January Japan Sale On NowBook Now & Save
Beautiful views from within this forest in Bhutan | Lisa Delorme
Beautiful views from within this forest in Bhutan  | Lisa Delorme

Protecting Bhutan’s Highlands for Future Generations

0 AUD
0 AUD
100.0% Complete

Regenerative 2030

  • Remove accumulated waste in Bhutan’s Laya region while building community-led awareness, training, and sustainable waste management practices that protect health, tourism, and the environment.

Nestled deep in Bhutan’s highlands, the village of Laya is the gateway to the legendary Snowman Trek, one of the most remote and beautiful walking routes on earth. But this pristine environment is under threat. Over time, waste has accumulated along the trail and within the community, with plastics and non-biodegradable rubbish creating serious risks for both the fragile ecosystem and the wellbeing of local people. Left unmanaged, this problem not only endangers water and soil health, but it also risks damaging Bhutan’s reputation as a global leader in environmental stewardship and sustainable tourism.

The Keep Laya Clean initiative is a community-led response that combines immediate action with lasting solutions. With support from the World Expeditions Foundation through the Regen 2030 program, the project will mobilise local households, volunteers, and guides to remove large quantities of accumulated waste, ensuring proper disposal at designated facilities or recycling centres. But it doesn’t stop there. Training and awareness sessions will help families and young people understand the dangers of unmanaged waste, while signage and incentives will encourage long-term behaviour change. At its heart will be the creation of a year-round “Keep Laya Clean” program, a proud, locally owned movement to protect the environment for future generations.

For donors, the impact of this project is both immediate and enduring. Your support will deliver visible results, cleaner trails, safer water, and healthier soil, while empowering the people of Laya to lead their own environmental stewardship. It will also shine a spotlight on Laya as a model for responsible tourism, where community and conservation go hand in hand. Together, we can help ensure that Bhutan’s highlands remain a place of inspiration, pride, and natural beauty for travellers and local people alike.

Addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Climate Action:  Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.

Good Health And Well-being:  Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development.

Clean Water And Sanitation:  Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in.

Impacts

  • Removing visual pollution: the waste that has built up along a region of the Snowman Trek, restoring one of Bhutan’s most iconic wilderness regions.
  • Empowered communities: engaging local households and volunteers in stewardship of their environment.
  • Positive recognition: showcasing Laya as a model for sustainable tourism and responsible travel.
  • Healthier environment: reducing risks of soil degradation, water contamination, and air pollution from unmanaged waste.
  • Cultural and natural protection: preserving the pristine landscapes and traditions that make Bhutan so unique.

Outcomes

Safe disposal and recycling: ensuring all collected waste is managed responsibly, not left to cause further harm.

Sustained local action: encouraging regular clean-up programs and lasting behaviour change through awareness and training.

“Keep Laya Clean” program: a year-round, community-led initiative that instils pride and accountability in protecting the highlands.

Background

High in Bhutan’s remote Laya region, where the legendary Snowman Trek begins, an urgent environmental challenge has emerged. Years of unmanaged waste, from plastics to non-biodegradable rubbish, have accumulated along sections of the trails and villages, threatening not only the pristine natural beauty but also the health of local communities and the reputation of one of the world’s most celebrated trekking routes. Left unchecked, this waste poses serious risks to soil, water, and air quality, while also undermining the sustainability of tourism that so many families depend upon.

Recognising the scale of the issue, World Expeditions' local partners brought the matter to the World Expeditions Foundation and we have come together through the Regen 2030 initiative to act. This project goes beyond a one-off clean-up, it combines immediate action with training, awareness, and long-term systems for waste management. By involving households, volunteers, and trekkers in collective action, the project aims to protect Laya’s fragile highland environment while creating a proud, lasting culture of stewardship for generations to come.

Adventure Highlighted Video

Nepal Regenerative Travel Project

Regenerative Project

Multi Award Winning Adventures

Responsible Travel

Adventure Experts Since 1975