- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Festival tour · 9 days, 8 nights
9 Day Black-Necked Crane Festival Tour 2027: Phobjikha Valley, 11 November
Celebrate the return of the black-necked cranes at Gangtey Goenpa on 11 November 2027, with crane dances by local children, dawn walks in the Phobjikha valley, Thimphu, Punakha and the Tiger’s Nest.
- 9 days, 8 nights
- 7 to 15 November 2027
- Festival on 11 November
11 Nov
Crane Festival 2027
2
Nights in the Phobjikha valley
3,000 m
Phobjikha valley, about
Private
Guide and car
Trip overview
A festival for the cranes
Every autumn, black-necked cranes fly over the Himalaya from the Tibetan plateau to spend the winter in Bhutan. Their favourite place is the Phobjikha valley, a wide glacial valley at about 3,000 metres in central Bhutan, where they feed in the marshes from late October to February. Local people say the cranes circle Gangtey Goenpa, the monastery above the valley, three times when they arrive and again when they leave.
The Black-Necked Crane Festival celebrates their return. It is held in the courtyard of Gangtey Goenpa, usually on 11 November, and is organised with the local community and the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, which runs the conservation programme in the valley. Schoolchildren dressed as cranes perform the crane dance, villagers sing and dance, and there are masked dances and short plays about protecting the birds. It is a small, joyful, local festival, and very different from the big dzong tshechus.
This trip gives you two nights in Phobjikha so you can see the cranes at dawn and dusk as well as at the festival. Around it you visit Thimphu, Punakha, Paro and the Tiger’s Nest, all at their best in the clear November weather.
- Two nights in the Phobjikha valley
- The festival at Gangtey Goenpa on 11 November 2027
- Clear November skies for mountain views
Highlights
What you will see
Black-necked cranes
Feeding in the Phobjikha marshes at dawn and dusk.
The crane dance
Performed by local schoolchildren at the festival.
Gangtey Goenpa
The monastery above the valley, home of the festival.
Gangtey nature trail
An easy walk across the valley floor.
Punakha Dzong
Bhutan's most beautiful dzong.
Tiger's Nest
The cliff monastery above Paro.
Itinerary at a glance
Nine days around the festival
Dates follow the 2027 tentative festival list. If they shift, we move the trip with them.
Day 1: Arrive, to Thimphu
Land in Paro, drive to Thimphu.
Day 2: Thimphu
Tashichho Dzong, Folk Heritage Museum, Zorig Chusum, craft bazaar.
Day 3: To Punakha
Dochula pass, Punakha Dzong, Chimi Lhakhang.
Day 4: To Phobjikha
Drive up to the Phobjikha valley, Crane Information Centre.
Day 5: Crane Festival
The festival at Gangtey Goenpa, 11 November 2027.
Day 6: To Paro
Cranes at dawn, Gangtey nature trail, drive to Paro.
Day 7: Tiger's Nest
Hike to Paro Taktsang, Kyichu Lhakhang.
Day 8: Chele La and Haa
Chele La pass, the Haa valley, back to Paro.
Day 9: Depart
Transfer to Paro airport.
Day 1
Arrive on 7 November
Your guide meets you at Paro airport and drives you about an hour to Thimphu. In the afternoon you visit Buddha Dordenma and the Memorial Chorten. November skies are usually clear, so look out for the mountains on the flight in.
- Overnight: Thimphu
- Drive: about 1 hour
- Meals: lunch and dinner
Day 2
Bhutan's capital
A full day in Thimphu: the National Institute for Zorig Chusum, where students learn the 13 traditional arts, the Folk Heritage Museum, the craft bazaar, and Tashichho Dzong in the late afternoon.
- Overnight: Thimphu
- Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Note: the art school is closed on weekends
Day 3
Over Dochula to Punakha
November is one of the best months for the view from Dochula, at about 3,100 metres, with the snow peaks often lined up behind the 108 chortens. You drop into the Punakha valley, where the rice harvest is usually finished, to visit Punakha Dzong and walk to Chimi Lhakhang.
- Overnight: Punakha
- Drive: about 3 hours
- Walking: about 1 hour, easy
Day 4
Into the crane valley
You drive up from Wangdue to the Phobjikha valley, about three hours. In the afternoon you visit the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre, run by the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, which has telescopes trained on the marsh and a short film on the birds. At dusk you watch the cranes fly in to roost.
- Overnight: Phobjikha
- Drive: about 3 hours
- Cranes: late October to February
Day 5
The Black-Necked Crane Festival
The festival takes place in the courtyard of Gangtey Goenpa. Schoolchildren perform the crane dance in white and black costumes, villagers sing and dance, and there are masked dances and short plays about protecting the cranes. Local families come in their best kira and gho, and stalls sell food and crafts. Your guide explains each performance as it happens.
- Overnight: Phobjikha
- Festival: 11 November 2027
- Tip: arrive early for a good spot
Day 6
Dawn cranes, then west
A last look at the cranes at dawn, then a walk on the Gangtey nature trail, an easy hour and a half through pine forest and across the valley floor. After lunch you drive back west to Paro, about six hours with stops.
- Overnight: Paro
- Drive: about 6 hours
- Walking: about 1.5 hours, easy
Day 7
Hike to the Tiger's Nest
The hike to the Tiger’s Nest takes five to six hours return. November light is crisp and the cliff is often clear of cloud. On the way back you visit Kyichu Lhakhang, one of the oldest temples in Bhutan.
- Overnight: Paro
- Hike: 5 to 6 hours return
- Altitude: about 3,120 metres
Day 8
Over Chele La to Haa
You drive up to Chele La, at about 3,988 metres, the highest road pass in western Bhutan. On a clear November morning the view reaches Jomolhari. Then you drop into the quiet Haa valley to visit Lhakhang Karpo and Lhakhang Nagpo, the white and black temples, before returning to Paro.
- Overnight: Paro
- Drive: about 4 hours return
- Altitude: about 3,988 metres
Day 9
Fly home on 15 November
After breakfast your guide drives you to Paro airport for your flight.
- Transfer: about 15 minutes
- Meals: breakfast
Where you stay
Where you stay
Book early: Phobjikha has few hotels and the festival fills them.
| Nights | Place | Where you stay | Why we chose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 and 2 | Thimphu | 3-star or 4-star hotel | Central |
| 3 | Punakha | 3-star or 4-star hotel | Valley views |
| 4 and 5 | Phobjikha | Lodge or farmhouse hotel | Overlooking the crane marsh |
| 6 to 8 | Paro | 3-star or 4-star hotel | Near the Tiger's Nest trailhead |
Luxury lodges such as Gangtey Lodge and Six Senses Gangtey are available on request.
What the price covers
Included and not included
Included
- Bhutan visa (USD 40) and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night
- Hotels as listed, 3-star as standard, with 4-star and luxury upgrades on request
- All meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- A licensed English-speaking guide for the whole trip
- Entry to the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre
- Private car or SUV with a Bhutanese driver, and all transfers
- Entry fees to dzongs, temples and museums
- Bottled water in the car
Not included
- International flights into and out of Paro (we can book them for you)
- Travel insurance, which we strongly recommend
- Drinks, laundry and other personal costs
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Anything not listed under included
Price on request
Tell us your budget and we will send our best price
We don’t publish one fixed price, because hotels, season and group size change the total a lot. Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this Crane Festival tour.
How we price
What decides the cost of this trip
Government fees
The SDF is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, plus a USD 40 visa. These are fixed by the Government of Bhutan and paid through us.
Hotels you choose
Phobjikha's lodges fill early for the festival. The sooner you send your dates and budget, the better the rooms we can hold.
Season and dates
Festival weeks are the busiest of the year. Booking early holds better rooms and seats.
Group size
Guide and car costs are shared, so the price per person drops for two, three or four travellers.
We send a written, itemised quote before you pay anything. No booking fees.
Good to know
Planning your Crane Festival trip
About the black-necked crane
The black-necked crane is the only alpine crane in the world. It breeds on the Tibetan plateau and winters in a few valleys in Bhutan, India and China. In Bhutan the main wintering sites are Phobjikha and Bumdeling in Trashi Yangtse. The bird is protected by law and deeply respected; it appears in Bhutanese songs, dances and stories.
Watching cranes responsibly
Keep to the roads, paths and viewing areas, and use binoculars or a long lens. Never walk into the marsh or try to get close; disturbed cranes waste energy they need for winter. Drones are not allowed near the cranes. The Royal Society for Protection of Nature asks visitors to keep noise down and stay out of fenced areas.
Festival date
The festival is usually held on 11 November, and the 2027 tentative festival list gives that date. We confirm it with the organisers when you book and again before you travel. If it moves, we shift the trip so you are in Phobjikha on festival day.
November weather
November is dry and clear, with the best mountain views of the year. Days are mild in Thimphu and Paro, around 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, but Phobjikha is cold at night and can drop below freezing. Bring a warm jacket, a hat and gloves for the dawn crane watching.
What to pack
Layers, a warm jacket for mornings and evenings, good walking shoes, sunscreen and clothing that covers shoulders and knees for dzongs and temples. See our Bhutan packing list.
Temple etiquette
Cover shoulders and knees in dzongs and temples, take off hats, and walk clockwise around chortens and prayer wheels. Photography is not allowed inside shrine rooms. Your guide explains each place before you go in. Read more in our Bhutan travel rules guide.
Visa, SDF and guide rules
Every visitor except Indian nationals needs a visa, which costs USD 40 and is issued online before you fly. The Sustainable Development Fee is USD 100 per adult per night until 31 August 2027, with half rates for children aged 6 to 11. A Department of Tourism notice from April 2026 confirms that visitors travel with a licensed guide. We file the visa and pay the SDF for you. Read more in our Bhutan visa guide and SDF guide.
Flying into Paro
Only Drukair and Bhutan Airlines fly into Paro, mainly from Bangkok, Delhi, Kathmandu, Kolkata and Singapore. Pilots land by sight between the ridges, so morning flights are the most reliable. We suggest a night in your hub city on the way in. Our flights to Bhutan page lists every route.
Black-Necked Crane Festival tour: questions
It depends on your hotels, group size and dates. Tell us your budget and we will reply within 24 hours with our best price, including the SDF, visa, hotels, meals, guide and car.
The tentative date is 11 November 2027, at Gangtey Goenpa in the Phobjikha valley.
From about late October to February.
It is a small local festival. It gets busy, but much less than the big tshechus.
Days are cool and nights can be below freezing. Lodges have heaters.
Yes, from paths and viewing areas with a long lens. Drones are not allowed.
Yes. Gangtey Lodge and Six Senses Gangtey can be added.
Five to six months ahead. Phobjikha has few rooms.
Price on request
Ask for your best price
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and your budget. We will reply within 24 hours with our best price for this Crane Festival tour.
- Share your budget, we shape the trip around it
- No booking fees, ever
- A reply within 24 hours
- Licensed Bhutanese tour operator
- +975 17533776
- +975 77495028
- info@deyabhutantours.com
- Thimphu, Bhutan
Let's plan your Bhutan journey
Tell us a little about your trip. Our team in Thimphu will reply with ideas, a day-by-day plan and a full price.
We’ll reply within 24 hours. No booking fees, and no obligation to book.