The annual Black-Necked Crane festival is celebrated at the courtyard of Gangtey Goenpa in Phobjikha valley. The festival is an occasion for the locals to rejoice and celebrate the arrival of this endangered and majestic bird which becomes an inseparable part in their daily lives during the winter months.
With around 300 individuals per year, the Gangteng-Phobji valley is Bhutan’s major wintering habitat for Black-necked Cranes.
The Black-Necked Crane festival dance, developed locally and performed by schoolchildren, is frequently the festival’s centerpiece. As part of the Integrated Conservation and Development Program, the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature, a national NGO, organized the festival (ICDP).
The festival is organized to generate awareness and understanding on the importance of conserving the endangered Black-Necked Cranes. The festival includes cultural programs such as folk songs and dances and mask dances performed by the local people, crane dances and environmental conservation-themed dramas and songs by school children.
Venue: Wangdiphodrang
Festival date: 11th Nov, 2024
