Destination
Wangdue Phodrang
A rebuilt dzong, Pele La and the way to Phobjikha
- 1,273 m
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
The valley
About Wangdue Phodrang
Wangdue Phodrang is the largest district of central Bhutan. It begins just south of Punakha, where the valley is low and warm, and climbs east into the Black Mountains as far as Pele La, the pass on the road to Trongsa.
Its dzong stands on a ridge above the meeting of two rivers, the Dang Chhu and the Punatsang Chhu, at 1,273 m. It was built in 1638. On 24 June 2012 a fire destroyed almost all of it, leaving only the lower walls. Rebuilding began in 2014, and the dzong was consecrated again on 11 November 2022.
The district’s best-known valley is Phobjikha, high in the east, where black-necked cranes spend the winter. It has a page of its own.
Our journeys that go beyond Punakha pass through Wangdue Phodrang on the way to Phobjikha or Trongsa.
See and do
What to see
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Wangdue Phodrang Dzong
Built in 1638 above the meeting of the Dang Chhu and the Punatsang Chhu, burned in 2012 and consecrated again in 2022.
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Rinchengang
A village near the dzong, with a temple on the hill above it that is said to be more than 500 years old.
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Phobjikha and Gangtey
The valley of the black-necked cranes, with Gangtey Goenpa above it, reached by a side road near Pele La.
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Pele La
The pass on the main road between Wangdue Phodrang and Trongsa.
Go there
Trips that visit Wangdue Phodrang
Cultural tour
Complete Western Bhutan
Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and 1 more
A week through four valleys: Thimphu, Punakha, the high crane valley of Phobjikha, and Paro with Tiger's Nest.
Cultural tour
Bhutan Highlands Explorer
Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and 2 more
Eight days through western Bhutan at an easier pace, with Phobjikha, a third night in Thimphu and the drive up to Chele La at 3,988 m.
Luxury and special interest
Bhutan Photography Tour
Punakha, Phobjikha, Thimphu and 1 more
Eight days in western Bhutan planned around the light: Dochu La at sunrise, two nights in Punakha, dawn in Phobjikha and Tiger's Nest in the afternoon.
Festival tour
Black-Necked Crane Festival Tour
Phobjikha, Punakha, Thimphu and 1 more
Eight days with two nights in the Phobjikha valley, timed to the crane festival at Gangtey Goenpa on 11 November.
Festival tour
Thimphu Tshechu Festival Tour
Thimphu, Punakha, Phobjikha and 1 more
Eight days in the clear weather of autumn, with the capital's three-day tshechu and, when the dates allow, a village festival in Phobjikha.
Cultural tour
Heart of the Himalayas
Punakha, Phobjikha, Trongsa and 1 more
Nine days from Paro to Bumthang by road, through Punakha, Phobjikha and Trongsa, with a short flight back.
Festivals
Festivals in Wangdue Phodrang
Black-Necked Crane Festival
Welcoming the cranes back to Phobjikha
Gangtey Tshechu
The dances of Pema Lingpa, above the valley of the cranes
Questions
Good to know
When can I see black-necked cranes?
The cranes arrive in the Phobjikha valley from late October and stay until February or March. The best times of day are early morning and dusk, when they fly between their roost on the marsh and the fields where they feed. The valley holds a festival for them at Gangtey Goenpa on 11 November each year.