Phobjikha Valley
| Phobjikha Valley | |
|---|---|
The vast Phobjikha Valley | |
| Floor elevation | 3,000 m (9,800 ft) |
| Geography | |
| Population centers | Phobji Gewog, Gangteng Gewog |
| Coordinates | 27°27′30″N 90°10′50″E / 27.45833°N 90.18056°E |
| Official name | Gangtey-Phobji |
| Designated | 2 May 2014 |
| Reference no. | 2264 |
The Phobjikha Valley ཕོབ་སྦྱིས་ཁ spelled as Pho-sbis-kha, (the suffix kha is an element in many place-names in Bhutan and its use is generally optional both in colloquial speech and in literary forms) is a vast U-shaped valley in central Bhutan. The valley houses one of the impressive ancient Buddhist monasteries in Bhutan known as Gangteng Monastery of the Nyingma sect in central Bhutan. The graceful black-necked cranes in Bhutan (Grus nigricollis) from the Tibetan Plateau visit the valley during the winter season to roost. On arrival 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.: 152–154
The broad valley, with its best-known marshland in Bhutan, is popular for its scenic splendour and cultural uniqueness. The valley is rich in faunal biodiversity and has, apart from the globally threatened black-necked cranes Grus nigricollis, 13 other globally threatened species. Within the ambit of the valley, an area of about 970 hectares (3.7 sq mi) has been declared a Ramsar site on May 2, 2014, a wetland of international importance which is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), for the protection of nature.
Tsechu, the colourful Mask Dance Festival of Bhutan and the Crane Festival welcoming the black-neck cranes in winter months are held every year in the precincts of the Phobjikha Valley, in the Gangtey Monastery courtyard. It also has a popular three-day trek route.