Highland Festival in Laya

I was really lucky that a Bhutanese friend asked if I wanted to join him for the Royal Highland Festival in Laya — an opportunity I would’ve completely missed otherwise. Getting there was an adventure: one and a half days on the road, ending with two hours on a steep, bumpy gravel track with no barriers, and then a three-hour hike up to Laya at about 4,000 meters. Many people struggled with the altitude — pounding hearts, headaches, the usual symptoms.
Reaching Laya was breathtaking. The snow-covered Himalayan peaks towering above 7,000 meters were stunning, and I spent ages just staring at them. They reminded me a bit of the Swiss Alps — only nearly twice as high.
The festival itself was fascinating: mask dances, horse races, a 2 km run, tug-of-war, a tombola, and even a fashion-style show of traditional clothing for people aged 50+. Toward the end, there was a parade of yaks, horses, and dogs with traditional music. Around the grounds, many stalls sold Bhutanese handicrafts and food, and in the evenings there were bonfires and concerts at the school campus.
During the festival, I also met the community leader of Punakha and had a great conversation with him. He was very interested in supporting children with disabilities in his district, and we agreed to start a project together to visit families and see how we can help. So even my leave from work turned into something meaningful.