| 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 - Dhunche |
8 hours |
1950 |
Easy |
| |
The drive from Kathmandu
offers both good views of Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, and Langtang
and brief glances of village life in the Himalaya. The first
section is sealed road to Trishuli before the precipitous
dirt road to the National Park check post and our destination
of Dunche. |
| 4 |
Dhunche – Syabru |
6 hours |
2200 |
Easy |
| |
We soon leave Dunche and the road
behind as we climb up through oak and pine forest to Barbal
for lunch. Suddenly we are in the mountains and yesterday's
memory of Kathmandu seems so distant. The afternoon trail undulates
through temperate forest providing occasional glimpses of not
so distant mountains. |
| 5 |
Syabru - Lama Hotel |
7 hours |
2480 |
Easy |
| |
The friendly village of Syabru
hugs the hillside above the Langtang Khola (river) to which
we must first descend this morning. Not far along the Langtang
Khola is a hot springs that will warm and relax any aching
muscles - we then follow the river's course for the rest of
the day as far as the curiously named village of Lama Hotel.
|
| 6 |
Lama Hotel - Langtang Village |
6 hours |
3480 |
Easy |
| |
The Langtang Khola is home to numerous
bird species, monkeys and the elusive red panda - today we might
see them all as we trek through a beautiful array of oak, birch,
hemlock and bamboo forests. Around lunch time we pass through
the village of Ghoratabela which has an old small monastery
that the local headman will open for the inquisitive amongst
us. During the afternoon we begin to climb out of the forests
and up to the summer pastures to the regional trade and administrative
centre - Langtang village. |
| 7 |
Langtang Village - Kyangjin Gompa |
4 hours |
3900 |
Easy |
| |
A short trek today through beautiful
alpine meadows with grazing yaks, sheep and mountain goats brings
us to the seasonal habitation of Kyangjin Gompa (monastery).
Our afternoon is filled with exploring the Gompa which sits
beneath the enormous bulk of Langtang Lirung and sampling the
nearby cheese factory. |
| 8 |
Kyangjin Gompa |
all day |
5033 |
Moderate |
| |
Tsergo Ri is an excellent look-out
with magnificent views of Langtang Lirung and its surrounding
peaks - it can be reached by climbing the slopes immediately
behind Kyangjin Gompa. Alternatively a trek to the very end
of the Langtang Valley takes you into a wild mountain world
on the border with Tibet. And for those who are fit and strong
there are a range of minor peaks up to 6,000m that can be included
in this itinerary. |
| 9 |
Kyangjin Gompa – Lama Hotel |
7 hours |
2480 |
Easy |
| |
We retrace our steps all
the way to Lama Hotel today - it is surprising how easy the
trail seems compared the ascent. Today we say au revoir to
those who want to cross the Ganja La.
|
| 10 |
Lama Hotel - Syabru |
6 hours |
2200 |
Easy |
| |
We continue to retrace our
steps today, and we make sure that we have enough time to
get a good soak in the hot springs before the hot climb to
Syabru. |
| 11 |
Syabru - Sing Gompa |
5 hours |
3350 |
Easy |
| |
Our day begins with a steady
climb to the ridge above Syabru which we must cross to reach
Sing Gompa. We take our time, enjoying the views of the Trisule
valley stretching away beneath us. Once over the ridge it
is an easy walk to the village and the famous cheese factory.
|
| 12 |
Sing Gompa - Gosainkund |
7 hours |
4320 |
Moderate |
| |
A wonderful day awaits us
today! Our trail climbs first through spooky forests and then
alpine meadows to Laurebina, slowly as we climb higher the
mountains begin to show themselves. By the time we reach our
destination we will enjoy spectacular and dramatic mountain
views of Himal Chuli, Manaslu, Mustang and Langtang Lirung.
Gosainkunda is a very holy place and the site of annual pilgrimage
for many Hindus, legend has it that the Hindu God Shiva created
the three main lakes (Saraswatikund, Bharab Kunda and Gosainkunda)
when he pierced a glacier with his trident to obtain water
to quench his thirst after having swallowed a poison that
threatened to destroy the world.
|
| 13 |
Gosainkunda - Laurebina Pass – Ghopte
|
7 hours |
4610 |
Moderate |
| |
After sunrise views over
the lakes and a hearty breakfast we first set off to climb
the nearby Laurebina Pass where we salute the magnificent
views behind us. Our steep descent on the other side of the
pass is along a rough stony trail beside which juniper bushes
gradually appear as we approach our camp for the night at
Ghopte. |
| 14 |
Ghopte - Kutumsang |
7 hours |
2440 |
Easy |
| |
The morning's trail continues
to roughly follow the contours of the ridge creating a roller-coaster
effect. Finally we meet the ridge at the village of Tharepati,
which in 1990 was just a bare grazing ground. We now enter
some beautiful mixed forest and a favoured haunt of the Danphe
pheasant - the multi-coloured national bird of Nepal. Finally
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.
|
| 15 |
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.
|
| 16 |
Chisopani – Kathmandu |
8 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. |
| 17 |
Kathmandu |
all day |
1300 |
Easy |
| |
|
| 18 |
Final Day end of trek debrief
and departure. |
