Day 1 ~ Kathmandu
Upon arrival into Kathmandu you are personally met and transferred to your hotel. There is a welcome dinner and briefing.
Overnight Patan Inn (B&B)
Day 2 ~ Thulo Syabru
Early morning leave the city by Landcruiser jeeps before the traffic picks up. You ride for 5 to 6 hours on a scenic mountain trail to first descend to the hot rice growing Trisuli Valley before ascending to the foothills of the Gosaikunda Lake via the village of Kalikasthan to the town of Dhunche. Its half an hour beyond to Thulo Bharku. A small huddle of houses on the road to Syabru Besi. Meet up with porters and guides and shortly after start climbing through oak and pine forests with Langur monkeys to the village of Brabal. From here the trail gets easier as it undulates through temperate forest with occasional glimpses of the Ganesh Himal and Langtang Valley. It is a 3-4 hours trek, first ascending and then traversing to the biggest village in the Langtang Valley, Thulo Syabru (7,300ft).
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 3 ~ Bamboo
Begin the day first descending to the bottom of the village before crossing a river that descends from the sacred Gosaikunda Lake. Cross a high metal bridge to climb to a lone teahouse to then descend to the Langtang River valley. A little beyond, you reach Pairo where there was a huge landslide in 1987. This cool spot with some teahouses is a good spot for lunch. There is also a point near the river where hot water from a natural spring flows. the trail then climbs through lush green oak forest to the collection of lodges at Bamboo beside the Langtang Khola where you will camp (6,500ft). On this walk we expect to see several species of Kingfishers and sometimes the rare Himalayan honeyguide.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 4 ~ Ghumnay Chowk
You continue the trek following the river valley with possible sightings of Ghoral Antelope, Langpur monkeys, Himalayan Martin and once the very rare Red Panda, to a collection of lodges called Lama Hotel. You then climb through rich forest to the edge of Langtang Valley proper to camp beside the river in a meadow with a small lodge, surrounded by Rhododendrons and other Spring flowers. Your campsite – Ghumnay Chowk (9,500ft) is before the valley pastures of Ghora Tabella where, in former times, the Royal Family kept their horses during the summer monsoon months.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 5 ~ Langtang
As you leave the forest you are now on the edge of a wide alpine valley, heading east and ascending gradually with superb views of the Langtang mountains to your north and the Jugal mountains to your south. On this walk we have often seen Impeyan Pheasants, Lammergier and once Tibet Snowcocks. The trail continues to climb gently and the valley widens, passing a few temporary settlements used by herders who bring their livestock up to graze in the high pastures during the summer months. There is a monastery which we can visit shortly before arriving at the village of Langtang, the headquarters of Langtang National Park. The houses of Langtang and neighboring villages are of Tibetan style, surrounded by stone walls enclosing fields of buckwheat, potatoes, wheat, turnips, and barley. This evening you will camp in the village of Langtang (11,200ft), whose inhabitants are of Tibetan stock, as are the people of Kyanjin, your destination for tomorrow.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 6 ~ Kyanjin Gumba
A half days walk to Kyanjin Gumba (12,700ft). The trail passes many ancient Mani (prayer) walls, leaving the cultivated areas, slowly climbs through rocky river beds and terrain to the alpine meadows of Kyanjin. You will camp 2 nights in this small settlement known for its Buddhist shrine and Yak cheese factory established by the Swiss in 1955, which you can visit.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 7 ~ Kanjin Gumba
Kyanjin lies right below Yala Peak and you will have fantastic views of the beautiful Langtang valley with its spectacular surrounding peaks. The beautiful peaks at the head of the open valley are Gangchenpo to the right and Tshergo Ri to the left. Walking under the shadow of Langtang peak you pass through Yak pastures to the terminal moraine of the Ledrup Lirung Glacier, its a 3 hour walk to the saddle (15,100ft) due north of the camp with fabulous views of the Langtang Lirung glacier. In this area we have seen Snow Cocks. The glacial valley east of Kyanjin is also the only place to spot the rare Ibisbill.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 8 ~ Nyegang
On a clear day the trail leaving Kyanjin and crossing the Langtang river south of the village offers magnificent views of the Langtang and Langshisa mountains. Once on the other side of the river, you pass several ponds and then climb a slope with Rhodedendron and birch forest to come out at alpine meadows. After a few hours you arrive at a bolder field and you see your camp beyond – Nyegang (14,500ft) below the slopes that ascend to the pass. Nyegang is an ancient grazing meadow used by the locals of Langtang to live and graze their livestock over the summer.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 9 ~ Keldang
You begin this day early, staying on the west bank of a watercourse, across steep ground until you reach the base of a moraine deposited by the glacier above. The pass is further up a steep rock scramble which can be made difficult by snow. Guides designated to go ahead of the group and pitch the ropes will be ready to help you when you get there. Depending on how the weather and trail condition is that day, the crossing of the pass (16,800ft) itself will take a few hours. The first section of the descent is steep on loose moraine for about an hour and then it gets easier. However it is a descent all the way to the camp at Keldang, the first flat area after getting off the moraine at 14,000ft.
Overnight Camp(B,L,D)
Day 10 ~ Dhupku Kharka
You will notice beyond Kyanjin the trek takes you through a very off the beaten area of the Langtang Valley. Similarly beyond the pass this day’s walk will be through a stunning and remote landscape. the trail descends, climbs and traverses the whole day, passing countless meadows and crossing many ridges with Chortens without meeting anyone else other than yourselves. Finally stopping to camp at the only good water point on the trail at Dhupku Khraka (13,200ft) just above the tree line.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 11 ~ Tarke Ghyang
The descent continues to the bottom of the Yangri Hill and then ascends to circle the hill to its southern end before descending again to the village of Tarke Ghyang (8,900ft). A Tamang village with a famous monastery. A dirt road has arrived here but is still very new and not in the best condition to drive by jeep.
Overnight Camp (B,L,D)
Day 12 ~ Kathmandu
You descend through Tamang and mixed villages with cultivation to a small settlement to Timbu (3,500ft) the road head in the Malemchi Valley for lunch beside a stream. Drive through more villages and bustling towns down the Indrawati Valley before ascending on the road to Tibet to the town of Dhulikhel. You then enter the Kathmandu valley at the east end called Sanga to drive past the ancient town of Bhaktapur. Transfer to your hotel.
Overnight Patan Inn (B,L,D)
Day 13 ~ Depart
After breakfast you are transferred to Kathmandu airport for departures. (B)
