Rainbow Photo Tours of

After breakfast we leave for a very scenic drive to Phobjekha, the valley that is known for being the winter roosting grounds of the legendary black neck cranes that fly in from Tibet and Siberia. The cranes will still be in Tibet but it is a beautiful and authentic place, a quaint village with farm houses to visit and an ancient temple. The drive follows the national highway to Nobding and just before Pelela Pass we will turn onto a nicely paved farm road and drive another 13-km to Phobjekha, crossing over Gangtey Pass at 3140 m, (10300 ft.) before dropping into the Phobjekha Valley. Also, there is the likelihood that we will see yaks and their herders as they work their way lower to winter pastures.

Phobjekha is a glacial valley on the periphery of the northwestern tip of the Black Mountain National Park. The valley is a conservation area and lies on the northern boundary of the Jowo Durshing range. People sometimes refer to the entire region as Gangtey after the name of the Gangtey Temple that is situated on a ridge overlooking the Phobjekha valley. We arrive here in late morning so we have most of the day to visit the Black Neck Crane Information Center, visit a large farmhouse for Bhutanese lunch (pre-arranged,) attend a special puja at an ancient temple sponsored by the tour (so we can take pictures of this ceremony held to bless the tour for safety and happiness) and then walk around this sleepy little farming community. Overnight halt and dinner, Dewachen Hotel.