culture · Gasa, Bhutan
The Royal Highlander Festival at Laya
Laya is a village of yak herders at about 3,800 m in the far north of Gasa District, below the snow peaks along the Tibet border. The Layaps have their own dress, and the women's conical bamboo hats, topped with a spike, are among the best-known images of highland Bhutan. Since 2016, Laya has hosted the Royal Highlander Festival every October, bringing herders from Laya, Lunana and other high communities together with their animals.
The festival includes yak and horse displays, highland songs and dances, traditional games, displays of local products and cultural programmes. Exact dates and programmes are announced each year, and in some years the festival has been changed or not held, so plan only once dates are confirmed. Accommodation is mostly in tents and simple village homes.
Getting to Laya takes time. Depending on how far the road reaches in your year, it is a trek of one or two days from the road head beyond Gasa, climbing steadily through forest along the Mo Chhu. You need a trekking permit, a licensed trekking guide, warm gear and good fitness. Budget at least 5–6 days from Punakha. Check current status before you travel.
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When is the Royal Highlander Festival
It has been held at Laya in Gasa District in October each year since 2017, usually over two days. Dates and programmes are announced annually and can change, and the festival has not been held in every year. Ask your operator for the confirmed dates before planning, as the trip to Laya takes several days. Check current status before you travel.
How do you get to Laya
Drive from Punakha to Gasa and beyond to the current road head, then trek for one or two days along the Mo Chhu to Laya at about 3,800 m. You need a trekking permit, a licensed trekking guide and camping or village homestay arrangements through your operator. Allow 5–6 days for the round trip from Punakha. Check current status before you travel.
Who are the Layaps
The Layaps are the yak-herding people of Laya in northern Gasa District. They have their own dialect and dress, and Layap women are known for their conical bamboo hats with a spike on top. Their livelihood has traditionally depended on yaks and, in recent decades, the seasonal collection of cordyceps on the high pastures.
