The Gangtey valley is a stunning location in Bhutan. This enhances the feeling of vastness, which is uncommon in Bhutan since most valleys are enclosed. It’s a rare sight to see such a wide and flat valley without any trees after a challenging climb through dense forests.
A few kilometers away from the Gangtey Monastery lies the village of Phobjikha. This area is where black-necked cranes come to spend their winter after migrating from the dry northern plains. Phobikha is part of the Wangduephodrang district and sits on the edge of Black Mountain National Park with an altitude of 2900 m. There are two pretty winding rivers in the valley, Nakay Chhu (known as Chhu Naap meaning “black water”) and Gay Chhu (known as Chhu Karp meaning “white water”).
As per a local tale, the two rivers symbolize a snake and a boar. The two creatures once had a race. They agreed that if the snake (Nakay Chhu) won, rice could be grown in Phobjikha valley, but if the boar won, rice would never be cultivated there. Unfortunately, the snake lost because it had to wind its way all the way through the through its journey, and even today, rice cannot be grown in the valley.
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