Langtang Valley Trek
Also known as Langtang Trek / Kyanjin Gompa Trek.
Langtang Valley Trek is a moderate 7-8-day teahouse trek in the Langtang region of Nepal, reaching 4,984 m. It starts at Syabrubesi and ends at Syabrubesi.
Key facts
- Region
- Langtang (Rasuwa)
- Duration
- 7-8 days, 4-6 hours walking per day
- Distance
- 72 km
- Maximum altitude
- 4,984 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate — Sustained ascent from 1460m to 3870m in three walking days with a fast altitude profile, plus a strenuous optional summit day to Tserko Ri (4984m) that gains ~1100m. Trails are good and teahouses frequent, but the long descent days and altitude push this to moderate.
- Trek type
- Teahouse, out-and-back route
- Best season
- Autumn (Oct-mid Nov) and Spring (mid Mar-Apr)
- Guide
- Not mandatory
- Restricted area
- No
- Budget cost
- NPR 30,000–45,000
- Comfortable cost
- NPR 45,000–65,000
- Guided cost
- NPR 70,000–115,000
- Getting there
- Kathmandu (Machhapokhari) → Trishuli → Betrawati → Dhunche → Syabrubesi on the Pasang Lhamu Highway (local bus 8-10h, express 7-9h, shared jeep 6-7h, private jeep 5-6h) → trailhead at Syabrubesi
- Altitude sickness
- Moderate — sleeping altitude jumps from 2470m to 3430m to 3870m on consecutive nights, and day-hike summits approach 5000m.
Weather
Peak windows are mid-March–April (rhododendrons) and October–mid-November (clearest skies). Monsoon (Jun-Aug) brings landslide risk on the access road and leeches in the lower gorge. Winter trekking to Kyanjin is possible but Tserko Ri/Kyanjin Ri may be snowbound and many lodges close in Jan-Feb.
Permits
- Langtang National Park entry — NPR 3,000 for foreigners. Where to get it: Nepal Tourism Board office Kathmandu, or Dhunche checkpost en route
- TIMS card — NPR 2,000 for foreigners. Where to get it: Through a registered trekking agency
Itinerary
- Day 1: Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, 0 h, 1,460 m — Trishuli valley scenery, Ganesh Himal views from the road
- Day 2: Syabrubesi to Lama Hotel, 5-6 h, 2,470 m — Bhote Koshi/Langtang Khola gorge, dense forest, langur monkeys; alternative high route via Sherpagaon (2563m)
- Day 3: Lama Hotel to Langtang village, 5-6 h, 3,430 m — Ghodatabela (3030m), first big views of Langtang Lirung, memorial at the 2015 landslide site, rebuilt Langtang village
- Day 4: Langtang village to Kyanjin Gompa, 3-4 h, 3,870 m — Mani walls and chortens, yak pastures, Kyanjin monastery, cheese factory, afternoon rest for acclimatization
- Day 5: Kyanjin Gompa to Kyanjin Gompa (Tserko Ri day hike), 7-9 h, 3,870 m — Tserko Ri summit 4984m — sunrise panorama of Langtang Lirung, Gangchenpo, Dorje Lakpa, Shishapangma; easier option Kyanjin Ri 4586m
- Day 6: Kyanjin Gompa to Lama Hotel, 5-6 h, 2,470 m — Long descent retracing the valley with new light/angles on the peaks
- Day 7: Lama Hotel to Syabrubesi, 4-5 h, 1,460 m — Gorge scenery; optional exit via Sherpagaon high trail or to Thulo Syabru to link with Gosaikunda
- Day 8: Syabrubesi to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — Return drive on the Pasang Lhamu Highway