Langtang Valley trek: routes, permits, costs and what to expect

Which route should you choose?

The usual route drives from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi, then follows the Langtang Khola up through forest to Lama Hotel, opens out into yak pastures at Langtang village and ends at Kyanjin Gompa, the last village with lodges. Trekkers come back the same way. As of early November 2026, that start is out of use: the 26 August 2026 flood on the Bhote Koshi damaged Syabrubesi and its bridge, and the walk now starts from Dhunche or Thulo Syabru and joins the valley trail near Bamboo, below Lama Hotel. The variants add the Gosainkunda lakes and Helambu, or the Tamang villages west of Syabrubesi.

The present village of Langtang is not the old one. On 25 April 2015 the Gorkha earthquake set off an avalanche of ice and rock that buried the village and killed about 300 people, residents, other Nepalis and dozens of foreign trekkers. Residents rebuilt a little further up the valley; most houses are now guesthouses, and the old site lies under the debris beside the trail.

7-day Langtang Valley return itinerary at a glance

The itinerary below is the common 8 days from Kathmandu as currently walked: a drive to Thulo Syabru on day 1, six days on foot to Kyanjin Gompa and back, and the drive back to Kathmandu on day 8. Most stages are 5–6 hours. Day 3 is the steep one: from Lama Hotel to Langtang the trail gains almost 1,000 m. Day 5 is spent at Kyanjin, climbing Kyanjin Ri in the morning, 3–5 hours there and back. Fitter trekkers can climb Tserko Ri (about 4,984 m) instead, a longer day of 6–8 hours with about 1,100 m to 1,500 m of ascent.

Short on time? The shortest packages take 6 days from Kathmandu by dropping the full day at Kyanjin and climbing Kyanjin Ri on the afternoon of arrival or early the next morning before walking down. With a single day, Shivapuri Peak (2,732 m), in the national park on the northern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, is a day hike from Budhanilkantha.

1. Day 1 Kathmandu (by road) Thulo Syabru night at 2,250 m
2. Day 2 Lama Hotel night at 2,470 m
3. Day 3 Langtang village night at 3,430 m
4. Day 4 Kyanjin Gompa night at 3,870 m
5. Day 5 Kyanjin Gompa via Kyanjin Ri 4,773 mnight at 3,870 m
6. Day 6 Lama Hotel night at 2,470 m
7. Day 7 Thulo Syabru night at 2,250 m

Altitudes differ between maps and operators, by up to 50 m for Lama Hotel and Kyanjin Gompa and over 100 m for Langtang village. Kyanjin Ri has two viewpoints. The lower one, with prayer flags, is at about 4,300 m to 4,500 m and is where many trekkers turn round; the upper summit is given as 4,700 m to 4,773 m. Tserko Ri is listed at 4,984 m or 5,033 m, two points on the same summit ridge. Day 1 can also end at Dhunche (2,030 m) if the jeep stops there, adding a walk via Thulo Bharkhu and Brabal.

What it really costs

Package prices depend on group size, lodge level, transport and the start point after the flood, so compare them on the booking sites. These are the costs to plan around if you check what a package includes.

Fees and estimates checked on 3 November 2026.

Insurance that covers Langtang Valley

You will sleep at about 3,870 m and may climb to 4,773 m on Kyanjin Ri or about 4,984 m on Tserko Ri, so check that your policy covers trekking to at least 5,000 m. It must include helicopter evacuation: a rescue from the upper valley costs roughly $2,500–5,000, and helicopters fly only once someone confirms payment.

Langtang village had no health facility in 2025, and help in the valley is a lodge, a guide and a radio or phone call. Keep your policy number and the insurer's emergency line on paper as well as on your phone.

Staying connected in Nepal

An eSIM installed before you fly works on landing in Kathmandu; Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell SIM cards are sold at the airport with your passport and a photo.

On the trail, signal comes and goes: reports describe it as intermittent in the gorge between Thulo Syabru and Lama Hotel. Some lodges sell wifi, which is slow. Download offline maps before you leave Kathmandu.

Getting there and where to stay

Fly into Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) in Kathmandu. There is no flight to the trailhead: the trek starts with a drive north on the Pasang Lhamu Highway via Trishuli and Betrawati, about 115 km to 122 km and 6–8 hours to Syabrubesi before the flood. As of early November 2026, a Bailey bridge at Betrawati has carried traffic since 11 October 2026, and vehicles reach Dhunche and Thulo Syabru. The road bridge into Syabrubesi was destroyed: a replacement Bailey bridge was being built in late October, and on 30 October 2026 the Kathmandu Post still reported no road bridge there, only a temporary crossing.

Gear: rent or buy

Nothing technical, but cold nights: at Kyanjin, November nights drop to about −10 °C, and in midwinter to −20 °C. Bedrooms are not heated. A warm sleeping bag and a down jacket matter most, and both can be rented in Kathmandu before the drive.

• Broken-in trekking boots with ankle supportBuy
• Sleeping bag rated to about −10 °CRent
• Down jacketRent
• Fleece or synthetic mid-layers and thermal base layersRent or buy
• Warm hat, gloves and liner glovesBuy
• Sunglasses with high UV protection and sunscreenBuy
• Trekking poles for the steep descent from Langtang to Lama HotelRent or buy
• Water bottles and purification tablets or a filterBuy
• Headlamp for the early start on Kyanjin RiBuy
• Rain jacket for showers and wet road daysBuy

Add a few days in Nepal

Kathmandu Valley has seven monument zones on the UNESCO World Heritage list, all within an hour of the city centre; the spare days before or after the trek are a good time to see them.

Frequently asked questions