The Layap (Dzongkha: ལ་ཡཔ་) are an indigenous people inhabiting the high mountains of northwest Bhutan in the village of Laya, in the Gasa District, at an altitude of 3,850 metres (12,630 ft), just below the Tsendagang peak.

"[3] Men wear the Bhutanese costume, which consists of a silk or linen garment that is typically colored saffron and red (cf.

[3] Particularly unique among the Layap is the extensive tradition of "living defilements" (Dzongkha: soen drep), whereby a ritually impure person is ostracized from social activities.

[3][2] Traditionally, the Layap lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle, who rearing yaks and dzos, although in recent times small ponies may also be found in the area.

[6][7] Layap people also participate in the heavy labor to drain Thorthormi, a glacial lake prone to GLOF flooding.

[3] Many Layaps now live in permanent settlements complete with modern amenities – from toilets to mobile phones and televisions – thanks to disposable incomes from business and trade.

The government encourages pride among Bhutan's tribal groups, and cites them as an example of humans successfully living in harmony with nature.