The Brokpa people have a lifestyle very different from those living in Bhutan's lower valleys. They move with their herds between high summer pastures and lower winter grazing areas, living in yak-hair tents or simple stone shelters. They make clothing from yak wool, eat yak cheese and butter, and have developed a rich culture of songs, dances, and crafts tied to their mountain environment. The Royal Highland Festival was created to celebrate and showcase this way of life.
At the festival, you might see yak racing — where handlers guide their yaks as fast as possible across a course — alongside competitions in traditional archery, wrestling, and highland games that test strength and agility. Brokpa women wear distinctive hats decorated with yak tails and strips of colourful woven fabric. There are demonstrations of traditional crafts: weaving, rope-making, and cheese production. Local foods, including yak butter, dried meat, and highland grains, are prepared and shared.
The festival takes place at an altitude of over 3,800 metres — so high that the air is noticeably thin and temperatures drop sharply at night even in summer. Visitors from the lowlands of Bhutan and from other countries make the long trek up to attend, often on horseback or on foot. The backdrop of snow-capped peaks, wide grasslands, and clear sky makes it one of the most spectacular festival settings anywhere in the Himalayas.