Langtang is an interesting Tibetan Style village with stone-walls enclosing houses and fields where you just might see your first yaks. The Langtang National Park headquarters is also located here. Trekking to Lantang is just another amazing trip in Nepal.
Lantang National Park was once the nearest national park from Kathmandu before the Shivapuri National Park was gazetted in 2002. The area extends from 32 km north of Kathmandu to the Nepal-China (Tibet) border. Langtang was designated as the first Himalayan national park in 1970-71. and was gezetted in March 1976. While the main reason for declaring the area as a national park was to preserve natural environment, an equally important goal is to allow local people to follow traditional land use practices that are compatible with resource protection.
Though there are different trekking trails in the Langtang region, the most of the popular landmarks in the region in just eight days. The best time to start Langtang Valley Trek is from mid-Oct to Mid-Dec and from Mid-Feb until Mid-April to Mid-June, It is warm but oftern cloudy with thunder showers. Summer monsoon lasts until the beginning of Oct. During winter months, daytime temperatures are low and chances of snowfall become high.
Day 01: Arrive at Kathmandu
On your arrival at Kathmandu Airport you will be met by our representative who will take you to the hotel for the night. O/N at Kathmandu.
Day 02: Kathmandu City Tour
After having breakfast you take a sightseeing tour around Kathmandu valley. You will visit many Buddhist and Hindu temples which reflect the local culture and tradition of Nepalese society. In the afternoon you will be taken back to your Hotel. O/N at Kathmandu
Day 03: Kathmandu to Dhunche
Looking at a map, Langtang seemquite close to Kathmandu, but in realiity you still have to endure a jarring 8 hour ride in a wheezing bus to get to Dhunche. the district headquarters of Rasuwa. About 45 minutes out of Kathmandu, you pass through the town of Kakani which offers great views of Mustang, a grouping of peaks only partially visible from Kathmandu and Trishuli, a busy bazzar town, often called Trishuli Bazzar. The river, which flows southwest, is very popular for rafting. For may years, this was the start of the Langtang trek, but there is now rough road to Dhunche that bypasses the old trail and cuts the number of days necessary for this trek. The road is rough and often closed during winter due to landslides. For part of the way, the road clings to the edge of a steep mountain. Dhunche is an attractive village with large stone houses. You have to pay national park entry fee at the office of Langtang National Park at Dhunche and show your TIM’s card at the counter of Trekking Agencies Association office. This is more or less the “Gateway” to the essentially long, narrow valley running parallel to the Tibetan border and hemmed in by high, snow-capped peaks. From your tents, excellent views of Gheng and Langtang Lirung to the north and Ganesh to the west are visible.
Day 04: Dhunche to Syabru
The trek descends to Trisuli River until Thulo Barkhu and then climb up to ridge through the pine woods. From here, you can enjoy fine views up the valley towards the Tibetan border – about 20 km away. The trail after Bharkhu climbs a steep slope to the top of a ridge which is a good place for birding. You have now entered the Langtang Valley and you can see Mustang to the west, Tibet to the north, and Langtang Lirung in the east. You will also be able to see, on a ridge top below you, the village of Syabru. The trail contours aound the ridge at first before descending a short steep slope into Syabru.
Day 05: Syabru to Lama Hotel.
The trail starts meandering through the cool deciduous forests of oak and maple that cover the lower sections of the valley and climbs through massive stands of spruce, fir and blue pine. Towering walls close in and your paths will skirt precipitous drops, which fall into a silt-laden river below. It’s a classic transition from temperate lowland forest to high altitude Himalayan valley. Descend through the village of Syabru and continue down the ridge until you come to a trail to the east that drops sharply off the ridge and through a dense forest. Cross a bridge over a tributary of the Langtang Khola and then climb a short distance. The trails follows the south bank of the river through a deep gorge with no views of the mountains, crossing another tributary in about an hour. In another hour frojm this tributary, cross yet another bridge to the north bank Langtang Khola. The trails begins climbing up from the river at this point and in an hour, shortly after the trails levels off, you join the old Langtang trail from Syarpagaon and Syabrubensi. Another hour from this trails junction brings you to the Lama Hotel in the tiny village of Chongong. At this point you start to become aware of the firm control the government exercises over the parks – with results that are oftern good, but sometimes questionable. On one hand, there are strict controls on tree felling, and the park has remained mercifully free from the satellite dishes that dominate some over trekked parts of Nepal.
Day 06: Lama Hotel to Langtang Valley
A day further on the forest peters out and tantalizing glimpses of snow-capped peaks starts appearing. From the Lama Hotel, the trails climbs steadily to Ghora Tabela with glimpses of Langtang Lirung through the trees. At times, the trails becomes very steep but only for short distance. Gradually the air becomes thinner and the climate colder. At Ghora Tabela, the trails leaves the forest and a spectacular view of Langtang Lirung appears. Once a Tibetan resettlement camp, It is now an Ary post. There is a good lodge to stop by for lunch. Continue up the valley, leaving the forests behind, the trail ascends steadily up to the Langtang village, passing below a monastery. After Langtang, you can see a community of typical flat-roofed Tibetan house and open pasture. This is perfect for raising yaks, and you’ll see these imposing beasts everywhere.
Day 07: Langtang village to Kyanjin Gompa (3870m)
You may notice that the valley above this point is U-shaped. Below Langtang, the valley has the characteristic V-shaped of a rivercarved valley. Leaving Langtang, you ascend gradually to a chorten (a small Tibetan Buddhist Stupa) behind which is a very long mani wall. The trail passes two small villages and the village widens. You cross several streams and a moraine before arriving at Kyanjin Gompa, the views just get better and you will see Yansa Tsenji and Kimshun to the north and the Langtang Himal to the northwest. Since you will probably arrive before lunch, you will have time to do som exploring in the afternoon, though you may be experiencing some sidcomfort from the altitude. Alternatively, take a good rest and allow your body to acclimatize with the high altitude as much as possible to be fully prepared for more ascending duirng the next day.
Day 08: Kyanjin Gompa.
A day hike further up the valley past the airstrip will provide more spectacular views that include Langtang Lirung, Ganchenpo, Langshisa Ri, Dorje Lakpa, Lenpo Gang and Urkinmang. A four hour walk to the east of Kyanjin Gompa from the village will take you to Tsergo Ri. If you start early in the moring and are well acclimatized, you should bee able to climb this peak and return to Kyanjin Gompa in just one day. The reward for climbing to the prayer flags on its summit is a magnificent view of the Langtang Lirung, the mountain that dominates the valley. There are numerous alternatives slide trips. The surrounding area, especially to the north, is vast and has many smaller, uninhabited valleys – ideal for high altitude, backcountry trekking. Several of the more moderate local peaks are quite climbable and provide breathtaking panoramic views of mountains is Tibet, including the Xixa Pangma (Shisapangma). If you have the inclination and the right equipment, the upper Langtang Valley can be used as a base for glacier exploration.
Day 09: Kyangjin Gompa to Lama Hotel
Since you will be acclimatized and will be sescending, you should be able to reach the Lama Hotel in a day’s walk (Approx 6 Hours) from Kyanjin Gompa.
Day 10: Lama Hotel to Syabru
From Lama Hotel you shold be able to reach Syabru in another 6 hours descending. Keep retracing your steps. Buses to Kathmandu are available from Syabru.
Day 11: Departure
Transfer to Airport for your onward journey.
