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GANGTOK, SEPT 30: Sikkim is set to host its first Himalayan Yak Festival at Gnathang Valley in the last week of October 2026, bringing together yak farmers and communities from major yak rearing regions of India. The one day festival is expected to bring together participants from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, with a focus on yak conservation, livelihood development and tourism.

The festival is being planned at Gnathang Valley, one of Sikkim’s high altitude areas located at around 13,500 feet above sea level. The valley has a long association with yak herding and lies along the historic Old Silk Route. The high altitude and cold climate make the area suitable for yak rearing.

Yak is a high altitude bovine animal scientifically known as Poephagus grunniens. It is naturally adapted to cold and low oxygen conditions found in the Himalayan region. In India, yaks are mainly found in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. They provide milk, meat, fibre, hide, manure and transport support to communities living in high altitude areas, making them an important part of the livelihood and traditional culture of Himalayan pastoral communities.

According to research published by ICAR, Sikkim has around 5,219 yaks, while the yak population across India has been facing a decline. Researchers have highlighted the need for conservation, scientific breeding and sustainable development of yak husbandry.

Dr. Karma Tenzing Bhutia, Principal Director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Department, said the initiative has been taken to bring yak farmers from different Himalayan regions together and create a common platform for the promotion and conservation of yaks. He said the festival will also focus on improving the economic condition of yak farming families, connecting yak husbandry with tourism and creating greater public awareness about the importance of the animal.

The proposed festival is expected to showcase different yak types, traditional yak farming practices, local products and the cultural connection between yak herders and their animals. Farmers from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh are expected to participate and share their experiences and practices.

The programme is also expected to be attended by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju and Sikkim Rajya Sabha MP Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, among other dignitaries.

The initiative comes at a time when yak conservation has received greater attention at the national level. In June 2026, Sikkim participated in national consultations on a proposed National Yak Breeding Policy, with discussions focusing on scientific breeding, conservation of indigenous yak genetic resources and sustainable livelihood opportunities for yak dependent communities.

The Himalayan Yak Festival is therefore being planned not only as a celebration of the yak and the traditional culture associated with it, but also as a platform to promote conservation, strengthen the rural economy and develop high altitude tourism in Sikkim.

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