Phobjikha Valley

Phobjikha Valley
The vast Phobjikha Valley
Floor elevation3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Geography
Population centersPhobji Gewog, Gangteng Gewog
Coordinates27°27′30″N 90°10′50″E / 27.45833°N 90.18056°E / 27.45833; 90.18056 
Official nameGangtey-Phobji
Designated2 May 2014
Reference no.2264[1]

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[2]) 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.[3][4][5]: 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.[6]

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 Gangten Monastery courtyard. It also has a popular three-day trek route.

  1. ^ "Gangtey-Phobji". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ Aris, Michael (1979). Bhutan, the early history of a Himalayan kingdom. Warminster, England: Aris & Phillips. p. 51. ISBN 0-85668-082-6.
  3. ^ Train, Russel E. (2003). Politics, Pollution, and Pandas: an Environmental Memoir. Island Press. pp. 294–295. ISBN 1-55963-286-0. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
  4. ^ "Biodiversity Action Plan 2009" (PDF). UNDP Org. pp. 2–3, 16.
  5. ^ Brown, Lindsey; Mayhew, Bradley; Armington, Stan; Whitecross, Richard (2009). Bhutan. Penguin. pp. 152–154. ISBN 978-1-74059-529-2. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
  6. ^ "Gangtey-Phobji". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 18 July 2024.