Royal Highland Festival was featured in the 10-bucket list – tourist destinations in the Lufthansa Airlines inflight magazine 2018. https://magazin.lufthansa.com/…/tr…/just-go-ahead-and-do-it/
It was started in 2016 under the Royal Command with the objective to enhance the socio economic development of the Highlands and Highlanders. Today after 3 years, this festival has become very popular both with the tourist and locals.
The festival is celebrated at 4100 meters, one of the most elevated settlements in the country. The festival offers an authentic experience of Bhutanese Highland culture revolving around the highland animal known as yaks. It show cases the Bhutanese pristine environment at its peak with breath taking natural scenarios,
The festival is a once-in-a-lifetime, to experience a different world, unique opportunity for visitors to Bhutan, to experience the highland way of life with traditional songs, dances, yak-hair tents, ancient epic-poem recitations and the living cultural heritage of the highlands away from the beeping, whirring, processed noise of technology.
One highlight of this festival is the 25 km cross-country race from Gasa to Laya. The run ends at the festival ground on the first day of the festival.
Tour options:
OPTION 1
Day 1 – Arrival Paro to Thimphu ( 3 hrs drive)
Day 2 – Thimphu to Gasa (7 hrs drive)
Day 3 – Gasa to Laya ( 3 hrs drive and 7 hrs walk)
Day 4 & 5 – 23 and 24 October 2019 Royal Highland festival (festival and village visits, trek to lakes)
Day 6 – Laya to Gasa
Day 7 – Gasa to Paro (Approximately 6 hours drive)
Day 8 – Trek to Tiger Nest
Day 9 – Depart
OPTION 2
Day 1 – Arrival Paro to Thimphu (3 hrs drive – local sight seeings in Thimphu)
Day 2 – Chopper flight to Laya – 35 minutes – Local visit
Day 3 and 4 – 23 and 24 October 2019 – Royal Highland Festival
Day 4 – Laya to Gasa (3 hrs drive and 7 hrs walk)
Day 5 – Gasa to Paro
Day 6 – Trek to Tiger Nest
Day 7 Depart
OPTION 3
Day 1 – Arrival Paro, drive to Thimphu (3 hrs drive – local sightseeing s in Thimphu)
Day 2 – Chopper flight to Laya – 35 minutes – Local visit AND SIGHT SEEING
Day 3 and 4 – 23 and 24 October 2019 – Royal Highland Festival
Day 4 – Chopper flight to Paro
Day 5 – Trek to Tiger Nest
Day 6 – Depart