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Iryna
The Langtang Valley trek is one of our Nepalese guides' favorites because of the wildlife, nearly deserted trails, and incredible variety of Himalayan scenery.
Langtang trek will surprise you with its colorful and diverse scenery. Even in one day, you can visit both the hot tropical jungle and the desert highlands. And later you can hike among the perennial snowfields. The turquoise lakes and clouds floating below are much more than the pictures you have ever seen. Rhododendron blossom forests, ferns, exotic birds and cheerful monkeys adorn our route. And getting to know the local people and their religion will add a unique twist to the overall experience of traveling in Nepal.
On the Langtang Valley trek you won't find crowds of tourists like on the more popular treks to Everest or Annapurna. There is always available capacity in the lodges, which is great. After all, people go to the Himalayas for peace of mind, leaving behind the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Due to the fact that the route is not very popular (although the scenery is truly fascinating, and this trek is a favorite of all our guides who went here), we rarely run trekking in the Langtang Valley. If there are no dates on the schedule that suit you, but you want to see the real wild Himalayas, almost without tourists, you can go to the trek around Manaslu or the Mardi Himal trek.
We do not cancel or reschedule groups. If the manager gives the okay to buy a ticket, you can buy it with confidence. There will be no cancellations through our fault.
The experienced team leaders of Kuluar will accompany the group during the whole trip, they will make your trip as unforgettable and safe as possible! They have been to Nepal many times and know it in detail.
We have a list of verified lodges and try to book only the best. Where possible, with in-room amenities.
In Kathmandu, we stay in a good 4* hotel in the center of Thamel, understanding that you will want maximum comfort after trekking.
A team leader or our Nepali partner will meet you at the airport on the first day of the program and take you directly to the hotel. The guide will tell you and show you where you can change money, buy souvenirs and equipment, what and where to eat...
The program of the trek was improved several times, we tried to make it as rich and comfortable as possible. That's why we have all trips by customized transfers.
The manager who will consult you before the trip was in Nepal herself and will tell you the details from personal experience!
Over 12,000 members have already traveled with Kuluar and 98.7% have been satisfied. We are sure you will be too!
Gathering Day. Members and the guide meet at the pre-booked hotel. For those arriving in the morning, there will be time to walk around the city and start getting acquainted with Nepali traditions. In the evening, we will all go together for a Momos dinner in the capital's café.
The beginning of our route is 140 km from Kathmandu. It is a long walk :), so we will take a chartered bus and/or jeep. Because of the peculiarities of Nepal's mountain roads, we will have to drive almost a whole day, about 7 hours. But don't think that the time will be wasted, because constantly changing landscapes will not let you get bored for a minute. Waterfalls, mountains, precipices and terraces... Closer to the evening, we will already be at the place – in Syabrubesi. Before darkness, we have enough time to walk to the nearest gompa and look at cactuses. We spend the night in the lodge at the very beginning of the route.
Trekking time: about 9 hours, including lunch break.
Here is the beginning of the hiking part of the Lantang trek. We climb up the gorge with the Trisuli River flowing below. Often the trail will change into steps, guiding us through dense and wild forest thickets. Although there are no high mountains in sight yet, you can already enjoy Nepalese nature, which will surprise you with the lush colors of the jungle, the sounds of wild animals, and the noisy rivers. If you are lucky, you will see langurs – large wild monkeys, which are numerous in the local jungle. On the steep riverbank, we will see the hives of the famous wild Nepalese bees. The set today is considerable, everyone will be tired and sleep great.
Trekking distance: 11 km, in hours: 8 hrs; altitude gain: 1,050 m
We climb higher and higher, gradually leaving the area of lush green jungle. Between the dense crowns of rhododendrons, we can already clearly see the snowy peaks. We go straight to them! With every step, the peaks get closer and closer. They stun us with their power, but this is just the beginning. The day after tomorrow, we will be standing at the foot of the highest peaks of the district! And tonight we'll spend the night in Langtang Village, which was badly damaged in the 2015 earthquake, but is already fully rebuilt and welcoming tourists again.
Trekking distance: 12 km, in hours: 7 hrs; altitude gain: 1000 m
Today our route goes through the pastures. Here you will meet not only our usual horses and cows, but even donkeys and yaks. From the shepherds you can buy the real yak cheese, which you won't taste anywhere else (except in Nepal). Soon we see the magnificent peaks of the Kim Shung and Jansa Tsengji mountains. The sun will be warm and pleasant, and at times even hot. But once it hides, or you go into the shade, the cold will be felt even in your jacket. We'll spend tonight and tomorrow in the village of Kyanjin Gompa to better acclimatize to the higher altitudes.
Trekking distance: 7 km, in hours: 3 hrs; altitude gain: 400 m
We leave our backpacks in the lodges and make a light climb to one of the peaks – Kianjin Ri (4,773 m) or Tzergo Ri (5050 m). The climb to Kyanjin takes about 3-4 hours, but Tsergo Ri is much farther and the way there and back will take the whole day. Both peaks offer magnificent panoramas of perennial glaciers and surrounding mountains, particularly Langtang Lirung (7246 m) and Langtang Ri (6581 m).
Here is the equator of our Langtang valley trek. We take the familiar trail down to Lama Hotel, enjoying the already familiar scenery from a different perspective.
Trekking distance: 19 km, in hours: 7 hrs; elevation drop: 1,500 m
From Langtang Valley, we cross into another gorge and head to the sacred lakes of Gosaikunda. We hike through the jungle, enjoying the warmth and greenery. We look out for monkeys and strange birds, of which there are many. We spend the night in the relatively large village of Thule Syabru. There's Wi-Fi, charging, cell phone service.
Trekking distance: 9.5 km, in hours: 5-6 hrs; altitude drop: 800 m; altitude gain: 550 m
We keep going to the Gosaikunda lakes. Just behind the Utle Syabru stupa the trail goes steeply upwards, rapidly gaining altitude. Every 40-60 minutes we will come across tea houses where we rest and drink tea. By the way, there will be juice of barberry, dogwood and forest berries – we recommend tasting it. After the pass, the trail will level out and go among huge spruces overgrown with moss. Fabulous beauty. We spend the night in the village of Shingompa, where there are very tasty apple pies, sea buckthorn juice and good coffee. There's no more Wi-Fi or communication, though.
Trekking distance: 6.5 km, in hours: 5 hrs; elevation gain: 1,100 m
The most beautiful trekking day. We leave early to enjoy the scenery before the clouds come down. Already on the way out of the forest area, three huge mountain ranges will be revealed to us! The closest one is Langtang with the highest peak Langtang Lirung (7,227 meters), we were at its foot a few days ago. At 90 km rises the range of Manaslu (8 163 m), and at 190 km in clear weather Annapurna range (8 091 m) is clearly visible. These views will accompany us all the way to the Gosaikunda Lakes until we enter the steep gorge. There are many lakes in the area, but the most important three are Saraswati Kund, Bhaiyirab Kund and Gosain Kund. The second lake resembles the trident of Shiva, and on the shore of the third we will stop for the night. The lodges here are not the most comfortable, and the food is expensive.
Trekking distance: 9 km, in hours: 6-8 hrs; elevation gain: 1,100 m
The trek in the Langtang Valley and to the Gosaikunda Lakes comes to an end. We drop altitude swiftly and descend to the town of DUNCHE. All civilization amenities are waiting for us there: hot showers, Wi-Fi, and stores. But firstly we have to say goodbye to the mountains! Everyone can climb the nearest ridge (about 150 m) and enjoy the sunrise over the Himalayas!
Trekking distance: 17 km, in hours: 8-9 hrs; altitude drop: 2400 m
You won't find any regular buses in Dunche village, so we take a jeep back to the capital, which takes us to Kathmandu in 7 hours, with a breeze and comparative comfort. Congratulations! You have done well on this trek, so we all go together to one of the cozy national restaurants to celebrate this important event cheerfully.
On the road: about 6-7 hours
GOING HOME
We don't really want to, but we have to go home, where relatives and friends are waiting for us and for colorful photos and fascinating stories about our trekking. The return tickets should be taken for the evening (ideally after 9 or 10 pm), then you will have enough time to see the main sights of Kathmandu and buy souvenirs.
Additionally, after the trek you have the opportunity to go to Chitwan National Park to ride through the jungle on elephants, take narrowboats on the river with crocodiles, see local aboriginal dances and much more. Set aside +3 days for this at the end of the program. Our guide will help you with your tour arrangements. See more about Chitwan in the video:
A manager will advise you on equipment, help you find the best flight, share information on hotels and excursions. You make your own payments and purchases. If you want the manager to buy the ticket for you, it's possible, but for extra money, because it's a big responsibility. More in the article: additional services and service fee.
Depending on weather conditions, condition and general wishes of the group, the guide has the right to make changes to the route.
Visas for 15 days stay in Nepal are taken directly at the border. The cost of the visa is $30. Here you can find detailed instructions on visa application >>. To get a visa, you need only a valid passport, valid for more than 6 months from the date of return flight.
To participate in the hike, you must be free of diseases incompatible with active tourism: the list is here.
You should buy tickets beforehand, as soon as we confirm your participation in the trek. The cheapest way to fly is with AirArabia and FlyDubai, the flight costs $500-700. Also fly Turkish Airlines, Qatar, etc., with more convenient connections, but ticket prices start at $1000 and higher. Please note that luggage may not be included in the price, and you must order an extra 20 kg at the time of purchase, or take a package at once, including 1 piece of luggage. When you check in at the airport, you may be asked to show your card with which you paid for your tickets – don't forget it!
You need to be in Kathmandu on the first day of the program during the day, time is not important. If you take the morning flight then you will have time to have a rest from the trip, if necessary, go to the market to buy some equipment, change currency. Next day at about 6 am we fly to Lukla.
We recommend taking return tickets for evening flights on the 13th or the next day, as there is a possibility of delays or postponements of domestic flights.
If you plan to visit Chitwan National Park (elephant safari through the jungle, canoeing on the river with crocodiles...), then add +3 days.
After purchasing tickets, send the details of your arrival/departure flights to your manager.
To participate in the program you need a good insurance which is valid up to 6000 m altitude, covers mountain tourism and includes helicopter evacuation. Please do not neglect this point. It has saved some members thousands of dollars. Our insurance recommendations can be found here: "Insurance for Kuluar Hikers"
The charm of the Langtang Valley is that it is quite wild and here you can completely disconnect from civilization. Whether you want it or not.
3G, cell phone service works in Syabrubesi and partially on the way to the Lama Hotel. Above there is no. It will appear again in Tula Syabru and partly on the track to the lakes of Gosaikunda. There is no network on the lakes themselves. There is a good steady signal in Dunche.
There is Wi-fi in Syabrubesi, Tule Syabru and Dunce. During the other overnight stays there is no connection.
Electricity, charging are available in Syabrubesi, Tule Syabru and Dunce. In other places there are solar panels, you won't get much of a charge.
Type of power outlets in Nepal
In Kathmandu, we will stay at the Hotel Arts 4*. Standard accommodation in 2-bed rooms.
During the trek, we live in lodges, which are tourist shelters with public showers and toilets (sometimes in the room). Food we order in the same lodge where we live. Rooms are very simple, small, for 2-3 people, not heated. Of furniture, there are often only beds. Beds are made with linens, but it is recommended to take your sleeping bag and sleep in it. Upon request, you can ask the hosts for a blanket. Electricity is available in almost all the lodges, but in the rooms there are rarely outlets.
Rooms with hot showers will be in Syabrubesi and Dunce. There are showers in all the lodges in the camps, but often there is no hot water (it's good if there is warm water) and its comfort is very questionable. The main thing after such a shower is to warm up quickly and immediately put on warm clothes.
To better understand the living conditions, we highly recommend watching some examples of lodges from our treks. Click on the name: a nice lodge in Namche Bazar with a shower in the room, a basic lodge in Dole – no shower and with ice in the washbasin, cool rooms at the Eco Resort in Gokyo, a standard lodge in Chukung, a mug of tea after a night in a room in Gorak Shep. Even if you sleep in other localities, the lodges will be about the same level.
Individual accommodations are possible for the entire program, it costs +$200. Be sure to notify your manager in advance.
The menu in all the lodges is extremely varied (different types of eggs, pasta, soups, potatoes, pizza, rice). An interesting feature is that the same dishes in different lodges can be cooked differently and taste completely different! Food prices increase proportionally with altitude. On average, it will take $15-$20 per day to get a decent meal.
For an example, we recommend looking at some of the most expensive prices on the trek in Gokyo Village, and here's a folder with photos of menus and food from other lodges on the trek to Everest. On the trek to Annapurna, the prices are cheaper, but the procedure is similar.
Let's just say that some people really like Nepalese food, but there are those who "don't" like it. Meat on the trek is usually scarce, you can take some bacon and a sausage stick with you.
Porters are people who carry your things for money. Maximum weight of one porter is 24 kg. The cost of this service is about $20 per day, but you can take one porter for two – it will be two times cheaper! It is not customary to feel sorry for porters, no matter how much they might carry. Nor is it customary to invite them to your table. Porters have their own room in the lodges, where they eat and sleep with their friends. The best thanks on your part would be a tip equal to the porter's daily wage. So prepare an extra $20-30 to tip the porter and the Nepali guide. For more details about the porter's work, you can read our article "Porter on the trek – to take or not to take".
As in other regions of Nepal, there are two seasons for trekking in the Himalayas, spring (mid-March to late May) and fall (mid-October to mid-December). If you go in early spring, you should be prepared for the fact that there is still a lot of snow on the pass and the approaches to the lakes, and the lakes themselves are hidden under the ice. Closer to the middle of April the first lakes will melt, the snow on the trail will remain only on the approach to the base camp. A big plus during this period is the blooming rhododendron forests, which against the background of snow-white mountains create incredible contrasting pictures. In the afternoon in spring the sky is often covered with clouds and at about 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon it may rain or snow. But by this time we usually arrive at the boat house. Autumn is warmer, there are hardly any clouds, the snow is already melted everywhere
Most of the track is at moderate altitudes. During the day the temperature will generally be around +20-25 degrees, at night at high altitudes it can drop to zero. Rains are rare. Typical weather for mountainous regions is a clear morning and a cloudy rainy evening.
The currency of the country is the Nepalese rupee. The exchange rate is approximately 100 rupees to 1 dollar. You can exchange at the hotel reception or at the exchange office, with which we have long had an agreement for a more favorable rate. The teamleader will take you to the right place. It's noteworthy that Nepalis are very careless about paper money - so don't be surprised if you get a bundle of rupees punctured with a stapler - it's quite normal. All expenses en route are in rupees only. Exchange about $500 for them before the trek. Bank cards are only accepted at some points in Kathmandu, so be sure to take cash. Also, there are big restrictions on ATM cash withdrawals and fees are racked up.
You should buy souvenirs at the stalls in Thamel (the tourist district of Kathmandu), not at the sights. Always haggle with Nepalis; sometimes the price can be discounted several times over.
If you are traveling to Nepal for the first time, want to see the maximum in order to fully get acquainted with the variety of Himalayan landscapes, walk through the jungle and forests and reach the highest mountains of our planet - you are on the right track. In addition to a wide variety of nature (jungles, gorges, rivers and lakes, canyons, mountains, large and small), you will also often meet monasteries and other Nepalese shrines where you can visit the puja, feel the spirit of Buddhism.
Due to the fact that we spend the night and eat in lodges, backpacks on the route will be light. In addition, there is always the opportunity to hire a porter, which we highly recommend to all participants. He will carry the main part of your things (up to 12 kg), and you will go with a small backpack in which you will carry a warm jacket, water, documents and money.
The track to the Langtang valley is not the easiest due to the altitude under 4000 and constant climbs/drops. Therefore, it is desirable to have experience of previous trips (even in the Carpathians, Turkey, Georgia) and good physical training. The best way to prepare for a mountain track is running (about 5-7 km 2-3 times a week), squats, cardio exercises that will not only increase your endurance, but also train your legs for daily transitions. The more physically fit you are, the easier it will be for you to tolerate altitude, acclimatize and enjoy the track and the scenery around you more.
Everyone probably knows that Nepal is famous for extremely cheap travel gear. Well, it really is! You can buy a flicer for $5, a down jacket from $30, trekking poles from $10. But you have to understand that despite the tag - it's not branded equipment, but made somewhere in the local basements. There are stores with the original, but prices are the same as ours. In general, do not necessarily carry a whole pile of equipment from home, most you can buy cheap already on the spot. Tourist stores simply unreal number. Read more about equipment in a separate article =>>.
Total mandatory expenses that are not included will be around $350. ≠ airflight. Take a few hundred dollars with you for spare and souvenirs.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: For $00 you can book a porter (carrying your 12 kg) for the whole trek. For those who have little experience in trekking, we strongly recommend ordering a porter at once and not to spoil the experience of the trek with a heavy backpack.
*Please, pay your attention: it's not the manager's task to choose a flight for each participant. The manager gives general recommendations, based on their experience, and shares the flights of other participants, so you can fly together. It's up to the participant to select and purchase their own convenient airfare. If you want a manager to buy you an air ticket, book a hotel or an additional excursion, read the conditions on the page: additional services.
To reserve your spot in the group, you need to make a $200 prepayment. This money is needed for passes and hotel reservations. Methods of payment and conditions of return in case of refusal or departure from the route are here. The rest of the payment you are to give to your guide on the first day of the program.
Dear friends, we kindly ask you to pick up dollar bills of 2003 or newer. Dollars from the 90s are not accepted in many countries, and we sometimes have problems with local partners. Thank you for your understanding and new dollars to all:)