Langtang, Gosainkunda and Helambu Trek - 17 Days

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264ft). Upon our arrival in the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we will be greeted by a representative from Himalayan Sanctuary Adventure Private Limited who will drop us off at our hotel.. Day 02: Kathmandu: sightseeing and trek preparation. Today after breakfast we start a guided tour to several of the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu. Some of these landmarks are considered World Heritage Sites including the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous 'Monkey Temple' (Swayambhunath) and the Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath) which is one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, there will be a pre-trip discussion where we can meet our trek leader and other team members. The meeting will provide us an opportunity to ask any question we may have regarding our upcoming adventure. Overnight in Kathmandu.. Day 03: Drive from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (1,550m/5,100ft): 7-8 hours. We leave Kathmandu in the morning for Syabrubesi, a village which is also the starting point for treks into the Langtang valley. Our journey will be on a winding road through frequent switchbacks. On a clear day we get to enjoy outstanding views of Manaslu, Annapurna and Ganesh Himal. Our trek for today ends with a descent into the small village of Syabrubesi. Overnight in Syabrubesi.. Day 04: Trek from Syabrubesi to Lama Hotel (2,380m/7,830ft): 6 hours. After breakfast, we begin our trek to Syabrubesi along the Langtang Khola. We ascend and descend simultaneously through oak and rhododendron forests. After crossing a bridge over the Langtang Khola (small river), we ascend on a steep trail which will lead us to the Lama Hotel. Overnight in Lama Hotel.. Day 05: Trek to Mundu (3543m/11,621ft) via Langtang village: 6-7 hours. We continue ascending from Lama Hotel and enjoy the mountain landscape with abundant waterfalls. As we reach the green meadows of Ghoda Tabela, we begin to see the white peaks of the Langtang range. Our trail continues to climb up the widening valley, passing a few temporary settlements used by herders. We pass a Buddhist monastery before reaching the Langtang village which was affected by the April 2015 earthquake. We continue on our trail to Mundu. Overnight in Mundu.. Day 06: Mundu to Kyangjin Gompa (3,870m/12,697ft): 4-5 hours. After breakfast, we will start our journey to Kyangjin Gompa, a principal monastery of the region. We pass by water mills, prayer wheels, chortens, with sacred mounds of rocks with inscriptions carved on them. We also pass by the largest mani wall in Nepal, made from stone with prayers written on them. After the short trek, we spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the Buddhist shrine in Kyangjin Gompa and surrounding areas with the amazing views of the mountains.. Day 07: Acclimatization: explore Tserko Ri (5,000m/16,404ft) 7-8 hours. We spend the whole day exploring Tserko Ri which will also help us acclimatize to the high altitude. We begin early in the morning. The trail passes through yak pastures before ascending to Tserko Ri. The sunrise view from the top of Tserko Ri is extraordinary. We get back to Kyangjin Gompa by late afternoon and explore the beautiful monastery while enjoying views of the Himalayas, glaciers, birds and yaks.. Day 08: Kyangjin Gompa to Lama Hotel: 6-7 hours. We begin our trek after breakfast and retrace our steps to Lama Hotel. Most of the trekking today will be downhill as we pass through forests and beautiful Tamang villages. We also get to enjoy different view of the Himalayas that we had missed climbing up. Overnight in Lama Hotel.. Day 09: Lama Hotel to Thulo Syabru (2,230m/ 7,316 ft): 5-6 hours. We begin our trek with a climb up to the Rimche Village. From here we descend to the banks of the Langtang Khola. We continue on an easy trail to Bamboo and begin ascending to Landslide Lodge. From here we continue our trek to Thulo Syabru. There are two trails as we cross another bridge. We follow the one that passes by Pahare hotel and a waterfall at 2210 m to reach Thulo Syabru. Overnight in Thulo Syabru.. Day 10: Thulo Syabru to Shin Gompa: 3-4 hours. Today will be a short walk but it is important to not reach Gosaikunda today because the steady gain in altitude will help us acclimatize better to the high altitude. After trekking for a while we pass by a chorten and a checkpoint. From the checkpoint, we move south and pass by Garta Village and Phulung Monastery before reaching Shin Gompa to spend the night.. Day 11: Shin Gompa to Gosaikunda (4,460m/14,632ft): 5-6 hours. Today we get to enjoy fantastic panoramic views of the Himalayas including the Annapurnas, Hiunchuli, Manaslu, Ganesh and Langtang. We follow a ridge for the most part of the day and catch a glimpse of the first of the holy lakes. The third lake, Gosaikunda (4380m), is of particular religious and cultural significance for the Nepalese and is one of Nepal’s most sought after pilgrimage sites. The lake is surrounded by mountains on almost all sides and has a great ensemble of nine other lakes to accompany it. Every year during Janai Purnima in August, hundreds of Hindu pilgrims visit the lake for a holy bath. The large rock at the center of the lake is said to be the remains of a Shiva shrine. Overnight in Gosaikunda.. Day 12: Gosaikunda to Ghopte (3,440m/11,286ft): 6-8 hours. We move around the lake’s shore before ascending towards the Laurebina Pass (4610m). The Helambu region begins at the Lauribina La (pass) and descends to the Melamchi valley. The trail is rough and crosses moraines, but is well marked with cairns. We pass through three more small lakes before reaching the pass. We climb a small hill and enjoy excellent views of the area. Our trail passes through Surya kunda before reaching Ghopte. Overnight in Ghopte.. Day 13: Ghopte to Melamchigaon (2,560m/8,399ft): 6-7 hours. We walk uphill and downhill on a trail that passes through dense forests. Walking on a trail through the forest will take us to Thare Pati Village. We climb a ridge above the village and continue our trek. The view from the ridge of the Nepalese hills and Soli Danda in particular is beautiful. We cross two suspension bridges before reaching Melamchigaon which is a beautiful village that houses a monastery. Overnight in Melamchigaon.. Day 14: Melamchigaon to Tarkeghyang (2,590m/8,497ft): 5-6 hours. We pass a stupa and cross a small stream below Tarkeghyang. Our trail passes through forests that lead up to Ama Yangri which is the highest point of our trek today located at 3,800m. There is a stupa and Buddhist prayer flags at the top of the hill. Furthermore, we get stunning views of Mt. Shishapangma and the Langtang ranges. The mountains are so close that we feel that we can almost touch them. As we descend we can often see yaks grazing in the bushes before entering a forest. We also walk on a trail made of broken stone before reaching Tarkeghyang which is a beautiful Sherpa village. Overnight in Tarkheghyang.. Day 15: Tarkeghyang to Sermathang (2,610m/8,563ft): 3-5 hours. We begin our trek after breakfast. The trail is easy and passes through lush forests. We also pass by beautiful villages, chortens, a monastery and a mani wall before reaching Sermathang. It’s a beautiful Sherpa Village with incredible views of Ganesh Himal, Jugal Himal and the Langtang ranges. On a clear day, we can even see Mt. Everest in the distance. Overnight in Sermanthang.. Day 16: Trek to Melamchi Bazaar, drive to Kathmandu: 3-4 hours trek, 2 hours drive. We trek through meadows, fields and beautiful villages to reach Melamchi Bazaar. From here we drive to Kathmandu and reminisce about our trip in the Langtang and Helambu regions. After reaching Kathmandu, we freshen up and take a rest. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner hosted by Himlayan Glacier to celebrate the successful completion of our trip. Overnight in Kathmandu.. Day 17: Departure Day. Our journey in Nepal comes to an end today ! A Himalayan Sanctuary Adventure representative will drop you off at the International airport approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight.