The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Over 150 international guests and 500 Bhutanese registered to attend the two-day celebration at Soe Gewog.
The 11th Jomolhari Mountain Festival, themed “Celebrating Life in Harmony with the Snow Leopard in High Mountains,” will be held from 14th -15th October at Soe Gewog under Thimphu. The festival celebrates the coexistence of people, nature, and wildlife in the high Himalayan landscapes home to the elusive snow leopard, revered locally as the “ghost of the mountains.”
Locals often refer to the snow leopard as the “ghost of the mountains.” A Social media influencer, Farmer Sangay, shared that in these high-altitude regions, sightings of the animal are extremely rare most villagers have never seen one. When yaks are found dead, the local people believe it is the doing of a mountain spirit or ghost, as the snow leopard remains unseen yet ever-present.
This mysterious coexistence between humans and the unseen predator continues to inspire reverence, fear, and deep respect for the wild, a sentiment the Jomolhari Festival seeks to preserve and celebrate.
As of Friday, 10th October, over 150 foreign guests and around 500 Bhutanese participants, including organizers and locals, have registered for the event. Visitors will include government officials, NGO representatives, conservationists, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and tourists from across the country, alongside local communities.
The festival aims to go beyond celebration. It serves as a platform for conservation awareness and community empowerment. By highlighting the importance of protecting the fragile mountain ecosystem and its iconic snow leopard, the event envisions fostering sustainable socio-economic opportunities that reduce highlanders’ dependence on traditional yak herding.
Farmer Sangay said that until last year, the festival’s media visibility was limited to local coverage, but this year’s edition marks a shift toward greater digital promotion and branding, with social media outreach bringing the event closer to national and global audiences.
He shared that he has a great responsibility as the social media promotor, event coverage and branding of the festival. An actor and singer, Bhutan Tshering Dorji, is also on board as the entertainment coordinator.
Farmer Sangay shared that both of them has volunteered to support the festival’s year-long fundraising campaign, which will continue until the 2026 edition. The campaign aims to spotlight the challenges and opportunities of Bhutan’s highland communities while aligning with the vision of HM and path are forth by the future opportunities of now GMC.
The two-day event will open with spiritual offerings and prayers by local Lams and community members to honor the feminine mountain deities, Am Jomo, Am Tsherim, and Am Lhamo, believed to reside in the three surrounding peaks that encircle the festival ground. These rituals are an age-old tradition of the Soe community, symbolizing respect for nature and the sacred mountains.
The festival will feature a vibrant mix of cultural performances, traditional dances, and advocacy theatre, with students from Lingzhi performing a play centered on snow leopard conservation. Adding a touch of excitement, Bhutan Tshering Dorji will perform his award-winning performance “Am Penjor” for the first time at the festival, a special request made by local fans.
A singing competition titled “Gangri Sungkey Dendur” will also be part of the festivities, broadcast live on social media by Farmer Sangay.
The festival venue is located near the Jomolhari base camp, about a 30–40-minute walk from the Soe Gewog Centre.
Most tourists travel through tour agents who arrange campsites and logistics.
There are four registered farmhouses hosting guests, while the expansive plain around the festival ground offers ample camping space for trekkers and visitors.
The area is supported by essential facilities such as a BHU, RNR centre, cchool, and gewog office, all of which are fully utilized during the festival for guest accommodation and coordination.
A young local entrepreneur has also contributed to community-led tourism through his venture, “Jomolhari Vacation”, which offers a 4-night, 5-day package including transport, food, horse porter service, and camping for Nu 10,500. His initiative has gained traction, with over 20 local guests served last year and more than 30 already registered this year.
On both festival days, all visitors are served lunch, refreshments, and local delicacies by the organizers.
Under the leadership of former Thimphu Dzongda Phub Dorji, the festival committee has established an endowment fund from last year that currently holds Nu 155,000 to support long-term sustainability. The two-day event costs around Nu 2 million, with key support from the Department of Tourism, Bhutan Foundation, Thimphu dzongkhag administration, WWF, RSPN, and other local partners.
As the festival approaches, excitement builds among locals and visitors alike for two days of culture, conservation, and community spirit in the shadow of Bhutan’s sacred peaks.
