Popular Trekking Trails of Langtang Region

Langtang Trek is one of the most iconic and adventurous trekking expeditions in Nepal that explores the natural allurement of the Himalayas from the prospect of the Langtang Valley. Dubbed as the ‘Valley of Glaciers, ’ the Langtang trekking expedition is the ‘third-most-popular trekking expedition in the Himalayan country, ranking just below Everest Base Camp trekking and Annapurna Circuit Trekking.

This unique expedition of the Himalayas may be shorter than other mainstream trekking routes in the country; however, it doesn’t miss any chance to delight its guests with the unprecedented beauty of the Himalayas, diverse landscapes, religious trails, and just simply cultural-traditional, warm and welcoming beautiful civilizations along the trail. Langtang treks are the perfect opportunity to explore the off-beat track of the Himalayas and admire its beauty from a different perspective.

Highlights of Langtang Treks

• One of the short and scenic trekking expeditions of the Himalayas close to Kathmandu
• Exploration of the Langtang National Park, the first national park of Nepal
• Spectacular views of the Himalayan gems like Langtang Lirung, Dorje Lakpa, Ganesh Himal, Langsisa, Naya Kangri, and Ganjala Peak
• Stunning panoramic views of the Langtang region and the Himalayan massifs from Tserko Ri
• Lifestyle, culture, traditions, and hospitality of the Tamang, Gurung, and Sherpa settlements
• A less crowded off-beaten path that explores the remote part of the Himalayas, truly connecting with the charms of the nature
• Diverse, beautiful landscapes, soaring rivers, waterfalls, naturally blessed lush terrains, and wide magical Himalayan vistas
• Diverse flora and fauns the region is famous for (red panda, black bear, wild dow, serow, snow leopard, Himalayan tahr, ghoral, wild boar, Himalayan monal, pheasant, Tibetan partridge)

Lantang Trekking Routes

There are generally three trekking routes to the Langtang Valley that are widely popular among trekking enthusiasts all over the world.

Classical Langtang Valley Trek

The classical Langtang Valley Trek is one of the most popular trekking packages in the region; generally, this trekking expedition last about 8 to 12 days, depending upon the itinerary package. In this classical trek, starting your adventure from Kathmandu, you drive toward Syabrubesi; from there, you will start the first trekking experience heading towards Lama Hotel, a popular resting destination for trekkers and mountaineers in the region.

The trekking route moves towards the New Langtang Village (the old one was destroyed by the devastating earthquake in 2015); from there, you will make your way toward the Kyanjin Gompa and hike up to the highest elevation point of the entire trek Tsergo Ri at the elevation of 4,985 meters (16,354 feet). Concluding your Himalayan expedition there, you will trek down to Rimche and retrace your steps back to Syabrubesi. Day 8 will officially mark the end of your trekking adventure as you drive back to Kathmandu from Syabrubesi.

General Itinerary Overview of Classical Langtang Valley Trek

Day 1: Kathmandu (1,400 meters) to Syabrubesi drive (1,450 meters)

Day 2: Sybrubesi to Lama Hotel trek (2,480 meters)

Day 3: Trekking from Lama Hotel to Langtang (3,540 meters)

Day 4: Trek to Kyanjin Gompa (3,900 meters) from Lantang

Day 5: Hike to Tsergo Ri (4,984 meters) and back to Kyanjin Gompa

Day 6: Trekking down to Rimche from Kyanjin Gompa (3,900 meters)

Day 7: Rimche to Syabrubesi

Day 8: Driving back to Kathmandu from Syabrubesi

Langtang Gosaikunda Trek

This is another popular and extended version of the Langtang Treks that explores the Gosaikunda Lake inside the Langtang National Park. The standard trekking period for this variant of exploration of the region is about 11 to 16 days or longer, depending upon the itinerary package. Like the classical Langtang Treks, this adventure commences with a scenic cross-valley drive from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi; however, some packages do include airport receiving, hotel transfer, and an additional sightseeing day at Kathmandu.

Then after arriving at Syarubesi, you will follow the same classical route to the Lama Hotel, moving along the trails toward the New Langtang Village, Kyajing Gompa, and Tsergo Ri. But, instead of heading towards Rimche, you will retrace your steps back to Lama Hotel and head towards Thulo Syabru Village. From there, you will trek towards Sing Gompa, finally to Gosaikunda Lake, and trek down to Dhunche. Day 11 of this epic expedition will mark the end of your adventure, and you will drive back to Kathmandu, whereas, on a more detailed itinerary package, you will trek toward Ghopte (3,500 meters) via Lauribina Pass (4,610 meters). Then heading towards Kutumsang (2,470 meters), you will trek to Chispani (2,215 meters and finally to Sundarijal (1,400 meters).

General Itinerary Overview of Langtang Gosaikunda Trek

Day 1: Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (1,450 meters) via private vehicle

Day 2: Syabrubesi to Lama Hote trekking (2,480 meters)

Day 3: Lama Hotel to Langtang (3,540 meters)

Day 4: Langtang to Kyajing Gompa (3,900 meters) trek

Day 5: Acclimatization day at Kyanjin Gompa

Day 6: Retracing steps back to Lama Hotel

Day 7: Trekking from Lama Hotel to Thulo Syabru Village (2,230 meters)

Day 8: Trek to Sing Gompa (3,330 meters) from Thulo Syabru

Day 9: Gosaikunda Lake (4,380 meters) from Sing Gompa

Day 10: Trekking from Gosaikunda to Dhunche (2,030 metrs)

Day 11: Drive back to Kathmandu from Dhunche

Cultural Tamang Heritage Trek

The Cultural Tamang Heritage Trek is one of the most exhilarating and immersive Langtang Treks to choose from, lasting somewhere between 7 to 10 days; this unique expedition explores the lifestyle, culture, and traditions of the Tamang natives in the region. Although it starts from the same trekking route as the classical trek and Gosaikunda trek of the Langtang region, this trek takes a slight detour of the beautiful settlements along the trails.

Starting your adventure after Kathmandu to Syarubesi drive, instead of Lama Hotel, you will move towards Gatlang, a beautiful Tamang village on the hillside. From there, you will continue to move towards Tatopani and to Thuman via Nagthali. Finally, on the Day 5 of your expedition, your will head toward Briddim, a Buddhist village influenced by Tibetan culture, and retrace your steps back to Sybrubesi for a drive back to Kathmandu. Although this beautiful trekking experience doesn’t have high elevation points as classical and Gosaikunda treks as it explores the Tamang settlement along the trail. Nevertheless, the experience of the Himalayan exploration is second to none; it is one of the easiest and most epic of the Langtang Treks that is even possible with a little amount of preparation.

General Itinerary Overview of Cultural Tamang Heritage Trek

Day 1: Driving from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (1,450 meters)

Day 2: Trekking from Syabrubesi to Gatlang (2,238 meters)

Day 3: Gatlang to Tatopani (2,607 meters)

Day 4: Trekking from Tatopani to Thuman (2,338 meters)

Day 5: Thuman to Briddim (2,229 meters)

Day 6: Driddim to Syarubesi trek

Day 7: Syarubesi to Kathmandu drive back

Additional Lantang Trekking Routes

Although basically every other trekking package in the Langtang Treks is derived from the Langtang Classic, Gosaikunda, and Tamang Heritage Trek, there are also options to do the individual trek of the region. You can choose from the several Langtang trek packages and just go with the package that is most suitable for you.

Here are two additional trekking packages of the Langtang region that you will be able to choose from:

Helambu Trek

This is another scenic trekking experience in the Langtang region that follows the stunning natural landscapes and cultural trails of the region for a more vibrant Himalayan trekking experience. Unlike other trekking adventures that start after a drive from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi and move toward Lama Hotel or Gatlang, in this trek, you will drive to Sundarjial, which is just 15 km northeast of the capital. From there, you will start your trekking expedition towards Chisapani (2,425 meters).

From there, the trail moves toward Kutumsang (2,470 meters) and Tharepati (3,690 meters), the most scenic route of this expedition. Then, you will trek toward Tarke Gyang (2,600 meters) and conclude your Himalayan exploration at Sermathang (2,590 meters). Then on Day 8, the final day of your Helambu expedition, you will trek down to Melamchi Pul Bazar (828 meters) and drive back to Kathmandu.

Chisapani Trek

For those who don’t have enough time on hand but still want to get a taste of the magnificence of the Langtang treks, this short scenic specific trek will be an ideal choice. Chisapanib Trek is considered one of the short yet, most exciting and adventurous trekking experiences in Nepal that take place in the closer vicinity to the capital.

Generally lasting about 3 to 4 days, this short trekking adventure starts after a short drive to Sundarijal, from where you will trek towards Chisapani (2,425 meters). From there, you will follow the route toward Nagarkot (2,175 meters), the holiday destination and vantage point of the Kathmandu Valley. Then moving toward the UNESCO World Heritage Site (7 out of 10 UNESCO Sites are in Kathmandu), Changunarayan, you will conclude your trekking expedition and drive back to Kathmandu. As there aren’t any major altitude jump points, it is one of the easier Langtang Treks that can be done in a short period; you can also find other specific highlight trekking packages in the Langtang region that explores different prospects of this stunning valley.

What is the Difficulty Level of Langtang Trek?

Langtang Treks are considerably some of the easiest and most exciting trekking adventures in Nepal. Although there are not any major elevation jump points in this beautiful experience, unlike other high-altitude adventures, the Langtang trek has been graded a ‘Moderate’ difficulty level. But, it’s not that this trekking experience is daunting and physically exhausting; there are several factors about this trek that contribute to the overall difficulty level of this expedition.

Altitude Gain

Although the Langtang treks don’t have major significant jump points like other difficult trekking adventures in the country, you will have to spend a significant amount of time over the altitude of 2,500 meters (an altitude above which there are risks of altitude sickness). Tsergo Ri (4,984 meters), the highest elevation of the classical trekking route, can be a bit of a challenge in the expedition too, so it is recommended that during your expedition in the Langtang region, you should stay hydrated, enjoy a slow-paced adventure, eat a balanced diet and look out for the symptoms of altitude sickness like nausea, headache, dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite and shortness of breath.

Physical Demand

Even though the trek has been graded at a ‘moderate’ level, the long day of walking is substantial in the Langtang Treks. You will be covering about 6 hours worth of trekking distance every day in this expedition and will cover a total distance of 77 km (48 miles). Thus, planning to do it without any preparation might not actually be a wise decision; in order to overcome the long hours of treks on the rugged and rocky terrain of the Himalayas, you need to follow a proper preparation period for a more enjoyable experience.

Remoteness

Needless to say, Langtang Treks is a remote exploration of the Langtang region; even though it is the ‘ third most popular trekking expedition’ in the country, the remoteness of this adventure is quite real. If you are expecting somewhat of a star hotel level of food and accommodation along the trail, you will be pretty much disappointed. Langtang trek is a teahouse trekking expedition in Nepal; as the natives of the region run these teahouses, you can expect a moderate level of food, accommodation, and other amenities during the trek. Similarly, due to the lack of proper transport modes in the Himalayan region, the health facilities, internet service, and other technological perks are pretty basic and limited.

Is Langtang Trek Suitable for Me?

Considering the difficulty level, you might be wondering whether the Langtang treks are suited for you or not. Well, rest assured, with the right amount of preparation and determination the difficulty level of this expedition is not hard to overcome. You don’t need to be an athlete, weightlifter, or in top shape to do this trekking expedition; in fact, this beautiful trekking experience in the Langtang Valley just demands a normal fitness level and good health condition.

Even if you are an elderly trekking enthusiast or a completely newbie to the high-altitude expedition, there aren’t any major challenges or technical segments along the trail which demand experience and expertise. Although children under the age of 10 and elderly trekkers who the age of 70 have successfully completed this expedition in the past, it is still recommended that children below the age of 7 shouldn’t be considered for this expedition.

And if you have any kind of health condition, you should consult with your doctor before the expedition. Unlike other high-altitude expeditions in the Himalayas that are at significant elevations, there are low-altitude and easier yet exciting variants of the Langtang treks that you can switch to. Chisapani Trek, Cultural Tamang Heritage Trek, and other specific highlight expeditions of the Langtang region are quite popular among trekking enthusiasts all over the world. If you feel like the higher elevation and longer Langtang treks are a bit much for you, you could always pick the shorter immersive options that give you the opportunity to experience the magnificence of the Himalayan region from Langtang’s prospects.

Preparation for Langtang Trek

Although you don’t need any kind of mountaineering skills or previous trekking experience to do Langtang treks, you will need to do some preparation to make this trekking experience more fun and enjoyable. You surely want to end every day of your Himalayan exploration on a high note, remembering the memorable and magical moments of the day, not cursing the long trek or completing tiring yourself mid-way because you don’t have a good level of stamina and strength to carry on. With just a moderate level of preparation, you can change that and turn the once-in-a-lifetime experience into a glorious adventure memoir.

For the Langtang treks, it is recommended that you should start your training period at least 8 to 12 weeks before the expedition. You don’t have to drain yourself and push your limits beyond human boundaries in these weeks; it is recommended that you stick to the basic strength and stamina training programs at a considerable amount your body can handle.

The main benefit of starting your trek 8 to 12 weeks prior to your real expedition is that your body will get accustomed to the physical activity, and it will boost your endurance level as well as stamina to make the trek even more immersive and exciting. It would be best if you could practice on natural hiking trails carrying a considerable about of weight in your trekking boots; this will not only help you enhance your strength level but also to understand the comfort level of your trekking boots. Here are some exercises that you can include in your training program for the Langtang treks.

Strength Exercises:

• Pull up
• Push up
• Plank
• Squat
• Deadlift
• Lunge
• Weightlift
• Bicep curl
• Front raise
• Arms circles
• Drag curl
• Dumbbell curl
• Javelin press
• Leg curl
• Calf raise

Cardiovascular Exercises:

• Inchworm
• Bear crawl
• High knees
• Jogging
• Dancing
• Rowing
• Burpee
• Cycling
• Lateral shuffle
• Jumping rope

Best Season for Lantang Treks

In general, the best season for any high-altitude adventure, either trekking or mountaineering, is considered to be during peak seasons like spring (March, April, May) and autumn (September, October, November). The weather during this peak season is stable and accompanied by warm temperatures and long, bright days. Although both of these seasons are popular for the Langtang trek, they carry their own specialty.

Spring, in particular, is known as the blooming season, where the whole Himalayan region is blooming with life. You will find the lower region decorated with wildflowers and spring fruits as you trek toward the Himlayas, enjoying warm, comfortable weather. The temperature of the Langtang region stays around 12°C- 20°C during the daytime and drops up to 5°C during the early morning and night.

Similarly, another popular peak season, autumn, is known for the dry trails and fresh trails just washed by the monsoon rain. Although the trails of the beautiful Langtang Valley may not be bright as during spring, you certainly have chances of encountering the wildlife in the region preparing to hibernate for the winter and the migratory bird moving towards their warm nestling destination. Autumn, in particular, is known for its cool breezy morning and nights followed by mildly warm day temperatures that goes really well with the Himalayan exploration. Plus, the unprecedented beauty of the wide Himalayan vistas this season is simply unbeatable. The temperature of the Langtang region during the autumn hovers around 10°C- 15°C during the days, whereas at night, it can drop up to 5°C.

Even though the Langtang Treks are doable in off seasons as well, like monsoon (June- August) and winter (December- February), unfavorable weather can be a difficult challenge to overcome. Winter is known for its harsh weather conditions and snow-covered trails, whereas the monsoon has unpredictable weather, and heavy rainfall creates complications for transportation services to trekking on the slippery route.

Are Langtang Treks Worth It?

Ranking the third most popular trekking destination in Nepal, the Langtang trek is one of the most exciting and adventurous trekking expeditions of the Himalayas. Even though it is a short scenic exploration compared to other longer trekking adventures in the country, Langtang trek’s fascinating natural trails, the unparalleled beauty of the Himalayas, diverse flora and fauna, remote untampered allurements and intriguing-vibrant cultural prospects make it a truly exhilarating experience.

There are also several trekking prospects in the Langtang Valley that explore the specific highlights of the region; thus, even if you don’t have time for a longer exploration or if you are not able to push for the higher elevation, you can enjoy the expedition most-suited for you as per your wish. So, definitely, the trekking expedition to this beautiful valley that offers unique prospects of the Himalayas and the most suitable trekking packages to meet the trekking enthusiast’ expectations is certainly worth it.

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