Hiking
Langtang Valley trek
Contributed by Kristan O’Brien
Nepal
A hike into the Langtang
- Stages
- 5
- Difficulty
- 7
- Fitness
- 6
- Low point
- 1200
- High point
- 5050
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Last year I had decided to take a few months off to solo travel Around Asia and Europe with it being a dream of mine to do so for many years. While it was difficult choosing which countries to travel to with a limited time frame and even more limited budget, travelling to Nepal was a definite. However, there was a lot more indecisiveness picking which hike to do while in Nepal as there were so many amazing options at hand. Eventually the approaching monsoon season and a visa that was short on days made me choose the langtang valley hike which was a bit shorter that I would’ve preferred but it was closer to Kathmandu that the other options.
Stage 1:
Day 1: Arrived the night before in the town of Bagmati after a 9 hour drive through some of the scariest roads I’d ever been on. Began the hike at around 8am as we knew we had a big day of walking ahead of us. There were also murmurings that there could be a big storm in the afternoon so we legged it and were met with some very steep hiking but luckily we were still at a low altitude so the going was relatively easy and we were treated to beautiful views of the valley forest and a plethora of bird and animal life. After almost 10 hours of hiking we made it to our fist tea house and not a drop of rain throughout the day
Stage 2:
After having a delicious breakfast of oats and Tibetan bread, we set off on day 2 of our hike and while we had to cover less distance to get to the next tea house the hiking became a bit more technical with some parts of the trail getting quite steep and slippery, especially on the downhills. The density of the forest started becoming a bit more sparse as we went up in altitude and this gave us a much better view of the river below us which was flowing at full tilt and was a lovely soundtrack to hike along to. After enjoying a lot of snack breaks and pauses to soak in the view, we made it to the second tea house which had a lovely fireplace in the main dining hall which everyone huddled around as it was starting to get chilly once the sun had set.
Stage 3:
Day 3 was going to be one of the toughest days as we would ascend just over a 1000m in just a few hours and would start feeling the effects of the altitude. So we decided to start walking at the crack of dawn and take it easy to acclimatise to the thinner air. Day 3 was the first day when we got to get a look at the beautiful Snow capped mountains that crowned the upper part of the valley and it was truly a sight to behold. As we ascended, we were also getting closer to the Tibetan border and this was reflected through much more locals wearing traditional Tibetan clothing and a lot more Buddhist iconography being dotted along the hiking trail. We took the walking at a slow and steady pace and would highly recommend doing this too as you will want to soak in the scenery around you as much as possible, truly some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. We eventually made it to our teahouse which was nestled up at 3600m above and had a hearty meal before collapsing into a deep sleep.
Stage 4:
Day 4 was the day we had all been looking forward to. We would start walking at 4am to get to the top of the “hill” Kyangjin which was infront of the village, with the top of the hill sitting just above 5000m. It would be a tough hike with us ascending over a 1000m in a very short span of time and we were all quite aware of possibly getting altitude sickness but because we were hiking in a group knew we would be safe. So we set off and after a lot of stops and starts, plenty of wheezing and drinking a lions share of rehydrate (best way to stave off altitude sickness) we made it to the top of the hill below Kyangjin upper to view the sunrise. We were als very lucky to have clear skies and it was a once in a lifetime experience watching the valley start to be bathed in light as the sun rose above the mountains. We also had the langtang mountain right in front of us which rises to over 7000m and it was very humbling being able to view all of this. We ended up spending a couple hours on this hilltop as we couldn’t peel ourselves away from the view and unfortunately clouds had rolled in during this time and it had begun to rain and we made a decision to skip out on hiking to the top of Kyangjin as the path was already getting quite slippery so we hiked quickly back down to the village, relishing the thicker air and relaxed and meandered around the village for the rest of the day.
Stage 5:
Day 5-8: We had spent the previous night in the same tea house as we were all quite tired from the mornings hike up the hill and wanted to experiment more of the beautiful views. So on day 5 we prepared to head down the valley and eventually back to Bagmati, where we began the hike. This aspect of the hike also makes it very appealing as it is quite a simple route up and down and as long as you follow the river, it is quite difficult to get lost and walking with a guide is not essential (we did not) but it can definitely elevate the experience. You can also choose how many days you would to take to walk back down the valley and we decided to take 3 days to get back down but you could easily do it in 2 and if you really push, in 1. We stayed at the same tea houses that we were in on the way up and off times if you return to the same tea house you will get discounts on the price you pay to stay. In general the tea houses are very affordable and although understandably the food gets more expensive the higher you get, it never feels like you are being ripped off and we were happy to even pay a bit extra at times as the hospitality was so amazing and the businesses were truly local. Most of the hiking back down was easy going but especially on the last day the hills get very steep and I would recommend taking hiking poles with. Even if you just use them on the last day as it will save your knees from a lot of extra strain. Once we arrived back in Bagmati, we organised jeeps to take us back to Kathmandu the next day and I would recommend taking jeeps if you can as they are slightly safer than taking a bus and a lot more comfortable.
Closing thoughts
Overall I could not recommend the langtang hike more if you have a limited amount of time in Nepal and are not able to do some of the bigger hikes like Annapurna or Manuslu. Due to the steep ascent, you see many different biomes in a short span of time and can also squeeze in a 5000m ascent if that is wha you’re looking for. It’s also a cheaper option than the higher hikes due to the pass for the park and transport being cheaper. I ended the hike with an even deeper appreciation for the mountains and also the knowledge that I Willis definitely be returning to Nepal for more treks as there is nothing that has been as beautiful as the views, peace and openness of the Himalayas. On top of that, a lot of Nepalese, many our age, were also doing the hike and it was amazing to hike, eat, chat (and have a few beers) with them which just added to the immersion and awe of the hike.
Camping
- Camping is strictly forbidden in the langtang park. Have to stay at tea houses
Food
- Would recommend packing only lunch/snacks in your bag as tea houses provide hearty breakfast and dinners
H2O
- Bring water tablets or filter with. Can refill in the river and at tea houses but water is hot always clean
Gear
- A relatively small hiking bag is all you’ll need as you don’t need to pack food or a tent. Decent hiking boots that are worn in and hiking poles
Permits
- Have to get permits from the national parks office in Kathmandu and there are a couple of checkpoints before the hike begins were your permits will be checked
Hazards
- Some parts of the trail can be quite steep and technical so watch your step. Altitude sickness is also a danger on stage 4 of the hike and if you feel yourself becoming dizzy and nauseous, descend immediately.
Weather Window
- October to November or March to May so you can avoid monsoon season