LANGTANG CIRCUIT TREK -21 DAYS

Upon arrival at Kathmandu International Airport transfer to your hotel in Kathmandu or Bhaktapur..Depending upon your arrival time you may spend free time visiting nearby sanctuaries or resting.

Half day sightseeing around UNESCO World Heritage sites in Bhaktapur / Kathmandu where your guide will escort you on a tour of Buddhist and Hindu temples while trekking permits and other preparations are finalised. In the evening there will be a trek briefing and a traditional Nepali dinner. Overnight in Bhaktapur or Kathmandu.

Breakfast. Drive to Dhunche and continue on to Syabrubesi via Trisuli Bazaar (7-8 hrs). Overnight in Syabrubesi

From Syabrubesi we climb up to a view point with views of Ganesh Himal, Gosaikunda range and the Goljang valley. Then a one hour descent to the Goljang valley. Another 3 hours walk from Goljang brings us to Gatlang, a charming Tamang village. Overnight at the community lodge.

This is one of the longest days of the trek, beginning with a descent to Thangbuchet (near Chilime village) by the Bhotekoshi River. After lunch the trail we’ll ascend up and cross a suspension bridge. The ascent continues until you get to Tatopani which means ‘hot water’, You can enjoy the natural hot springs in the lap of the mountains. Locals believe that the waters have a healing quality. Dinner and overnight stay at local Tea Lodge.

We climb up to Brimdang village where we stop for lunch. After lunch the trek continues ascending to Nagthali Danda at 3300m. The trek continues down to Thuman, a Tibetan influenced Tamang village with friendly people who love to sing and dance. Overnight at local teahouse.

The morning hike is along a flat section then descends to Timure along the old trade route to Tibet, just a 3 hour walk away here. The trail continues to Briddim which is another Tibetan influenced Tamang village. We will have a traditional homestay at Briddim visitors enjoy the local cultural practices with the host family and go on village walks to see the traditions and customs of the people.

Today we leave the Tamang Heritage trail and cross over to the Langtang Valley. A suspension bridge carries us over the south side of the Langtang Khola, the river we will be following upwards for the next couple of days. We head south and pass through Khanjim and Sherpagaon until we reach Rimche (2510m) on a trail to the west of Syabrubesi. After some steady climbing we descend slowly to Lama Hotel where we will spend the night (7 hrs).

The day starts with a gentle climb, but it soon becomes steeper, climbing through a forest of hemlocks, oaks, maples and rhododendron. Beautiful views of Langtang Lirung (7246m) can be seen from the trail. After little more than an hour we pass two lodges in the forest at Gumanchok (2800m), from where we climb to a national park checkpoint at Ghora Tabela (2970m) and pass through the small viallage of Thangshyap at 3140 meters. The route is now in open country, and passes many mani stones, water-driven prayer wheels and a few scattered Tamang villages before arriving in Langtang. This is a small village consisting of guesthouses and yak farms. (5 hrs).

Walking through the village of Langtang we will pass many stone mani walls, covered with Tibetan inscriptions to please the gods. The trail then climbs up gradually past the small villages of Mumdu and Sindum. After crossing the Langtang Khola to its south bank we climb up through a landscape scattered with large boulders to a moraine where we will have the first views of Kyanjin Gompa ahead of us, and the dramatic icefall flowing from Langtang Lirung and Langtang Kinshung (6781m) north of us. Our route weaves through the large boulders to a gompa and from here it’s a short descent to Kyanjin Gompa. One of the options is a hike to one of the good viewpoints. To the north of Kyanjin Gompa is the Kyanjin Ri (4773m), which is a two-hour climb. From here we have a great view over the mountain range in the west, including Langshisha Ri (6370m), Gang Chhenpo (6388m) and Dorje Lakpa (6966m). (3hrs, to the viewpoint and back is about another 3 hrs).

Today we follow our route back to Lama Hotel, the trail goes with a few short exceptions most of its way downwards, descending around 1400 meter back to Lama Hotel (5 hrs).

We take the same route until we reach the Landslide lodge where we take the upper trail to reach Thulo Syabru. The trail goes up for around 400 meter, and passes a bhatti at U Kyang on the ridge before arriving at the pleasant village of Thulo Syabru, with its many elaborate carved windows (6 hrs).

Today we start our trek passing the gompa, school and army post, and then switchback up the steep hill above the village to Dursagang (2660m). The trail continues less steeply from now, mostly in forest of hemlock and oak to the top of the ridge at Foprang Danda, where we will have lunch. The trail to Sing Gompa cuts across the ridge top, staying fairly level as it crosses the head of the valley. After passing the final ridge at 3260 meter we will arrive at Sing Gompa (4 hrs).

The trail of today climbs steeply up the ridge, which creates a transition zone between rich, moist forests on the northern slopes and dry scrub vegetation on the slope facing south. The area on the northern slope is a sanctuary for the red panda, an endangered species that the Nepali calls cat bear. As the trail ascends there are outstanding views across Langtang valley to Langtang Lirung. It is possible to continue to Goisakund on the same day, but for acclimatization reasons it is wiser to stay in Lauberina Yak. Morning views from this small settlement are excellent – we can see the Annapurnas, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal and Langtang Hirung (3 hrs).

We start by climbing further along the ridge till we see the first lakes at around 4100 meter. The trail now leaves the ridge and heads high above the Trisuli valley. After the trail crosses a spur, the second lake in the chain (Bhairav Kund) comes into view. The trail climbs gently but continuously to the third and largest lake, Goisakund. Goisakund lake has a black rock in the middle, said to be the head of Shiva. It takes about 45 minutes to walk around the lake (3 hrs).

The first part of the trail climbs further through rugged country passing three more small lakes towards Laurebina La pass (4610m). There is a good view from this pass in both directions. After the pass, the trail descends alongside a stream through alpine country to the national park post at Bhera Goth. We continue descending over a rocky trail along the middle of the valley to Phedi (3740m) for lunch. From Phedi the route drops to a stream and then climbs through scrub bamboo to a crest at 3750 meter. From here we climb in and out ravines across the head of the valley to Gopte (7 hrs).

The trail continues up ravines and across the boulders of old moraines below the wreckage of a Thai Airlines plane that crashed here in bad weather in 1992. Make a final ascent to Tharepati on the ridge at 3490m from where we can see the Helambu region. We will arrive around noon and rest of the day we can just relax (3 hrs).

In the morning we walk through the alpine country side with meadows and scrubs typical for high elevation. We will enter the forest again and follow the ridges before descending to Magen Goth.
Two lodges are remaining from a former army camp. The trail gently climbs to a small pass at Mere Danda at 3510 meter before descending through rhododendron forest inhabited by only a few shepherds’ huts. The trail continues further down to Kutumsang from where we continue to the nearby Gul Bhanjyang , which is a delightful classic hill village (6 hrs).

We start by descending down a forested ridge to the long, strung-out village of Thodang Betini (2260m). From here we climb up around 200 meters to the top of the Jhogin Danda ridge and descend over a stone staircase to the teashops at Chipling. Continuing our way down past Brahman and Chhetri villages and through meadows and fields we finally reach Chisopani, which resembles an unfinished tourist resort (5 hrs).

We start the day by climbing up the last pass of the trek at Borlang Bhanjyang, which lies at 2240 meter. From here we descend steeply through deeply eroded chasms towards the Tamang settlement of Mulkharka at 1800 meter. From here on it is a short bit to Sundarjial as we walk past the local water supply system and follow the water pipe to this village. From Sundarijal we have our private transport waiting for us to bring us back to Kathmandu less than an hour drive away Overnight stay at hotel.

Transfer to international airport for departure flight or to next destination in Nepal. Depending on your flight schedule you can enjoy shopping or sightseeing in Kathmandu before leaving for the airport.