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Trekking Routes: The Langtang Valley
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Day 4: Lama Hotel to Langtang Village
Lama Hotel to Gumnachowk: 1 hour; Gumnachowk to Ghora Tabela: 3 hours; Ghora Tabela to Langtang: 3 hours. Elevation Gain: 3,675 ft. (1,121m).
It takes about 7 hours to reach Langtang Village from Lama Hotel, so you may want to get an early start. From Lama Hotel, the trail climbs steadily to Ghora Tabela with glimpses of Langtang Lirung (23,767 ft.; 7,244m) through the trees. Midway between Lama Hotel and Ghora Tabela, you pass by the lodges at Gumnachowk and Chhunama.
At times the trail becomes very steep, but only for short distances. At Ghora Tabela (9,850 ft.; 3,002m) the trail leaves the forest, and a spectacular view of Langtang Lirung appears. Ghora Tabela was once a Tibetan resettlement camp but is now an army post. There is a good lodge here where you can get lunch or stop for the day. You must show your trekking permit at the police checkpoint. Continue up the valley, leaving the forests behind.
In 30 to 45 minutes, you come to Thangshyap (10,754 ft.; 3,278m), where there are a couple of basic lodges and good views both up and down the valley. The trail climbs steadily up to Langtang village (11,475 ft.; 3,498m), passing below a monas-tery about 30 minutes before reaching the village. Langtang is another Tamang village with stone-and-wood houses and pastures in which you just might see yaks. There are several trekkers' lodges here.
Day 5: Langtang to Kyanjin Gompa
Langtang to Kyanjin Gompa: 3 hours. Elevation Gain: 975 ft. (297m).
You may notice that the valley above this point is u-shaped, which indicates that it was carved by a glacier. Below Langtang, the valley has the characteristic v-shape of a river-carved valley. Leaving Langtang, you climb gradually to a chorten, behind which are several very long mani walls. You are now above the treeline, and low-growing shrubs dominate this alpine environment. As the valley widens, the trail passes the three villages of Mundu, Sindum, and Yamfu, all of which have small lodges.
You cross several streams and a moraine before arriving at Kyanjin Gompa (12,450 ft.; 3,795m). Between Langtang and Kyanjin Gompa, the views get better and better. You can see Yansa Tsenji (21,452 ft.; 6,539m) and Kimshun (22,123 ft.; 6,743m) to the north and the Langtang Himal to the northwest. Kyanjin Gompa is a small Buddhist monastery, but there are also numerous lodges and a cheese factory here. Try the Snow View Hotel or Hotel Tibet. Since you will probably arrive before lunch, you will have time to do some exploring in the afternoon, though you may be experiencing some discomfort from the altitude. One possibility is to climb the steep hill to the north of Kyanjin Gompa. This hill is more than 13,000 feet (3,962m) high and provides an excellent view of Langtang Lirung.
Day 6: Kyanjin Gompa
Climbing one of the area's low peaks or taking a day hike farther up the valley past the airstrip will provide more spectacular views that include Langtang Lirung, Ganchenpo (20,950 ft.; 6,386m), Langshisa Ri (20,894 ft.; 6,368m), Dorje Lakpa (22,927 ft.; 6,988m), Lenpo Gang (23,232 ft.; 7,081m), and Urkinmang (20,175 ft.; 6,149m). One popular excursion is to climb the lateral moraine north of Kyanjin Gompa for a close view of the Lirung Glacier and icefall. Alternatively, if you have more energy, you can climb to the top of what is known as Kyanjin Ri (15,665 ft.; 4,775m), the prayer flag-topped peak directly north of Kyanjin Gompa. There is also another cheese factory in the village of Yala, which can be reached in about 3 hours if you are acclimatized. Another 2 hours above Yala is the summit of 16,348-foot (4,983m) Tserko Ri. If you start early in the morning and are acclimatized, you should be able to climb this peak and return to Kyanjin Gompa in 1 long day. If you have mountaineering experience and have come equipped for a difficult climb, it is possible to cross the Ganja La, a 16,800-foot (5,121m) pass, to Helambu. This crossing is not possible in the winter months when the pass is closed by snow. You will need a guide, tents, food, fuel, an axe, and crampons to cross the Ganja La, and it is essential that you spend a day acclimatizing at Kyanjin Gompa.
Day 7: Kyanjin Gompa to Lama Hotel
Kyanjin Gompa to Lama Hotel: 5 hours. Elevation Loss: 4,750 ft. (1,448m).
Since you will be acclimatized and will be descending, you should be able to reach Lama Hotel in a short day's walk from Kyanjin Gompa. If you reach Lama Hotel by lunch and don't feel like stopping so early, consider continuing to Bamboo or Landslide.
Day 8: Onward from Lama Hotel
Lama Hotel to Syabrubensi (old route): 7 hours; Lama Hotel to Syabrubensi (new route): 5 hours; Lama Hotel to Dhunche: 8 hours; Lama Hotel to Shin Gompa: 8 hours. To Dunche: Elevation Gain: 2,650 ft. (808m). Elevation Loss: 4,000 ft. (1,219m). To Syabrubensi: Elevation Loss:3,040 ft. (427m).
Beyond Lama Hotel there are several possible routes, depending on where you are headed and how much time you have. If your goal is to reach Dhunche as quickly as possible, you should be able to get there after a long day's hike from Lama Hotel. You can shorten this route by continuing to Landslide or Bamboo on the day you leave Kyanjin Gompa.
There are also two routes to the village of Syabrubensi, which is on the road north of Bharkhu. To reach Syabrubensi in a long day, take the old trail that forks off the main trail at Rimche, 15 minutes below Lama Hotel. This route stays high above the river, does a bit of climbing, and has some good views. A newer alternative route to Syabrubensi leaves the main trail beyond Landslide. This latter route takes about 2 hours less than the old route. From Syabrubensi, you can either catch the bus to Kathmandu or hike along the road to Dhunche and then catch the bus.
If you are on your way to Gosainkund, you would definitely do better to continue past Lama Hotel on the day you leave Kyanjin. From Lama Hotel, it would be a long day's hike to Shin Gompa, but this day would be a bit more bearable if you started from Bamboo or Landslide.
Day 9: Dhunche (or Syabrubensi) to Kathmandu
Dhunche to Kathmandu: 9-13 hours.
Since you will arrive in Dhunche or Syabrubensi too late to catch a bus to Trisuli, you will have to spend the night in town and take the bus the next morning.
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