Trip Duration
11 Days
Trip Difficulty
Difficult
Group Size
1-16
Max. Altitude
4,773m. /15,659 ft.
Accommodation
Hotel/ Lodge /Tea House
Best Seasons
Mar-May/Sept-Nov
Activity per day
Trekking
Start/End
KathmanduTrip Overview
The Langtang Valley Trek is the closest highland trekking destination to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. This is one of the reasons why it’s a frequently visited destination, however, the flow of people is not high enough to be an overcrowded destination. Being close to the capital means that you can enjoy a Himalayan experience in a short time period. Usually, you have to travel to other parts of Nepal to get to the starting point, but for this one, the starting point is close to the city.
Starting from Kathmandu, we will first go over the lush subtropical vegetation around the valley and also experience the alpine grass patches and glacial landscapes. For this, we will have to enter the Langtang National Park, which is home to many wild species, including the famous red panda, Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Black Bear, wild cats, Serow, Ghoral, etc.
In addition to the natural scenes of the Langtang Valley, the unique culture of the communities living in those highlands is equally something to admire. In major villages like Kyanjin Gompa and Langtang Village, the influence of culture and religion (Tibetan Buddhism) will be apparent. The stone houses are traditionally built to be charming, and the gompas stand tall and grand, serving as the center of prayer and religion in the area.
From most of the gompa, you will be able to see peaks including Dorje Lakpa, Gangchenpo, and Langtang Lirung. The viewpoints along the way offer a scenic treat of the entire Langtang valley and peaks, including Ganchenpo, Morimoto, Tsogaka, Yala, Naya Kanga, and more. This Langtang Valley Trek also takes you on a hike to Kyanjin Ri and a short visit to the Cheese factory in Kyanjin Gompa.
This 77 km long trek is not a challenging journey at all, but there are things that you have to understand before you actually hit the road. This is a comprehensive guide to the Langtang Valley Trek that should clear things up for you and inform you of the whole experience.
Highlights of Langtang Valley Trek
- Climb up to Kyanjin RI for a 360-degree view of the hills, rivers thousands of meters below, and peaks thousands of meters high.
- Visit the Langtang National Park for a chance to witness rare wild animals in their natural habitat.
- Visit the famous Kyanjin Gompa monastery that is surrounded by high peaks and offers a great insight into the religious beliefs of the locals.
- Experience authentic Tamang Culture in Langtang Village and learn their way of life.
- Experience the joy of staying in local tea houses and lodges throughout the Langtang Valley Trek.
Itinerary of Langtang Valley Trek
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
On the very first day of the Langtang Valley Trek, your flight will take you to the bustling, historic, and vibrant city of Kathmandu. It is a scenic flight to Kathmandu, and an exciting one as you are about to go on a Himalayan trekking journey with Adventure Tansen. Our representative will be there to pick you up from the airport, he will be at the terminal with your name on a board. He will then take you to your hotel room for the night before you attend a brief introductory meeting with the crew members.
But before you leave the airport, you must get your tourist visa approved. For this, you will have to pay your visa fees at the nearby banking counter, get a receipt, and fill out your visa application form. You must then present both the receipt and the visa application form along with your proof of return ticket, proof of residence, two passport-sized photos, and your passport that is valid for at least 6 more months.
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft. (Kathmandu)
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 02: Explore the historical sites in Kathmandu
The 2nd day of our Langtang Valley Trek takes you on a historical sightseeing tour around the valley of Kathmandu. Sites like Budanilkantha Temple, Pashupatinath Temple, Changu Narayan Temple, Patan Durbar Square, Pottery Square, National Museum of Nepal, and more will be on our itinerary today. During the sightseeing tour, some of the sites require an entry ticket fee, which will be covered by your Langtang Valley Trek package.
Throughout the sightseeing tour, you are free to buy souvenirs that you like, but make sure to a for a second opinion from the guide. This expense is not a part of the Langtang Valley Trek cost, and neither are your meals throughout the day. We will only be providing you with a filling breakfast before the start of the day.
Our sightseeing itinerary is not a fixed one; it is very flexible, and you are free to add sites or completely change the itinerary as per your preference. But, please understand that some of the sites can be temporarily closed to the public at times of renovation and maintenance.
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft. (Kathmandu)
Meal: Breakfast, Launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 03: Drive from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi
On the third day of the Langtang Valley Trek, we will finally leave the Kathmandu valley and go into the countryside of Nepal. Our starting point will be the 1400-meter-high valley of Kathmandu, and by the end of the day, we will reach 1550 meters above sea level at Sybarubesi. This 120 km road ride will take around 7 hours to complete. The elevation gain of the day is trivial, traveling over highways and a rugged gravel trail.
Leaving Kathmandu, we will climb out of the valley via a gently ascending road over the slopes of many hills that takes us to Sangla. From there, we will head to Thansing and continue the ride to reach Nuwakot, a major town in the region. It’s a historical site and a scenic one as well. From there, we will get to Dandagaun, followed by Haku, and ultimately Syabrubesi.
There are two different major roads to get there, we will take the one that is most comfortable and less bumpy. However, the other path is scenic as it is more secluded. Our standard route is the comfortable road, but we can take you down the other option if you prefer.
Max. Altitude: 1400m./4,593ft. (Syabrubesi)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 04: Trek from Syabrubesi to Lama Hotel
The day starts at 1550 meters of altitude and takes us to the Lama Hotel, located at 2470 meters above sea level. This the our first trekking day of the Langtang Valley Trek, so we will take it slow and steady, there is no need to rush things. The total distance we need to cover today is 11.5 km, which requires 6 hours of steady trekking. Meanwhile, the elevation gain of the day is 920 meters.
Leaving Sybarubesi, we will first go over a suspension bridge, crossing the Bhote Koshi River. This path leads us to the Langtang National Park entrance, where our permits will be checked. From there, we will head towards Bamboo village (1970 meters), following the Langtang River upstream. After Bamboo, we will soon reach Rimche village (2400 m) via a steep ascent through a forested trail. A last short ascent takes us to our destination of the day.
Activity: Trek
Max. Altitude: 1550m./5,085ft. (Lama Hotel)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 05: Trek from Lama Hotel to Mundu
The 5th day of the Langtang Valley Trek is a long trekking day as we have to cover almost 15 km to get to Mundu village, sitting at 3543 meters above sea level. This trek requires about 6 to 7 hours of walking while gaining a total elevation of around 1070 meters. Leaving Lama Hotel, we will get on an ascending forested trail full of rhododendron, oak, and maple trees.
Going along the Langtang River’s path upstream, we will first reach Ghoda Tabela village at 3000 metres of elevation. From there, the trail turns into a wide walkway with great scenes of the distant peaks. The path takes us through meadows and tiny villages to get us to Langtang village and eventually to Mundu.
Activity: Trek
Max. Altitude: 3542m./11,621ft. (Mundu)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Teahouse
Day 06: Trek from Mundu to Kyanjin Gompa
Starting from 3543 meters of elevation at Mundu, we will reach 3870 meters high by the end of the day at Kyanjin Gompa. The trek distance is approximately 5.8 km, which takes about 3 hours to cover. This is the shortest trekking day of the Langtang Valley Trek, which gains us 327 meters of elevation.
Starting the trek, we will ascend a little and pass the village of Singdum, sitting at 3410 meters. This village is very charming and has many traditional-style houses made of stone and wood. From Singdum, we will soon get to Yamphu village, where a panoramic scene of the nearby peaks awaits us. Continuing the trek, we will soon see the top of a gompa that indicates our arrival at Kyanjin Gompa.
Activity: Trek
Max. Altitude: 3870m./12,697ft. ( Kyanjin Gompa)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Teahouse
Day 07: Explore day at Kyangjin Gompa. Climb Kyangjin Ri
Today is the one and only acclimatization day of the Langtang Valley Trek. For our acclimatization hike, we will take a short hike to Kyanjin Ri. This hike is only 6 km long round trip and takes about 3 hours to complete, perhaps 4 depending on the pace. We will reach a maximum height of 4773 meters, gaining about 900 meters of elevation. From the top of this viewpoint, we will be able to see the whole Langtang valley along with many peaks to the north.
After we are done with the acclimatization hike, we will visit the Yak Cheese Factory near the Kyanjin Gompa village. This facility was established all the way back in 1995 with the support of the Swiss government. At present, it has grown a little bigger and offers a tour to visitors on every process of making traditional Nepalese cheese.
Max. Altitude: 4773m./15,659ft. (Kyangjin Ri)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Teahouse
Day 08: Trek from Kyangjin Gompa to Lama Hotel
This 21.5 km trek from Kyanjin Gompa to Lama Hotel is the longest trekking distance of the entire Langtang Valley Trek. We will go from 3870 meters down to 2470 meters of elevation, losing 1400 meters of altitude. Today, we will be on the road for about 6 hours, starting with a descent to the village of Munud. We will then traverse through charming Tamang villages, observing their daily activities of farming.
Soon, we will reach the Langtang village and continue downhill to get to Ghoda Tabela village. We will take a quick break there, rest our legs, hydrate our bodies, and get back to business. Shortly after, we will reach Lama Hotel via a forested trail following the Langtang River downstream. It is going to be a long way downhill, so prepare your knees for a burnout.
Activity: Trek
Max. Altitude: 2470m./8,104ft. (Lama Hotel)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Teahouse
Day 09: Trek from Lama Hotel to Saybrubesi
It’s an 11.4 km walk from Lama Hotel to Sybarubesi, losing about 1050 meters of elevation. This downhill trek takes about 5 hours to complete and starts with a descent through a lush forested trail full of maple, rhododendron, and oak trees. We will hike alongside the Langtang River for the majority of the way.
We will first pass the village of Rimche, at 2400 meters of elevation. From there, you can enjoy a scenic view of the valley below while we rest our tired knees. Leaving Rimche, we will descend to the village of Bamboo (1970 m), which will be the last village before we reach Syabrubesi. This marks the end of the trekking day on the Langtang Valley Trek itinerary
Activity: Trek
Max. Altitude: 1050m./3,445ft. (Saybrubesi)
Meal: Breakfast, launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Teahouse
Day 10: Drive to Kathmandu
Remembering all the scenic moments, interesting cultural aspects, and most importantly, the fun we had on the Langtang Valley Trek, we will leave Syabrubesi after a hearty breakfast. The drive back will be somewhat anticlimactic since it is the end of the trek, but keep up your chin as there is always another destination to trek. At Adventure Tansen, we try to offer our trekkers a plethora of trekking destinations as per their level of experience, so we have high hopes of meeting one again for a new Himalayan trekking experience.
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft. (Kathmandu)
Meal: Breakfast, Launch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hote;
Day 11: Departure from Kathmandu
Day 11 is the ultimate day of the Langtang Valley Trek; we will have a small celebratory moment before we take you to the international airport for your flight back home. We wholeheartedly hope that your time with Adventure Tansen has been worth talking about with your family and friends. We appreciate any feedback you have about the trek and our operations.
Max. Altitude: 1350m./4,429ft.
Includes/Excludes
What is included?
- All arrival, departure transfers as per the itineary by car, van or coach.
- Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu with English speaking guide, transport and entry fees.
- Domestic airfares and road transportation according to your choice.
- All hotel accommodation with breakfast.
- All meals (3 meals each day) during camping or tea-house trek.
- Full service from our guides, cooks, and porters.
- All camping and kitchen equipments and camp site fees.
- Staff salary, transport and insurance.
- Langtang Area National Park entry permit.
- TIMS (Trekkers Information Management) fee.
- Necessery government taxes.
- Company ground handling charges.
What is not included?
- International flights to Nepal.
- Meals not mentioned above or in the itinerary.
- Travel and medical insurance including evacuation.
- Nepal entry Visa fee.
- Expenses of personal nature such as laundry, bar bill, telephone calls etc and tips for staff.
- Any additional activities not in the itinerary.
Route Map & Altitude Chart
Trip Information
How does our trip start?
The Langtang Valley Trek starts with your arrival at the capital city of Nepal. After you get out of the terminal, our representative will escort you to your hotel room for a restful night, and we expect you to rest well since we have a full-day sightseeing tour the next day. But before that, we will have you meet the drivers, porters, and guides of this trek. They are your main supports for this trek.
We will be visiting places like the Patan Durbar Square, Budhanilkantha Temple, National Museum of Nepal, and more for a cultural tour. After the day hours end, we will head back to our accommodation for the night. The next day, we will get on a jeep that takes us to Sybarubesi, the starting point of this Langtang Valley Trek.
Difficulty
In terms of difficulty, our expert trekkers and guides have agreed on rating it 6 out of 10. As you can tell, it is not a particularly difficult trekking destination, but there are some sections that are a tad bit difficult. However, with the help of our trek guide and porters, you will be able to cross those sections anyhow. The guide leads the most practical and easy way, while the porters carry all your heavy things to make sure your trekking experience is as easy as possible. Both their expenses are covered by your Langtang Valley Trek cost.
Best seasons
The best season for the Langtang Valley Trek is definitely autumn since it has the perfect conditions that complement the nature of this particular trek. The dry days, the mild day temperatures, and the bright, clear skies throughout the season make the autumn season the top choice for trekking the Langtang Valley Trek. ln addition to that, the autumn season is the festive season in Nepal, and you might get to experience public celebrations while you are in Kathmandu.
The other best season for this trek is spring. During springtime, nature regrows, offering a great green scene throughout the trek. The Langtang region has many rhododendron forests that bloom during spring, which makes up a vibrant scene amidst the green hills and brown rocks.
Altitude Sickness
Altitude Sickness starts from the elevation of 3500 meters above sea level, which we reach multiple times throughout the trek, but only spend a couple of nights at such high elevation. However, since we will be well acclimatized to the surroundings, thanks to our trek guide, you do not have to worry much about getting altitude sickness. Making sure that you are following the preventive measures of altitude sickness is the best and only way to steer clear of it.
In general, you should keep yourself well hydrated from day 1 to the end, avoid ascending faster than the guide’s pace, and avoid things that dehydrate your body (coffee, alcohol, etc.). Our trek guide will check your oxygen levels every night and every morning to make sure that he spots any early signs of altitude sickness. The Langtang Valley Trek cost does not cover your medical expenses related to altitude sickness.
Accommodation, Food and Drink
Accommodation during the trekking days in the highlands of Langtang is limited to tea houses, inns, and lodges. Some of the villages, especially in the lower region of Langtang, offer homestay experiences. These are basically living like a guest in the house of the locals of the village, except you have to pay them because it is a communal service they offer. It’s a great way to learn the authentic lives of the locals, but they are not very serviceable in comparison to tea houses.
The traditional Langtang region foods are Kinema, Phapar ko roti, Dhido, Sinki, Aalu Tama, Shyakpa, Rildok, Tsampa, Khapse, Thukpa, and more. These are basically lunch and dinner options, but you can also have them as breakfast. The other breakfast options include pancakes, different types of bread, toast, chickpea curry, eggs prepared by different methods, etc., usually served with a cup of warm tea. The Langtang Valley Trek cost covers three meals per day, while any additional ones are your extra expenses.
Transportation
Every bit of transportation required by the itinerary we have proposed above is covered by your Langtang Valley Trek cost. This includes the drive to Syabrubesi, the drive back to Kathmandu from Syabrubesi, and the ride around the Kathmandu Valley during the day of sightseeing. These are the only transportation expenses covered by the Langtang Valley Trek package.
Permit
In order to do this trek, you need the Langtang National Park permit and nothing else. This expense is a part of the Langtang Valley Trek cost.
Trip preparation and fitness
Preparing for this trek is too simple and easy; you just have to work on your cardio, make sure that your leg muscles are trained, and increase your endurance. It’s a simple trekking route for most part, with very little variation and steep climbs. We have even sent 12-year-olds on this trek, and they have no issue completing the trek. This is not to say that you can just roll out of your bed and book this Langtang Valley Trek package. Of course, you need to have some level of preparation to make it work.
Cost & Budget
This Langtang Valley Trek package will cost you USD ___________ per head. Our trek package will cover most of your heavy expenses, including daily meals during the trekking days, permit fees, daily accommodations, transportation expenses, wages for the porters, drivers, and guides, sightseeing tour expenses (excl. meals), local taxes, and more.
Gadgets charging & Internet
The majority of the tea houses till Kyanjin Gompa have electricity, either transferred by power lines or generated by solar panels. You can charge your devices at any time, but some of the establishments charge you a few dollars for it. Similarly, most of the tea houses have internet connectivity, but they will charge you a couple of hundred Nepalese rupees for it. As we go higher into the valley, the charges increase as well.
Your Extra expenses
The Langtang Valley Trek package does not cover your international flight expenses, extra meals, upgraded accommodation, Wifi fees, charging fees, hot showers fees, laundry expenses, travel insurance fees, and anything that is not mentioned to be a part of the package.
Things to Remember Before Trekking the Langtang Valley Trek
- Carry enough Nepalese rupees in cash to pay for all your extra expenses throughout the Langtang Valley Trek.
- Make sure that you have trekking poles, gaiters, a couple of sets of trekking clothes, hand sanitizer, and other essentials packed.
- Do not cross the 13 kg per person bag limit; anything more than that will be counted as extra weight for the porter to carry. This will cost you extra.
- Sunscreen and sunglasses are very important if you want a break from the sun, trekking for hours on end.
Food options might shrink as we move higher into the valley. Do not expect to have a plethora of options
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, our Langtang Valley Trek is a beginner-friendly destination with relatively easy trekking trails throughout.
During the initial trekking days, you might get a bar or two of network, but as we go up into the valley, you are highly unlikely to get network coverage.
While the locals only rely on tap water as their drinking water source, we do not recommend you drink straight from the tap. The natural spring water coming out of the tap is very clean, but the high mineral content is not meant for those who are not used to it. We recommend you carry a bunch of water purification tablets.
