Bhutan Black Necked Crane Festival Tour
Celebrate Nature and Culture
8-Days Experiencing the Magic of Bhutan’s Wildlife
The Bhutan Black Necked Crane Festival Tour is a 8-day tour starting and finishing in Paro. The high point is 3,180 m. We run it as a private trip on your own dates, or as a small group departure.
Dzongs at Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, the Tiger's Nest monastery, and a tsechu festival calendar that is the reason many people choose their dates. Ema datshi, the national chilli and cheese dish, red rice, and buckwheat in Bumthang.
This is a cultural trip, not a trek. Expect vehicle transfers, guided site visits and short walks of an hour or two, with the option to add a longer hike where the itinerary allows. Physically this is an easy trip. The Tiger's Nest hike is the one demanding morning: about 900 m of ascent over five hours return, with a horse available for the lower half.
Best time to go. March to May and September to November. Spring brings rhododendron and the Paro Tsechu; autumn gives the clearest views of Jomolhari.
Permits and getting there. Bhutan visa and the Sustainable Development Fee, both included in your package price. Bhutan does not permit independent travel; every visitor books through a licensed operator with a guide and driver. Fly into Paro on Drukair or Bhutan Airlines from Kathmandu, Delhi or Bangkok. The Paro approach is one of the most demanding commercial landings in the world and only a handful of pilots are certified for it.
Where you sleep. Three to five star hotels in Paro, Thimphu and Punakha, with genuine luxury options available on request.
Why book with us. Trekking Team is a family company in Gongabu, Kathmandu, running trips since 1991 under TAAN licence 1106. About ten thousand people have travelled with us and we hold more than 630 TripAdvisor reviews. Every departure runs with a government-licensed guide, permits arranged before you arrive, insured and equipped staff, and a fixed price. If the dates or the route do not suit you, write to us and we will rebuild the itinerary around what you want.
Trip Summary
Duration
Difficulty
Max Elevation
Start point
End point
Daily Activity
Group Size
Best Season
Included
- Bhutan visa and the Sustainable Development Fee for every night in the country
- Licensed Bhutanese guide, driver and private vehicle throughout
- Hotel accommodation on a full board basis, twin share, in government-approved hotels
- All meals in Bhutan: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- All monument, dzong and museum entry fees in the itinerary
- Bottled water in the vehicle each day
- All government taxes and company service charges
Not Included
- International and regional flights, including Drukair or Bhutan Airlines to and from Paro
- Travel insurance, which we require you to hold
- Drinks, laundry, telephone and items of a personal nature
- Horse hire on the Tiger’s Nest climb
- Hot stone bath and spa treatments
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Anything not listed under what is included
Get started on your journey
Detailed itinerary
Paro to Thimphu
Arrive in Paro and transfer to Thimphu. Visit the National Memorial Chorten and Buddha Dordenma, then check into your hotel. Enjoy a traditional Bhutanese dinner.
Paro sits at 2,280 m in a broad valley of terraced rice fields and is where Bhutan's only international airport is. The Rinpung Dzong, a fortress monastery from 1646, dominates the river, and the National Museum in the old watchtower above it holds an excellent collection of thangkas, textiles and masks.
Thimphu is the only national capital in the world without traffic lights, still directed at its main junction by a white-gloved policeman. The Tashichho Dzong houses the government and the central monastic body, the Buddha Dordenma sits 51 m high above the valley, and the weekend market, the textile museum and the takin preserve, home to Bhutan's improbable national animal, fill a comfortable day.
Altitude: 2,320 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Sightseeing in Thimphu
Explore the capital city. Visit Tashichho Dzong, the National Institute of Zorig Chusum, and the vibrant local markets. Experience Bhutanese culture and art firsthand.
Thimphu is the only national capital in the world without traffic lights, still directed at its main junction by a white-gloved policeman. The Tashichho Dzong houses the government and the central monastic body, the Buddha Dordenma sits 51 m high above the valley, and the weekend market, the textile museum and the takin preserve, home to Bhutan's improbable national animal, fill a comfortable day.
Altitude: 2,320 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Thimphu to Punakha
Drive to Punakha, stopping at Dochula Pass for stunning mountain views. Visit Punakha Dzong, beautifully situated at the confluence of two rivers. Settle into your hotel and enjoy the serene surroundings.
Thimphu is the only national capital in the world without traffic lights, still directed at its main junction by a white-gloved policeman. The Tashichho Dzong houses the government and the central monastic body, the Buddha Dordenma sits 51 m high above the valley, and the weekend market, the textile museum and the takin preserve, home to Bhutan's improbable national animal, fill a comfortable day.
Punakha was Bhutan's capital until 1955 and its dzong, built in 1637 at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, is the most beautiful building in the country. The drive there crosses the Dochula pass at 3,100 m, where 108 memorial chortens stand on a knoll and, on a clear morning, the eastern Himalaya lines the horizon. The suspension bridge below the dzong is one of the longest in Bhutan.
Altitude: 1,250 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
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Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Punakha to Gangtey
Travel to Gangtey, enjoying the picturesque landscape. Visit the Gangtey Monastery, perched on a hill. Check into your accommodation and relax in the peaceful valley.
Punakha was Bhutan's capital until 1955 and its dzong, built in 1637 at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers, is the most beautiful building in the country. The drive there crosses the Dochula pass at 3,100 m, where 108 memorial chortens stand on a knoll and, on a clear morning, the eastern Himalaya lines the horizon. The suspension bridge below the dzong is one of the longest in Bhutan.
The Phobjikha valley at Gangtey is a wide glacial bowl at 3,000 m and the winter home of black-necked cranes, which arrive from Tibet in late October and leave in February. The Gangtey Goenpa above the valley is the largest Nyingma monastery in western Bhutan, and the nature trail along the valley floor is an easy, beautiful two hours.
Altitude: 2,900 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Gangtey: Black Necked Crane Festival
Experience the Black Necked Crane Festival, celebrating the arrival of these beautiful birds. Enjoy traditional performances, local crafts, and the opportunity to witness conservation efforts firsthand.
The Phobjikha valley at Gangtey is a wide glacial bowl at 3,000 m and the winter home of black-necked cranes, which arrive from Tibet in late October and leave in February. The Gangtey Goenpa above the valley is the largest Nyingma monastery in western Bhutan, and the nature trail along the valley floor is an easy, beautiful two hours.
Altitude: 2,900 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Gangtey to Paro
Return to Paro, stopping to enjoy the scenic views along the way. Check into your hotel and relax after your journey.
Paro sits at 2,280 m in a broad valley of terraced rice fields and is where Bhutan's only international airport is. The Rinpung Dzong, a fortress monastery from 1646, dominates the river, and the National Museum in the old watchtower above it holds an excellent collection of thangkas, textiles and masks.
The Phobjikha valley at Gangtey is a wide glacial bowl at 3,000 m and the winter home of black-necked cranes, which arrive from Tibet in late October and leave in February. The Gangtey Goenpa above the valley is the largest Nyingma monastery in western Bhutan, and the nature trail along the valley floor is an easy, beautiful two hours.
Altitude: 2,250 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Hike to Tiger's Nest Monastery
Hike to the iconic Tiger's Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang), perched high on a cliff. Enjoy breathtaking views during this 4-5 hour hike and return to Paro for the night.
Paro sits at 2,280 m in a broad valley of terraced rice fields and is where Bhutan's only international airport is. The Rinpung Dzong, a fortress monastery from 1646, dominates the river, and the National Museum in the old watchtower above it holds an excellent collection of thangkas, textiles and masks.
Taktsang, the Tiger's Nest, clings to a cliff face 900 m above the Paro valley and is the image everyone has of Bhutan. Padmasambhava is said to have flown here on the back of a tigress in the eighth century. The hike up takes two to three hours through blue pine forest, with a cafeteria at the halfway viewpoint and a final flight of steps down and up across a waterfall. Horses can be hired for the lower half. It is the physical high point of most Bhutan itineraries and it is worth every step.
Altitude: 3,180 m | Travel: 4 to 5 hours | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
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Meal
Accommodation
Final Departure
Transfer to the airport about three hours before your international flight. If you have a late departure we will hold a day room or arrange a final few hours in the city rather than leave you sitting in the terminal.
If you would rather not go home yet, this is the easy point to extend: a few days in Pokhara, a wildlife stay in Chitwan or Bardiya, a short Bhutan add-on, or a rest week somewhere quiet. Tell us before you travel and we will build it in at cost rather than as a late upgrade.
Altitude: 2,250 m | Overnight: Hotel | Meals: Breakfast
Travel duration
Elevation
Meal
Accommodation
Getting ready
No special training is needed. Comfortable shoes for uneven cobbles and stone steps at the heritage sites, and a light layer for early mornings, will cover it.
Altitude and acclimatisation
The high point on this trip is 3,180 m. Physically this is an easy trip. The Tiger's Nest hike is the one demanding morning: about 900 m of ascent over five hours return, with a horse available for the lower half.
Rules we work to: gain no more than 400 to 500 m of sleeping altitude a day above 3,000 m, take a rest day roughly every 1,000 m, climb high and sleep low on those days, drink three to four litres daily, and skip alcohol and sleeping tablets above 3,500 m. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter and a first aid kit and records the group morning and evening.
Diamox (acetazolamide) is a legitimate aid, not a shortcut, and works best started 24 hours before you go high. Discuss it with your own doctor before you travel; we do not prescribe.
If anyone deteriorates, the answer is descent, immediately and without debate. Our guides have the authority to turn a client around and they use it.
Permits and paperwork
Bhutan visa and the Sustainable Development Fee, both included in your package price. Bhutan does not permit independent travel; every visitor books through a licensed operator with a guide and driver.
For Bhutan we submit your visa application with the Sustainable Development Fee once your booking is confirmed. Allow two to three weeks.
Money, tipping and costs on the ground
Bhutanese ngultrum is pegged to the Indian rupee, and both circulate. Cards work in Thimphu and Paro hotels but carry cash elsewhere.
Budget for drinks, souvenirs and any meals not listed in the itinerary.
Tipping is customary and genuinely matters to the crew, but it is not compulsory and never demanded. As a guide to the guide: around USD 8 to 12 per day for your trekking guide and USD 6 to 8 for each porter, pooled by the group and handed over at the end.
Staying in touch
Wi-Fi in hotels, good mobile coverage in the western valleys.
Health and safety
No vaccinations are legally required for Bhutan, but hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are sensible and a rabies course is worth discussing if you are travelling for a long time. Check with a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you fly.
Drink bottled or treated water and be sensible about street food in the first few days.
Our guides carry a comprehensive first aid kit. We hold a 24-hour operations line in Kathmandu throughout your trip, and we run rescue coordination ourselves rather than handing it to a third party.
Booking and cancellation
A deposit confirms your dates and the balance is due before departure. If your plans change we will move your booking to another date rather than treat it as a cancellation wherever the ground operators allow it.
Written quotes are fixed. We do not add fuel or permit surcharges after you have booked, and if a government fee rises between your booking and your departure we absorb it.
Questions before you commit are welcome and never rushed. Write to us with what you actually want and we will tell you plainly whether this trip is the right one, including when the answer is that a different route would suit you better.
Ready to start your journey?
Start planning your dream trip today. Enquire now for more information or customize this trip to tailor it to your needs and make it truly unforgettable.