chortens, then walk to the fertility-blessing temple in the Punakha Valley.
Day 3
Punakha Dzong, arrive in Phobjikha Valley
Walk to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten, tour Punakha Dzong, then settle into your Gangtey village homestay.
Day 4
Phobjikha Valley, Gangtey Monastery
A nature walk through the valley to look for the wintering black-necked cranes, a visit to Gangtey Monastery, and time with your homestay family.
Day 5
Wangdue Phodrang, travel to Thimphu
Stop at Rinchengang Village opposite Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, then continue on to Bhutan's capital.
Day 6
Thimphu sightseeing, incense making
Visit the Memorial Chorten, Folk Heritage Museum and Takin Research Centre, and watch incense being hand-rolled at Nado Poizokhang.
Day 7
Taktsang Monastery hike, Drukgyel Dzong
Hike to the Tiger's Nest, visit Drukgyel Dzong and Kyichu Lhakhang, with an optional hot stone bath and farewell dinner.
Day 8
Departure
Free time in Paro until your transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Note: this departure falls over 11 November, so the itinerary may be adjusted slightly on the ground to maximise time at the Black-necked Crane Festival, per our standard festival-departure policy.
An evening of butter tea and stories with your host family in the Phobjikha Valley.
Where You Stay
3-star Bhutanese hotels and a night in a valley homestay
Six nights are spent in carefully licensed 3-star Bhutanese hotels in Paro, Punakha and Thimphu, each with clean en-suite rooms and traditional styling. One night is spent at a village homestay in the Gangtey area of the Phobjikha Valley, where you share meals and stories with a local family.
- 3-star hotels in Paro, Punakha and Thimphu
- A night at a traditional Gangtey village homestay
- Optional hot stone bath after the Tiger's Nest hike
- Small group guarantee, maximum 12 travellers
Traveller Reviews
What travellers say about Bhutan with Encounters Travel
Real reviews from Encounters Travel guests, including travellers who took this Bhutan tour, as posted on TripAdvisor and Feefo.
4.7 out of 5 from over 1,700 traveller reviews of Encounters Travel tours
Bhutan, an amazing trip
“Encounters Travel, you did it again! We had an amazing and very memorable trip to Bhutan. It was very well organized. Our journey through Bhutan was nothing short of magical. The hike to Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest Monastery) was breathtaking and an even more spiritual reward at the top. The trip leaves you with a calmer heart, a clearer mind, and memories that feel timeless!”
Memorable visit to Nepal and Bhutan
“A quite unique and interesting visit to Nepal and Bhutan. The guided visits to key sites were very high quality and informative. But without doubt the highlight was a week in Bhutan. Our guide, Rinzin, personalised the visit in so many memorable ways.”
Wonderful time, great experience
“The booking process was fairly simple. The guide and driver were great, super friendly and accommodating. Dago was full of information and quite knowledgeable. At times the roads were rough, but Yeshee was a great driver, very friendly and kept the truck spotless.”
Well organised trip to Bhutan
“I was impressed with their knowledge in the area. They organised hotels, transfers, guides and drivers as well as Bhutanese visas and flights. Everything worked well and despite being a solo traveller I had a driver and guide during all my time. I'd certainly use these guys again, they really know their business.”
The 8-day Bhutan tour was amazing
“The guide and the driver were nice people trying to do everything they could for me. The hotels were very nice and the food was simply great. I visited everything on the itinerary, plus some additions thanks to my guide who wanted to show me as much as possible. Everything was well organized and worth the money. I would take this tour again.”
Quick and easy from the other side of the world
“Very helpful. Quick and easy communications despite being on the other side of the world! Encounters Travel communicated well and managed our Bhutan booking efficiently.”
“This is the departure I get asked about most. Accommodation in the Phobjikha Valley is limited during festival week, so I always tell people to book this one a little further ahead than usual.”
Mariska Knoesen, Sales Manager at Encounters Travel
Have a question about the festival dates, visa arrangements or flights into Paro? Mariska and the team can talk you through it.
Black-necked cranes wintering on the floor of the Phobjikha Valley.
Practical Details
Everything you need to know.
- Tour
- Bhutan Encounters: Black-necked Crane Festival
- Duration
- 8 days and 7 nights
- Start and End
- Paro to Paro
- Festival Date
- Black-necked Crane Festival: 11 November 2026
- Tour Dates
- 7 to 14 November 2026
- Group Size
- Small group, 2 to 12 travellers
- Accommodation
- 3-star hotels plus 1 village homestay
- Region
- Bhutan: Paro, Punakha, Phobjikha, Thimphu
About the Black-necked Crane Festival
The migration behind the celebration, and why the Phobjikha Valley is where it happens.
The Background
A migration Bhutan celebrates
Each autumn, black-necked cranes leave the Tibetan Plateau and fly south over the Himalayas to winter in a handful of valleys, and Phobjikha is one of the largest wintering grounds in Bhutan.
The species is considered vulnerable and holds deep spiritual significance in Bhutanese Buddhism, associated with longevity and good fortune.
On 11 November each year, the community at Gangtey marks their arrival with a festival of masked dances, most performed by local schoolchildren, in the monastery courtyard.
300+
black-necked cranes winter in Phobjikha
Oct to Mar
migration window from the Tibetan Plateau
Why Phobjikha
A valley shaped for the cranes
★
A sacred bird
Bhutanese folklore holds that the cranes circle Gangtey Monastery three times before landing, a blessing gesture said to honour the valley.
◎
A glacial valley made for them
Phobjikha's wide, treeless glacial valley floor gives the cranes the open wetland habitat they need each winter.
☁
Power lines buried for their safety
Electricity cables in the valley run underground rather than overhead, reducing the risk of collision for the cranes.
✓
A community-run celebration
The festival's masked crane dances are performed by local schoolchildren, supported by the RSPN's Black-Necked Crane Information Centre.
Good To Know
Your Bhutan questions, answered
When is the Black-necked Crane Festival?
The festival is held on 11 November each year in the courtyard of Gangtey Monastery in the Phobjikha Valley. This departure runs from 7 to 14 November 2026, so you are in the valley for the festival day itself.
Will I actually see the cranes?
The cranes arrive in Phobjikha from late October and stay through to March, so early November is a good window. Numbers build through the season and around 300 or more usually winter in the valley. Day 4 includes a nature walk across the valley floor to look for them, though as with all wildlife nothing is guaranteed.
Do I need a visa for Bhutan?
Yes, every visitor needs a Bhutanese visa, but we arrange it for you as part of the tour. The visa fee is included in the price, and your licensed Bhutanese guide handles the paperwork. You just need a passport with at least six months validity.
What is the Sustainable Development Fee?
Bhutan charges every visitor a Sustainable Development Fee per night, which funds free healthcare, education and conservation in the kingdom. It is already included in this tour price, so there is nothing extra to pay.
How do I get to Paro?
The tour starts and ends at Paro International Airport. Druk Air and Bhutan Airlines fly to Paro from Delhi, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Singapore and other regional hubs. International flights are not included, and our specialists can advise on the best connections for your route.
What is the homestay like?
You spend one night at a village homestay in the Gangtey area of the Phobjikha Valley. It is simple, clean and warm, with meals shared with your Bhutanese host family. It is a highlight of the trip for most travellers, and the other six nights are in licensed 3-star hotels.
How fit do I need to be for the Tiger's Nest hike?
The hike to Taktsang Monastery takes 2 to 3 hours each way on a well-worn trail that climbs about 800 metres above the valley floor. A steady pace with plenty of rest stops gets most reasonably fit travellers to the top. Walking poles help, and there is a cafeteria viewpoint partway up if you prefer to stop there.
What is the weather like in November?
November is one of the clearest, driest months in Bhutan, with crisp blue skies and excellent Himalayan views from Dochu La. Days are mild, roughly 10 to 18 degrees, but the Phobjikha Valley sits above 2,900 metres and gets genuinely cold after dark, so bring warm layers for the homestay and the festival morning.
Why does the itinerary say it may change?
Festival timings and local accommodation availability in the Phobjikha Valley can shift, so as with all our festival departures the day order may be adjusted slightly on the ground. The purpose is always to maximise your time at the Black-necked Crane Festival.
Is this tour suitable for solo travellers?
Yes. Groups are small, from 2 to 12 travellers, and you are accompanied throughout by a licensed local guide and driver. Solo travellers regularly join and quickly become part of the group.
Still have a question? Our travel specialists are happy to help.