Gangtey Goenpa Monastery
Gangtey Goenpa Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. The Gangtey Monastery is located on a hill ridge overlooking the vast and beautiful Phobjikha valley. There is even a trail that starts down from the valley up to the Gangtey Gompa. The monastery was built in the 17th century and is considered the largest Nyingma monastery in Bhutan.
Geography of gangtey Monastery
The Gangteng Monastery, also spelt Gantey Gonpa, is bounded on the west side by the Black Mountains (Bhutan) (range above 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) elevation) and is located on a spur amidst the Gantey village, overlooking the vast U-shaped glacial Phobjikha Valley, which is at an elevation of about 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) and which has marshy land. The Nake Chuu river runs through this valley. The monastery commands striking views of the Phubjika Valley below.The Black Mountain Region is inhabited by nomadic shepherds and yak herders.
Wangdue Phodrang, the district headquarters, is 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the Nobding village in the Phobjikha Valley on the Trongsa road from where a short diversion road leads to the Gonpa. It is 75 kilometres (47 mi) from Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. The Gonpa lies on the popular trekking route of the ‘Gangte trail’ which starts from the bottom of the Phobjika valley, passes through the Gangteng Valley, then climbs up to the Gangteng Gonpa, then goes through the Kumbu village on the east of the Gangteng Gonpa, passes through Gedachen, Khebaythang, the Kilkhorthang villages and finally touches the Kungathang Lhakhang
Gangtey Festival 2023
Gangtey also celebrates festival every year. The festival is fixed from 27th to 29th October 2023 and 28th to 29th October 2024.