Langtang Valley Trek 10 Days: Itinerary, Cost, Map & Guide

The Langtang Valley Trek is an out-and-back route along a single river valley. You drive to Syabrubesi, walk north up the Langtang Khola to Kyanjin Gompa, and come back along the same trail, so you see the landscape from both directions. The valley climbs about 2,300 m over three walking days, so the scenery shifts from subtropical forest to alpine meadow as you go.

The only road sections are the drives to and from Syabrubesi. On the map below, the solid line shows the trekking route and the dashed line shows the road transfers.

The table below combines the 10-day itinerary with daily walking or travel times and overnight sleeping altitudes. It follows the route from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, through Lama Hotel and Langtang Village to Kyanjin Gompa, before returning along the same valley.

Kyanjin Ri and Tserko Ri are optional daytime hikes from Kyanjin Gompa on Day 6. Since you return to Kyanjin Gompa to sleep, the highest overnight altitude on this itinerary remains 3,870 m.

10-Day Route and Daily Sleeping Altitude

Both hikes are optional and take place on your rest day. Here is how they compare:

Your guide recommends one, or neither, on the morning, based on how you feel and the weather. Skipping both is a perfectly good choice.

Yes, for the Kyanjin Gompa itinerary. Ten days gives you six days on the trail, a full rest day at 3,870 m and a day of driving at each end. If you want more time to acclimatize, to attempt both hikes or to extend toward Gosaikunda, a longer plan is the better choice. Ask us about a custom itinerary.

The 10-day Langtang Valley Trek starts at US$560 per person for groups of six or more. Guide, porter and transport costs are shared, so larger groups pay less each. The route, permits and lodges stay the same for everyone, and the price covers the services listed under "What's Included."

Price by Group Size

We can set up private departures on dates that suit you. Contact us with your preferred dates and group size for availability, or if you want upgrades such as a better hotel in Kathmandu.

These are small costs paid in cash along the way. Figures are typical, and prices rise with altitude.

Plan on roughly US$ 80-150 for the whole trek, depending on how often you treat yourself.

The trek is graded moderate. You don't need climbing skills, and the trail is well used, but you'll walk five to seven hours a day for several days in a row, and the valley climbs steadily. The altitude gain matters more than the distance, and the nights at Kyanjin are cold.

Two days stand out:

• Day 4 is the biggest climb, taking you above 3,000 m for the first time.

• Day 7 is a long descent, which is hard on the knees.

The optional hikes on Day 6 are a separate challenge. Tserko Ri in particular is steep, high and cold.

If you can walk uphill for a few hours with a daypack and recover well the next morning, you are in good shape. See the training plan below.

This itinerary climbs from Lama Hotel (2,470 m) to Langtang Village (3,430 m) in one day, a gain of about 960 m. That is more than the usual advice of adding no more than about 300 to 500 m of sleeping altitude per night above 3,000 m.

The rest of the plan is built to balance that. Day 5 gains only about 440 m, and you spend two nights at Kyanjin Gompa so your body can adjust. If you do an optional hike on the rest day, you climb high and come back down to sleep at 3,870 m, which helps acclimatization.

Our guides keep the pace slow and check oxygen levels and symptoms each morning and evening. If you want a gentler profile, ask us about adding a night on the way up.

The main trekking seasons are spring and autumn. Conditions vary with altitude, snow and rainfall, so no month guarantees clear views of Langtang Lirung.

Spring (March to May)

Spring is the colorful season. Rhododendrons bloom in the forest below Lama Hotel, days are mild at lower altitudes and mornings are usually clear. Clouds build later in the day, and snow may remain near Kyanjin Gompa early in the season.

Autumn (September to November)

Autumn offers the steadiest weather and the sharpest mountain views, which makes it the most popular season. October is the busiest month, so book lodges and transport early.

Winter (December to February)

Winter is cold, and heavy snow can cover the upper valley. Some lodges around Kyanjin close for the season, and nights are well below freezing. Trek in winter only with up-to-date local information and a guide who can judge conditions.

Monsoon (June to August)

The monsoon brings heavy rain, leeches in the lower forest, landslides on the trail and the Kathmandu road, and cloudy views. If you're traveling in monsoon, ask us about alternatives.

Spring and autumn are generally the most practical choices. Your final decision should account for your dates, tolerance for cold, expected crowds and the latest trail and road reports.

Langtang National Park Permit

The Langtang Valley Trek passes through Langtang National Park, so foreign trekkers need a Langtang National Park entry permit. You should also check whether a TIMS card is required for your trek. We help arrange the necessary paperwork before departure so you can focus on the trail.

Permit fees and TIMS requirements may change. We confirm the applicable rates and documents before your departure.

We arrange your park entry permit in advance, and your guide carries it for inspection at checkpoints along the route.

Guide Requirement and TIMS Card

Every Trip Highland departure includes a licensed, English-speaking trekking guide. Trekking rules and TIMS requirements can vary according to current regulations and the route. We check the latest requirements before your trip and help arrange any necessary documentation.

Nepal Tourist Visa

Most international visitors need a valid Nepal tourist visa, which can be obtained on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu or applied for online in advance, subject to eligibility.

A 15-day tourist visa is generally sufficient for a 10-day Langtang Valley Trek, provided your total stay in Nepal falls within the visa period.

Check the latest visa fees, eligibility and application procedures on the official Department of Immigration, Nepal website before travelling.

Documents to Carry

• Passport valid for at least six months beyond your trip

• A few passport-size photos for permits

• Printed copy of your travel insurance policy

• Emergency contact details for Trip Highland and your own family

• Paper and digital copies of every document, kept apart from the originals

Travel insurance is not included, and you should buy it before you fly. Your policy must cover trekking up to at least 5,000 m (if you plan the Tserko Ri hike), emergency medical treatment and helicopter evacuation. Check the policy wording for altitude limits, because some standard policies stop at 3,000 m or 4,000 m.

Langtang is remote, and evacuation can take time, so the helicopter cover matters. Your guide carries a first-aid kit and an oximeter and checks symptoms every day. If anyone needs evacuation or urgent medical care, your guide contacts our office and you contact your insurer's emergency line. Keep a printed copy of your policy number and the insurer's 24-hour number with you.

The lodges along the valley are simple and run by local Tamang families. Rooms usually have twin beds, foam mattresses and blankets, bathrooms are shared, and the walls are thin. Rooms aren't heated.

The dining room is the warmest spot, with a stove at the center, and everyone gathers there in the evening. Lama Hotel and Langtang Village are small and basic, while Kyanjin Gompa has a few more lodges but still keeps things simple. Hot showers, Wi-Fi and device charging cost extra. In Kathmandu, you stay in a hotel with breakfast included.

Menus are broader in the lower villages and shorter higher up, since everything is carried in by porters or mules. Expect dal bhat, noodles, fried rice, soups, momos, eggs, porridge and Tibetan bread. At Kyanjin, look for yak cheese, yak butter tea and fresh cheese sandwiches. Dal bhat is the best fuel, and you can usually get seconds.

Tell your guide about any dietary needs on day one so they can pass them on to each lodge. Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu are not included.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, however fit or experienced. On this trek you sleep as high as 3,870 m at Kyanjin Gompa, and the optional hikes on Day 6 go up to 4,773 m or 4,984 m. The steady gain and the rest day at Kyanjin make it manageable, but Day 4 is the one to watch. Walk slowly, drink plenty of water and tell your guide how you feel.

Early Signs of Altitude Sickness (AMS)

Early symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) include headache, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite and poor sleep. Tell your guide at the first hint. Do not keep climbing with symptoms. Mild AMS usually settles with rest and a night at the same altitude. Never go on to Kyanjin Gompa or the optional hikes just to complete the itinerary.

Serious Altitude Sickness: When to Descend

Confusion, difficulty walking straight, extreme drowsiness, breathlessness at rest or a persistent cough can indicate a serious emergency, such as swelling of the brain (HACE) or lungs (HAPE). Go down immediately, day or night, and seek medical help. Descent is the only reliable treatment.

Rules to Follow Above 3,000 m

• Walk slowly, even when you feel strong

• Don't go higher if you have symptoms

• Drink 3 to 4 litres of water daily

• Skip alcohol and cigarettes

• Tell your guide how you really feel, every day, and skip the optional hikes if you feel unwell

Diamox is a prescription medicine some trekkers use to help acclimatize, but it doesn't replace going slowly, so talk to your doctor before you travel. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter, which is useful but can't rule out altitude sickness on its own.

Temperatures swing from warm in Syabrubesi to freezing at Kyanjin, and the optional hikes start in the cold early morning. Your porter carries the duffel (limit 15 kg), and you carry a daypack with the essentials.

Clothing

• Base layers and quick-dry trekking shirts

• Fleece mid-layer

• Warm down jacket

• Waterproof, windproof jacket and trousers

• Trekking trousers

Footwear and Accessories

• Broken-in waterproof boots

• Camp shoes or sandals for the evenings

• Wool socks

• Warm hat, sun hat and gloves

• Sunglasses

Gear

• Trekking poles

• Headtorch with spare batteries

• Sleeping bag rated to about -10°C

• Waterproof duffel bag and a 20 to 25 L daypack

Health and Personal Items

• Personal medication and a small first-aid kit

• Blister plasters, sunscreen, lip balm and hand sanitizer

• Water purification tablets

• Power bank and charging cable

• Leech socks or repellent if you travel in wet conditions

Start about six weeks before you travel. The aim is stamina for consecutive walking days, plus strong legs for the climb to Langtang Village and the long descent on Day 7.

Practise going downhill, since Day 7 is long. If you have health concerns, talk to your doctor before you travel, and don't rely on fitness alone to prevent altitude sickness.

Tell Trip Highland how many extra days you have and what you'd like to experience, and we'll adjust the itinerary.

For more than 16 years, Trip Highland has been guiding trekkers through Nepal's mountains. We know Langtang as well as the Annapurna region, and we plan this trek around steady pacing, a proper rest day and respect for the communities you'll stay with.

• 16+ years of experience: Knowledge of Nepal's trekking routes, mountain conditions and local communities

• Valley knowledge: Guides who know the trail, the lodges and the best places to stop

• Safety-conscious planning: A paced itinerary with a rest day at Kyanjin, and daily altitude checks

• Personalized plans: We adjust dates, pace and extras to suit you

• Authentic Tamang hospitality: Family-run lodges and the people who rebuilt the valley

• Responsible travel: Respect for local communities and the environment of Langtang National Park

Tell us your preferred dates and how many of you are traveling, and we'll reply with availability, a final quote and the current permit and transport details. Autumn and spring dates fill up fastest, so get in touch early.

Enquire About the Langtang Valley Trek