Located at around 13,500 feet, Gnathang Valley has a long association with yak herding and lies along the historic Old Silk Route. Sikkim is set to host its first-ever Himalayan Yak Festival at Gnathang Valley in the last week of October 2026. The one-day festival will bring together yak farmers and communities from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, with a focus on yak conservation, livelihood development and high-altitude tourism.