Being moderately strenuous and massively adventurous, the Langtang-Gosaikunda-Helambu Trek is one of the most preferred short-medium treks in Nepal. Especially this trek is a triple excitement, as each of Langtang, Gosaikunda, and Helambu can individually constitute a trekking circuit of its own with unique distinction.
Langtang, a narrow valley 51 km to the North of Kathmandu, is the home of the Langtang National Park. It borders with Tibet and is predominated by Tamang who are mostly Buddhist in this region with beautifully distinct cultures. The peaks, like Langtang Lirung, Langtang Ri, Dorje Lakpa, Changbu, and several others in the mountain range, Langtang Himal, constitute an aesthetically exciting view to move you emotionally. The valley holds an alluring amalgamation of glaciated peaks, streams, craggy landscape, and forests of oak, maple, pine, and rhododendrons.
Thoroughly enchanting! Next, Gosaikunda is a stand-alone beauty–it is a freshwater lake in the Langtang National Park, at an altitude of 4380 m. It forms the Gosaikunda Lake complex with associated lakes and remains frozen for six months that melts to form the Trishuli River. There are 108 lakes in its vicinity. Its grace goes a step further to be one of the most crucial Hindu pilgrim sites with the mind-boggling mythical narration of its origin mentioned in the Hindu scriptures. Lo and behold, here you have a mystery to wrap your soul around, and get spiritually elevated! After a farewell to Gosaikunda, you will trek across Lauribina Pass (4610 m) and forests abloom with rhododendrons where you will be captivated by euphonious rustling leaves, eventually to step feet into Helambu–the home to the Hyalmo people, 80 km from Kathmandu is a thriving region, also inhabited by Tamang. They practice Buddhism, and hence, the region is rich in magnificent monasteries. The people are expansive and hospitable which you cannot keep yourself from praising.
All in all, the raw and rugged trekking route, glistening glacial lakes, rolling hills, snow-capped mountains whose alpenglow you might catch by serendipity, verdant landscape, and flora and fauna will fill you with awe and rupture which will stay with you all your life. On top of that, the innocent and friendly people in the villages, their rustically idyllic way of life, and cultures will leave you little more enlightened than before.
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Visit Swoyambunath & Patan
Day 03: Drive Kathmandu to Syabru Besi vai Dhunche
Day 04: Trek Syabru Besi to Changtang (Lama Hotel)
Day 05: Trek Lama Hotel to Langtang
Day 06: Trek Langtang to Kyangjin Gompa: Hike to Kyangjin-Ri
Day 07: Hike to Tserko-Ri
Day 08: Trek Kyangjin Gompa to Ghoda Tabela
Day 09: Trek Ghoda Tabela to Thulo Syabru
Day 10: Trek Thulo Syabru to Lauribina
Day 11: Trek Lauribina to Gosaikunda
Day 12: Trek Gosaikunda to Ghopte
Day 13: Trek Ghopte to Melamchi Gaon
Day 14: Trek Melamchi Gaon to Tarkhegyang
Day 15: Trek Tarkhegyang to Saramthang
Day 16: Trek Saramthang to Melamchi Pool Bazaar and drive to Kathmandu
Day 17: Visit Bhaktapur
Day 18: Departure
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1334m): You will be transferred to the Hotel by one of our representatives. Welcome dinner at one of the traditional Nepali restaurants in Kathmandu with folk music and dances.
Overnight: Hotel
Elevation: 1334m
Day 02: Visit Swoyambunath, Patan and Patan museum: Start our tour visiting a magnificent Buddhist stupa, Swoyambunath which is 10 minutes drive from Thamel followed by a visit of Patan to witness its incredible architecture from medieval period.
Swoyambunath is one of the oldest stupa of the Kathmandu Valley. It is situated on one of the highest hills in the valley. It watches over the Valley from the top of a hillock on its western side just three kilometers west of the city center. The stupa is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal and its establishment is linked to the creation of the Kathmandu Valley out of a primordial lake. Swayambhu is also known as Samhengu and is recognized as a World Heritage Site. It is also one of the oldest and most glorious Buddhist shrines in the world which is said to be two thousand years. The four sides of the stupa are painted with the eyes of Lord Buddha.
Patan- the second largest town in the valley is situated to the south of Kathmandu. Patan's great building boom took place under the Mallas in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Numerous temples of widely diverse styles, as well as many Buddhist monasteries, are scattered around the fascinating town. Patan is famous for its crafts and metal works which are wonderful souvenirs. We visit Patan Museum as well.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 03: Drive Kathmandu to Syabru Besi (1460m) via Dhunche (1960m): We start our tour with early morning drive; we drive through Dhunche which is a small town and headquarter of the Rasuwa district. On the way to Syabru Besi, a panoramic view of the Himalayan peaks including Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, and several other peaks of the Langtang region can be seen.
Overnight: Lodge
Driving Time: 5 – 6 hours
Difference in Elevation: + 126m
Day 04: Trek Syabru Besi to Changtang (Lama Hotel) (2470m): We start our trek through a dense forest, crossing a bridge over a tributary of the Langtang Khola. The trail then follows the South bank of the river through a deep gorge and crosses another tributary. In about 1 ½ hour we cross another bridge at the North bank of the Langtang Khola and then we begin to climb a small hill to reach the Bamboo (village) then steadily climb to Rimche followed by gradual walk to Lama Hotel in the small village of Changtang, at a height of 2470m.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 6 hours
Difference in Elevation: + 1010m
Day 05: Trek Lama Hotel to Langtang (3430m): The day starts with a climb above the Langtang Khola through a forest of hemlock, rhododendron, and oaks. It climbs steadily to Ghoda Tabela (3010m) passing through Riverside. Ghoda Tabela was once a Tibetan settlement camp. Continuing up the valley, we leave the forest behind and the trail ascends steadily to Langtang village. Langtang is one of the oldest villages along this trekking route and the view from here become more spectacular as we get closer to the mountains.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Difference in Elevation: + 960m
Day 06: Trek Langtang to Kyangjin Gompa (3870m): climb Kyangjin-Ri (4773m): A short and fairly steady (gradual) walk to Kyangjin Gompa which provides a great opportunity for us to do our day hike to Kyangjin-Ri. The trek climbs up to the Kyangjin Gompa at an altitude of 3870m. Kyangjin Gompa is admired for its stunning view of the mountains, beautiful monastery and cheese factory. This is the highest settlement of the valley. In the afternoon (after our lunch), we climb to Kyangjin-Ri (4773m) to enjoy the panoramic view of the Himalayan range and the valley below. It is about an hour and half uphill climb (STEEP) to Kyangjin-Ri and about an hour downhill to descend.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 3 hours (Langtang to Kyangjin)
Walking Time: 2 ½ hours (Kyangjin-Ri climb)
Difference in Elevation: + 440m (Kyangjin Gompa)
Difference in Elevation: + 1343m (Kyangjin-Ri)
Day 07: Climb to Tserko-Ri (4984m): We start our day early in the morning to climb the Tserko-Ri. It is about 3 hours (STEEP UPHILL) trek to the top and couple of hours back to Kyangjin. Tserko-Ri is one of the best view points in the region so we will have a magnificent view of the Himalayan range and valley below. The trail to Tserko-Ri is quite steep and you will be at the high altitude so expect to go pretty slow. You may encounter a lot of soft snow which may slow you down a lot so it might take longer than anticipated.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 5 - 6 hours
Difference in Elevation: + 1114m (Day climb)
Day 08: Trek Kyangjin Gompa to Lama Hotel / Changtang (2470m): As we retrace our steps, we follow the Langtang Khola to Langtang village and continue on to Lama Hotel passing through Thangsyap,Ghodatabala, Riverside villages. It is mostly downhill trek from Kyangjin Gompa following Langtang Khola valley and enjoying the view of the Surrounding Mountains and valley below and walking through the lush green forests for the last part of the day.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 6 hours
Difference in Elevation: - 1400m
Day 09: Trek Lama Hotel (Changtang) to Thulo Syabru (2260m): We continue our descend walking through the bamboo and rhododendron forests passing through the Rimche, Bamboo and Pairo (Hot spring) villages. Then the trail steeply climbs through the rhododendron forest to Thulo Syabru; one of the biggest settlements in the region. Thulo Syabru is a very charming place with some traditional and modern houses arranged along a high ridge overlooking the valley. You may get lucky to spot red pandas, monkeys, and various species of birds on your way to Thulo Syabru.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 6-7 hours
Difference in Elevation: -210m
Day 10: Trek Thulo Syabru to Lauribina (3910m): We leave the beautiful village of Thulo Syabru, climbing through the hills. We then switchback up the hill above the village where there are a few houses and potato fields. The trail steeply ascends, passing through lush Rhododendron forest. We will stop for the lunch at the middle of the forest; Mukharka where couple of lodges have been built recently. After our lunch, we continue our climb through the forest to reach Cholangpati where we will join the classic route of Gosaikunda. Then about an hour and half steady climb takes us to Lauribina.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 6 hours
Difference in Elevation: +1650m
Day 11: Trek Lauribina to Gosaikunda (4380m): Today we follow a rugged trail with dramatic views of Manaslu 8156m), Himalchuli (7893m), Ganesh Himal (7406m), Tibetan peak and Langtang Lirung. The trail starts with steep ascend to the Lauribina Top (Buddha Park) then gets gradual (uphill) all the way to Gosaikunda. This is one of the sacred Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims' destinations outside of the Kathmandu valley. There are about a dozen lakes in the Gosaikunda basin. We will explore the surroundings in the afternoon.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 2 - 3 hours
Difference in Elevation: + 470m
Day 12: Trek Gosaikunda to Ghopte (3430m): The trail leads to the Northern part of Gosaikunda and it is little challenging climbing over Lauribina pass (4610m). The trek continues descending to Ghopte.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Difference in Elevation: -905m
Day 13: Trek Ghopte to Melamchi Gaon (2600m): The day starts with a steep climb to Tharepati (3500m) and then sheer descends to Melamchi Gaon, crossing a primary rhododendron forest. In the spring, the area is a mass of red flowers, dotted with white and pink. Melamchi Gaon sits at an altitude of 2600m and there you can observe the traditional Sherpa village life and culture.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 6 hours
Difference in Elevation: -830m
Day 14: Trek Melamchi Gaon to Tarkhegyang (2160m): The trail descends gently, leaving the village and crossing Melamchi Khola. Then a gradual climb takes us to Tarkhegyang (2160M), largest Sherpa village in Helambu region.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 5-6 hours
Difference in Elevation: -440m
Day 15: Trek Tarkhegyang to Saramthang (2590m): As we continue, trail gently descends through a dense forest to Saramthang. It is fairly easy day taking about 5 hours to Saramthang.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 5 hours
Difference in Elevation: +430m
Day 16: Trek Saramthang to Melamchi Pool Bazaar and drive to Kathmandu (1334m): short trek on a gradual downhill takes us to Melamchi pool bazaar followed by an exciting drive back to Kathmandu.
Overnight: Lodge
Walking Time: 3-4 hours
Driving Time: 4 hours
Difference in Elevation: -1256m
Day 17: Visit Bhaktapur: We drive for an hour to visit an ancient city, Bhaktapur. It is one of the oldest cities of Kathmandu valley.
Overnight: Hotel
Day 18: Transport to the airport and departure
Special Note: This Itinerary can be customized according to the duration of your holiday. The Trek can be operated with Lodge/tea house and/or camping accommodation, based on your preference. We have many options for shorter visits based on your interests and budget.
| Srl. |
Description |
Qty. |
Remarks |
|
| 01 |
Day back-pack |
1 | ||
| 02 | Gore-Tex Jacket |
1 |
||
| 03 | Down Jacket |
1 |
||
| 04 | Fleece Jacket |
1 |
||
| 05 | Micro Fleece |
1 |
||
| 06 | Trekking pants(Trousers) |
2 |
||
| 07 | Hiking shoes (Boots) |
1 |
||
| 08 | Runners (sport shoes) |
1 |
||
| 09 | Trekking Socks |
3 |
||
| 10 | Rain poncho |
1 |
||
| 11 | Sun-glasses |
1 |
||
| 12 | Water bottles |
2 |
||
| 13 | Thermal underwear(long) |
1-2 |
||
| 14 | T- shirts |
2-3 |
||
| 15 | Sunscreen/lotion |
1 |
||
| 16 | Flip flop (sandal) |
1 |
||
| 17 | Towel |
1 |
||
| 18 | Hat(Baseball cap) |
1 |
||
| 19 | Pristine drops (Water purifier) |
1 |
||
| 20 | Head light/flash light |
1 |
||
| 21 | Sleeping Bag |
1 |
||
| 22 | Gloves |
1 |
||
| 23 | Wind Proof Trouser (s) |
1 |
||
| 24 | Personal medical kid |
1 |
||
| 25 | Toiletries |
1 |
||
Climate:
From the eternal snow of the high peaks to the extensive tropical lowlands, Nepal has a wide variety of climates.
Spring: March to late May: In this season, Kathmandu is in full bloom, lots of different types of flowers can be seen at this time of the year. Temperature is mild, end of the cold winter and approaching warm and hot summer. Temperatures vary between 10 ° C to 28 ° C but can rise up to 30 ° C. Between 2000 and 3000m, temperature rarely drop below 0 ° C. However, few frosts or snowfalls are possible in March above 4000 m.
The summer/monsoon period: It interrupts the majority of trekking from late June to late August. Some of the trekking regions "trans-Himalayan", Dolpo and Mustang, however, remain protected from monsoon prevailing rest of the country. They are the only channels available in Nepal in the summer.
Autumn: mid September – mid December - Perfect temperature and weather for trekking. Brings cooler days, but clear skies. Above 3000 m altitude, temperatures can drop to -10 ° C at night.
In winter: mid-December - mid-February - Nights are generally cold, dry climate, Above 3000m, temperature drop down to 0 ° C to - 15 ° C at night, the days are often sunny.
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