Trekking Langtang Valley

This morning we have breakfast with your trekking guide and go over the program and what you will need for the trip. The guide will also check your gear to make sure you have the right stuff. After Breakfast we team up with a local cultural specialist and go on a discovery tour of the hidden sights and wonders of Kathmandu Valley. During the tour you will discover local markets, alleyways and hidden temples, taste some local food and of course visit some of the more famous sights in Kathmandu like Durbar Square, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath Stupa. The tour is a mix of walking, cycle rickshaw and driving. (Also cycling tour option if required).

The road out of Kathmandu and over to Rasuwa Region is adventurous, but continually improving. In the wet season it can take longer. Some section of the road are rugged and 4WD only but it is one of the most stunningly scenic drives in Nepal, the sheer steepness of the terrain will make you wonder how they even built a road here in the first place. We leave early around 6am and get some tea and light breakfast at after a couple of hours of driving. The drive in total takes around 6 hours. We have lunch in Syabrubesi, delicious locally prepared Dhal Bhat (Rice, Veg Curry and Lentils). We meet the porters and then start our 3 hour hike to Khangjim. It is all uphill on a mix of steep trekking trails and local jeep track. We climb up the side of the hill that marks the start of Langtang Valley. If it's clear we can get snow cap Views of Paldor Peak. Khangjim, like many of the villages in Langtang, is recovering from the earthquake, most houses are now rebuilt. The village is not on the main trekking route, so it has little tourist visitation, but this is the start of the high trail into Langtang, which is by far the most pretty one. We stay overnight in a simple, yet homely guest house run by a local family. (Our guides family)

Today we bid farewell to Khangjim and climb up and out of the village for about an hour. A steady pace takes us through the forest and Rhododendrons to a clearing on the ridge. Here we can get really good views of Palador Peak and our first tantalizing glimpses up the Langtang Valley. We now walk on an exposed cliff edge track high above the Langtang River. The views are breathtaking. The trail undulates along the cliff and after a further hour reaches to Sherpa Goan nestled on the hill side. There are some steep downhill sections here and we take a tea break in Sherpa Goan. Then continue on a steady descent, climb, descent path to Rimche with views of Ganesh Himal. Here there are common sightings of Blue Sheep or Thar on the opposite hillside and the occasional Red Panda. This is the place where we rejoin the main Langtang Valley Trekking Trail. From Rimche it's a 25 min stroll to Lama Hotel. Lama Hotel is a lovely teahouse village next to the river, a good place to cool down your feet in the fast flowing waters and do some bird and monkey spotting (Langur Monkeys).

We climb almost 1000m today, but you will not notice it much. The trail starts out in the thick forest with moss coated trees. If you walk slowly you can see the Himalayan Pika, Squirrels some Musk Deer and a wonderful variety of birds along the trail. The trail starts by undulating up and down on stone stairs along the river. We pass through the secluded one house villages of Riverside and Woodlands and climb gently out of the steep sided valley. After about 2 and a half hours we pop out of the tree line and enter the wider section of Langtang Valley. Here we can stop for tea in Ghodatabela (3030m). The valley becomes more grassy and open and you can see many varieties of Rhododendron trees (Flowering in April/May). You will also notice Jhobo(Female) and Jhoba (Male) which are cow and yak crosses and know for their high yields of milk. After a break at Ghodatabela (It means horse stable and the place used to be where the locals kept their ponies), we trek steadily across the pasture lands and then have a short but steep climb to reach Thyangsyap (3140M). From here you can see Langtang Village. It takes a further 1 hour to reach there. Before the village we have to cross a huge landslide which came down in the 2015 Earthquake and destroyed the entire village killing 157 people along with it. The entire village has now been re built. Just before the town is a Chorten and Memorial for the dead. Have an open mind as you approach here, it is not the quintessential himalayan village with quaint houses, the entire village has been newly built and can look and feel like a construction site at times, but here you will find the most welcoming and strong spirited people of Langtang ready to welcome you into the thier new teahouses and you can be part of the legacy of rebuilding!

Along the way today be sure to look up at the cliffs on either side, it's a good chance to see Thar (Blue Sheep) and Mountain Goats. We leave Langtang and climb up a short way to Mumdu Village, from here the trail undulates high above the river and heads closer and closer to the mountains. The scenery today is stunning. We stop along the way to rest, take tea and make sure we acclimatize well. It’s only three hours to Khanjin Ghompa where we will have lunch. Khanjin Ghompa sits in a bowl of mountains on a plateau above the Langtang River. This village is also being rebuilt, but its a fantastic place to stay. We stay in a lovely teahouse with an attached coffee shop and bakery that makes delicious pastries. (Homemade Apple Pie is worth treating yourself). After lunch we take a gentle walk to the hidden lake which is fed by the Liguri Glacier.Here you will be surrounded by mountains and also see the Glacier not so far away. Take it easy to allow your body time to acclimatize. The recommended food here is the local Sherpa Stew, a hearty bowl of Tibetan style hand made noodles and vegetables.

Khanjin Ghompa is an ideal place to stay for a day. There are many options for sightseeing. Theres is a small Ghompa here, which is one of the sacred places for Tibetan and Buddhist people. While it was destroyed in the earthquake, it has now been re-built and repainted. The place was made famous by Rimpoche who came here with his Ox and stayed. Today we have the option to wake up before sunrise and climb Khanjin Ri (4773m) from where you get amazing views of Yara Peak (5500m), Langtang Ligrung (7227m) and many other peaks on the rim of the Tibetan Plateau. It's a four hour up and down round trip, worth doing. If you are more energetic you can go on further up to Tsergo Ri (4948m) . Lantang Base Camp (5000m) is another option, carry a packed lunch for this 5 hour round trip to the base camp of Lantang, you will be surrounded by mountains. Glacier Visit - 3 hour round trip to visit Langtang Ligrung Glacier. Langshisha Kharka (4284m) - This is one of the most magical places in the Valley, actually almost at the end of the Valley. It's an eight to nine hour round trip, steady walking up the valley along the river, takes us past several glaciers (Langshisha Glacier and Sulbinachum Glacier) and to this holy place where the Rinpoches Ox died.. (In Tibetan the place names actually means death of the ox.) There are no settlements here...perhaps the occasional cow shed. We will need to carry a packed lunch for this hike. Also if needed we can arrange an overnight camp here as well. The place is at the foot of Langhisha Ri (6427m), Pemtang Karpo Ri (6855m) and Urilnmang (6151m) with the impressive Dorje Lakpa (6966m) looming in the background.

Leaving behind the Mountains we retrace our steps all the way back to Rimche. This tiny one teahouse town is nestled on the cliff side just above the Langtang River. We take a few side trails on the way, varying from our inbound route. There is a lovely side trail through Yak Fields and Rhododendron Forests which winds its way along the river and downwards to Woodlands.We take lunch on route at Ghodatabule.

People with knee trouble may struggle today as we drop down on a steep loose pathway to the River. From here we go up and down in typically “Nepalie Flat” flat style on stone, dirt and mud footpaths. Some sections are very steep. But at a steady pace we can reach our destination in four hours. A nice place to stop for lunch is Bamboo. An interesting feature to keep your eyes open for is the rare beehives made by the Giant Himalayan Honey Bees. These hives are the ones of legend spoke about by the Honey Hunters of Nepal. We then take lunch and drive 3 and a half hours to Nuwakot Dhurba… welcome drinks await and a hearty locally prepared organic meal served by the friendly staff of this charming 100 years old traditional farmhouse.

As you might arrive in the dark, you will be awake to a pleasant surprise of the lush gardens and surroundings of Nuwakot Famous Farm House. It is the perfect place to recover from your trek. Spend the day lounging around in the garden, drinking tea and hanging out with the resident Turkeys or take a hike to Nuwakot Dhurba. Nuwakot Dhurba was once a Royal Place, one of many small empires which ruled Nepal. If you are a little more energetic, take a two hour loop hike to the watchtower, a great place for final views of the Langtang and Ganesh Himalaya and plenty of bird watching opportunities. In the late afternoon it's nice to stroll down to the village square and sit in a local Raski shop (Local rice wine) chit chat with the locals, sip some local spirits and watch the daily village life go by.

Around mid morning we drive to Kathmandu, three hours on bumpy roads takes us back to the thriving capital city of Nepal. Check into the Hotel and take some time for last minute shopping or sightseeing. Tonight we go out for our farewell meal in Nepal.

Transfer to the airport for your outbound flight.