Location: Wangdue Phodrang
Phobjikha valley is situated in central Bhutan. It is part of an important wildlife preserve because the open marshland is home to the endangered black necked cranes. Other inhabitants included the red foxes, leopards, wild boars and the Himalayan black bears. The cranes fly south every winter to the valley before black to Tibet early spring.
The small local community in Phobjikha cooperate with the wildlife protection agencies in preserving the habitat thus limit their human activities to a confined area. Phobjikha valley is one of the most idyllic places in Bhutan. The community has a 16th century Gangtey monastery built on a ridge overlooking the valley. The tranquility of the valley is popular with tourists practicing meditation. The monastery has small guesthouses and meditation centers. The valley also offers multiple hiking trails. The community celebrates an annual crane festival to promote and raise awareness for the conservation of the ecosystem.