Langtang name derived from, Lang – Tibetan name of Yak and
Tang which means to follow, when the Lamas of the region discovered the valley
by following the runways of the Yaks. The region lies in the northern border
and was once used as Trans-Himalayan trade route during ancient and medieval
period. It was a safe haven for Buddhist and Tibetans during the crisis and
invasion of Tibet and therefore still exhibits the fusion of Tamangs and
Tibetan Buddhist Sherpa culture. This trek is situated in the Langtang National
Park and hosts a variety of natural splendors, from lush valleys alive with
languor monkeys to the towering fir, rhododendron, pine and orchids forests,
shy red Pandas, Himalayan black bear and wild boar. The whole isolated valley
is surrounded by the Langtang Lirung with an options to climb Yala peak and
Naya Kang Peak. The stopover in Kyanjin Gompa with Buddhist monastery
surrounded by the mountains is another attraction which leads to the day hike
trip to Kyanjin Ri, Menchhyamasa Ri and Tserko Ri for the sunrise and majestic
360 degree views of Dorje Lakpa, Shisha Pangma (the tallest in Tibet), Pari
Himal, Langtang Yubra, Yubra, Dshabu Ri, Naya Kanga and even Annapurna range. Furthermore,
this trek takes us to alpine lake named Gosaikunda which is considering as the
purest scared lake of Langtang region and according to its myth, the large rock
in the center of the lake is believed to be the head of Lord Shiva (God of
power and destruction) who created the lake by striking a glacier with his
trident to obtain water to quench his thirst after swallowing a poison that
threatened to destroy the universe. This lake stays frozen for six months in a
year. Shamans, known as Bon-Po in Tamang community who are pre Buddhist sect,
from all over Nepal visit this lake on the full moon night of August. The day
is considering as holly where apprentices Shamans obtain graduation from their
masters and celebrates with spiritual dancing and singing. Most of the Hindus
visit this lake to take bath with the belief to wash off their sins, pain and
sorrows, where as some believe that this pristine lake is assumed to have
magical healing power. We will have enough time to explore the valley, glaciers
and climbing a nearby peak and pass of Laurebina Pass (4610m) for stupendous
mountain views of Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Surya Peak, Chhyakkung Chuli, Naya Khang, Langtang range and even as
far as the Annapurna range on a clear day. This trek further continues
with the Helambu trek which is famous with the inhabitant of an indigenous high
mountain people called Yolmo who refers themselves as the “Yolmopa”, are the
native residents of the region and practice similarities to both the Tibetan
and Nepali Culture and yet is unique in its own way. They are often referred to
as “Sherpas” but does not resemble to the Sherpas from Everest regions either
in their languages and customs or to their clan structure. Others are the Tamang
peoples who maintain a rich cultural heritage, celebrations, lively dances and
hospitality with own tradition. DA would like to take you to an amazing
spiritual place with cultural exchange experience in this trek.
Arrive at Kathmandu Airport with the
beautiful views of the valley, Himalaya and the terraced fields below. Meet
& be greeted by Donkeys Adventures’ (DA) airport
representative in the arrival section who will be holding the name card of the
group leader. He / She will guide you through the initial cultural shock of
Kathmandu narrow streets, cultures, people around and transfer to hotel. Then
DA will organize to meet in a
traditional Nepalese restaurant for a welcome dinner where we will have introduction
to DA staffs who will be directly involve during your stay in Nepal. For the
late night arrivals, we will either meet in the hotel lobby or during lunch the
next day. Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: D
After breakfast, drive to the golden spire of
the 5th-century Swayambhunath Stupa which is adorned
with a colorful fluttering of prayer flags; it crowns a hill overlooking the
Kathmandu Valley and offers fantastic views over the city of Kathmandu. The
stupa consists of a dome at the base which represent the entire world, above
which is a cubical structure painted with eyes of Buddha looking in all four
directions and between them, the number one in Nepali is painted in the fashion
of a nose which meant to be unity. Swayambhunath is also known commonly as the Monkey
Temple as there are holy monkeys living in the north-west parts of the
temple. The
Swayambhunath Stupa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of
the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal.
Then, drive to Patan Durbar Square one of the three royal cities in the
Kathmandu Valley which has a rich cultural heritage known for its fine crafts,
evident in the elaborate architecture, stone carvings, and metal statues found
all over the city. A center of both Buddhist and Hindu culture, Patan is home
to more than 1,200 monuments. One of the most stunning is the Krishna Mandir, a
stone temple with magnificent friezes built in the 16th century. Patan Durbar
Square is also a good place to see beautiful examples of palaces, temples and
shrines, and the stunning stone carvings in the Sundari Courtyards. Nearby is the Patan
Museum which displays the traditional sacred arts of Nepal in an
illustrious architectural setting. Its home is an old residential court of
Patan Durbar, one of the royal palaces of former Malla Kings of the Kathmandu
Valley. Its gilded door and window face one of the most beautiful squares in
the world. The Museum’s exhibits cover
along span of Nepal’s cultural history and some rare objects are among its
treasures. Their meaning and context within the living traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism are explained. The entire city of Patan was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1979.
After lunch, drive to Pashupatinath which is one of
the most significant Hindu Temple of Lord Shiva in the world, located on the
banks of the Bagmati River in the eastern part of Kathmandu. Pashupatinath
Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu its existence dates back to 400
B.C. One of the major Festivals of the
temple is Maha Shivaratri on which day over 800,000 devotees
visit here. Open air cremation is
done in the holy Bagmati River at Pashupatinath area. The temple is
listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Drive back to hotel.
Overnight in the hotel.
Meals: B
Drive from Kathmandu for almost 7- 8 hours’
hours through scenic Himalayan ranges, lush green forests on the hills,
traditional rural settlements, the Trishuli river and the famous historic site
of Nuwakot Durbar (palace) and we will reach Dhunche (1960). Our drive
up to Trishuli Bazaar is quite
smooth than we will drive through uneven road which often depends upon the
monsoon season. Dhunche is the
headquarters of Rasuwa district hence can be seen bustling with government
officials. Soon we will reach Shyaphrubesi (1460m), the starting
point of our trek, it is a beautiful rustic village with terraced farm fields
landscape and stretched out along the ridgeline just above the Bhote
Koshi River. We can start to
feel the gradual change of weather as well as culture and people. On the way
there will be plenty of time to stop in local villages and to take a look
around. It is always possible to request a stop as a sight which may seem
interesting to you. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast we will begin our trek after crossing Bhote
Koshi River on a suspension bridge and take a level trail along the Langtang
Khola through the Tibetan Camp site until we cross another suspension bridge
over Langtang khola. We will continue our trek upstream Langtang Khola in a
stone paved trail or sometime muddy sub-tropical forest of rhododendron, maple,
massive spruce, fir, blue pine and oak trees. We will take a gentle elevation
to cross Pahare (1800m) and after crossing the landslide area we will
reach Bamboo (1970m). We will take a break for our lunch and then
continue uphill after crossing another suspension bridge over Langtang Khola to
reach Rimche Village (2456m) junction. After crossing series of
waterfall we will come to the end of our trail which is level trail to reach
Changtang on the bank of river, which is famous by the name Lama
Hotel (2470m). Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
We will continue our trek today after breakfast, following the Langtang
river with the gentle climb, but soon it becomes steeper passing through the
forest path and landslide area crossing small streams to reach isolated lodges
at Gumnachowk
(2769m) popularly known as River side. From there we will take a gentle
ascend through the forest and cross Thomna (2790m) and no sooner we will
reach green meadow of Ghodatabela (2972m) for our lunch after
a short climb. We will have occasional glimpse of snowcapped peaks along with
the magnificent view of Langtang Lirung. We will pass through numerous abundant
waterfalls, yak grazing in the high pastures and temporary settlements use by
herders. We will cross numerous streams as the trail ascend uphill more
gradually through U – shaped glacier valley and scattered Tamang villages like Thyangsyapu
(3140m) and further climb to nearby Chyamki (3230m) through
several water driven mills and prayer wheels to the large settlement of Langtang
village (3430m), headquarter of Langtang National Park. It is a
reminder of the 2015 earthquake where numerous lodges and settlement of
Langtang village has turn into only large rock field. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After a late breakfast today, we will continue to climb gradually
to the ridge topped by a large chorten with flapping prayer flags and then pass
by impressive longest mani wall which is sacred mounds of rocks with
inscription carved on them and reach the small village of Mundu (3550m). we will
than pass through the alpine shrubs, water mills prayer wheels, Yak pasture and
then between the stoned wall trail to reach another village of Singdum
(3410m) where we can have a Yak milk. From here we will further ascend crossing
several small streams with wooden cantilever bridges and moraines while passing
through some brightly painted Chorten and the views become more wide range when
we reach the last village of Yamphu (3640m). We will continue the
easy phase and cross Laja Khola over suspension bridge and arrive at a view
point for magnificent views of Kyanjin Gumba (3870m) and icefall
from Langtang Lirung and Kinshung. We will reach Kyanjin by lunch time so that
we will have some time to acclimatize by visiting a small monastery and a government
operated cheese factory. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
Early in the morning we will begin our hike to Kyanjin
Ri (4773m), the highest point of the trek, for the magnificent
sunrise view and more extensive views of panoramic Dorje Lakpa, Langtang Ri,
Langtang Lirung, Genjempol, Kyangjin Ri, Tsergo Ri, Ganja La, Langshisa Ri,
Naya Kang and Yala Peak. We will spend some time there in the peak and then
hike back to lodge for our breakfast. After breakfast we will hike gradually
uphill towards Langshisa Kharka (4080m) passing through small villages of Chayadang
(3900m) and Numthang (3940m) again along the Langtang Khola over the old
moraines. We can have a wonderful experience to be in the spectacular ice faces
and junction of amazing glaciers, Shalbachum glacier and Langtang glacier on
our north and Langshisa glacier on our South. Here, a large festival is held every August
that attracts visitors from all around the Langtang region to celebrate how the
valley was found. We will retrace the same trail with yaks on their pastureland
to reach Kyanjin Gumba. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast with amazing breathtaking views of the
surrounding snowy capped mountains, we will retrace our steps downhill passing
through the forest path along the Langtang Khola and beautiful Tamang villages
of Langtang
(3430m), Chyamki (3230m), Thyangsyapu (3140m) and all the way
down to Ghodatabela (2972m) where we will have our lunch. We will also enjoy
and capture the final stunning views of the Himalayas and mountains that we
might had missed climbing up but from different prospective. From Ghodatabela
we will further continue steep downhill passing through the same villages of Thomna
(2790m), Gumnachowk (2769m) along the forest tail to reach Lama
hotel (2470m). We can catch a glimpse of white monkeys and different spices
of birds. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast we will
retrace our trail on a beautiful forested downhill trail with a magnificent
Langtang Lirung views in the background. The trail today might encounter with
monkeys and other wild animals, red panda to be the special one. We will cross Langtang
River and pass by the same Bamboo lodge (1970m) and after
crossing the land slide area and Hot spring hotel we will reach Pahare Hotel from
where we will leave the Langtang trail and proceed towards Thulo Shyaphru (2250m). We
will have our lunch there and begin to climb on the forested trail passing by
some lonely tea shop and lodges all the way to Laurebina (3910m). We
will have plenty of snowcapped mountain views on this trail. Overnight in the
lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast we will begin ascending steep uphill on the
ridge of Chyolang Pati Danda and cross the Pass of 4165m and another hour of
ups and sown will ultimately take us to the first view of Saraswati Kunda. We will
forward little further to see another excellent view of Bhairav Kunda and from
there climbing gently we will reach to the most waited holy lake of Gosaikunda
(4380m) which has religious and cultural significance for all the
Nepalese and so is declared as one of the pilgrimage holy sites. Many other
lakes are harmonized around which are enclosed by the snowcapped mountains from
almost all side. We will spend our night at the peaceful and serene environment
of the enchanting lakes around. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast in the holy place, we will further continue
our trek leaving the Gasaikunda lake behind through banks of the lake and then steep
ascend uphill. We will pass through other small lakes like Dudh Kunda, Ganesh Kunda
and Surya Kunda and no sooner cross Surya Kunda Pass (4610m) the highest
point of our trek. We will be rewarded with the magnificent view of Langtang
Himal range along with the panoramic snow caped peaks of Naya Kanga, Surya
Peak, Chhyarkung Chuli and Dorje Lakpa. From there the trail steep descends
through the Juniper and Rhododendron forest on the ridge of Tinchuli Danda and
no sooner reach the beautiful village on Phedi (3730m) on the bed of Tendi
Khola. We will have our lunch there and further descend downhill trail until we
climb through scrub bamboo to reach Dupi Chaur (3630m) and final descend
along the rocky ridge to reach the Ghopte (3430m) with prayer flags
waiting to welcome us. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
After breakfast we will continue our journey on the trail
which makes several downs and ups across moraines. We will cross few streams
and after crossing Kharka village we will make a final ascent to reach the
village of Thadepati Bhanjyang (3690m). From there we will take the
Helambu Trail which will drop you rapidly down to the ridge. The trail passes
through pine and rhododendron forest rich with bird life with an excellent view
of Helambu valley downwards to reach Bolgaon. After further descend we
will cross the suspension bridge and make a short climb to reach the Hyolmo
village of Melamchi Gaon (2530m). This village is surrounded by forests
and is mostly inhabited by Sherpa people with their unique culture and Tibetan
Buddhist monastery brightly painted walls statues of Guru Rimpoche. Overnight
in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
Today will be slow day and after breakfast we will stroll
around Melamchi Gaon (2530m) and soon continue our trail which drops down into
the forest to reach a clear stream called Melamchi Khola. En route, we will
pass through many Sherpa settlements scattered on the hillside. After crossing
the bridge of Melamchi Khola we will climb steeply up to the valley of Nakote
Gaon, and then to Tochham village and reach beautiful
village with narrow cobbled lanes and tightly packed houses of Tarkeghyang
(2600m) also known as Helambu, since most of the inhabitants belong to
the Hyolmo community. We can visit one of the biggest and oldest monasteries
of the region, Gekye Gompa, with the backdrop of Dorje Lakpa (6966m) and Naya
Kanga (5844m). Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
Today we will start our trek
after breakfast in a flat land and comparatively easy walk through the
beautiful lush forests and streams. We will pass by Dhupatong and Setighyang
villages with charming views of rest of Helambu region villages along with many
chortens, old monasteries and mani wall and finally Ghangyul village for our
lunch. From there we will further continue the easy trail to another beautiful
Sherpa village called Sermathang (2590m). Sermathang is famous for its ancient
monasteries and magnificent views of Jugal Himal rang, Ganesh Himal range,
Langtang, Gosainkunda, Rolwaling and even Everest in the clear day. The locals
are mostly farmers in this area and is renowned as an apple growing area in the
Helambu region. Overnight in the lodge.
Meals: B / L / D
Today will be our last day of
this trek, after breakfast we will gradually descend towards Nigale
Bhanjyang (2460m) and then descend more to reach the last Hyolmo
village at the foot of the mountain called Kakani (1996m) after passing through
several old villages and chair pine forest. We will also pass through several
monasteries and interact with local and friendly people along with the
spectacular mountain views on this trail. We will further take a steeply down
passing through Pokhari Bhajyang (1565m) and reach Melamchi Bazar (870m)
through meadows and cultivated fields which is mostly inhabited by the Sherpa ethnic
groups. After lunch, we will take a beautiful drive with panoramic views
enjoying the fresh air and forested road and reach Kathmandu (1350m). On the way there will be plenty of time to stop in
local villages and to take a look around. It is always possible to request a
stop as a sight which may seem interesting to you. Overnight
in the lodge.
Meals: B / L
After
breakfast, we will drive to Boudhanath
Stupa, which is the largest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan
Buddhist temple outside Tibet. The stupa is located in the town of Boudha, located about 11 km from the center and
northeastern outskirts of Boudhanath is a stupa. Boudhanath was probably built in the 14th
century after the Mughal invasions; various interesting legends are told
regarding the reasons for its construction. After the arrival of thousands of
Tibetans following the 1959 Chinese invasion, the temple has become one of the
most important centers of Tibetan Buddhism. It was declared World Heritage
Site by UNESCO since 1979. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa
Buddha.
From above, Bodnath Stupa looks
like a giant mandala, or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos. There
are other symbolic numbers here as well: the nine levels of Boudhanath Stupa
represent the mythical Mt. Meru, center of the cosmos; and the 13
rings from the base to the pinnacle symbolize the path to enlightenment,
or "Bodhi" — hence the stupa's name. At the bottom, the stupa is
surrounded by an irregular 16-sided wall, with frescoes in the niches. The
mantra of Avalokiteshvara - Om Mani Padme Hum - is carved on the prayer
wheels beside the images of Avalokiteshvara around the base of
the stupa. The base of the stupa consists of three large platforms, decreasing
in size. As at Swayambhunath, Bodnath is topped with a square tower bearing the
omnipresent Buddha eyes on all four sides. Instead of a
nose is a question-mark-type symbol that is actually the Nepali character for
the number 1, symbolizing unity and the one way to reach
enlightenment—through the Buddha's teachings. Above this is the third eye,
symbolizing the wisdom of the Buddha. The square tower is topped by a pyramid
with 13 steps, representing the ladder to enlightenment.
Than we will drive 14 km east of Kathmandu and explore the Bhaktapur
Valley. The valley is said to be
founded by King Ananda Deva in 889 AD. It is an inhabited museum of medieval
charm as it retains past glories and structures of the Malla rulers. Throughout
the city there are glorious examples of temples and pagodas dedicated to gods
and goddesses plus palaces, monuments, woodcarvings, sculptures and pottery.
The central area and main attraction is Bhaktapur Durbar
Square featuring The Lion Gate (1696 A.D.) guarded by two enormous stone lions.
Then, visit to The Golden Gate, also said to be the most beautiful and richly
crafted specimen of its kind in the entire world; some have said it's the
loveliest work of art in the whole Kingdom. The Palace of Fifty-five Windows built
in 1427 of brick displays a balcony containing fifty-five windows, each a
masterpiece of woodcarving. An amazing five-storied pagoda, Nyatapola
Temple built in 1702, 108 ft., dominates the Square. It is the tallest temple
in Kathmandu Valley and stands on a series of five terraces. Likewise, visit
another two temples in Durbar Square:
the three-storied Bhairab Nath Temple and the Temple
of Dattatraya. Dattatraya temple is believed, originally was carved out of the
trunk of a tree and subsequently renovated in 1458. Many temples, bahals
(monastery courtyards), and residences, the city is still a living proof of the
highest craft standards in this part of the world. As the visitor wanders
through narrow brick paved streets, many alleys will show hidden shrines and
statues. Clay craftsmanship as well as cloth weaving is still practiced here
very much as in the past. Fourteen kilometers east of Kathmandu, this peaceful,
conservative town stands in sharp contrast to the bustle of its two adjacent
cities.
After lunch, we will drive back to Kathmandu Durbar Square,
while browse around Kathmandu
Durbar Square you will visit Hanuman Dhoka, the old and historic
palace of Kathmandu named after monkey God, Hanuman, a historic seat of
royalty. The Kings of Nepal are crowned and their coronations also held inside
the court yard here. There is a statue of King Pratap Mall sitting on the stone
pillar in the front and temple of Jagannath from mediaeval period. Within the
walking distance you will find the tall temple of Taleju from 1549 AD, the
large stone statue of Kal Bhairav, the God of destruction. The Big Bell
and Big Drum and Hindu Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati peeping from window.
Visit the temple of Kumari, the residence of Living Goddess
within the vicinity. Kumari means the virgin girl. The girl is selected from
Newar Buddhist family. The building has profusely carved wooden balconies and
window screen.
Meals: B
Today will be the last day of
our Nepal visit and we will spend today packing
and maybe catching up on some last-minute souvenir shopping for your family,
relatives and friends back home. Check out from the hotel. Meet DA airport representative for farewell
and then drop to Airport for onward journey, with the last minute mountain
views from the sky.
Meals: B
Package Types | 1 PAX | 2-3 PAX | 4-6 PAX | 7-12 PAX | 13-20 PAX | 21-35 PAX |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diamond | $ 5,039.15 | $ 3,181.42 | $ 2,779.10 | $ 2,571.14 | $ 2,420.23 | $ 2,316.77 |
Gold | $ 4,132.65 | $ 2,649.42 | $ 2,261.10 | $ 2,067.14 | $ 1,930.23 | $ 1,840.77 |
Silver | $ 3,485.15 | $ 2,269.42 | $ 1,891.10 | $ 1,707.14 | $ 1,580.23 | $ 1,500.77 |
Note:
Above prices are valid to book your holiday package until one year from the date of booking only.
Full board complementary for one Group Leader for 16 and above group.
The prices are net and all the applicable taxes are included in the above price (local taxes in Nepal).
All the above prices are subjected to change with prior notice.
Package Types:
Diamond 5 star hotels in cities like - Kathmandu / Pokhara / Chitwan / Lumbini
Gold 3 star hotels in cities like - Kathmandu / Pokhara / Chitwan / Lumbini
Silver Budget tourist standard hotels in cities like - Kathmandu / Pokhara / Chitwan / Lumbini
Pashupatinath / Swayambhunath / Boudhanath / Bhaktapur Durbar Square / Patan Durbar Square / Sundarijal / Helambu / Melamchi / Gosainkunda / Langtang Valley / Kyanjing Gompa / Kyanjin Ri / Kathmandu Durbar Square /