Sustainable Travel · Bhutan
Eco-Friendly Hotels in Laya — Your 2026 Guide to Sustainable Stays
Laya sits at nearly 3,700 metres in northwest Bhutan, the highest permanent settlement in the country and the heartland of the Layap people — semi-nomadic yak herders who dress in distinctive woven black-and-white stripes and conical bamboo hats. Reachable only on foot (or by helicopter), it is the gateway to the legendary Snowman Trek and one of the most remote inhabited places on earth where tourism still functions. The reward for the climb is extraordinary: a village of stone houses and prayer flags on a high glacial valley, yak herds on the surrounding pastures, the sacred peak of Gangla Karchung above, and a culture that has changed remarkably little. Bhutan's tourism model of high-value, low-impact travel was made for places like Laya — and every IMPT booking removes 1 tonne of CO₂ at the same rate as Booking.com.
Where to Stay in Laya
Village Homestays in Laya
Laya has a small network of community homestays — simple rooms in stone houses, wood-burning stoves, and meals built around yak cheese, butter tea, and local grain. Homestay fees go directly to Layap families and fund village projects. There are no hotels: this is Bhutan's most authentic accommodation, and one of the lowest-carbon stays on the planet.
Trekking Camps on the Snowman Route
Most visitors reach Laya as part of the Snowman Trek, camping in designated sites with licensed Bhutanese trekking operators. Tented camps are strictly managed — rubbish is carried out, fires are limited, and operators follow the national high-altitude waste rules. The route crosses the Jomolhari and Gangla Karchung passes, some above 5,000 metres.
Gasa & Punakha as Gateways
Below Laya, the hot-spring town of Gasa (Tashitang) has a small lodge and hot-spring baths, and Punakha — with its famous dzong — is the roadhead where treks begin and end. Punakha's hotels range from luxury to simple farmstays; IMPT lists the full range, all with the same 1-tonne removal per booking.
Every Laya-area booking on IMPT retires 1 tonne of verified carbon credits on-chain — funded from our commission, never added to your rate. Search Laya hotels now →
The Land of the Layap and the Snowman Trek
Laya's isolation is its identity. The Layap are culturally distinct from lowland Bhutanese — their language, dress, and yak-based economy set them apart, and their festivals, including the Laya Tshechu, draw visitors for whom the walk is half the experience. The village sits in a wide glacial valley where the Mo Chhu river rises, ringed by peaks that hold snow most of the year. Yak herding is the economy: the animals provide milk, butter, cheese, meat, and transport, and the high pastures are managed communally.
The Snowman Trek — Bhutan's hardest and most famous route — passes through Laya between the Jomolhari and Lunana sections, taking 20+ days in total and crossing passes above 5,000 metres. For those not attempting the full route, the trek from Gasa to Laya and back is achievable in about a week. The best season is March to May and September to November; winter snow closes the passes, and summer brings heavy rain. Tourism here is deliberately small and high-value, aligned with Bhutan's sustainable development philosophy — and when you book through IMPT, your stay removes 1 tonne of CO₂ on-chain.
How IMPT Makes Your Laya Stay Carbon-Negative
Here's the maths. An average hotel night produces roughly 35 kg of CO₂ — from air conditioning, laundry, lighting, and food service. When you book any Laya hotel through IMPT, we retire 1,000 kg of UN-verified carbon removal credits. That's 28 times what your stay produces. Not carbon-neutral — carbon-negative.
The cost to you? Zero. IMPT funds the removal from its booking commission. You pay the standard nightly rate — in fact, IMPT offers the same rate as Booking.com on the same room, with carbon removal built in. The carbon credits are tokenised on Ethereum, retired against a named project, with a public retire code anyone can verify. No double-counting. No greenwashing. Just verified carbon removal, every night.
- €5 free credit when you sign up — applied to your first Laya booking
- 5% back on every stay — 3% funds carbon projects, 2% as travel credit
- 8M+ hotels worldwide, 195 countries — Laya is just the start
- Free cancellation on most rates, typically up to 48 hours before check-in
Beyond Hotels — More Ways IMPT Works in Laya
Shop through IMPT's 25,000+ retail partners for cashback on purchases that also offset carbon. Send someone a trip credit gift to visit Laya — IMPT plants trees with named farmers, GPS-tagged and photo-verified.
For business travel, IMPT's B2B Corporate Travel platform gives you exclusive rates, automatic ESG reporting, and a single dashboard tracking every booking's carbon impact. Companies with CSRD compliance needs get automated sustainability reporting out of the box.
Interested in running IMPT in Bhutan? Country Ownership offers 50% revenue share on every transaction from Bhutan-registered users, with 8% APY staking yield. Book a call →
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to Laya?
Laya is only reachable on foot — there is no road. The standard access is a multi-day trek from Gasa (Tashitang) or as part of the Snowman Trek. Helicopter charters exist for emergencies but are not a normal access route. Most visitors trek with a licensed Bhutanese operator.
How high is Laya?
Laya sits at approximately 3,700 metres above sea level, making it the highest permanent settlement in Bhutan. Surrounding trekking passes, including those on the Snowman route, exceed 5,000 metres, so proper acclimatisation is essential.
Who are the Layap people?
The Layap are Bhutan's high-altitude semi-nomadic yak herders, culturally distinct from lowland Bhutanese with their own language, dress (black-and-white striped woven garments and conical bamboo hats), and yak-based economy. Their festivals, including the Laya Tshechu, are unique to the valley.
When is the best time to trek to Laya?
March to May and September to November offer the best conditions. Winter snow closes the high passes, and the summer monsoon brings heavy rain and leeches on lower sections. Spring brings rhododendron blooms along the trail.
Are there eco-friendly places to stay in Laya?
Yes — community homestays in the village are the only accommodation, with fees going directly to Layap families. There are no hotels. IMPT lists these homestays and the gateway hotels in Gasa and Punakha, removing 1 tonne of CO₂ per booking at the same rate as Booking.com.
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