Lantang Valley Trek with Ganjala Pass

A representative from our company will meet and greet you at the airport as soon as you land in Kathmandu. We will see to it that your travel requirements are met once you are in our care. Given that there are no planned activities for the day, we will assist you in checking into your chosen hotel. You have the option of taking a stroll around the neighborhood or relaxing in each of your rooms.

Visit to cultural and religious sites of Swayambhunath, called the monkey Temple, Pashupatinath, one of the largest temples in Nepal and Bouddhanath, the large stupa are in our itinerary today. 

Pashupatinath Temple:   One of the oldest Hindu temples, Pashupatinath Temple, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as the "Lord of All Beings." Lord Shiva is the embodiment of the universe's destructive aspect. The Pashupatinath complex is traversed by the revered Bagmati river. For those who pass away on the banks of the river, cremation rites are performed by the majority of Hindus in the Kathmandu Valley.

Swayambhunath Stupa:  The Swayambhunath stupa is one of the most revered buddhist stupas in Nepal. It is thought to have materialized when, in ancient times, the Bodhisattva Manjushri carved a canyon at Chhobhar using his flaming sword to drain the waters of the huge lake that was Kathmandu.

Bouddhanath Stupa: Lord Buddha's four pairs of eyes are positioned in the four cardinal directions atop the 2500-year-old Buddhist stupa in the Valley, which was erected in the fifth century. This stupa keeps a constant watch over people and their actions. Buddhist pilgrims from Tibet may be seen spinning prayer wheels as they round the stupa.

 You can also walk around Thamel and Asons around the vicinity of your hotel selling handicraft items and locally made trinkets and clothes. Ason, the oldest market in Kathmandu also lies a few hundred meters from your hotel. You can shop for spices, tea, brass statues, and decorative jars in this market.

Waking up early and grabbing breakfast we drive northwards from Kathmandu to Syaprebesi through a road. We take the Trishuli Highway which snakes the Trishuli river. Many villages and towns are crossed en route. We grab lunch at Trishuli Bazaar, a famous town in the region. After crossing the bazaar, we reach a checkpoint. The road becomes narrow as we ascend the offroad track. Then we reach the Army check post at Dunche where we get the entry permit for the Langtang National Park. From here we travel to Syaprebesi. We explore the town of Syaprebesi and stay over for the night.

After we wake up in Syaprebesi, we grab breakfast and officially begin our trek. Crossing a bridge, we can take either the trekking trail or the main road. The short trekking trail is quite risky as stone falls and landslides are quite common here thus we take the main road as its much safer. Walking along the road we see numerous waterfalls decking the road. We see hydropower construction going on in the region and take the trekking trail from where the main road stops.  After crossing through a scenic  waterfall we reach Dovan via Pairo. Here the routes to Thulo Syapru, which leads to Gosain Kunda and Lantang separate. We take the route to Lantang. Walking for some time we reach Bamboo a riverside village, where we take lunch for the day. Along the route we can see cliffsides with large honey bee hives.   Walking through forest trails we ascend to a suspension bridge and going up and down we reach Rimche. Around Rimche are lots of Langur monkeys around. Walking further along a similar trail  we reach Lama Hotel. The accommodations in Lama hotel are very basic as it lies within the core Lantang Conservation area. 

From Lama hotel, we grab an early breakfast and ascend forest trails and walk beside the Langtang river. The trail initially today is also similar to the trail we took yesterday Along the route is the River View Tea Shop, which lies next to the river between two ridges. Grabbing tea and refreshments we move ahead. Ascending further, the closed tree line opens up to a shrubby area where most vegetation is low. Further we reach Ghoda Tabela where we see amazing views of Langtang I and Langtang II along with Ganchenpo ahead. We grab lunch here at the village and reach Thyangsyap where the view of the Langtang valley is very picturesque. If we weren’t hungry at Ghoda Tabela we can grab lunch at Thangsyap instead. We also see the Changbu Peak. After walking further we cross a small village called Sherpa Danda and reach Langtang Village. A memorial commemorating the lives lost during the avalanche caused by the 2015 Nepal Earthquake are found here. If we choose to stay overnight at Mundu instead, we need to walk further for around half an hour and climb another 150m altitude. Yak cans be seen grazing in the village of Mundu. You can spend the rest of the day exploring Mundu or Langtang Village. We stay overnight here. 

Getting up early, we are greeted by the mountains in the central Himalaya. We begin after breakfast, walking through the valley and follow the Lantang river. A teahouse is seen en route where we can stop by for Sea Buckthorn juice during the season where it fuitions. Nearby is also a large boulder upon which Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated. Rumous of his footprint are seen here also. We cross the village, and see numerous Yak and goats. We cross a suspension bridge and walk to reach Kyanjin Gumpa. Numerous mani wheels drive by water flow can be seen along the route making it very picturesque. Two stupas are also seen as we climb bigger.  An amazing view of the Lantang Lirung glacier is seen from the route right after crossing the suspension bridge. This glacier is where many rookie peak climbers train for their mountain adventures. A small hydropower station is also featured on the trail.  At Kyanjin gumba we grab lunch, visit a small bakery and a factory selling real Yak Cheese freshly made. We can also visit the Kyanjin Monastary and take a short walk to see the glacier in its full glory. Tibetan influence and ancestry is apparent in this region. We stay overnight at Kyanjin Gumba. 

Today we have two options for our trek, either to Kyangjin Ri or to Cherko Ri. Kyangjin Ri is slightly shorter however views from Cherko Ri are much better. We grab a very early breakfast  and begin our  ascend.

Option 1: Kyangjin Ri

As we ascend to Kyangjin Ri, we get views of Ganjala Peak, Ganjala Pass, Lantang Peaks and Yala Pass. We also see the Cherko Ri. Towards our back lie the amazing Himalaya when walking. At the top of Kyangjin Ri, we see amazing 360 degree views of the Himalayas that surround us. After taking our fill of the amazing scenery, we return back to our lodge for lunch and explore the monastery and the village. 

There are two Kyanjin Ri peaks, the lower Kyanjin Ri lies only at 4200m while the upper goes upto 4600m. The Kyanjin Ri peaks make for amazing short burst hikes that do not take all day. 

Option 2: Cherko Ri

Moving towards Cherko Ri, we take packed lunch and go to see the spot the footprint of Guru Rinpoche can be found. We cross a river, climb steeply along the trail as we see amazing backgrounds of Lantang Peak, Ganjala Peak, Ganchenpo Peak, Nayakhang Peak and Lantang Valley. When we reach the top, we see the best 360 view of the Himalaya including Sisapangba, which lies in Tibet and Langsisa, Dorje Lakpa which lie in Nepal. We take our packed lunch amid the wonderful views and can even feed birds that are perch on top of the hill. Descending is quite difficult as the trail becomes slippery in winter. Climbing Cherko Ri is almost impossible during the winter. Most describe the final ascent and initial descent of Cherko Ri as being the most difficult due to the ice and altitude. 

We return back to Kyangjin Gumba for the night. 

Today we wake up to our second day at Kyanjin Gompa with a beautiful sunrise on the nearby peaks. The trails from here are sparse on vegetation as we increase altitude. After some walking, we cross a suspension bridge over the pristine Lantang river that we have been following till now. Walking further through a gradual steep trail we reach Chhana lake. This glacial lake is pristine and you can fill your cameras with photos here. Moving ahead from the lake we eventually teach Ngegang where we’ll have to stay in a tent and camp as accommodation is unavailable. However sleeping under the stars in a tent in the Himalayas is an amazing experience indeed. 

Waking up in our tent amid the Himalayan sunrise is an amazing experience. Today is another climax of the trip as we cross the fabled Ganja La pass today. Today will be a the most difficult day of the trek which will last around 8 hours. The path can be icy and slippery due to loose rock and ice that line the trail Ganja la pass lies at an altitude of 5130m at the views from this height are unrivalled. Excellent views of Lantang Lirung and Sishapangma in Tibet can be seen amazingly here. After filling our cameras and after a feeling of accomplishment, we begin our descent after the pass to reach Keldang where we setup camp and sleep for the night. 

Today is another long day of trekking however we will not be ascending or descending much. After an early breakfast, we collect camp and begin heading to Dukpa. The trail is mainly through grasslands. As we walk for some time and eventually pass one of the very small settlements in the Helambu region. Dukpu, our campsite today lies in a forest we so get an authentic wilderness camping experience. 

After breakfast at camp, we begin one of the largest descents as we go from a high altitude of 4000m all the way down to 2600m at Tarke Gyang. As we walk, we see the vegetation start to become bigger and more dense. As we descend we eventually reach Tarkegyang. Hyolmo people inhabit this village and you can explore the village after you reach to learn about their lifestyle. The village also has an ancient monastery which we can go explore. This village is also known as Helambu after the Hyolmo people. The trail has officially joined with the Helambu valley trek trail and thus we may get to meet many trekers here. 

Today’ s trek is relatively shorter. Have breakfast, and then set off on a ramble into the woods to kick off your journey. Before reaching the Gangyul Sherpa settlement, you will encounter a number of streams and waterfalls. You may take it easy today because much of your route will be downhill and the trail is not too difficult. Along the way, you may also see some tiny stupas. The settlement of Sermathang can be reached after following the path through some very stunning scenery, including rolling hills covered in lush flora.

Sermathang, too, is a beautiful town that you should visit. You'll be able to pass the afternoon exploring the area's monasteries and traditional homes until it's time for dinner.

On our final day of hiking, we get up bright and early. The trails continue down from Sermanthang, first to Dubhachaur at 1500 meters, and then again down to Melamchi at 830 meters, where it meets the road. All modes of transportation, including buses, can be found in this village, making it convenient for visitors to travel to nearby Panchkhal through the Kodari route. We can take a bus to Kathmandu from there.

After finishing the journey through the Helambu Valley, it's time to bid Nepal farewell. Three hours before to your scheduled international flight to your next destination, you will be taken to the international airport. We sincerely hope that our travels in the Everest Himalaya have left you with lifelong memories. You can extend your stay in Nepal if you'd want to visit all of the fascinating places the country has to offer. We sincerely hope you will appreciate the time we had together and recommend us to your friends and family for their trip to Nepal to go trekking.