Langtang Valley Trek

The Langtang Valley Trek is one of the beautiful treks of Nepal. Langtang Trek involves cultural, as well as natural sightseeing, and is moderately challenging at most times. Being easily and quickly accessible from Kathmandu this trek provides the fascination of the Himalayas without having to journey deep into the country.

Its local name, ‘the Valley of Glaciers,’ since it has many glaciers above thousands of meters. Crossing the valley, you will meet such villages where the main inhabitants are the Tamang and the Tibet people.

Langtang Valley Trek is a cultural tour, and there are opportunities for the tourists to explore the traditional lifestyle of the people of the region, cultural monasteries, and friendly people.

One of the special features of the trek is Kyanjin Gompa, a hundred-year-old Buddhist monastery with spectacular views to Langtang Lirung (7,227 m) and other peaks.

Another attraction of the trail is the view of the Langtang Glacier, where the unadulterated natural surface of the earth is in the form of ice. As classified as a moderate trek, it is good for those who have little experience of trekking or those people with physical activity.

Langtang Valley Trek Difficulty

The trekking difficulty level of Langtang Valley Trek is moderate, which will give a lot of encouragement to those trekers who are first timers and also for those experienced trekkers also after considering the preparation for the trek.

It does not have rock climbing but combines steep slopes, regularity and height, and it may be categorized as moderate. The trek takes in the maximum of 3,870m at Kyanjin Gompa but you may add day treks such as Kyanjin Ri at 4,773 for additional altitude.

Acclimatization is important to avoid altitude sickness, you quickly trek up after Syabrubesi here. It is common to have periods of inactivity throughout the planned endeavor to let the body to acclimate. Daily trekking requires 5-7 hours on an average and this does need good strength and effective endurance.

The trek can be done by anyone with moderate physical activity tolerance and can take up to 4 hours. The Langtang Valley Trek is thus ideal for first-time trekkers as it combines the extreme beauty of the Himalayas as seen in other daunting treks, such as Everest-like Base Camp treks, but is not as tiring.

Altitude Sickness in Langtang Valley Trek

The Langtang Valley Trek covers a height of up to 3,870m at Kyanjin Gompa but you can climb higher to Kyanjin Ri at 4,773 meters giving stunning views of the Langtang range.

Compared to other treks in the Himalayas, the actual elevation is comparatively low, but a steep climb within a short period may cause some problems related to altitude. Pleasure, drinking water, adequate sleep, and avoiding haste are very important.

Everyone trekking should take note of signs such as headache or tiredness particularly where the terrain is more challenging and this will help make the journey a safe one.

Meal during Langtang Trek

Food during the Langtang Valley Trek is a simple and basic affair as most of the trail offers meals at teahouses in the form of vegetables, rice, noodles and soup.

Breakfast consists of pancakes, eggs, porridge, or Tibetan bread; there is an exotic non-Veg Thukpa made up of Tibetian noodles, rice, lentils, and vegetables or non-Veg Thukpa – fried rice with eggs, Tibetan bread or noodles.

Vegetarian meals are easily found and widely suggested not to experience problems with digesting meat in the mountains. In some teahouse you can try a local delicacy yack cheese which is speciality of yak milk.

There’s drinkable water, but it should be treated with tablets or filters. Tea, coffee, hot ginger lemon honey, and other hot drinks are taken to make the person warm enough during cold climate in the mountainous areas.

Accommodation in Langtang Valley Trek

Our meal and shelter on Langtang Valley Trek are several tea houses where you can get simple but standard meals and lodging. These teahouses are family owned and operated, the feel and the service you receive is very typical of the hospitality of the region.

Accommodation is mostly twin sharing with a basic bed, blanket and pillow provided where necessary. However, comfort decreases as you go up.

Most of the time, showers are communal, and only those in the lower classes can afford the luxury of having water and a container with a showerhead at their disposal. It is possible to get hot showers at some extra charge; however, they use solar power or gas.

Lighting for charging devices is available and it is usually charged at a small amount in terms of electricity tokens. Some teahouses have wifi, but the connection is poor, particularly in areas with high altitudes.

A typical day in Langtang Valley trek

The day on the Langtang Valley Trek starts early; you get up, take breakfast from any local teahouse. When you have done that, you will begin the hikes along beautiful terrains which include forests, rivers and even villages.

Scenery one can get on the way is beautiful and the probability of meeting the such animals like red pandas or Himalayan pheasants is rather high.

At about midday, you’ll stop for lunch at a teahouse on the trail and have time to shop. It’s a good time to take some time off, get some rest, and have a good time in a natural setting. This is followed by a gradual up-and-down hike in the afternoon, depending on the later-day path to the next stop-over point.

In the evening there are either in a comfortable teahouse and a warm dinner going to be served to you. Later you can interact with the fellow trekkers, if you desire to relax or simply gaze at the beauty of Himalayas and star filled night sky before sleeping for the next day trekking.

Permits For Langtang Valley Trek

To trek the Langtang Valley, you will need the following Langtang Valley permits:

TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) Card:

• The TIMS card eliminates everyone trekking in Nepal from any dangerous activities and equally aids the trekker’s tracking system.
• One can get it from the Nepal Tourism Board, either from Kathmandu or Pokhara or from any registered trekking company.

Langtang National Park Permit:

This permit is required since the trek takes place within the Langtang National Park.

• It can be retrieved in the National Park Office in Dhunche, which is the entry point to the Langtang region, and in Kathmandu as well.
• The permit grants one permission to enter the prohibited region for the conservation of the surrounding environment.

Travel Insurance

You must have a travel insurance to trek to Langtang Valley Nepal. As it will help to cover all the cost related to emergencies, luggage and all services.

Evacuation is mandatory as the place may be quite inaccessible, and Aerial or another form of transportation may be necessary in instances of injuries, illness or road accidents.

Because some insurance policies do not cover climbiing and such activities in Nepal, it is advisable to check if your insurance policy covers high-altitude trekking.

Langtang Valley Trek Cost

The cost of Langtang Valley Trek with Himalayan Trekking and Tours is USD 630 per person. Your all accommodation, food, permits and all will be covered.

For Nepali people, the Langtang Valley Trek cost usually ranges between NPR 15000- NPR 25000.

This is mainly caused by permits; foreign hikers have to buy both the Langtang National Park Permit and the TIMS card, which are cheaper for Nepalis only. In addition to the above, the cost of hiring a guide or a porter expands the general budget.

The trek is relatively cheap compared to other Himalayan treks, and for all the cultural experience, stunning views and exhilarating adventure into the Langtang Valley.

Best time for Langtang Valley Trek

The best time for Langtang Valley Region is pre-monsoon, comprising March to May, and post-monsoon, comprising September to November.

Spring is best season for Langtang Valley Trek because the temperatures are moderate, and there is no precipitation hence suitable for a trek. Also, the trail goes through the rhododendron forests which are spectacularly laid out during this time.

Autumn consists in a stable climate with fewer clouds. It gives excellent vistas of the Himalayas, with quite fresh but still rather comfortable weather. It also makes sure that the environment remains green especially after the monsoons that dominate the region during end of June to end of September.

It is still possible to trek during the winter, which is December to February, or during the monsoon, which is from June to August. Winter has low temperatures and snow on high altitudes while monsoon makes the trail dangerous due to regular rainfall.

Drinking Water

Pure water is very important while on a trek to the Langtang Valley and the tap water in this region should be treated with a lot of caution.

To make sure the water is safe to use, you can use water purification tablets, filters or UV purifiers. Most of the trekkers also prefer to buy bottled water at the teahouses though this is unhygienically damaging, but it pollutes the environment; therefore, it is recommended to bring along your method of water purification.

Some other teahouses also sell boiled or treated water at an extra charge of a few yuan. With an increase in altitude, availability of water is a challenge, and the prices of water are relatively high.

Wifi, Electricity And Communication during the Trek

Wifi:

Internet connection, particularly wifi, is available but in limited quantity along the Langtang Valley Trek. Down in Syabrubesi and Dhunche, all the teahouses will provide wifi, but it can be really slow sometimes.

During your climb to the Langtang Valley, there are certain areas where the internet connection is reduced to Wi-Fi only. The internet connectivity in most of the teahouse that are established at the higher altitudes are limited and so the expectations should be set accordingly.

Electricity:

There is electricity though not very frequent, especially in the higher altitude regions during the Langtang Valley Trek. In the lower areas facing the sun it will be easier to install the teahouses with power using the national power supply or through solar energy.

Yes, you can power your gadgets at the Teahouses but there will be charges which you will be required to cater. Additionally, power bank is recommended when in the hike you need to recharge devices because may end up reaching areas that are harder to find charging points.

Communication:

In order to avoid situations that prevent reception and transmission of messages, some teahouses provide satellite phones for rent. These services come in handy during an emergency, but they are not cheap at all. There, network cover is a limiting factor, and therefore, it is advisable to give someone your trekking plans before setting for the journey and have a prior plan in case of emergencies.