Laya, Bhutan

Laya is a highland village at about 3,800 metres in Bhutan's remote Gasa district, home to the Layap people, a semi-nomadic community of yak herders known for their distinctive conical bamboo hats and heavy woollen dress. Set beneath snow peaks near the Tibetan frontier, it is among the highest settlements in the kingdom.

Its character is proudly distinct. The Layap keep their own dialect, dress and customs, and their yak-centred livelihood, supplemented by the prized cordyceps fungus, shapes a way of life apart from lowland Bhutan. An autumn highland festival now celebrates this culture with yak parades and songs.

On the trail Laya sits on the classic Laya–Gasa trek and marks a key stage of the formidable Snowman Trek, one of the world's hardest long-distance walks. Reaching it takes several days from Gasa or the Punakha region, climbing through forest and pasture beneath peaks such as Masagang. Graded moderate to strenuous, the trekking involves high camps and sustained altitude.

Practical notes: Bhutan requires all visitors to travel on a guided package with a Sustainable Development Fee, and the trek is fully supported with camping and pack animals. Late spring, roughly April to June, and autumn, September to October, are the reliable seasons, with clear skies and open passes; winter snow and monsoon rain both close the high routes.