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Black-Necked Crane Festival
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festival Tour

Black-Necked Crane Festival

A rare and intimate festival in the pristine Phobjikha Valley celebrating the arrival of endangered black-necked cranes from Tibet.

5 Days
Autumn (Nov)
Max 10
From $1,990 per person

Overview

About This Tour

The Black-Necked Crane Festival in Phobjikha Valley is one of Bhutan's most unique and intimate celebrations, held each November when the endangered birds arrive from the Tibetan Plateau for winter. Local children perform crane dances in the valley, and there are cultural programmes, traditional songs, and nature walks to spot the actual cranes feeding in the glacial valley. This small-group tour combines the festival with cultural highlights in Wangdue, Punakha, and Thimphu.

Endangered crane viewing
Valley festival ceremony
Glacial valley landscape

Highlights

Tour Highlights

Watch endangered black-necked cranes in Phobjikha Valley
Children's crane dance performances at the festival
Morning birding walks with ornithology guide
Gangtey Monastery — guardian of the valley
Valley nature walks in pristine glacial landscape
Punakha Dzong riverside detour
Local farmhouse meeting with conservation community
Photography of cranes at golden hour

Day by Day

Sample Itinerary

Preview only — your full detailed day-by-day itinerary document is provided upon booking.

Arrive Paro, cross Dochula Pass, descend into the magical glacial Phobjikha Valley.

Full itinerary available on request. Longer tours (5+ days) include detailed daily schedules, accommodation lists, and activity timings.

Pricing

What's Included

Included

  • All accommodation (3–4 star hotels & guesthouses)
  • All meals as per itinerary — full board
  • Qualified licensed Bhutanese tour guide
  • All in-country private vehicle transfers
  • Sustainable Development Fee (SDF)
  • Bhutan visa & travel permit processing
  • All entry fees, park permits & excursions
  • Airport arrival & departure transfers

Not Included

  • International airfare to/from Paro
  • Travel insurance (required — we recommend)
  • Personal expenses & souvenir shopping
  • Tips for guide and driver (recommended)
  • Optional activities not listed in itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages & personal bar bills

Why book with us

Expert-crafted journeys, zero compromises.

We've been arranging authentic Bhutan experiences since 2012. Every detail — from visa logistics to monastery access — is handled so you can simply be present.

10+

Licensed local guides

100%

All-inclusive pricing

30+

Countries represented

Certified

Sustainable operator

“Every single detail was taken care of. Our guide Sonam was extraordinary — this was the most meaningful trip of our lives.”

M

Margaret T.

Grand Cultural Journey · 2025

“The festival experience surpassed every expectation. We felt completely immersed — not like tourists at all.”

J

James & Rachel K.

Paro Tshechu Tour · 2024

Ready to go?

Book the Black-Necked Crane Festival

Contact our Bhutan specialists to confirm dates, customise your itinerary, or request a full cost breakdown. We'll reply within 24 hours.