Langtang Gosaikunda Trek

After eating breakfast early, we'll start our trip by taking a bus from Kathmandu Valley to Syabrubesi, which is northwest of Kathmandu. On the way, you'll see beautiful views of rivers, fields, villages, and snowy peaks.

The road is smooth until we reach Trishuli Bazaar. After that, it gets a little bumpy as we go up to Dhunche and then down to Syabrubesi. Syabrubesi is a busy town with lots to explore, including hot springs by the river where you can relax.

Starting from Syabrubesi, we begin our trekking journey on the first day. We'll start by crossing the Bhote Kosi to get to the Langtang River. Following the river, we'll walk through dense jungles and fields with steps.

As we go along, we'll reach an area affected by landslides and then climb up to Bamboo. After that, we'll slowly go up to Rimche, which is by the Langtang River. Along the path, we'll pass through different small villages, bamboo, and birch forests, where you might see rare animals like the red panda.

Our trek will keep going as we head to the village of Lama Hotel.

We'll keep walking next to the Langtang River, going up slowly through dense forests. As we go, we'll see snowy peaks in the distance, encouraging us to keep going. When we get to Ghoda Tabela, the valley of the river gets wider.

In the past, there was a project to move Tibetan people to this area. We'll stop at the Ghoda Tabela army check post to show our papers. Then, we'll go to the other side of the river as we get closer to the Langtang Valley.

We'll keep going and pass by prayer wheels turned by water and prayer flags until we reach Langtang village, which looks very pretty and is where the Tamang people live.

We keep walking up, passing through small villages that are now empty and meadows along the way. From the wide Langtang valley, we can see the huge Himalayan mountains far away. Our path crosses a few small rivers and a rocky ridge from a glacier.

Finally, we reach what used to be the biggest village on our journey, called Kyanjin Gompa. It's named after the old monastery nearby, but most of the village is empty now because of the big earthquake in 2015. After lunch, we can choose to climb up to Kyajo Ri Viewpoint at 5,150m / 19,600ft for great views of the mountains and Langtang Valley.

On this day, we'll remain at Kyanjin Gompa for acclimatization. The upper Langtang Valley offers incredible, up-close views of the tall mountains and glaciers. During our stay, we'll visit various sites, such as the Yak cheese factory and Kyanjin Gompa Monastery.

For those interested, there's an option to trek to Langshisha Kharka and the Tserko Ri (5450) viewpoint. From there, you can enjoy beautiful mountain views, including Langtang Lirung (7,227m), Langtang II (6,596m), and Yala Peak (5,500m). We'll return to Kyanjin Gompa in the evening.

Leaving behind the highlands of Kyanjin Gompa, we begin our descent, following the same path we took to reach the village. Along the way, we'll pass through Langtang Village and stop for lunch at Ghora Tabela, where we'll check out with the army at the post.

After a relaxed lunch, we'll continue our descent through the dense forests of the river valley until we reach Lama Hotel.

On this day, you'll descend to the banks of the Langtang Khola and cross a small waterfall along the way. The route will lead us through rhododendron and bamboo forests, bustling with wildlife such as wild boar and monkeys. Additionally, you'll be able to enjoy impressive views of Ganesh Himal along the route.

By the end of today's trek, we'll cross a suspension bridge to reach the lower part of Thulo Syabru village.
 

Starting from Thulo Syabru, we begin a gradual ascent and pass through the Langtang National Park's army checkpoint. After about half an hour of uphill trekking, we arrive at Daragang. From here, the trail becomes less steep as it winds through hemlock and oak forests. Keep an eye out for the rare red panda while passing through the forest.

Continuing our journey, we trek through Dhimsa and Sing Gompa until we reach Cholangpati, where we'll spend the night.

As you go up, you'll see the impressive Langtang Himal (7234 m) - the most famous peak in the Langtang Range. We start walking on a quiet, empty mountain path. As we climb higher, more mountains appear on the horizon - the Langtang Himal, Ganesh Himal, and even the Annapurnas to the west.

After a few hours, we reach Laure Binayak, where we start the uphill climb to Gosainkunda. After two hours of steep climbing, we reach a chorten. Another hour of walking reveals beautiful waterfalls and lakes - Saraswati Kunda and Bhairav Kunda. These lakes are filled by water from Gosainkunda. Hindus believe this place is sacred, as it's said to be favored by Lord Shiva. Gosainkunda attracts thousands of pilgrims each year for a holy Hindu festival in the fall.
 

Today, we'll walk over the Laurebina La High Pass to get to the pretty Helambu region. We start from Gosainkunda lake, going down from where we sleep to the lake. Then, we walk along the lake's northern side, and the path gets steeper as we get near the Laurebina La Pass. On the way, we'll pass by three or more small lakes.

You can easily see the Laurebina La Pass with its stone stupa and lots of prayer flags. This pass is the highest point of the Langtang Trek. Then, we go down through a wide valley to High Camp (4240 m) and keep going on a steeper, rocky path to Phedi. After Phedi, we go down to a footbridge over a stream. Going from Phedi to Ghopte is hard with long climbs.
 

We start our trek by walking through thick forests with juniper, rhododendron, and pine trees in a quiet, uninhabited area. Eventually, we reach the calm highland area of Tharepati.

From Tharepati, the path goes gently down through the forest along the western ridge slope. After a while, we'll reach a big open field with old shepherd's huts. Along the way, you'll see the Gangchempo and Dorje Lakpa peaks.

As we keep going down, the path gets steeper, taking us through the forest to Magin Goth (3265m). After a short walk, we'll pass Kuala Bhanjyang (3335m) and then go down to the village of Kutumsang (2470m).

From Kutumsang, we'll go uphill for a bit and then descend to the village of Gul Bhanjyang (2140m). After that, we'll climb up to reach a dusty wide road at Thorong Danda (2500m) and continue on a steep and rocky path to the village of Chipping.

Next, we'll steadily descend and reach Pati Bhanjyang (1760m) - a village situated between Chipping and Chisopani. From there, it's just a half-hour walk to reach Chisopani, known for its stunning panoramic views of several mountains.

After walking a short distance from Chisopani, we arrive at the Shivapuri National Park checkpoint. From there, we follow a broad road downhill, then continue uphill on a paved path. Eventually, passing by several water reservoirs and large water pipes, we reach Sundarijal (1460m), where we bid farewell to the trails and catch local transport back to Kathmandu.