Black-Necked Crane Festival Tour

We meet you at the airport and drive to Thimphu. In the afternoon we visit the Buddha Dordenma and Changangkha Lhakhang, and walk the main street before dinner.

We spend the morning in Thimphu at the National Memorial Chorten and the National Institute for Zorig Chusum. After lunch we cross Dochu La, where November skies are usually clear, and descend to Punakha.

We visit Punakha Dzong when it opens and walk across the suspension bridge upstream. Then we drive up into the hills, reaching Phobjikha in the afternoon.

At the Crane Information Centre you can watch the birds through telescopes and learn how they are counted and protected. Towards dusk the cranes fly in from the fields to roost together on the marsh, calling as they come.

The festival begins in the morning in the courtyard of Gangtey Goenpa. The programme mixes masked dances by the monks with songs and dances by local people, and the children's crane dance is the part everyone waits for.

After lunch we walk the Gangtey nature trail, down through pine forest and along the edge of the marsh, keeping to the path so as not to disturb the birds.

Early risers can go out once more to see the cranes leave their roost. After breakfast we drive back towards Thimphu, stopping on the way to walk through the fields to Chimi Lhakhang and to have tea at Dochu La.

We visit the Takin Preserve and the Textile Museum in the morning, and drive to Paro after lunch. The National Museum and Rinpung Dzong fill the afternoon.

We climb to Taktsang in the morning, with a rest at the teahouse on the way. After lunch we visit Kyichu Lhakhang and have tea at a farmhouse.

Your guide and driver take you to the airport after breakfast.