Langtang Gosaikunda Trek

Once your flight lands at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, the representative of Nepal Social Treks will greet you and escort you to the hotel. He will help you get through the check-in formalities and hands you the room key. After that, you’ll have the leisure time for the rest of the day. So, make good use of the leisure time, get proper rest, read some books, take a walk, and get rid of the jet lag.

Later in the evening, you’ll be attending a short briefing session with your trekking guide. Here, you’ll be joining the rest of the group members and getting along before the trek. In this session, your trekking guide will inform you of everything about the trek. After the meeting, you’ll be sitting along with the rest of the group and enjoy the welcome dinner.

Highlights

• Pick up and greet at Tribhuvan International Airport
• Transfer to the hotel via a private transportation
• Trekking guide briefing session
• Meet and greet with the rest of the group
• Enjoy the welcome dinner

Special Note

We highly recommend you to attend the briefing session in the evening. It is because your trekking guide will provide you all the crucial information regarding Langtang Gosaikunda Trek. Here, your trekking guide will talk about transportation, day-to-day lifestyle, difficulty, altitude sickness, accommodation, mountains, culture, food, etc.

If you have any concerns or queries regarding the trek, do not hesitate to ask as many questions as you want. We expect these sessions to be as interactive as possible! Apart from that, you’ll also get to know all your group members before heading to the Himalayas.

Since you’ll be leaving for the trek early next morning, it is advisable to pack your bags and ready your gears before you sleep. It helps to avoid the last-minute hassle in the morning.

Your adventure to Langtang Gosaikunda Trek begins with a 7-hour drive from Kathmandu to a small town of Syabrubesi. Early in the morning, our private vehicle will arrive at the hotel’s premises to receive you.

You’ll be departing the capital city via the Thankot Checkpost and driving through the Prithvi Highway. You’ll witness several traditional villages, terraced farms, green hillsides, beautiful landscapes, and occasional mountains along the way. You’ll be heading along the highway’s well-paved roads until you reach the small village of Galchi. Here, your vehicle will leave the highway’s comfortable roads, make the right turn, and drive towards Trishuli Bazaar.

Upon crossing the Trishuli Bazaar, the well-paved road becomes rough and rocky with frequent potholes and ditches. Driving alongside Trishuli River over a dusty and bumpy road, you’ll reach the administrative headquarter of Rasuwa District at Dhunche Bazaar. You’ll continue the drive on a cliffside road for about an hour from Dhunche to reach Syabrubesi.

Located at an elevation of 1,503 meters, Syabrubesi is the gateway to the Langtang regions’ most popular trekking destination. This small bazaar is quite lively, surrounded by hotels, guesthouses, ATMs, restaurants, and local shops.

Highlights

• Thrilling drive from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi
• Striking glimpses of quaint villages, terrace fields, small towns, green hillsides, and mountains
• Stroll around the lively town of Syabrubesi

On this day, you’ll begin the trek in the rugged trails of the Langtang region. After breakfast, you’ll pack your bags and get the ground running. You’ll start the day by crossing a small steel suspension bridge over Ying Yang Khola. Here, you’ll leave the large motorway and begin hiking along a narrow trekking trail. You’ll be walking the entire day on a path beside Langtang Khola. Densely surrounded by oak and rhododendron trees, the trail on this day is mostly gradual switchbacks.

Since you’ll be walking through dense woodland, make sure to keep your eyes in the woods as you might spot some exotic animals and birds along this trail. After walking through several small settlements, including Tiwari Gaon, Bamboo, and Rimche, you’ll reach Lama Hotel.

Highlights

• Walk across a few suspension bridges
• Gradual walk under the shades of oak and rhododendron trees
• Excellent opportunity to encounter exotic birds and animals
• Walk past several Tamang settlements

On this day, you’ll hit the trail towards Langtang village early in the morning after breakfast. A gradual uphill from Lama Hotel takes you to a trail on the hillside of Langtang Khola. The trail is fairly gradual, although it’ll get a bit rocky at times. Along the way, you’ll come across occasional waterfalls and distant sight of Langtang Lirung.

After about four hours of gradual walk from Lama Hotel, you’ll reach the high meadow of Ghoda Tabela. From here, you’ll marvel at the picturesque sight of Langtang Range and the surrounding landscape.

After taking a short rest at Ghoda Tabela, it’s time to continue your journey towards the Langtang village. The trail from Ghoda Tabela to Langtang village is considerably wide and comfortable. Along the way, you’ll be walking past several traditional villages and an old monastery.

Before you arrive at the village, you’ll be walking over the massive rubble of the old Langtang village buried by the catastrophic landslide in 2015. The trail in this section is slightly tricky. So, stay cautious! After crossing this section, you’ll reach the new Langtang village.

Highlights

• Relatively rocky yet comfortable trail to walk on
• Witness the cascading waterfalls
• Occasional sight of the snow-capped mountains
• Enjoy the striking view of the mountains and surrounding landscapes from Ghoda Tabela
• Walk past several quaint Tamang villages and an old monastery
• Overnight at the new village of Langtang

Since this day is short and comfortable, you won’t have to worry about waking up too early. After breakfast, you’ll hit the ground running and head towards Kyanjin Gompa. As you depart from the village’s rocky fields, you’ll be walking along the alpine terrains of the Langtang region. After walking for about an hour or so, you’ll reach a small settlement at Mundu.

Furthermore, you’ll continue the walk on a trail decorated with chortens, prayer flags, and mounds of rocks crafted with sacred inscriptions. You’ll come across a wide alpine yak pasture that offers an exceptional view of the mountains and surrounding landscapes. As you continue the walk uphill, you’ll reach a small bridge over the stream. Upon crossing the bridge, you’ll walk over the moraine and head uphill on a relatively steep trail to reach Kyanjin Gompa.

This teahouse settlement at 3,870 meters offers an exceptional view of Langtang range and other surrounding mountains. You can get some rest and enjoy some hot drinks at the teahouse. Later in the afternoon, you’ll visit the ancient monastery of Kyanjin Gompa and explore the village.

Highlights

• Traverse through the route adorned with chortens, prayer flags, and mani walls
• Marvel at the breathtaking view of mountains and landscapes from Kyanjin Gompa
• Explore the enchanting teahouse settlement of Kyanjin Gompa
• Visit the ancient monastery at Kyanjin Gompa

Hike to Tserko Ri is one of the major highlights of Langtang Gosaikunda Trek. You’ll begin the adventure early at dawn and hike towards the hilltop. Located at the elevation of 5,050 meters, the summit of Tserko  Ri marks the trek’s highest point. The route to the summit is quite steep and challenging and takes about five hours to reach the top.

Upon reaching the top of Tserko Ri, you’ll get to marvel at the incredible panorama of Langtang Lirung, Langtang Ri, Dorje Lakpa, Langshisha Ri, Changbu, and Yala Peak. Below, you’ll see the beautiful sight of the village. After spending a while at the summit, you’ll retrace your route back to Kyanjin Gompa. It takes about three hours to arrive at the village from the top of Tserko Ri. Once you get down to the village, you’ll get some break and savor the mountain view for the rest of the evening.

Highlights

• Excursion to Tserko Ri — the highest point of the trek
• Witness the magical sunrise on your way to the summit
• Relish the 360-degree panorama of Langtang Lirung, Langtang Ri, Dorje Lakpa, Langshisha Ri, Changbu, and Yala Peak

Special Note

You will be heading towards Tserko Ri before sunlight, which means you’ll be walking in the pitch dark. So, we recommend you carry a headlight or a torch to keep track of the way. Besides, make sure to wear a warm jacket, gloves, and a beanie to keep yourself warm in the cold morning.

On this day, you’ll depart from the mountain village of Kyanjin Gompa and descend towards Lama Hotel. You’ll hit the trail after a hearty breakfast and retrace the route back to the village. You’ll begin the day with a gradual descend towards the stream.

Upon crossing the stream, you’ll walk through the path decorated in chortens, prayer flags, and mani walls to reach the Langtang village. Walking past the village, you continue the walk through the barren lands and meadows towards Ghoda Tabela.

Once you go past this teahouse settlement, you’ll leave the barren alpine terrain behind and return to the forested trail. Along the way, you’ll walk past several rustic villages, occasional waterfalls, and beautiful sceneries. You’ll then follow the route alongside the Langtang Khola under the shades of dense forest to reach Riverside. After a short and gradual downhill from Riverside will take you to Lama Hotel for overnight stay.

Highlights

• Trudge along the trail decorated in chortens, prayer flags, and mani walls
• Walk past several villages and an old monastery
• Traverse through occasional waterfalls and breathtaking landscape

On this day, you’ll leave the trail of the standard Langtang Valley Trek behind and take an alternative route to Thulo Syabru. You’ll begin the day with a gradual climb to Rimche. From here, the trail descends toward the bank of Langtang Khola. You’ll continue the trek alongside Langtang Khola on a fairly gradual path. The path is densely surrounded by bamboo and birch trees, as you’ll make your way towards Bamboo.

After crossing a suspension bridge to reach Bamboo, you’ll leave the Langtang Valley trail and start ascending towards Landslide Lodge. Along the way, you’ll get to enjoy the magnificent sight of Ganesh Himal. You’ll cross another suspension bridge and reach an intersection. You’ll take the route that passes along the waterfall to reach Thulo Syabru.

Highlights

• Hike along a fairly gradual and comfortable route
• Walk under the shades of bamboo and birch trees
• Encounter exotic birds, langur, and wild boar along the trail
• Cross a few small suspension bridges
• Enjoy the distant sight of Ganesh Himal

After breakfast, you’ll get the ground running and head to the trails of Gosaikunda. Although the route on this day is considerably short, it is quite steep and has a significant elevation gain. Most of the day, you’ll be walking under the shades of thick pine and rhododendron trees.

Upon departing from Thulo Syabru, you’ll climb up towards the Langtang National Park Army Checkpoint. You’ll continue the walk further towards the village of Daragang. From here, the trail gets less steep as you’ll enter the woodland of oak and hemlock. On a lucky day, you’re likely to encounter red pandas in this forested section. You’ll continue the climb on a gradual path to reach Sing Gompa.  Along the way, you’ll be visiting the ancient Phulung Monastery.

Highlights

• Considerably short walk
• Traverse through the densely forested area
• Opportunity to encounter red pandas
• Visit the ancient Phulung Monastery

You’ll begin the day hiking on a steep trail early morning after breakfast. Within a few minutes of the walk, the breathtaking panorama of the Himalayas unfolds in the backdrop. You’ll get a glimpse of some of the highest massifs, including Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Hiunchuli.

You’ll then follow the desolated route along the ridge. As you climb higher, the mountain views become more inclusive. After a few hours of strenuous uphill, you’ll reach Laurebina Pass at 3,910 meters. As you cross over the high pass, you’ll see the first glimpse of Saraswati Kunda at 4,165 meters.

After walking for a while, another lake, Bhairav Kunda, becomes visible in the distance. Furthermore, you’ll continue the walk uphill towards the sacred lake of Gosaikunda. This sacred lake is surrounded by the Himalayas in almost every direction and has an ensemble of nine other lakes.

Located at an elevation of 4,380 meters, Gosaikunda Lake carries both religious as well as cultural significance. It is also one of the most sought after pilgrimage sites in Nepal. Every year during the full moon day of Janai Purnima in August, hundreds of Hindus make their way to this sacred lake for a holy bath. You’ll notice a large rock in the middle of the lake, which is said to be the remains of a shrine of Lord Shiva.

Highlights

• Enjoy the stunning view of mountains, including Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Hiunchuli
• Cross lower Laurebina Pass at 3,910 meters
• Marvel at the sight of Saraswati Kunda and Bhairav Kunda
• Stand at the shore of Gosainkunda Lake

In the morning, you’ll enjoy the glorious sunrise over the Himalayas from Gosaikunda Lake’s shore. After that, you’ll make your way on the gradual trail along the lake’s northern shore. Here, the trail gradually starts to climb towards the Laurebina Pass.

As you walk upwards, you’ll arrive on a small plateau with four other lakes, including Suryakunda Lake. After climbing steep terrain, you’ll reach Laurebina Pass at 4,610 meters, marked with a stone stupa adorned with colorful prayer flags.

Once you cross the high pass, you’ll descend steeply through a wide valley on a rocky path towards Phedi. It takes about six hours to reach Phedi from Gosaikunda Lake.

Highlights

• Enjoy the marvelous sunrise from the shore of Gosaikunda
• Get a glimpse of spectacular mountains
• Traverse over Laurebina Pass at 4,610 meters
• Walk across four high lakes, including Suryakunda

After breakfast, you’ll continue your journey along the zigzag trail from Phedi to Thadepati. At first, the trail descends steeply from Phedi towards a small footbridge. Crossing the bridge over a small stream, you’ll start climbing strenuous terrain. After a long and steep climb, the trail slightly descends to reach Ghopte.

Along the way, you’ll get to enjoy the marvelous view of Helambu and Tadhi Valley. From Ghopte, you’ll walk through the dense forest of oak, juniper, and rhododendron. This trail is considerably remote, and only a few trekkers make their way from their route. After about six hours of walking from Phedi, you’ll reach the highland of Thadepati.

Highlights

• Enjoy the view of Helambu and Tadhi Valley
• Walk along the dense forest of oak, juniper, and rhododendron
• Relatively remote and isolated trail.

After breakfast, you’ll begin the day with a steep ascend over Thadepati Pass at 3,690 meters. From the top of the pass, you’ll get to relish the spectacular sight of Helambu village. You’ll gradually descend from the pass through a forested trail on the western ridge towards a large meadow. From here, you will get to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Gangchempo and Dorje Lakpa.

Furthermore, you’ll continue the walk downhill towards Magin Goth. From this small settlement, you’ll see a breathtaking view of Langtang range and Gosaikunda Peak. You’ll continue a long descent through a dense rhododendron forest to reach the village of Kutumsang for overnight stay.

Highlights

• Ascend over Thadepati Pass
• Get a glimpse of Helambu village
• Enjoy the view of Gangchempo, Dorje Lakpa, Langtang range, and Gosaikunda Peak
• Traverse through a dense rhododendron forest

From Kutumsang, the trail heads uphill towards the Jogin Dandra ridge before descending to Gul Bhanjyang. The trail on this day is relatively gradual and comfortable. You continue the walk with a gentle uphill over Thorong Danda to reach a wide dusty road.

Walking past a few Sherpa and Tamang settlements, you’ll reach Pati Bhanjyang. From here, the route is steep and rocky towards Chipling. You’ll then have to walk for about half an hour to reach Chisapani.

At the elevation of 2,215 meters, Chisapani is one of the most popular hiking destinations around Kathmandu. Located inside Shivapuri National Park, this hilltop is widely known to offer stunning mountain panorama.

Highlights

• Walk past several Sherpa and Tamang settlement of Helambu
• Relatively gradual and comfortable trail
• Enter Shivapuri National Park

Early morning, you can savor the beautiful sunrise over the mountains from the hilltop of Chisapani. After a while, you’ll begin the trek on a fairly gradual path towards Sundarijal.

On this day, you’ll be walking along the densely forested trail of Shivapuri National Park. Walking past a few small settlements, you’ll reach Shivapuri National Park Checkpoint.

From here, you’ll continue the downhill walk through the stone staircase. You’ll follow the gradual route alongside the Bagmati River to arrive at a large waterfall. You’ll continue the descent for a few minutes from here to reach the bus stop of Sundarijal. Here, a private vehicle will be waiting for you to drive back to Kathmandu. It takes about an hour or so to reach the premises of your hotel from Sundarijal.

Upon reaching Kathmandu, you will have free time for the rest of the day. So, take some rest at the hotel or stroll around the colorful streets of Thamel. You can also buy some souvenirs or gifts for family and friends in Thamel. In the evening, a representative of Nepal Social Treks will pick you up at the hotel and take you for the farewell dinner.

Highlights

• Beautiful sunrise over the mountains from Chisapani
• Walk along the densely forested trails
• Enter Shivapuri National Park
• Walk past a massive waterfall
• Evening walk around the streets of Thamel
• Farewell dinner at a local restaurant

Departure day! On this day, your adventure of Langtang Gosaikunda Trek will come to an end. So, make the final preparation for departure! One of our representatives will pick you up at the hotel and escort you to the Tribhuvan International Airport via private transport for the final departure.

Special Note

Before you check out of your room at the hotel, make sure to inspect the entire room to ensure that none of your belongings are left out. We recommend you pack your bags a day prior to the final departure to avoid the last-minute hassle.