BHUTAN ROYAL HIGHLAND FESTIVAL.
“EXPERIENCE THE
CULTURE, TRADITION, AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF BHUTAN'S HIGHLANDER COMMUNITIES”
Experience the warmth and authenticity of the Highlander's
way of life, as you witness age-old traditions and cultural performances that
have withstood the test of time, while being surrounded by magical peaks. We
invite you to this year's Royal Highland Festival, set for 23-24 October 2023.
See you in Laya!
The annual Royal Highland Festival will be held from October
23-24, 2023 at Laya in the Gasa district. The festival, which is held at 4,000m
above sea level, aims to celebrate, promote and preserve the life and culture
of the nomadic highland people of Bhutan, support their economy, exhibit the
beauty and wonders of the highlands, and laud their resilience.
Guests attending the two-day festival can enjoy the breathtaking sights and sounds of the high Himalaya, as well as games, parades and competitions showcasing highland animals including yaks, horses and mastiff dogs. Some of the animals are dressed in expensive fabrics with colored hair and adorned bells. In addition, a variety of cultural programmes will be performed by the Layaps, the indigenous people inhabiting Laya, including traditional songs, dances, poetry recitations and gift offerings. Layaps refer to their homeland as Be-yul – "the hidden land.”
The festival will also feature stalls selling local produce
as well as showcasing highland agriculture technology, medicinal herbs and
plants, among other things. The festival attracts communities from all over
Bhutan and many tribes come down from the High Himalayas to compete in races
and showings of their animals. The festival will also feature textile and
souvenir stalls, and food stalls displaying local cuisines such as dried yak
cheese, butter and alcoholic beverages.
Located in the extreme north-west of Bhutan, Gasa district
is home to some of the highest mountain peaks in the country. Over a hundred
glacial lakes found at the foot of these mountains feed some of the biggest
rivers in the country, including the Phochu and Mochu rivers. With an elevation
ranging between 1,500 to 4,500m above sea level, the whole district falls under
the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Park and is home to various species of birds
and animals such as yak, musk deer, blue sheep, snow leopard, red pandas, snow
pigeons, Himalayan black bear, and the national bird and animal of Bhutan, the
raven and takin.
