| Day |
Route |
Duration |
Highest Point/m |
Grade |
| 1 |
Arrival Kathmandu transfer to Hotel |
All day |
1300 |
Easy |
| |
Meet with our representative at the
airport. Drive to hotel. |
| 2 |
Kathmandu |
All day |
1300 |
Easy |
| |
Sightseeing Day see Kathmandu Day Trips for ideas
of what to do. |
| 3 |
Kathmandu–Chautara- Syaule |
7 hours |
1642 |
Easy |
| |
We drive to Chautara
on the Araniko Highway (the main road to Tibet) and then trek
to our overnight camp at Syaule. |
| 4 |
Syaule – Kamikharka Danda |
6 hours |
2440 |
Moderate |
| |
The first part of the trek is the
ascent of a long ridge which will take us a few days. The trail
begins with a climb up to the forested Okrin Danda ridge, then
past an unusual double Mani wall (Buddhist prayer stones). It
is almost a continual climb after lunch and our legs will really
start to feel it but the country is beautiful and the people
always greet us with a smile and Namaste! to wish us on our
way. Note that water is scarce here (the main source is a 30
minute walk away) so make sure that you have a good supply at
breakfast for the day. |
| 5 |
Kamikharka Danda – Chyachya Danda |
5 hours |
3300 |
Moderate |
| |
 |
We trek through some classic Himalayan scenery
today. A really enjoyable ascending trail through rhododendron
and oak forests and views of the mid hills and distant
mountains continues to follow the ridge line and brings
us to a picturesque Chorten (Buddhist burial memorial).
Our camp site is now not far as we descend across summer
pastures to Chyachya Danda. Note that water is again scarce
throughout today so please ensure you fill up at breakfast. |
|
| 6 |
Chyachya Danda– Hile Bhanjyang |
6 hours |
3720 |
Easy |
| |
After breakfast we climb steadily
across rough pastures to some cairn markers on the ridge. And
then relief (!) as our trail becomes a gentler ascent through
rhododendron and oak forest and up to another crest at Chhyangsa
Marphu. The final descent to Hille Bhanjyang is a bit steep
and in spring can be in deep snow with difficult icy section
in the gullies. |
| 7 |
Hile Bhanjyang-Nasem Pati |
5 hours |
3980 |
Easy |
| |
The exertion of the trail over the
previous days is soon forgotten when we hit the flagstone trail
along the ridge line and enjoy some great views of the mighty
Himalaya. We are now one the well trod route to Panch Pokhari
which becomes heavily congested each year with pilgrims. |
| 8 |
Panch Pokhari |
all day |
4462 |
Moderate |
| |
We make a day of visiting the sacred
lakes at Panch Pokhari today. This holy Hindu site of five lakes
honours the Lord Shiva, whose shrine stands beside a cluster
of cast-iron tridents on the shore of the main lake. The nearby
stream is also sacred, so please do not wash in it. Every year
on the full moon in June/July many thousands of Nepali's come
here to take Darshan with Shiva, it is a beautiful and deeply
spiritual place. It is possible to camp here and add a further
night to the itinerary for those who wish to enjoy the site
further. |
| 9 |
Nasem Pati - Gai Kharka |
6 hours |
2530 |
Easy |
| |
After breakfast we head west
towards the heart of the Helambu region, threading our way
through old growth forests and ravines which constitute the
southern edge of Nepal's first National Park - Langtang. This
region is rich with native Himalayan biodiversity- including
tigers - but we will be safe in our campsite at Gai Kharka.
|
| 10 |
Gai Kharka - Yangri. |
5 hours |
1360 |
Easy |
| |
Today we follow a sometimes
steep and rough trail that descends through temperate rhododendron,
pine and oak forest. The villages we pass through gain in
size as we approach a bridge over the Panch Pokhari Khola
(Indrawati River) which leads to our campsite beside the Larke
Khole at Yangri. |
| 11 |
Yangri - Lhakhang Gompa |
7 hours |
2800 |
Moderate |
| |
| The morning's ascent through Yangri, past
the school and onto Dalegaon doesn't faze us now that
we are walking fit. Here we enjoy a lovely shaded rest
spot and relax while the day-to-day bustle of mountain
life continues around us. Our trail then continues up
through Bangdang after which we may see a great waterfall
in spate on the other side of the valley. We cross the
ridge above us which takes us into the Helambu region
proper and our campsite at Lhakhang Gompa where we can
finally stop for the day. |
 |
|
| 12 |
Lhakhang Gompa - Tarkeghyang |
3 hours |
2560 |
Easy |
| |
We start today with a visit
to the nearby Gompa and the millions of prayer flags attached
to the fir trees that surround the monastic compound - it
is truly an impressive sight. If time permits and we are feeling
fit we can also visit the nearby view point of Yangri Ma which
becomes congested on Bhuddas birthday with picnickers. The
trail down from the ridge is a little steep and eroded, but
we soon reach Tarkeghyang.
|
| 13 |
Tarkeghyang – Melamchi Goan |
4 hours |
2550 |
Easy |
| |
We have now entered the
heart of the Helambu region known for its mixed Tamang/Sherpa
culture and Tibetan tea. Today is a fairly short trek through
a maze of trails across the Melamchi Khola to Melamchi where
we can try tzarjah (Tibetan tea) and polda (Tibetan tea and
tsampa mixed together). |
| 14 |
Melamchi Goan- Tharepati |
5 hours |
3600 |
Easy |
| |
We climb up through beautiful
mixed forest and onto the minor ridge that connects with the
Gosainkunda and Langtang treks. Our destination is the small
village of Tharepati which was just a summer grazing area
in 1990. In the distance can be seen the Laurebina Pass -
the entry point to the sacred lakes of Gosainkunda.
|
| 15 |
Tharepati- Kutumsang |
7 hours |
2500 |
Easy |
| |
Following the ridge line trail we
enter some beautiful mixed forest and a favoured haunt of the
Danphe pheasant - the multi-coloured national bird of Nepal.
After what seems no time at all we enter the village of Kutumsang
where the Tibetan based cultures of the Langtang region give
way to the Hindu cultures of the low-hills.
|
| 16 |
Kutumsang - Chisopani |
8 hours |
2180 |
Easy |
| |
As we descend the ridge line we pass
through rhododendron and pine forests punctuated by small villages
all of which contain a rag-tag bunch of adorable children who
will all want to be your friends! The change in culture becomes
more noticeable as women start to wear the distinctive sari
styles of the Kathmandu valley. We camp at Chisopani for some
great sunset views of the now distant mountains and a final
night party. |
| 17 |
Chisopani – Kathmandu |
5 hours |
1300 |
Easy |
| |
We crest a final ridge this morning
a wave a last farewell to the mountains before heading down
a large hill that we thank heavens we didn't have to walk up!
We clatter down the final stone steps to the road head at Sundarijal
where our transport will be waiting for us. |
| 18 |
Kathmandu |
all day |
1300 |
Easy |
| |
|
| 19 |
Final Day end of trek debrief
and departure. |
