Bhutan has declared October 23 as National Yak Day to recognise the importance of yaks, highland communities and the traditional knowledge associated with mountain pastoralism. King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck announced the observance during the ninth Royal Highland Festival in Laya on October 23, 2026. The two-day festival celebrates highland culture, traditional livelihoods and locally produced goods.
Yaks play a vital role in Bhutan’s high-altitude communities, providing milk, meat, fibre, manure and transport. The new commemorative day aims to highlight the contribution of herders and raise awareness of challenges such as changing weather patterns, declining grazing areas, wildlife attacks and youth migration.The festival also saw the launch of the Himalayan Yak Herders’ Network, bringing together yak-herding organisations from Bhutan, India and Nepal to promote knowledge-sharing, sustainable livestock management, research and improved market opportunities. Bhutan will host the network’s secretariat.
During his visit, the King also granted residential land to 57 households from the highland communities of Soe, Lingzhi and Tsento under the Khimsa Kidu royal welfare initiative. The declaration comes as the United Nations marks 2026 as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, highlighting the importance of grazing landscapes and pastoral communities worldwide. National Yak Day is expected to provide an annual platform to promote yak-based livelihoods, conserve mountain rangelands and preserve the cultural heritage of Bhutan’s highland communities.