Laya Village & Highland Community
Located at nearly 3,800 meters beneath the sheer rock face of Mount Masanggang, Laya is one of the highest permanently inhabited settlements in Bhutan. Home to the indigenous Layap people, the village retains a unique semi-nomadic culture centered around yak herding, high-altitude barley farming, and wild cordyceps harvesting. The community is famous for the distinctive attire of Layap women, who wear hand-woven black yak-wool dresses and pointed bamboo hats embellished with turquoise, coral, and silver beads.
Reaching Laya takes travelers along dramatic trails lined with blue pines, rhododendron thickets, and rushing mountain torrents. Staying in or exploring the village reveals a resilient, close-knit way of life, where solar-powered timber homes welcome guests with bowls of warm yak-butter tea and dried cheese (chhurpi). In late October, the village hosts the annual Royal Highland Festival, celebrating high-altitude animal husbandry, traditional horse races, and indigenous folk dances.
