Langtang Valley Trek
Overview
- Duration: 10 days / 9 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 1 traveller
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotel in Kathmandu and simple family-run teahouse lodges on the trek
- Country: Nepal
A shorter teahouse trek north of Kathmandu, through forest and Tamang villages to the high pastures of Kyanjin Gompa, with a free day to explore among the glaciers of the Langtang range.
The Langtang Valley lies just north of Kathmandu, close to the Tibetan border, and it is one of the easiest places in Nepal to reach real Himalayan scenery without a flight. In ten days you drive to the roadhead, walk up through forest and Tamang villages to Kyanjin Gompa at about 3,850 metres, explore among the glaciers and walk back down the same valley.
It suits walkers who want a genuine trek but have limited time, or who would rather avoid the higher passes of the longer circuits. The days on foot are moderate, usually four to six hours, and porters carry your main bag. You sleep and eat in simple family-run teahouses, with all meals on the trek included, and a licensed guide stays with you throughout.
The route climbs gradually through three overnight stops before Kyanjin Gompa, where you spend two nights. The free day there lets you choose your effort: a steep climb up Kyanjin Ri for the widest views, or an easier wander up the valley. The descent takes two days, followed by the drive back to the capital.
Some honest notes. The drive to Syabrubesi is long and rough, and the road can be slowed by landslides, especially after rain. Nights at Kyanjin Gompa are cold, and altitude can still cause headaches and poor sleep. The valley was badly hit by the 2015 earthquake; much has been rebuilt, and your visit supports the families who run the lodges.
Tell us your dates and walking experience on our plan your trip page, and we will plan the trek around you.
Day-by-day itinerary
Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel. If you land early, walk with a local guide to Boudhanath, the great stupa ringed by monasteries and butter-lamp shops, and join the pilgrims circling it clockwise at dusk. In the evening your trekking guide comes by to talk through the route and check what you have packed.
Overnight: Kathmandu
Head north out of the valley on a winding mountain road, past terraced hillsides and the town of Dhunche, about seven to eight hours with stops. The road is narrow and rough in places, and landslides sometimes slow traffic. You arrive in Syabrubesi, at about 1,500 metres, a small roadhead town beside the Bhote Koshi river.
Overnight: Syabrubesi · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cross the river and follow the Langtang Khola upstream into dense forest of oak, maple and bamboo. Listen for the rush of the river below and watch for langur monkeys in the trees; red pandas live here too but are rarely seen. The trail climbs steadily to Rimche, at about 2,400 metres, a handful of lodges in a forest clearing.
Overnight: Rimche · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Climb out of the forest as the valley widens, with Langtang Lirung rising ahead. Pass water-driven prayer wheels and grazing yaks to reach Langtang village, at about 3,400 metres. The old village was destroyed by the 2015 earthquake, and its people have rebuilt nearby. Your guide can tell you about the valley’s recovery and the memorial to those who were lost.
Overnight: Langtang village · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A short, gentle climb past long mani walls and chortens brings you to Kyanjin Gompa, at about 3,850 metres, by lunchtime. The settlement sits in a broad bowl ringed by snow peaks and glaciers. In the afternoon visit the small monastery that gives the place its name, and try the local yak cheese, made here for decades.
Overnight: Kyanjin Gompa · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A day to explore and help your body adjust. Fit walkers can climb Kyanjin Ri, a steep viewpoint well above 4,500 metres, for a wide panorama of the Langtang range and its glaciers. For an easier day, walk up the valley floor towards the yak pastures. Return to Kyanjin to sleep, and spend the afternoon resting in the sun.
Overnight: Kyanjin Gompa · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Retrace your steps down the valley, past Langtang village and into the forest again. With the altitude falling away, the long descent feels easy on the lungs, though it is hard work on the knees, so walking poles help. You see the valley from a fresh angle on the way down. Stop for the night at Rimche.
Overnight: Rimche · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A final morning on the trail, descending through the forest along the Langtang Khola to the river crossing and Syabrubesi. Arrive in time for a late lunch and a well-earned shower. In the evening, share a farewell meal with your guide and porters and thank them for their care over the past week.
Overnight: Syabrubesi · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leave after breakfast for the drive back to the valley, about seven to eight hours. Check into your hotel and collect the luggage you left behind. If you arrive in time, walk to Kathmandu Durbar Square for a last look at its pagoda temples in the evening light, or simply rest after the road.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a final breakfast. If your flight leaves later in the day, there may be time for a short visit to Swayambhunath on its hill above the city, or for buying tea and handicrafts in Thamel. Your driver then takes you to the airport for your onward journey.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast
- Teahouse lodge accommodation on the trek with breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Private airport and hotel transfers
- Private road transport between Kathmandu and Syabrubesi
- Licensed English-speaking trekking guide and porters
- Trekking permits and national park entry (we arrange them; confirmed in your quote)
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance covering trekking at altitude and helicopter evacuation
- Meals in Kathmandu other than breakfast
- Drinks, hot showers, charging and wifi in mountain lodges
- Tips for guides and porters
- Personal trekking gear
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best October–November and March–May.
You travel by private vehicle between Kathmandu and Syabrubesi, about seven to eight hours each way on a narrow mountain road that can be slowed by roadworks or landslides. On the trek you walk about four to six hours a day, while porters carry your main bag. In Kathmandu you have private transfers.
Frequently asked questions
It is a moderate trek with no high pass, suitable for fit walkers who are comfortable with four to six hours a day on uneven paths. The highest night is at about 3,850 metres, and the optional climb of Kyanjin Ri goes higher. Some hill walking before you go makes it more enjoyable.
Yes, though less than on the higher routes. You sleep at about 3,850 metres for two nights, and some people feel headaches or sleep poorly there. Your guide watches for symptoms, and going down is always the remedy if they worsen. See a doctor before you travel and make sure your insurance covers trekking at altitude.
Yes, trekkers need a national park permit and local trekking paperwork, and current rules in Nepal require a licensed guide in many areas. These rules change from time to time, so we confirm the latest requirements and arrange everything when we book.
Yes. Langtang fits well with a few days in Pokhara by the lake or a wildlife stay in Chitwan National Park. Tell us how much time you have, and we will suggest a balanced route.
