Langtang Valley Trek Budget & Itinerary Guideline for Beginners
Langtang Valley Trek lies in Langtang National Park of Nepal which is very close to the capital and easily accessible where you can enjoy warm Tamang hospitality and raw and untouched beauty of nature. You don’t need to be on any domestic flight for Langtang Trek in Nepal. Langtang Valley Trek is the third popular trekking region in Nepal after Everest and Annapurna. Compared to those commercial trekking regions, Langtang Valley Trek is budget-friendly and doesn’t require technical skills either. Langtang Valley Trek is an unforgettable trekking experience in Nepal that blends Himalayan raw beauty and authentic culture of Tamang communities. Langtang Valley, also known as “Valley of Glaciers” is located in the northern part of Nepal surrounded by the Himalayas to the north and the Langtang Lirung range to the south. Langtang Trek offers a chance to stand beneath giant peaks like Langtang Lirung (7,227m) and Dorje Lakpa (6,966m) through peaceful routes. The massive earthquake 2015 destroyed Langtang Valley which is now rebuilt by the locals with tourism only being the source of income. While you’re trekking in Langtang Valley, you’re contributing to the economic development of the region.
Generally, Langtang Valley Trek package costs you around USD 500-800 while trekking with a registered trekking agency where you don’t have to allocate your budget. The Trekking agency arranges all your requirements in a full board program like Langtang permits, Trekking Guide and Porter with all transport and lodging fooding or, you just have to choose Langtang Valley Trek Itinerary and budget. If you plan for trekking in Langtang Valley by yourself, proper research and planning is must so that Langtang trek becomes a budget. For Langtang Valley Budget trek, you can choose Langtang Valley Trek 6 Days Itinerary, or a 7-day Langtang Trek and so on. There are wide options of itineraries but based on your time and budget, itineraries can be customized fulfilling your expectations.
Family Langtang Valley Trek can be your perfect choice for Langtang budget trek. Langtang trek with family divides cost of amenities which was otherwise to be spent by yourself. The transportation will be shared, reducing price for individual trekkers, room can be shared with family members, and so on. Family Trek to Langtang Valley can be a budget-friendly experience of adventure to trekkers.
Where does your budget go while in Langtang Valley Trek?
There are various amenities you’ll spend your budget on while trekking in the Langtang region of Nepal. They are classified below:
- Permits
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Food
- Guide and Porter
- Extras
Langtang Valley Trekking Permits
While trekking in Langtang Valley, it is mandatory to have permits issued from any registered trekking agency of Nepal. In total, trekkers need to issue two permits, i.e. Langtang National Park Entry Permit which can be issued in the national park office in Dhunche or Nepal Tourism Board, and Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) Card which you can issue from a trekking agency. TIMS Card tracks your record ensuring your safety. For those permits, you’ll spend:
Langtang National Park Entry Permit Cost:
- USD 30 (NPR 3,000) for foreigners
- USD 15 (NPR 1,500) for SAARC Nationals
- USD 1 (NPR 100) for Nepali Citizens
Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) Card:
- USD 20 (NPR 2,000) for Individual or Group Trekkers
- USD 10 (NPR 1,000) for SAARC Trekkers
Langtang Trek Syabrubesi Transportation Cost
The starting point of Langtang Trek is Syabrubesi which is accessible by road only. It’ll take you around 6-7 hours to reach Syabrubesi through Trishuli Bazaar from Kathmandu. Langtang Valley Trek transportation doesn’t include any domestic flights, making it a budget-friendly trek in Nepal. Early in the morning, a local bus departs from Machhapokhari, Kathmandu which will cost you around USD 10-15 (NPR 1,000-1,500). A private jeep costing maximum USD 260 will be faster than a public bus and if you want a reduced price but still want a jeep, you can share the jeep with fellow trekkers and split the bill.
Accommodation Cost in Langtang Trekking
While in Langtang Valley trek, you can find teahouses and lodges in certain distances, but providing basic amenities in villages like Pahiro, Bamboo, Lama Hotel, Thangshyap where rooms are twin sharing with bed, a blanket and pillow along with squat sharing toilet. Meanwhile, Langtang Village and Kyanjin Gompa have accommodation with some extra facilities. Those accommodations will cost you around USD 12-20 (NPR 1,200-2,000) per trekker for a night with dinner and breakfast.
Langtang Trekking Food Cost
Fooding in Langtang Trek is very simple yet fulfilling. Normally, warm Nepali food such as Dal Bhat, noodles, momo, soup, Tibetan bread, etc. are served which will cost you around USD 5-10 (NPR 500-1,000) per meal. As you ascend higher, expect to pay up to USD 15 (NPR 1,500) per meal due to difficulty in transportation. Few of the tea houses also serve western dishes like pizza, pasta, and so on. In Kyanjin Gompa, visit the yak cheese factory and spend some budget on the pure cheese locally produced in Langtang region.
Langtang Trekking Guide and Porter Cost
A trekking guide is someone who navigates the route, provides you with local and cultural insights, handles logistics, book accommodation, makes you aware about altitude sickness, shows you the best point for views, assists as a photographer, and gives you updates of weather and route conditions. With a guide, Langtang Valley Trek can be done easily. As NTB has made it compulsory for trekkers to trek with a licensed trekking guide, budget guides charge around USD 25-30 per day. Similarly, for a licensed language guide, expect to pay around USD 40 per day.
Langtang Trek porter reduces your physical strain while trekking. You can only walk with a daypack if you hire a porter who carries all your backpack up to 15 kgs. A porter guide charges you around USD 15-20 per day.
Extra Cost for Langtang Trek
- Tipping: You can tip your service providers such as guide and porter, accommodation hosts, or trekking agency you issued TIMS Card for the satisfaction you get in services.
- Drinking Water: Bring water purification tablets otherwise spend the budget on buying drinking water bottles.
- Wi-Fi and Charging: Tea houses and lodges in Langtang may cost you extra for Wi-Fi and charging your gears.
- Hot Shower: Most of the teahouses and lodges in Langtang region have a facility of solar based hot showers for which you have to pay extra money.
Factors Affecting the Cost of Langtang Valley Trek
Season
Despite being less travelled route, Langtang valley is comparatively crowded during best season for trekking in Nepal i.e. Spring and Autumn. During spring and autumn seasons, there are a number of trekkers trekking in Langtang region bringing high demand of services like transportation, accommodation and fooding, guide and porter. Service providers increase the rate during peak season as they get highly demanded. So, if you are trekking in peak season, expect to pay more than in off season as during winter and monsoon, there are less trekkers and rates are cheaper.
Duration of Trek
Langtang Valley trek itinerary also determines the budget you’re spending. The greater number of days costs you more budget as you’ll be spending in Langtang Valley where services are limited.
Number of Trekkers
Trekking in Langtang Valley cost also differs on the number of trekkers. Solo trekkers tend to spend more compared to groups. While trekking individually in Langtang Valley, services are to be provided to single trekkers costing more budget. But trekking in groups divides the cost among the trekkers making Langtang Valley budget friendly.
Tips for budget-friendly Langtang Trek
Planning and Preparation
Before trekking to Langtang, do enough research about the region and total expenses you’ll be bearing. Always stay updated on route and weather conditions. Packing is a crucial step of trekking, pack essentials only and make sure to hire an experienced guide and porter for your safety from any trekking agency of Nepal. Before starting your trek, make sure you book the accommodation to ensure that you got a room to stay for the night because it is difficult to get accommodation during peak seasons.
Bring your own gear
If you want budget-friendly trekking Langtang, better bring your own essentials like clothes, trekking boots, trekking poles, etc. than renting from trekking shops. This will save your money and time as well.
Bring Water Purification Tablet
If you want to trek in Langtang Valley without spending a lot, bring water purification tablets to avoid buying drinking water bottles. This will help to control plastic pollution as well as minimize your budget.
Eat what is served
While trekking in Langtang region, prefer to eat whatever is served as the food they serve gives you energy required for high-altitudes. Avoid eating fancy while en route that costs you extra budget.
Trek with group
Try to trek langtang valley with a group as much as possible if you’re looking for a budget-friendly Langtang trek.
Langtang Valley Trek Short Itinerary Excluding Stay in Kathmandu
If you have limited time but still want to go trekking in Langtang region, Langtang Valley Trek 6 Days Itinerary can be an ideal choice even though it can be physically demanding at some point, but with proper physical preparation this trek is doable within 6 days.
Langtang Valley Trek 6 Days Short Itinerary
Day 01: Drive to Syabrubesi from Kathmandu. Hike up to Bamboo.
Day 02: Bamboo to Langtang Village
Day 03: Langtang Village to Kyanjin Gompa. Explore Kyanjin Gompa
Day 04: Kyanjin Gompa to Tserko Ri or Kyanjin Ri, descend to Langtang Village
Day 05: Langtang Village to Syabrubesi
Day 06: Syabrubesi to Kathmandu
If you have limited time but with enough preparation, Langtang Valley Trek 7 Days can be done walking in a slow pace and acclimatizing in Kyanjin Gompa.
Langtang Valley Trek 7 Days Itinerary
Day 01: Kathmandu to Syabrubesi
Day 02: Trek to Lama Hotel
Day 03: Lama Hotel to Langtang Village
Day 04: Langtang Village to Kyanjin Gompa
Day 05: Tserko Ri or Kyanjin Ri hike
Day 06: Descend to Lama Hotel
Day 07: Lama Hotel to Syabrubesi. Drive Back to Kathmandu
Langtang Valley Trek 8 Days Itinerary is for those who want a relaxed trekking, have enough time and take everything slow. With enough budget and time, 8 days will be enough to hike the route of Langtang region in Nepal.
Langtang Valley Trek 8 Days Itinerary
Day 01: Drive to Syabrubesi
Day 02: Hike to Lama Hotel
Day 03: Lama Hotel to Langtang Village
Day 04: Langtang Village to Kyanjin Gompa
Day 05: Hike to Kyanjin Ri or Tserko Ri, back to Kyanjin Gompa
Day 06: Kyanjin Gompa to Lama Hotel
Day 07: Lama Hotel to Syabrubesi
Day 08: Drive back to Kathmandu
FAQs
Is Langtang Valley Trek 6 Days Possible?
Yes, Langtang Valley Trek 6 Days is possible as the itinerary can be customized based on your time and budget.
How much does Langtang Valley Trek Cost While Trekking with a Trekking Agency?
It normally costs around USD 500-800 for Langtang Valley 10 Days Trek with a trekking agency.
How much does Transportation from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi Cost?
Transportation from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi on a local bus costs around USD 10-15 and a private jeep costs maximum USD 260 which can be shared with fellow trekkers.
How much are you expected to spend on fooding and lodging in Langtang Trek?
For fooding, expect to spend around USD 10-20 per day, and for lodging expect to spend USD 5-10 per day while on Langtang Valley Trek.
Does not hiring Guide and Porter make Langtang Trek budget-friendly?
Guide for Langtang is mandatory so hire porter guide can reduce your budget for Langtang Trek.
How Much Does Permits Cost?
Langtang National Park Entry Permit costs USD 30 for foreigners and USD 15 for SAARC Nationals. Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS) Card costs USD 20 for international Trekkers and USD 10 for SAARC Trekkers.
Do you have to pay extra for Wi-Fi and Hot Shower?
Yes, you have to pay extra for Wi-Fi and hot showers especially in peak seasons.
