Langtang Valley Trek

Langtang Valley Trek at glance:

Overall Time Duration: 11 days

Max Elevation: 49850 m/ 16355 ft (Tsergo ri)

Trek Starting/ Ending Point: Syabrubensi

Trek Difficulty: Moderate

Accommodation: Tea house/ lodges

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

With travelers' growing interest in Treks, Nepal has rapidly become a number one destination for adventure. So, blow off steam and enjoy your time here with Nepal Eco Adventure, the finest tour operator who believes in serving clients with the best services possible to meet their satisfaction.

Nepal Eco Adventure has several selections for trekking packages in Langtang region, and the Langtang Valley trek is the most well-known one. Many visitors come to Nepal to visit this beautiful yet nearest trekking destination.

Langtang valley is a pristine vega located 51 km north of Kathmandu in the north-central Himalayas of Bagmati province. This place is the land of a serene landscape, typical villages, and glacial lakes on the lap of the Himalayas.

The valley is a part of Langtang national park that eventually constitutes the border with Tibet. You will be walking inside the national park to visit the destinations of your trek.

Most of the region is inhabited by the Tamang ethnicity that is influenced by Tibetan culture and tradition. They are friendly people that welcome travelers with warm hospitality.

You get to view some of the breathtaking architectural beauty of monasteries while walking on these routes. Also, the stunning view of mountains in the backdrop of the lush rhododendron forest.

During your time here, you will see many snowy peaks on these trails, and some are Langtang Lirung, Tsergo Ri, Kyungri, Langtang Ri, Langshisha Ri, Dorje Lakpa, and more.

While walking through the jungles, you get a chance to see different species of flora and fauna as well. They are pine, maple, oak, rhododendron, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan Tahr, red panda, macaque, etc.

The Langtang Valley Trek begins on the third day after you prepare for the trek in Kathmandu. You first take a full-day drive to Syabru Besi, then trek to Lama Hotel the next day.

After that, you head towards Langtang village, following the regular trekking trails. Then, trek till Kyanjin Gompa, an important monastery for the people of Langtang.

You acclimatize at Kyanjin, and during that time, you hike up to Tsergo Ri, the highest point at 4985 m. Later, you trek down to Kyanjin Gompa for the night. From there, you walk downhill to Rimche and, with further drops, return to Syabru Bensi.

From Syabru Bensi, you now drive back to Kathmandu, retracing the same road. After arriving at the capital, it is your last day in Nepal, so enjoy your time here. The next day the officials will take you to the TIA airport according to your schedule.

Without you noticing, the 11 days trek finishes within a blink of your eye. After spending a week in the Himalayas, your heart won't let you return from the beauty of nature.

So, if you have extra time, you can add other trekking destinations in this region to lengthen the journey. You can visit Gosaikunda Lake or go on a Tamang heritage trek. If you wish to have bit more comfortable transport to and from Syabrubesi you may take private Jeep paying $300 USD return. Jeep is highly recommend instead of local bus.

Note: This itineray and cost has sightseeing tour and hotels included. If you want to minimize the cost, skip the day tour and stay at your own choice of hotel we have 8 days Langtang valley trek package.

Things You Can Experience During The Trip

• Visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Kathmandu
• Wander around verdant forests and local villages
• Enjoy the remoteness in the lower regions of Langtang Valley
• Admire the beautiful sunrise view from Tsergo Ri
• The scenic long hour drive to and from Syabru bensi
• Appreciate the panoramic views of snowy peaks like Ganjala Peak, Langsisa, Langtang Himal, and more
• First-hand experience of Tibetan Buddhist lifestyle and culture.
• Collect blessings at the ancient Buddhist shrines
• Traverse through high alpine meadows, Yak pastures, and stunning forests.

Altitude Chart

Best Time for Langtang Valley Trek

Deciding the Best Time for Langtang Valley Trek is quite tricky, with each season giving a different vibe to the visitors. You have summer/ monsoon that brings freshness and growth, while winter brings chill and snow.

Similarly, Spring has warmer and longer days, while Autumn brings clarity and cleanliness. Even though the climatic condition differs, the beauty on this trek remains the same.

Spring (March-May)

Spring season is the best time for the Langtang valley trek if you prefer temperate days, warm temperatures, and blossoming flora. The earlier weeks of Spring tend to be chilly with mild temperature in lower regions, but as winter fades and the season pushes in, it gets moderate.

With time, the sky clears and becomes sunny, providing warm trekking conditions. It brings warmer temperatures and fields of blossoming flowers along with vibrant and radiant landscape texture.

The temperature ranges between 16 to 20 degrees celsius with pleasant nights. Plus, the snow accumulated during winter melts away by April, clearing the high paths.

Autumn (September- November)

After Spring, Autumn is another best time for the Langtang valley trek. It offers fantastic trekking conditions with moderate days under the clear skies. The dust and pollution of the atmosphere have cleared with the monsoon rain giving trekkers crystal clear views.

The trek might start from around mid-September, depending on the intensity of rain in the monsoon. The weather by this time has settled and projects a clear blue sky with bright sun throughout the day.

The temperature ranges between 15 to 24 degrees Celsius with warmer nights. During Autumn, the weather is stable but has colder nights through the later month.

Off-Season Time

Winter (December- February)

Trekking to higher altitudes in winter is chilly for most people, but if the cold doesn't bother you, then it might turn out to be the best time for the Langtang Valley trek.

The number of people visiting these trails in winter is much lesser compared to Spring and Autumn, so you get to walk in privacy. Also, the mornings are foggy with clear, sunny afternoons and chilly nights.

The temperature ranges between 1 to -6 degrees Celsius during winter, and the lower region weather remains pretty pleasant as well. The view looks breathtaking under the blue sky.

Summer/ Monsoon (June- August)

In Nepal, the summer and monsoon fall under the same season, with the first half being hot and sweaty while the latter being rainy and chill. The weather conditions are average depending on the month you trek.

Going on the Langtang Valley trek is possible but not recommended due to bad weather conditions. However, with the right gears, planning, and preparation, you can complete it efficiently.

The temperature ranges between 5 to 18 degrees Celsius during this season. The climate is wet and humid, making the route muddy and views obscured. But you get to see new plants and flowers on these trails.

P.S. Do not forget your rain gear while traveling during monsoon season. Also, check the forecast for weather before starting the trek.

Difficulty Level?

The difficulty level of Langtang Valley Trek is moderate. You do not need any old experience to complete this short journey. To simply put it, the trails are not very hard nor too easy but doable for beginners as well.

You spend six days hiking and two days driving on this journey. Like any other trek, our Langtang valley trek also has several ups, downs, twists, and turns. Some parts of the route require a steep up and downhill walk.

The Langtang valley trek difficulty level mainly depends on the topography and season you travel. You need to have strong willpower to complete the trek. No trek is easy so prepare yourself for all the possibilities you might face in the mountains.

Accommodation during the Langtang Valley Trek

During your time in Kathmandu, you will be staying in a three-star hotel, but you will spend the night in tea houses for the rest of the Langtang Valley Trek. You will find several accommodation options providing primary to standard rooms on this journey.

The services you enjoy also change along with the altitude. The lodging gets basic as you ascend the trails and reach higher places like Lama Hotel, Kyanjin Gompa, and more.

You get other facilities like charging ports, wifi, hot showers, and more with rooms. But these services can be limited to higher altitudes due to remoteness and inaccessibility of transportation.

In lower regions, you will find single or twin basis rooms with or without attached toilets. They have beds with foam mattresses, blankets, pillows, and bedsheets, while some rooms also have a table and a cupboard.

In higher regions, you do not have the luxury of single rooms, so you will have to share it with other companions. Each room has two single beds with pillows, foam mattresses, and blankets. Also, there are no attached bathrooms, only shared ones.

Meals during the Langtang Valley Trek

From western to Nepalese cuisine, you will try several tasty foods during your Langtang Valley Trek. You will only have breakfast in Kathmandu and three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) each day during the trekking journey.

You get to try a variety of foods on the tea houses of this route. They provide you with healthy meals during breakfast, lunch, and dinner for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian.

The food option changes each day for breakfast. You mainly get to eat bread and jam, eggs, pancakes, soup, and potatoes. They also provide biscuits, parathas, porridge, pudding, and more.

For lunch, you will have carbohydrate-rich foods that give you the energy to keep going on. The options available are fried rice, noodles, pasta, macaroni, spaghetti, momo, and pizza.

After long hour walks, you must be tired and hungry, so you will have traditional Nepalese food for dinner. The tea houses will serve you rice, lentils, pickles, meat (for non-veg), paneer (for veg), and many more side dishes.

You get several drinking options from bottled water, tea, coffee, honey, lemon, and alcohol to quench your thirst. Typically, the tea houses use local organic products to prepare the meal and make it healthy.

Difficulties faced on this Trek

Like any other trek, the Langtang Valley trek also has several difficulties you will face while traveling in these routes. No tour is easy but not impossible as well, so a few challenges faced on this Trek are:

Route Difficulty

On this Langtang Valley Trek, you will be walking for several days in gradually ascending elevation. This Trek is great for first-timers because you do not need prior experience.

Your journey begins after reaching Syabru bensi at 1450 m altitude and takes you to 4985 m elevation till Tsergo Ri. The trails are steep but easy to walk on your first-day Trek, while it is mostly uphill the next day.

Similarly, the routes have several twists and turn on the way to Kyanjin Gompa along with steep climbs, but it gets pleasant by the end. Walking uphill for hours is tiring and dehydrating, which increases the risk of altitude sickness.

On your back, you will be walking downhill for most of the time, putting pressure on your knees. Some parts of the trails are more rigid, with rocky paths and challenging slopes.

Altitude sickness

Altitude sickness is the central issue that makes trekkers worry when visiting the mountains or high elevations. You may have heard about it but never actually experienced it.

Do many trekkers wonder whether it is a problem when trekking to Langtang Valley or not? Well, the chances of suffering from altitude sickness are moderate as it depends upon the individual. Many suffer from this while going above 3500 m elevation.

Altitude sickness occurs as a result of shortness of oxygen when people travel to high places without proper acclimatization. To help yourself and others, you first need to know what their symptoms are.

Trekkers usually feel headaches, vomiting, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, and many more. If the symptoms worsen, it might risk your life as well.

So, if you find these symptoms occurring on yourself, do not hesitate to inform your guide or nearby companions. You can use some preventive measures to lessen the sickness, they are:

• Trek back to the lower altitude
• Do not drink or smoke
• Rest well and do not burden your body
• Drink plenty of water

Your health should be the first priority, so do not compromise on it.

Physical Fitness

Langtang valley trek is moderate level, so it does not demand any trekking skills or bodily training. But physical fitness is quite essential if you want to trek in the Langtang region.

It would be best if you had great stamina and proper physical condition to cope in higher altitudes. If you do not have high energy, then a few hour walks can make you tired quickly.

Many trekkers who visit Langtang are not physically prepared, so they quickly get exhausted and reach their destination late. Also, there are high chances of suffering from altitude sickness due to low build.

Weather and Temperature

Weather and temperature are mainly problems during the winter and monsoon season. Usually, during these times, the climatic conditions are unstable and unfavorable for trekking.

In winter, there are a series of snowfalls, harsh winds, blizzards, and temperature drops. Due to heavy snow, some parts of the trails are blocked, plus it gets colder with the rise in altitude.

Likewise, in monsoon, the trails are slippery and muddy, making it hard to walk properly. Due to episodes of rainfall, there are leeches and bugs on the way as well.

Pack Accommodation

Finding proper accommodation can be quite a task if you are traveling solo during spring and Autumn. These are the seasons when people visit the most due to the beauty of the trails, so it will be hard to find a room of your choice.

During peak times, every room, lobby, kitchen floor will be packed with trekkers. So, you might have to share rooms or sleep on lobby floors without advance booking.

Due to crowds, you will have to wait in line outside the bathrooms in high altitudes, as attached ones are rare. Also, you might not get good service as you expected.

Permits required on this Trek

Before starting the Langtang valley trek, you should know this trip requires two different permits, i.e., TIMS Card and Langtang National Park entry permits. Without these passes, you can not enter the region and complete the journey.

TIMS Card contains the general information about the trekkers for their security and safety. This card is a database maintained by the Nepal tourism board and TAAN. The cost of a TIMS Card is

For individuals: NPR 2000 (USD 20)

For Group: NPR 1000 (USD 10)

For SAARC Countries: NPR 600 (USD 6 if FIT) and NPR 300 (USD 3 if in the group)

The Langtang Valley trek lies in the territory of Langtang National park, So you will need an entry permit to enter the National Park premises. The cost of Langtang National Park Entry Permit is:

For SAARC Countries: NPR 1500 including VAT (USD 15)

For Other Countries: NPR 3000 including VAT (USD 30)

P.S. children below ten years old do not require any permit.

Tips for Langtang Valley trek

Despite rocky trails and rugged terrains, you can complete the Trek with valuable tips and plans so, some of them are as follows:

Warm-up

Warming up is a meaningful way to prepare your body for the Trek. It helps improve your joint flexibility, range of motion and decrease soreness. As you know, physical fitness is a must, so warm-ups are the perfect exercise.

You do not need to do heavy exercises as light ones are enough to help increase your stamina and endurance. The warm-up can start by going on short hikes, a few hours walk, daily exercises, swimming, cycling, and more.

Doing these exercises a few weeks before the actual Trek can put less stress and pressure on your body during the journey. You can do warm-ups on your own without hiring an instructor or visiting the gym.

Comfortable footwear

While packing your belongings, make sure to bring along comfortable footwear for the trip. Shoes are your daily companion that can cause or worsen your Trek as they are a crucial part of the journey.

Make sure the shoes you have brought are not too tight or loose but a perfect fit. They should not hurt your foot while walking in 5 to 8 hours trials. If the shoes are new, make sure to walk in them for a week to check their flexibility.

A sore and bruised foot can halt your journey as you can not walk in rough trails and terrains. So, always make sure to bring comfortable footwear.

Proper Clothing

Make sure you are bringing along the proper clothing for the Langtang valley trek. The clothing list depends on the season you chose to travel in. Each time has different weather and temperature that might require heavy or light clothes.

If you are traveling during spring and Autumn, then make sure to carry summer clothes for lower regions and thin sweaters or sweatshirts for higher places. It is because the temperature is cooler in upper altitudes compared to the lower ones.

Likewise, if you are traveling during winter, you will need warm and bulky clothes that will protect you from cold in the lower and upper regions. Similarly, you need to put on rain gear like a raincoat, boots, etc., and waterproof clothing for the monsoon.

Drink and eat properly

Keeping yourself hydrated and eating correctly is the vital thing to do while on the Trek. Many trekkers forget to drink water and do not eat properly, thus increasing the risk of altitude sickness and other health conditions.

You should consume about 2 to 3 liters of water during the Trek as it goes away in sweat, causing dehydration. Also, eat meals properly and carry energy bars to maintain your power.

If you are a forgetful person, put alarms on your phones to remind you to drink water. Also, carry light snacks that contain protein to eat on your way.

Carry a water bottle and purification tablets

Make sure to carry a bottle when going on treks. You will find bottled water in shops, but they are expensive in higher places. Also, finding shops is tricky as the next one might be 2 to 3 hours from your location.

So, if you have your personal bottle, you can fill it up from the lodge you are staying in or the natural streams. However, if you are unknown about the water source, you can use purification tablets to kill the bacteria.

Thus, along with the bottle pack, some purification tablets for safety as well. It helps purify the unknown water by killing all the harmful organisms.

Advance Booking

Another tip to know for the Langtang Valley trek is advance booking. Many trekkers try to find room after they reach the destination to get them at a lower price.

But it can be a problem if you are traveling during spring and Autumn as it is the crowdest time of the year. There is a scarcity of rooms if you travel without pre-booking.

So, if you do not want to sleep in the lobby, kitchen, or tent outside, book rooms in advance.

ATM and Money Exchange

Carry enough cash that lasts for the Trek as there are no ATM and money exchange facilities after Syabrubensi. You can find these services only in Kathmandu and Syabrubensi.

Cost Estimation

The Langtang valley trek is a budget-friendly trip, so the cost is not very high or expensive. The package includes meals, accommodations, a guide, a porter, and more.

Besides the things mentioned in the includes, you will have to bring extra for your personal spending. We recommend you carry about 15 to 25 USD each day on the Trek.

It is suggested to exchange the currency to the local rupees to cover the price of wifi, snacks, charging phones or camera batteries, hot shower, bar bills, and more.

You will have to pay for other facilities that are not mentioned in the includes.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is mandatory, but we highly recommend you to make one for personal security or emergencies. It is essential when going to high mountains as they cover medical treatments, helicopter rescue, evacuation, etc.

The insurance will help you evacuate to the nearest hospital for treatment if you get sick in the mountains. You can find many reasonably priced insurance options for treks and other activities.

Gear, equipment, and their list

Nepal Eco Adventure provides you necessary gear and equipment needed for the trek as a part of the package. Some of them are down jackets, hiking poles, and duffel bags, but you need to return them after the completion of the trip.

Apart from these, you need to bring other necessary items along with you or buy them in Thamel. A list of gear and equipment to bring along on these trips are as follows:

Clothes

• Woolen shirts
• summer shirts
• Thermal layers
• Thick sweater
• Waterproof and windproof jacket
• Jacket with hood or Pancho
• Fleece jacket
• Half-sleeve t-shirt
• Full-sleeve t-shirt
• Tracksuit
• Shorts or skirts (for lower regions)
• Trousers
• Breathable undergarments

Head Gear

• Hat, beanie, or cap
• Headscarf
• Buff
• Woolen hat
• Bandana

Hand and Footwear

• Liner gloves
• Woolen or windproof gloves
• Lightweight socks
• Woolen socks
• Sandals
• Trekking boot
• Comfortable sport shoes
• Toes and finger warmer

Personal Use

• Towel
• Toilet paper
• Sunscreen
• Moisturizer
• Multi-purpose soap
• Toothpaste and brush
• Comb

Other necessity

• Sunglasses or snow glasses
• Trekking poles
• Crampons
• Gaiters
• Daypack
• Water bottle and purifier
• Binocular camera
• Personal medical kit
• Camera and extra batteries
• Solar power bank
• Headlamp or torch
• Plastic bag

Why Trek with Nepal Eco Adventure?

Our Nepal Eco Adventure team believes in providing our customers with an impressive trekking experience. Trekkers will be staying in high-class hotels, excellent quality tea houses, and eating a variety of cuisines each day.

We put our customer’s satisfaction first and try to bring new ways to exceed their expectations. We aim to help the local communities advance on long-term sustainability.

The guides and trekking crews are highly professionals who have years of experience in Trek. They are patient, helpful, strong, equipped, and have the will to learn.

Final Say

For years now, Langtang Valley Trek has been the favorite trekking destination for many visitors. With the fascinating Tamang culture, magical views, and serene landscape, get ready to be lost in this place for the next eight days.