
The Langtang Trek
This beautiful nation of hills and mountains makes for an excellent paradise for travelers, adventurers, and explorers looking for great trekking or sightseeing experience. With its stunning hills and mountains, a country like this makes a fantastic trekking or sightseeing destination for adventurers, travelers, and explorers. One of the short hiking routes in Nepal, the Langtang trek offers fantastic views from a lowland jungle with banana trees and monkeys to mountains and glaciers above the valley floor. However, Short doesn’t necessarily mean easy. The Trek starts off quite challenging, with many long and steep climbs that one would expect in a trek in Nepal. Despite that, the thrill and beauty of Nepal you get to experience during this Trek can rarely be matched by any other place in the world.
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About Langtang Mountain Trek
Langtang is 120km north of Kathmandu, on the border with China; it runs through the areas of Nepal that were most affected by the earthquake. As you trek along Langtang’s ridge, you’ll pass through stunning forests, yak pastures, and alpine meadows. At the end of the Trek, you’ll be treated to panoramic views of vast valleys.
In the Langtang Valley, you will find the most breathtaking landscapes, authentic culture, and heartwarming hospitality that will make your trip a memorable one. The valley is only an hour or so from Kathmandu and is one of Nepal’s most lovely regions.
Although the Langtang Mountain trek is not the most popular Trek, like Everest Base Camp Trek or Annapurna Base Camp Trek, it provides travelers with a sense of adventure and thrill that these other treks may not provide. On top of that, Views of the Himalayas, Langtang valley, and beyond Tibet can be seen from Kyanjin Ri, a destination on the Trek.
Preparing For the Langtang Trek
The tallest peak on the Langtang Himalayan circuit is the Langtang Lirung peak at an altitude of 7,234 meters. However, the highest point on our Trek is on Kyanjin Gompa at an elevation of 3,800 meters. This might not be much for frequent trekkers, but it still is quite an elevation for newcomers. Therefore, people with lung diseases should avoid or take precautions before engaging in such activities due to the difficulty of adapting to such a high altitude. In addition, people might experience altitude sickness when they are at such elevated altitudes.
The Trek can be easy to moderately difficult depending upon your liking of hills and off-road paths. The best time to engage in these treks would be during the transitional seasons from March to June and September to November. However, the cold can be a big factor during the journey.
Necessary Permits
You’ll need a TIMS card for the Langtang trek, as well as a national park permit, which costs around NPR 5000 or around US$40 per person. TIMS cards can be obtained from the Tourism Board Office in Kathmandu, located at Pradarshani Marg, Bhrikutimandap.
Accommodations and facilities
The trekkers have to spend nearly all of their time in small tea houses along the Langtang route. The services and facilities offered in such places are quite basic; however, the hospitality from the locals is excellent.
Itinerary and The Trek itself
Completing the whole Langtang Trek might take up to 5 days to 10 days, depending upon your pace during the Trek. Initially, you need to acquire a Nepali visa if you’re not from Nepal and get to Kathmandu. When in Kathmandu, you need to either book a private vehicle or ride the local bus that’ll take you to Syabrubesi.
Day 2: Lama Hotel to Mundu
From Lama Hotel, the trail continues climbing through the forest with occasional glimpses of Mount Langtang Lirung between the trees on the trail. The path continues for five to six hours and passes through Ghoda Tabela, a small settlement with few livestock and remnants of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Finally, after reaching Mundu, you get to rest there for the night.
Day 3: The Highest Point
From Mundu, the trail ascends through yak pastures, and the views widen as the valley opens up further. Finally, after crossing small streams and moraines, it leads to the settlement of Kyangjin. At more than 3,800 meters, Kyangjin is the highest point of the Trek unless you decide to climb one of the peaks of Langtang. So, you need to take a rest day and enjoy and adapt to the elevation.
Day 4: Rest Day or Mini Trips
On the fourth day, you can choose whether to rest and enjoy the Kyangjin hospitality or explore some more. The monastery and cheese factory are both worth visiting, as are the ice faces and tumbling glaciers of Langtang Lirung or the ascent of Kyangjin Ri right behind the village.
Day 5: Back to Lama Hotel
If you return to Kyangjin from the main trailhead, you will retrace the path you just took up the valley, following the Langtang Khola to Mundu village and on to Ghora Tabela. The return hike will be shorter than the ascent. After lunch, continue down the steep slope to Lama Hotel.
Day 6: Finally, Syabru Besi
The hike back from Lama Hotel is fairly simple. While enjoying the quiet forests and hills, you can retract your steps back toward Syabru Besi. Although if you should take a detour from Rimche to Syabru Besi via Sherpa Gaon if you're feeling fit. The journey will take longer, but it'll surely be worth it.
If you have more time, you should consider adding the nearby Tamang Heritage Trail to the tour, which offers another 4-6 days of hiking and offers an inside look into the ethnic Tamang people.
The difficulty of the Trek
Despite the Langtang trek being shorter than most trekking tours in Nepal, the difficulty is not a walk in the park. The steep path and cold weather can make it difficult for inexperienced travelers. If unsure, a trekking guide can be hired for a better experience. Additionally, getting traveling insurance before embarking on the Trek can be a good safety blanket.
Cost includes:
- Arrival & Departure transport via private Car/Van/Bus.
- Three meals per day throughout the Trip(Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
- Accommodation during the trek.
- Nights’ accommodation in Kathmandu with B/B.
- Guide and a porter with Insurance, food, and accommodations.
- Sightseeing in Kathmandu or Pokhara valley with a car and tour guide
- First Aid kit.
- Trekking permit (Conservation fee).
- TIMS card (Trekking information management system) is like a permit.
- All needed government tax/vat.
Cost excludes:
- International Airfare.
- Your travel insurance.
- Sightseeing entrance fees
- Nepal Visa fee (US$ 50 for 30 days and US$ 30 for 15 days; you should get a visa open your arrival)
- Any kind of drinks, items of personal expenses like hot shower, battery charge, telephone, missing meal, WIFI Porters, etc.
- Tips for Guide and Porters
After you’ve enjoyed the thrilling and joyful experience, you can choose whether to visit other beautiful places in Nepal or head back home. No matter what you choose, we hope you have a fantastic time.
We can accommodate group tours for this trip; however, you may also opt for a private tour according to your liking. We can arrange private trips at any time of the year at any date of your choosing. Please let us know what your preferred travel dates are so that we can accommodate you.
Finally, after the completion of the Trek, take good rest as you cherish the beautiful moments you experienced during the Trek while on your trip back home. This Trek is certainly deserving of its reputation for its rich cultural legacy, amazing views, and the hospitality of the locals that can make a trek to Langtang an unforgettable experience for you and your friends.