Day 04: Memories of Bhutan (Punakha >> Gangtey) with Druk Asia (Jan 2020)

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Wednesday, 15th January 2020

We baded goodbye to Punakha today and made our way to the Gangtey Region, about 75km (3 hours) away. Before commencing on our drive proper, we caught a final glimpse of the Punakha Tzong from the easterly direction for some photo memories of the place.

The Gantey Region is located some 3,000m above sea level (keep your pain-killers handy). Right at the heart of it lies the Phobjikha Valley where we would be spending a night at the iconic Dewachen Hotel. This is probably one of the most beautiful valleys in Bhutan. It is also in Phobjikha where the sacred Black-necked Cranes roam during the winter months to escape from the harsh weather conditions in the Tibetan Plateau. On the 11th November of every year, the annual Black-necked Crane Festival is held within the compounds of the 17th Century Gangtey Goemba, one of the oldest Nyingmapa monasteries in Bhutan.

We started our 90-minute nature hike across the Phobijkha Valley which is home to the cranes and the cedar trees as well as vast stretches of open fields. Our trek ended near the Black-Necked Crane Information Centre where we could see a life-sized crane by the name of Karma who had stayed at the centre since it was eight months old.

By evening, we checked into our cosy hotel room with its woody interior and a traditional fire place to warm our souls on a wintry night.

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