Gangtey
Gangtey (Phobjika Valley) is considered one of the most beautiful valleys Bhutan. This bowl shaped glacial valley stands just by the Black Mountains. Phobjika surrounding valleys and lush greenery makes this place as beautiful as heaven itself.
The entire area is filled with low lying dwarf bamboo as you reach Gangte village. With potato fields and monks all around; it’s a place next to heaven.
Phobjikha Valley
The Phobjikha Valley is a vast U-shaped glacial valley, also known as Gangteng Valley named after the impressive Gangteng Monastery of the Nyingma sect in central Bhutan, where the graceful black-necked cranes fly in Bhutan (known as Grus nigricollis) from the Tibetan Plateau visit the valley during the winter season. They arrivae in the Phobjikha Valley in the last week of October, the black-necked cranes circle the Gangteng Monastery three times and also repeat the process while returning to Tibet.
The Phobjika valley is a marshy land and has grassy pastures where cattle and horses graze. A special kind of dwarf bamboo grows here, which attracts the black-necked cranes to roost and feed in the valley during the winter season.
The valley is known for its seed potato crop as the soil and atmospheric conditions in the valley are free from insects and diseases that normally affect this crop.
The broad valley with i is popular for its scenic splendour and cultural uniqueness.
Black Necked Crane Information Centre
Black-necked cranes in Bhutan (Grus nigricollis) are winter visitors during late October to mid February to the Phobjikha Valley. They arrive from the Tibetan Plateau, where they breed in the summer. They visit the Phobhjikha valley in large numbers, which is a declared protected area for the cranes, and also to other valleys in smaller numbers in central and eastern Bhutan.
On arrival in Phobhjikha they are seen to circle Gangteng Monastery three times as if practicing kora (“circumambulation”), and repeat this act as they begin their return to the Tibet Autonomous Region in early spring.
Crane Infirmation Center offers all the information about black necked cranes providing spotting scopes to see them. It hslo has mini theatre to show the documentry on these black neck crane. You can also buy souvenir from the handicraft shop.
This Center also serve as a hub for all the conservation and development activities, and as a coordination center for all ecotourism activities in the valley.
GangteGoemba
The tshokhang (prayer hall) is built in pure Tibetan style with eighteen pillars is one of the largest hall in Bhutan. Inner sanctum contains the funeral chorten of founder TenzingDhendup. The woodwork is 450 years old which is must see. Each year in the month of September – October a three day festival is carried out filled with dance and music.
The extensive complex consists of the central goemba, monks’ quarters, a small guesthouse and outlying meditation centres. Much of the interior and exterior woodwork of the 450-year-old goemba was replaced between 2001 and 2008.