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I did the Langtang trek in late November 2023 and my blog provides information that will assist you in planning your trek. My blogs Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek and Langtang Trek - Trip Report will also help with the planning.
Contents
1. When to do the LangtangTrek
The main 2 considerations for when to do the Langtang trek are the weather and the number of trekkers:
1.1 Weather
The best months to do the Langtang trek are:
March to early June
Early October to mid December
The monsoon season is from around 10 June to early October. The views would be restricted and there would be leeches during the monsoon. Click here to see the historic data for the start and finish dates for the monsoon (section 6 of the blog).
The winter period from mid December to early March would be cold and there is a greater risk of snow.
1.2 Number of Trekkers on the Langtang Trek
The Langtang trek is not a circuit, differing from many of the other Nepali treks which are circular. The same trail is used for ascent and descent so you pass trekkers coming from the other direction. Each person trekking on the Langtang trek has double the impact compared to treks like the Annapurna circuit.
Nepal Tourism publishes annual statistics of the number of foreign trekkers on the main treks. These statistics show that October and early November is the busiest period and April is the second busiest period.
These statistics only provide a partial picture as they exclude Nepali trekkers. The Langtang trek is very popular with Nepali trekkers so they have a major impact on how busy the trail can get.
I believe that the holiday period during the festivals of Dashain and Diwali (Tihar) would be the busiest period for Nepalese trekkers. The dates of these festivals are based on the lunar calendar and take place in October and November.
In 2024 Dashain is from October 3rd to 16th and Diwali (Tihar) is from October 21st to November 2nd. The Nepalese often seem to take a holiday after Tihar and there will still be many Nepali trekkers on the trail 7 to 10 days after the end of Tihar.
1.3 Conclusion
The trail for the Langtang trek would be very busy in April. March would be much quieter, but colder, and there is more risk of snow on the ground. May and early June would be quieter and it would be warmer. However, there is a risk of some pre-monsoon rain.
In autumn the best weather is from late October to mid December. However, the trail is very busy from early October to mid November. The best time to do the Langtang trek in the autumn is probably from about 10 days after the end of Diwali (Tihar) to mid December.
2. Getting to Syabrubesi
The Langtang trek starts in Syabrubesi and you can get there by bus, shared jeep or private jeep. It would probably take 8 to 9 hours by bus or shared jeep.
Enjoy Nepal Treks arranged a private jeep for me and it cost $180. I left Kathmandu at 05.00 and the early start meant that I avoided the awful traffic congestion in the Kathmandu valley. The journey took 5.5 hours and I had enough time to hike onto Sherpagaon in daylight.
I had read blogs stating the road to Syabrubesi was scary but it didn't seem bad to me.
3. Itinerary for the Langtang Trek
3.1 The Ascent for Acclimatised Trekkers
If you are already acclimatised you can easily hike from Syabrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa in 3 days. If you are in a rush, and are fit, you could even do it in 2 days.
Day 1 - Travel from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi (5.5 hours to 9 hours depending on the means of transport). Then either hike 5.5 hours along the upper trail to Sherpagaon (2,563 metres) or take the lower trail to Lama Hotel (2,480 metres).
Day 2 - Hike 5.5 hours to the village of Mundu (3,543 metres) which has 2 good guest houses.
Day 3 - Hike 1.5 hours from Mundu to Kyanjin Gompa (3,830 metres). Do a day hike after finding a hotel. See my blog on Day Hikes on the Langtang Trek.
3.2 The Ascent for Unacclimatised Trekkers
If you aren't acclimatised you should take an extra day to trek to Kyanjin Gompa. Ideally your extra night should be at Ghoratabela (3,030 metres) or Thangsyap (3,140 metres). They are at a good altitude for acclimatisation and the tea houses are of a reasonable standard.
3.3 The Descent
Trekkers continuing to Gosainkunda - It is about an 8 hour hike from Kyanjin Gompa to Pairo. Pairo is the last settlement on the Langtang trek before the turn off to the southerly trail to Gosainkunda is reached. Most trekkers stop earlier at Lama Hotel or Bamboo. See my blogs on the Gosainkunda and Helambu trek.
Hiking back to Syabrubesi on the Lower Trail - It would be possible to hike back in one long and tiring day. It would have taken me about 10 hours but someone younger and fitter could do it faster. Most trekkers don't do it in 1 day and spend 1 night somewhere along the trail for the Langtang trek.
Hiking back to Syabrubesi on the Upper Trail - If you didn't hike the upper trail on the way up it is worth doing so on the way down. The trail is more scenic and you can spend the night in good accommodation in the pleasant village of Sherpagaon. The hike from Kyanjin Gompa to Sherpagaon would take about 7.5 hours.
4. Costs, Permits & Guides
4.1 Guides
In April 2023 the Nepal Tourism Office tried to make it mandatory for all trekkers to have a guide for the Langtang trek and most other trekking areas. They didn't succeed and when I trekked in November 2023 the majority of foreigners were trekking without guides.
I had done the Kanchenjunga trek just before starting the Langtang trek and had used Enjoy Nepal Treks to organise the trek. I retained the same porter/guide for the Langtang trek and the cost was $25 a day.
I could have done the trek by myself but some of the day hikes were safer done with a guide. Also I continued on to Gosainkunda and wouldn't have wanted to go up Surya Peak (5,150 metres) by myself. The terrain was very rough and there were no other people there.
4.2 Permits for the Langtang Trek
A permit has to be purchased for entering the Langtang National Park. It costs R3,000 ($23) and is normally payable at Dhunche which is on the way to Syabrubesi. The office was closed when I got there and I continued on to Syabrubesi. I bought the permit the next day at the Langtang Park office in Ghoratabela.
4.3 Cost of the Langtang Trek
I was on the Langtang trek for 7 nights and spent on average R600 ($4.60) per day on rooms and R1,800 ($14) per day on food. I spent a total of R1,800 ($14) on wifi and quite a bit more on hot drinks. I also treated myself to cake in Kyanjin Gompa.
The cost of rooms on the Langtang trek would probably be higher in peak season. I used a Steripen to sterilise water so I didn't incur any expense for drinking water.
5. Hiking Times for the Langtang Trek
The purpose of these times is to give an idea, when planning your Langtang trek, of how long the sections are. I was acclimatised and wasn't carrying my own pack, but I wasn't walking particularly fast. These times exclude stops for meals and hot drinks.
Day | TO | FROM | TIME |
1 | Syabrubesi | Sherpagaon | 5 hrs 30 mins |
2 | Sherpagaon | Rimche | 1 hr 30 mins |
2 | Rimche | Lama Hotel | 20 mins |
2 | Lama Hotel | River Side | 1 hr 25 mins |
2 | River Side | Ghoratabela | 1 hr 10 mins |
2 | Ghoratabela | Thyangsyap | 40 mins |
2 | Thyangsyap | Gumba Danda | 45 mins |
3 | Gumba Danda | Langtang Village | 30 mins |
3 | Langtang Village | Mundu | 30 mins |
3 | Mundu | Kyanjin Gompa | 1 hr 30 mins |
6 | Kyanjin Gompa | Mundu | 1 hr 10 mins |
6 | Mundu | Langtang Village | 22 mins |
6 | Langtang Village | Thyangsyap | 1 hr 18 mins |
6 | Thyangsyap | Ghoratabela | 33 mins |
6 | Ghoratabela | Chhunama | 1 hr 12 mins |
6 | Chhunama | River Side | 10 mins |
6 | River Side | Lama Hotel | 1 hr 10 mins |
6 | Lama Hotel | Rimche | 15 mins |
6 | Rimche | Bamboo | 1 hr 10 mins |
6 | Bamboo | Pairo | 56 mins |
6. Information on the Tea Houses for the Langtang Trek
6.1 Quality of Tea Houses on the Langtang Trek
The tea houses on the first section of the lower route between Syabrubesi and Ghoratabela are old, basic and uncomfortable! The tea houses from Ghoratabela improve and from Langtang to Kyanjin Gompa the accommodation is good. Many rooms have attached bathrooms.
The upper route for the first section of the Langtang trek has some excellent accommodation at Sherpagaon. Most trekkers don't use this route on the way up as there is a 1,050 metre ascent. I did go up this route and it was tiring! Some trekkers descend on this upper route but you can't do so if you are continuing onto Gosainkunda.
6.2 Other Guests at the Tea Houses
When trekking I try to stay at tea houses that have few other guests and certainly no groups. On most treks you know that no other trekkers will arrive after dusk. Unfortunately this isn't the case with the Langtang trek.
A lot of Nepalese do the Langtang trek and they usually do it very quickly. That often entails hiking in the dark with head torches. It isn't at all unusual to have a nice quiet tea house at dusk only to have a group of trekkers arrive as late as 21.00.
6.3 Cost of Tea House Accommodation on the Langtang Trek
In the off season I had good rooms with attached bathrooms for R500 ($4) a night at Sherpagaon and Kyanjin Gompa. I was charged R1,000 $7.70) for a room with an attached toilet at Gumba Danda and that was too much. A very basic room at Pairo cost R700 ($5.40).
I always determined the price beforehand as the list prices were higher. I never bargained and later met a trekker who had negotiated free rooms at all but 1 place on the Langtang and Gosainkunda trek. He wasn't Israeli!
6.4 Food at the Tea Houses
I always ate the local rice and noodle dishes so I can't comment on the western food served at the tea houses. Western food is available along the entire Langtang trek, even at the basic tea houses on the first section of the trek.
Dal bhat cost between R650 ($5) and R900 ($7). Black tea cost between R80 ($0.6) and R150 ($1.2). The cost of food increased with the altitude.
6.5 Internet, Electricity and Showers at the Tea Houses
I couldn't obtain internet through Nepal Telecoms. I paid for internet at Sherpagaon, Gumba, Mundu and Kyanjin Gompa. The cost was between R300 ($2.30) and R500 ($3). At Kyanjin Gompa the R500 fee covered the 3 nights I stayed there. There wasn't any internet at Pairo.
There was solar power at all the tea houses. The tea houses on the first section of the Langtang trek are in a wooded valley and don't receive much sun. I therefore couldn't charge my phone at Pairo. There was free charging at Sherpagaon, Gumba Danda, Mundu and Kyanjin Gompa.
I had free hot showers at Kyanjin Gompa and it is likely that there would be hot showers at Sherpagaon, Langtang Village and Mundu.
7. Pairo's Tea Houses
There are 2 basic tea houses in Pairo and I stayed at the Namaste Guest House. I had the tea house to myself until 5 Nepali trekkers arrived in the dark. Luckily they were very quiet and I had a good night's sleep. The lady running the tea house was a bit strange.
The quality of the tea houses in Pairo is poor, like all the tea houses between Syabrubesi and Ghoratabela. There was no internet or charging of electrical devices.
8. Bamboo's Tea Houses
There is at least one basic tea house in Bamboo.
9. Rimche's Tea Houses
There is one basic and not very nice tea house in Rimche.
10. Lama Hotel's Tea Houses
Lama Hotel is the name of the village and it has more accommodation than any other village on the first section of the Langtang trek. There are several basic tea houses.
11. River Side's Tea House
The River Side Hotel is the only tea house at River Side. I had lunch there and the food was good. The tea house is basic and run down like the other tea houses on the first section of the Langtang trek.
12. Chhunama's Tea Houses
Chhunama is only 10 minutes from River Side. The tea house here is a bit better than the one at Riverside but still basic!
13. Ghoratabela's Tea Houses
There are 2 reasonable tea houses at Ghoratabela, the best so far when walking up on the main trail of the Langtang trek.
14. Thyangsyap's Tea Houses
There are about 4 reasonable tea houses at Thyangsyap.
15. Gumba Danda's Tea Houses
There are several tea houses at Gumba Danda which is at an altitude of 3,400 metres.
I stayed at the Langtang View Guest House as it had been recommended by other trekkers. It is the last tea house in the village when ascending.
They have rooms in the main building and also 3 rooms in an annex which have attached toilets. I paid R1,000 ($8) for a room with an attached toilet. It seemed a reasonable price at the time but it turned out to be the most expensive room of the trek.
They have 2 good dining rooms. The one in the photo below isn't heated but it is nice during the day as it is spacious and bright. The other dining room is in the main building and it was very warm in the evening.
When I stayed everything was great until dark. Four Nepali trekkers arrived and were very noisy. My guide said they had been drinking. I decided to move into the unheated dining room but found that it was occupied by a large group of trekkers. They were having dinner before continuing on to Langtang Village. I therefore sat in the kitchen instead.
I was going to stay here on the way back from Kyanjin Gompa thinking I couldn't be so unlucky twice. However, the owner of the hotel at Kyanjin Gompa warned me that many Nepali trekkers stay at Gumba Danda and they were often noisy.
16. Langtang Village's Tea Houses
Langtang Village was destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the 2015 earthquake. A new village has been built on a nearby site that should be out of the path of future landslides.
There is a lot of accommodation at Langtang Village and many of the buildings are hotels rather than tea houses. It is likely to be a busy place and popular with groups.
17. Mundu's Guest Houses
There are 2 good guest houses at Mundu. I stayed at the Golden Holiday's Guest House and paid R500 ($4) for a really good corner room with an attached bathroom. As is often the case in Nepal the bathroom didn't have a sink.
The guest house was very clean and quiet. There was a comfortable dining room and I paid R500 ($4) to use the internet.
The other guest house in Mundu is called the Tip Top. It also looked good.
My feeling is that Mundu is a nicer and quieter place to stay than either Langtang Village or Gumba Danda.
18. Sindum's Tea House
My guide said that the Me Very Happy Guest House in Sindum was very good when he last stayed there. Unfortunately it was closed in late November when I was trekking. It did look nice and as it is a single storey building you wouldn't have people stomping above your room.
19. Kyanjin Gompa's Hotels & Tea Houses
I haven't seen a village like Kyanjin Gompa on any other trek in Nepal. It mainly consists of 4 to 5 storey hotels that look incongruous in the mountain setting. It isn't picturesque but there is plenty of good accommodation at very reasonable prices.
I stayed at the Buddha Inn and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the nicest hotel in Kyanjin Gompa. I had a room with an attached bathroom for R500 ($4). The bathroom was clean and had a hot solar shower and a hand basin.
The disadvantage of the hotel is that it is popular with groups. I wouldn't want to stay there in peak season.
Some of the other hotels worth considering are:
Hotel Super View
Hotel View Point
Mountain View Guest House & Lodge
There is a popular cheesery in Kyanjin Gompa but it didn't look very hygenic. There are also several bakeries. The most well known one is Dorje Bakery but I was disappointed by the quality of the cakes.
20. Sherpagaon's Tea Houses
Sherpagaon is on the upper trail and is a very pleasant village with good views. It is worth taking the upper trail just to stay in good accommodation there rather than the poor quality tea houses on the first section of the lower main trail.
There are several tea houses in Sherpagaon and the best one seemed to be the Namaste Guest House. It is at the end of the village when trekking to Kyanjin Gompa.
I had a large room with a large attached bathroom. The bathroom wasn't particularly clean but this is probably typical for this type of hotel. I paid R500 ($4) although the list price was R1,500 ($12).
The food was good, the owners were friendly and there was wifi for a cost of R300 ($2.20).
21. Bhanjyang's Tea House
Bhanjyang is the first village on the upper trail of the Langtang trek from Syrabrubesi to Sherpagaon. It is a steep 2.5 hour walk from Syrabrubesi.
The Hotel Mountain View would be a good option if you don't have the time to hike to Sherpagaon on the day you travel from Kathmandu. It looks better than the tea houses on the first section of the lower trail but not as good as the accommodation in Sherpagaon.
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