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Gosaikunda
Langtang Ganja La Pass Helambu
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The Langtang valley is aptly called ‘the valley of glaciers’. Here, mountain rise, soaring towards the sky. The valley offers pine forest, swift mountain streams, rugged rock and snowcapped peaks, grassy downs and meadows strewn with daisies and wild primal. A variety of sights including Buddhist monasteries, a cheese factory, yaks, glaciers and mountain lakes make this trek an exciting one. This trek offers the experience of being in a typical Sherpa village and many ancient monasteries. It is a golden chance to learn about life in our villages.
You follow a rugged trail with dramatic views; to the west Himal chuli (7893m) Manaslu (8156mm) and Ganesh Himal (7406m). On a clear day, even the Annapurna range can be seen rising up behind and to the north across the valley is Langtang Lirung. You pass a few huts in the high picture of Laurebina, cross a small ridge and have our first views of the holy lakes. There are about a dozen lakes in the Gosainkunda Basin, the main three being Saraswatikunda, Bhairabkunda, and Gosainkunda. According to legend, Shiva created Gosainkunda when he pierced a glacier with his trident to obtain water to quench his thirst after having swallowed a poison that threatened to destroy the world. |
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Facts of the Trek
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Duration: 20 Days
Trek type: Tea
House/Camping
Max Altitude: 5106 m.
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Minimum Pax: 1 +
Mode of travel: Land
Grade: Moderate
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Itinerary in Detail
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Day 01 : |
Drive from Kathmandu to Sundarijal (1350m.)
which takes about one hour.
The unpaved road from Kathmandu turns into a
trail near a small hydroelectric plant. The
trail will enter through the Shivpuri Watershed
and Wildlife Reserve. The first settlement we
will come across is Mulkharka with Tamang
habitants. The route heads down the ridge
through a forest of oaks and rhododendron to
Chisopani (2300m.)
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Day 02 : |
Trek from Chisopani to Kutumsang (2446m.) and it
takes about eight hours.
The trail continues to drop from Chisopani on a
good, sometimes level, trail that crosses meadow
and fields. You will then descend through Pathi
Bhanjyang till Gul Bhanjyang. The trail climbs
the ridge from Gul Bhanjyang to another pass at
2620m. The meadow makes a good camping spot, its
downhill to Kutumsang at 2470m, in a saddle atop
the ridge.
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Day 03 : |
Trek from Kutumsang to Magen Goth (3514m.) which
takes about three hours.
The trek continues due north up the Yurin Danda
ridge and affords views of the peaks. The trail
climbs above Kutumsang on a steep, eroded trail
mostly through fir and rhododendron forest where
there are no permanent settlements. The trail
then descends to Magen Goth.
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Day 04 : |
Trek from Magen Goth to Ghopte (3430m.) Via
Tharepati Pass (3650m.) and it
Continuing to climb, steeply at first then more
gradually, the trail makes some ups and downs
passing through the forest, across flower strewn
meadows and crossing streams. You will reach
Tharepati which consists of a few Goths and
lodges. From the top of this famous ridge the
trail ascends through the forest, climbing in
and out of ravines across the head of the
valley, Giant cliff towers far above.
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Day 05 : |
Trek from Ghopte to Gosaikunda (4361m.) which
takes about six hours.
The trail ascends through the meadow of bushes
and some rhododendron trees. The trail gradually
ascends to Phedi (3500m.) The trail ascends
along side a stream through alpine trees. The
trail then is bit rough and crosses moraines but
it is well marked with rock cairns.
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Day 06 : |
Rest at Gosaikunda for Pilgrimage.
The large lake Gosaikunda at an elevation of
4361m. There are several small stone shelters
for pilgrimage on the north-western side of the
lake. Hundreds of people come here to worship
and bath in the lake during the full moon
festival each August. You will witness some
black and white stones in the lake with an
individual story about Lord Shiva and his
creation.
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Day 07 : |
Trek from Gosaikunda to Chandanbari (2350m.) and
it takes about five hours.
The trail gently ascends for a short while
through different chortens and small Shiva
temples. The trail then descends to Laure
Binayak to Singh Gompa. The Gompa, which houses
a statue of the Green Tara. You can witness
small cheese factories of its kind and several
lodges here. The trail now will go through the
forest and reach Chandanbari.
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Day 08 : |
Trek from Chandanbari to Syabru Gaon (2210m.)
and it takes about four hours.
The trail descends through the forest, you will
come across the Chortens on the route specially
built for offering prayers by Buddhist. You will
then reach Syabru Gaon which is densely
populated by Buddhist people.
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Day 09 : |
Trek Syabru Gaon to Lama Hotel (2380m.) and it
takes about five hours.
The trail initially crosses the Bhote Kosi,
flowing down from Tibet, normally a few
kilometers away, and then gradually limbs up
through the sub-tropical forests, teeming with
bird-life, to join the trail from Syabru. You
then follow the river, climbing through
uninhabited forest of oak and rhododendron and
maybe catching a glimpse of langur monkeys
roaming through the trees. You climb along a
steep trail to the forest. There are some basic
lodges for you to stay surrounding the forest.
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Day 10 : |
Trek Lama Hotel to Langtang (3500m.), it takes
about five hours.
As you continue ascending there are occasional
glimpses of Langtang Lirung between the trees.
At Ghora Tabela [3000m], the trail emerges from
the forest. Once there was a Tibetan
resettlement project here, but now it is a
Nepalese army post though it has nonpermanent
inhabitants. The trail continues to climb gently
and the valley widens, passing a few temporary
settlements used by herders who bring their
livestock to graze in the high pastures during
the summer months. There is a monastery which we
can visit shortly before arriving at the village
of Langtang, the headquarters of the Langtang
National Park. The houses of Langtang and its
neighboring villages are of the flat- roofed
Tibetan style, surrounded by stone walls
enclosing fields of buckwheat, potatoes, wheat,
turnips and barley.
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Day 11 : |
Trek Langtang to Kyangjin Gompa (3800m.), it
takes about three and half hours.
The trail ascends gradually through small
villages and yak pastures as the valley opens
out further and the views become more extensive.
After crossing several small streams and
moraines, the trail reaches the settlement at
Kyangjin. Here there is a small monastery and a
government-operated cheese factory. You arrive
at Kyangjin by lunch time allowing time to
acclimatize and explore the area. It is a
dramatic setting, with snow covered peaks
surrounding you in all directions.
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Day 12 : |
Rest at Kyangjin Gompa for excursion, hike upto
Langtang glaciers and back to Kyangjin Gompa A
day to rest and explore the area. You can visit
the monastery and the cheese factory, walk up
the moraine to see the spectacular ice faces and
tumbling glaciers of Langtang Lirung or ascend
Kyangjin Ri [4350m], directly behind the
village, for a breath-taking panorama of the
Langtang peaks.
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Day 13 : |
Trek and climb upto Tserko Ri (5033m.) which
takes about five hours to see the outstanding
views of surrounding peaks and back to Kyangin
Gompa
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Day 14 : |
Trek Kyanjing Gompa to Ngegang(4000m.) which
takes about six hours. There you can not see any
villages. The trail goes on ascending and
area is covered with few natural vegetation.
Since there are not available any lodge, you
need to camp.
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Day15 : |
Trek Ngegang to Keldang (5106m.) via Ganja La
(5100m.) which takes about five hours.
This day is comparatively strenuous as you need
to cross the Ganja la pass. On the Ganja la
pass, you can find it covered with snowy ice
most of the times through out the year. You need
to camp.
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Day 16 : |
Trek Keldang to Dukpu (4080m.) which takes about
five and half hours. Your camping site will be
inside the forest. This day will be long day
walking along ridge, grassland, very silent,
amazing views of Mountains.
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Day 17 : |
Trek Dukpu to Tarkeghyang( 2740m.) which takes
about six and half hours. Trail descends about
200mtrs, climb the 4100m pass. Views from Pass
are spectacular to the Annapurna Region and Mt.
Everest region too. From pass trail descends
through pine forest, rhododendron forest past
tiny herder's settlement to Tarkeghyang. You can
visit one of the oldest Buddhist monastery and
Sherpa villages. These villages are well settled
where friendly and cheerful natured people
inhabit.
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Day 18 : |
Trek Tarkeghyang to Talamarang.(960m.) Which
takes about six hours.
The trail descends through the forest with pine,
Sal and some rhododendron trees. You will come
across Kakani (2070m.) After the trail crosses
Kakani you will come across the paddy fields on
the bank of Melamchi river. You will come across
Sherpa villages as Kiul, Mahankal and then to
Talamarang. You will stay overnight in a camp
here.
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Day 19 : |
Trek from Talamarang to Chisopani (696 m.) which
takes about eight hours.
The trail begins with steep ascend through the
fields and villages with multi ethnic cultures.
You will come across a high land Thankune, a
perfect place for a panoramic view of mountains
like Mt. Rolwaling, Mt. Dochelapcha, Langtang,
Sesapangma, and also many other snow caped
peaks. The trail will now be full of ups and
downs for about 2 and a half hours, but will be
over the hills and make you feel like on top of
the world. The trail of high land ends at Pati
Bhanjyang and then ascents for about half an
hour through a motorable road till Chisopani.
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Day 20 : |
Trek from Chisopani to Sundarijal which takes
about four hours and drive from Sundarijal to
Kathmandu by bus which takes about 1 hour)
Today you will have the final trail, the trail
will be an easy one as it descends through the
settlement Mulkharka with Tamang habitants and
Shivpuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve then
finally reach Sundarijal. The trail ends, you
will be driving from Sundarijal to Kathmandu by
bus. Overnight stay in hotel in Kathmandu
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Services
Included
Services
Excluded
Personal expenses, Insurance, Tips, Emergency
evacuation by Helicopter, Alternative
transportation in case of heavy rain, landslide,
strike, road blockade etc.
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A Guide, A cook, Necessary Porters, Kitchen helper, Sherpa,
All surface transportation to the starting point and from
the ending point of the trek, All meals three times a day
(breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea, coffee etc.), Necessary
Camping equipment such as tents, kitchen tent, dining tent,
toilet tent, mattresses, down sleeping bags, down jackets,
cooking utensils, fuel etc. Camping charges, Necessary
insurance for trekking staff, Rescue help, Insurance and
equipment for guide and porter. |