Gangtey festival is very important for people living in Phobjikha. This three-day annual festival is held with the performance of various sacred mask dances that are based on Peling tradition and some unique to Gangtey Valley. The festival concludes with ngedup Langwa(receiving of spiritual wisdom)which is a special blessing ritual for the people.
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 starts from 16th to 18th September 2024
Gangtey also celebrates a festival every year. The festival is fixed in September this year. You can also check festival dates for this year and next year 2025
7 Days Gangtey Festival Tour Over View
The tour program also includes the nature hike of Gangtye the most beautiful in Wangdi
- Day 01:Arrival at Paro International Airport and drive to Thimphu |Distance 60KM | Driving Time 1 Hour | Altitude 2400M.
- Day 02: Thimphu City Tour | Altitude 2400M.
- Day 03: Thimphu to Punakha | Distance 72.8 KM | Driving Time 2 Hours 8Minutes | Altitude 1200M
- Day 04: Punakha to Gangtey and witness Gangtye Festival. Distance 72.8 KM| Driving time 2 Hours 16 Minutes| Altitude ranges from 2900-3200 meters above sea level.
- Day 05: Gangtey to Paro. Distance 165.9KM | Driving Time 4 Hours 25mins | Altitude ranges from 2300M.
- Day 06: Paro Tiger Nest Hike. Distance 15KM | Walking Time 4 Hours.
- Day 07: Departure from Paro Airport. Altitude 2300M.
Apart from the Festival tour, you can also explore Bhutan for cultural, Adventure and Nature tours. We have carefully crafted the best things to do in Bhutan for that interested individual. This website will be your travel guide to Bhutan.
Similar Tours and Sights
Gangtey Festival Tour Itinerary
Arrive at Paro Airport and drive to Thimphu.A short stop on the way to view Tamchog lhakhang. This monastery was built in the 15th century by Thang Tong Gyalpo, popularly known as “The Iron bridge builder”. He built 108 bridges across Tibet and Bhutan, out of which 8 were built in Bhutan. After lunch, visit to: – National memorial chorten (1974) built in honor of the third King, late His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. – Tallest statue of sitting Buddha in the world (51.5 meters) at Kuensel Phodrang. – Craft bazaar where you can buy Bhutanese handicrafts and art works. In the evening, visit Tashichho dzong, seat of the national government and the central monastic body. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
In the morning, visit to Changangkha lhakhang, the oldest temple in Thimphu built in the 12th century by Phajo Drugom Shigpo,Takin preserve center (A weird looking animal believed to be a mix of goat and a cow and has baffled the zoologists) and Simply Bhutan, where you can enjoy Ara (Local alcohol), witness folk dances and many more.
After lunch, visit to: National postal museum where you can print your photos on the official Bhutanese stamps. The school of 13 arts and crafts (Painting school). In the evening, free to stroll in the town for shopping and photography. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
After breakfast, Drive to Punakha via Dochula pass. If the weather is clear, we stop for a while at Dochula pass to view Higher Himalayas. On the way, visit Chimi Lhakhang, which was built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley. He subdued the demons with his “ Magical Thunder bolt”. The Temple is also known as “the Temple of Fertility”.
In Punakha, visit Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is situated between Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). The Dzong was named Druk Pungthang Dechen Phodrang (Palace of Great Happiness). The war materials captured during the battle with Tibetans are preserved here. Punakha is still the winter residence of Je-Khenpo and King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk convened the new national Assembly here in 1952.
After breakfast drive to Gangtey. Enroute sightseeing in the valley of Wangdiphodrang includes a visit to Wangdiphodrang Dzong (from outside) built-in 1638. Legend relates that as the people were searching for the site of the Dzong, four ravens were seen flying away in four directions. This was considered an auspicious sign, representing the spread of Buddhist religion to the four points of the compass. The Dzong is situated at the confluence of Mo Chu and Tang Chu rivers. Drive further to Gangtey. While in Gangtey, visit Gangtey Gompa. Gyaltse Pema Thinley, the grandson and mind reincarnation of Pema Lingpa founded the Temple in 1613, and Tenzin Legpai Dhendup, the second re-incarnation, built the temple. The present Abbot, Kunzang Pema Namgyal is the ninth reincarnation. It is a Nyingmapa monastery and is affiliated to other Nyingmapa monasteries including Tamshing in Bumthang. Explore Phobjikha Valley, famous for the Black Necked Cranes during winter. After lunch, Explore the valley. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
After breakfast, drive to Paro. Enroute take a short stop at Dochula pass.On arrival at Paro, visit Ta dzong built in 1649, an ancient watch tower which now houses the national museum of Bhutan followed by Rinpung dzong built in 1646 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong presently functions as the administrative centre of Paro district. If time permit, visit airport views where most of the people spend their time and do shopping at town. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
A very special day, with an excursion to view the spectacular Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest) monastery – After breakfast take a drive till the base and from there the hike begin. The trail climbs through beautiful pine forest, many of the trees festooned with Spanish moss, and an occasional grove of fluttering prayer flags. We stop for a rest and light refreshments at the Taktsang Jakhang (cafeteria) and then walk a short distance until we see, clearly and seemingly within reach, Taktsang monastery. The primary Lhakhang was built around Guru Rimpoche’s meditation cave in 1684 by the Penlop of Paro Gyaltse Tenzin Rabgay, this incredible monastery clings to the edge of a sheer rock cliff that plunges 900 meters into the valley below. Legend has it that Guru Padmasambhava, the tantric mystic who brought Buddhism to Bhutan, flew here on the back of a flying tiger, Dorji Drolo, said to be his favourite consort.
After Lunch, visit Drugyal dzong built in 1647 by the great Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. It served as a defense post against the Tibetan forces in the ancient days and then visit Kichu lhakhang built in 659 A.D by the Tibetan king Srongtsen Gampo. He built 108 temples in a single day to pin the ogress to the earth forever. Six of these temples lie in Bhutan. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.
Gangtey Festival Tour ends here with our guide and driver seeing you off to the airport.
