A week-long walk up the Langtang Khola from Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa at 3,870 m, through the rebuilt Tamang villages of Langtang and Mundu, with a day climbing Tserko Ri (4,984 m) for a close view of Langtang Lirung and the peaks at the head of the valley. It is the closest high Himalayan trek to Kathmandu, reached by road with no flights.
A week-long walk up the Langtang Khola from Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa at 3,870 m, through the rebuilt Tamang villages of Langtang and Mundu, with a day climbing Tserko Ri (4,984 m) for a close view of Langtang Lirung and the peaks at the head of the valley. It is the closest high Himalayan trek to Kathmandu, reached by road with no flights.
The Langtang Valley lies directly north of Kathmandu, inside Langtang National Park, Nepal's first Himalayan national park. We drive to Syabrubesi on the Bhote Koshi, then follow the Langtang Khola upstream through oak, rhododendron and bamboo forest to Lama Hotel, before the valley opens into yak pastures and Tamang villages below the ice walls of Langtang Lirung (7,234 m).
In April 2015 the Gorkha earthquake set off an avalanche of ice and rock that buried the old village of Langtang and killed more than 200 people. The trail now crosses the debris field, past a memorial to those who died, and the families who survived have rebuilt Langtang a short distance from the original site, with new stone lodges in Langtang and Mundu just beyond. Staying in these family-run teahouses is the most direct way the trek supports the valley's recovery.
Kyanjin Gompa, at 3,870 m, is the last settlement: a cluster of lodges around a small monastery and a cheese factory, ringed by Langtang Lirung, Kyanjin Ri, Gangchempo and the peaks towards the Tibetan border. We spend two nights here. The spare day is used to climb Tserko Ri (4,984 m), a long but non-technical ascent with views up the glaciers of the upper valley; if the group prefers a shorter outing, Kyanjin Ri (4,773 m) rises straight behind the village.
The pace is steady rather than fast. We gain about 900 m on each of the first two walking days, then take a short day into Kyanjin Gompa so you arrive rested before going higher. The return follows the same trail down to Lama Hotel and Syabrubesi, which makes the descent quick and lets you see the valley from the other direction.
Expect well-made stone trails, several suspension bridges, frequent teahouses for tea and lunch, and cold nights above 3,000 m. There are no roads in the valley itself; everything above Syabrubesi arrives on foot or by pack animal.
The Langtang Valley suits anyone in good general health who can walk five to seven hours a day on uneven, hilly ground for several days in a row. No climbing experience is needed: the Tserko Ri ascent is a steep, rough path rather than a technical climb, and you can turn back at any point or choose Kyanjin Ri instead. The first two walking days each gain around 900 m, and the Tserko Ri day adds roughly 1,100 m of ascent and the same descent, so leg strength and stamina matter more than speed. In the two to three months before you travel, aim for three or four sessions a week: long walks or hikes with a loaded daypack, stair or hill repeats, and some cycling, running or swimming for cardio. Do at least a few back-to-back long walking days in the boots you will trek in. Anyone with heart or lung conditions, or previous trouble at altitude, should talk to their doctor before booking.
We leave Kathmandu early and drive north through Trishuli Bazar, then climb to Dhunche, where your guide checks in the national park permits. The road then drops in tight bends to Syabrubesi on the Bhote Koshi. The drive takes seven to eight hours with tea and lunch stops, and the last section is rough and unpaved in places.
We cross the Bhote Koshi and follow the Langtang Khola upstream through Domen and past the hot spring at Pairo to Bamboo, where we usually stop for lunch. The afternoon climbs through oak, rhododendron and bamboo forest to Rimche and Lama Hotel, a small group of lodges in the forest. Look out for langur monkeys and, in spring, flowering rhododendrons.
The trail keeps climbing through forest to Riverside and Ghoda Tabela, where the trees thin out and the first close views of Langtang Lirung appear. Above Thangshyap the valley widens into yak pastures with mani walls and water-driven prayer wheels. We cross the 2015 avalanche debris field, pause at the memorial, and spend the night in the rebuilt village of Langtang.
A short day to help with acclimatisation. We pass the rebuilt lodges of Mundu and Singdum along long mani walls, then climb gently over a moraine to Kyanjin Gompa. Arriving by lunchtime leaves the afternoon free to visit the monastery and the cheese factory and to rest.
We start before dawn and climb steadily south-east of Kyanjin Gompa across yak pastures and then a steep, rocky path to the prayer flags on Tserko Ri at 4,984 m. From the top you look across to Langtang Lirung and up the glaciers towards Langshisa Ri, before descending the same way to Kyanjin Gompa. If you prefer a shorter day, your guide can take you up Kyanjin Ri (4,773 m) behind the village instead.
We retrace our steps down the valley through Mundu, Langtang village and Ghoda Tabela, back into the forest and down to Lama Hotel. It is a long day in distance but mostly downhill, and the views of the valley look quite different walking in this direction.
The final walking day descends through the forest past Bamboo and the river to Syabrubesi. We usually arrive in the early afternoon, with time for a hot shower and a last evening with your guide and porter.
After breakfast we drive back over Dhunche and down through Trishuli to Kathmandu, arriving in the late afternoon. We drop you at your hotel.
Permits we arrange: Langtang National Park, TIMS card
On 26 August 2026 a flood on the Bhote Koshi damaged Syabrubesi and the road into it, including the bridge at Syabrubesi. The Langtang Khola valley itself was not flooded, and the trail from Lama Hotel to Kyanjin Gompa has been reported open. While the road and bridge are repaired, we start the trek from Dhunche or Thulo Syabru and walk to Lama Hotel, which usually adds about a day. We check the latest road and trail conditions before every departure and confirm your exact route when you book.
You sleep at 3,430 m in Langtang and two nights at 3,870 m in Kyanjin Gompa, and reach 4,984 m on Tserko Ri. Mild headaches and poor sleep are common on the first night above 3,500 m. The short walk into Kyanjin Gompa and the second night there are there to help you adjust before going higher. Drink plenty of water, walk slowly, and tell your guide about any symptoms straight away. Persistent headache, vomiting, confusion or breathlessness at rest mean going down, and your guide will make that call.
The trek starts and ends with a seven to eight hour drive on the Pasang Lhamu Highway through Trishuli and Dhunche to Syabrubesi. The road is narrow, partly unpaved and prone to landslides in the monsoon. On 26 August 2026 a flood on the Bhote Koshi damaged sections of this highway, settlements around Syabrubesi and the Timure area further north. The valley trail itself follows the Langtang Khola, not the Bhote Koshi, but access to the trailhead depends on road repairs. We check road and trail conditions before every departure and will contact you if your dates or route need to change.
You need a Langtang National Park entry permit and a TIMS card. Since 1 April 2023 foreign trekkers in Nepal's national parks must walk with a licensed guide, so independent trekking in Langtang is no longer allowed. We arrange both permits in Kathmandu before you leave; bring your passport and two passport photos. Permits are checked at the park entrance near Dhunche and at checkpoints along the trail.
There are no ATMs in the Langtang Valley; the last reliable ones are in Kathmandu. Bring enough Nepali rupees for drinks, snacks, hot showers, charging and tips. Most teahouses charge a small fee to charge phones and batteries, and solar power can be limited on cloudy days, so carry a power bank. Mobile signal and paid wi-fi are available in Syabrubesi, Langtang and Kyanjin Gompa but are patchy between villages.
October and November bring the clearest skies and stable weather, with cold nights at Kyanjin Gompa. March to May is the other main season, with rhododendrons flowering in the lower forest and more haze later in spring. December to February is possible but very cold, and snow can block the Tserko Ri trail. June to September is monsoon: the trail is wet and leech-prone and the road from Kathmandu is often blocked by landslides, so we do not run the trek in those months.
Langtang village was destroyed by the avalanche triggered by the April 2015 earthquake and has since been rebuilt by its surviving families. We stay in locally owned teahouses in Langtang and Kyanjin Gompa, buy lunch along the trail, and encourage you to visit the memorial respectfully. Please walk clockwise around chortens and mani walls, ask before photographing people, and carry out any batteries and plastic you bring in.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Base layers, top and bottom (merino or synthetic)
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacketWe provide
On loan; nights at Kyanjin Gompa are often below freezing in autumn and spring
Waterproof shell jacket and trousers
Trekking trousers (two pairs)
Quick-dry trekking shirts
Warm hat and sun hat
Liner gloves and insulated gloves
Needed for the early start on Tserko Ri
Trekking socks (three to four pairs)
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
Sandals or light shoes for the teahouse
Daypack, 25 to 35 litres, with rain cover
Duffel bag for the porter
Keep it to about 10 kg
Sleeping bag rated to about -10°CWe provide
On loan
Trekking polesRent locally
Useful on the long descent from Tserko Ri
Headtorch with spare batteries
Reusable water bottles (2 litres total) and purification tablets or filter
Power bank
Charging in teahouses is paid and solar-dependent
Sunglasses with UV protection
Sunscreen (SPF 50) and lip balm with SPF
Personal medicines, blister plasters and rehydration salts
Hand sanitiser and quick-dry towel
Passport with Nepal visa and two passport photos
Needed for the park permit and TIMS card
Travel insurance details including evacuation cover to 5,000 m
Nepali rupees in cash
No ATMs on the trek
It is a moderate trek. Walking days are mostly five to seven hours on good stone trails, with steady climbs rather than steep passes. The hardest day is the optional Tserko Ri climb, which gains about 1,100 m and takes six to nine hours there and back. If you are reasonably fit and have done some multi-day walking, you will manage it.
Yes. Since 1 April 2023 foreign trekkers in Nepal's national parks and conservation areas must be accompanied by a licensed guide. Langtang National Park is covered by this rule, and permits are checked on the trail.
A Langtang National Park entry permit and a TIMS card. Both are included in the trek, and we arrange them in Kathmandu before departure using your passport details and photos.
Yes. The old village was buried by an avalanche triggered by the April 2015 earthquake, and the survivors have rebuilt Langtang a short distance from the original site, with new lodges in Langtang and Mundu. The trail crosses the debris field and passes a memorial. Visiting and staying in the rebuilt teahouses directly supports the families who live there.
Tserko Ri (4,984 m) is higher and gives the wider view up the glaciers of the upper valley, but it is a long day of six to nine hours. Kyanjin Ri (4,773 m) rises directly behind Kyanjin Gompa and is a shorter, steep climb of about four to five hours round trip. Your guide will help you choose on the day, based on weather and how you are feeling.
Some mild symptoms such as headache or poor sleep are common above 3,500 m. The itinerary gains height gradually, has a short day into Kyanjin Gompa and two nights there before going higher. Serious altitude sickness is uncommon on this route, but your guide is trained to recognise it and will take you down if needed.
By private vehicle from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, about 120 km on the Pasang Lhamu Highway via Trishuli and Dhunche. The drive takes seven to eight hours on a narrow, partly unpaved mountain road. There are no flights on this trek.
Simple family-run lodges with twin rooms, foam mattresses, blankets and a shared dining room heated by a stove in the evening. Toilets are usually shared, and hot showers are available for a small charge in most villages. Many lodges in Langtang and Kyanjin Gompa were rebuilt after 2015 and are in good condition.
Yes. Common extensions are an extra day at Kyanjin Gompa to walk up the valley towards Langshisa Kharka, or continuing from Syabrubesi over to the Gosaikunda lakes and Helambu instead of driving back to Kathmandu. Tell us when you book and we will adjust the itinerary.
Langtang Valley Trek
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