Gosainkunda – Helambu trek offer an opportunity for the trekkers and adventures to follow in Bill Tillman’s footsteps and rediscover the Himalayan passes, pristine valley and diverse ethno culture.
This trek is a short one as compared to other treks but is really adventurous and slightly strenuous. You have to walk through the high passes at times. You will come across splendid frozen lakes, beautifully woven Sherpa and Tamang hamlets, vibrant rhododendron shrubs, exotic orchids, wildlife and many other eyes soothing landscapes. You will also witness the magnificent view stretching from Dhaulagiri to Mt. Everest, the holy Gosaikunda Lake and alpine yak pasture of Kyanjin Gompa, while the mountain views are genuinely inspiring.
You will experience the Yolmo culture of high mountains villages, marvel at vistas of lonely high mountains and watch enthralled as the farmers toil in the fields using hand made tools and teams of water buffalo. Gosainkunda - Helambu valley trek is noted for its scenic grandeur and pleasant climate and lies north of the Kathmandu Valley across the Laurebinayak Pass at an altitude of 4620m.
You head north out of Kathmandu driving through scenic foothills and ridgeline vistas to Dhunche. The first part of your drive up to Trishuli Bazaar is quite smooth. The path now moves along a gravel road. Stay overnight at lodge.
The first part of the trail ascends gradually through mineral water factory up to Ghatte Khola (stream). Crossing a suspension bridge over this stream, you begin to trek steep up until you reach Sing Gompa through pine, silver oak and rhododendron forests with marijuana plants. There is an old cheese factory at Sing Gompa. Stay overnight at lodge.
You follow a rugged trail with dramatic views; to the west lie Himal Chuli (7893m.,) Manaslu (8156m,) and Ganesh Himal (7406m.) On a clear day, even the Annapurna range can be seen rising up behind and to the north across the valley is Langtang Lirung. You pass a few huts in the high pastures of Laurebina, cross a small ridge and have your first views of the holy lakes. There are about a dozen lakes in the Gosainkunda Basin, the main three being Saraswatikunda, Bharab Kunda and Gosainkunda. Stay overnight at lodge.
The trail leaves Gosainkunda and climbs through rugged country, past four more small lakes to the Lauribina La [4610m], the highest point of this trek. Keep looking back for spectacular views of Manaslu and the mountains of the Ganesh Himal, as well as the now familiar Langtang Lirung. You then descend steeply to camp near Gopte. Stay overnight at lodge.
The first part of the trails slightly descends and then begins to ascend through rhododendron forests until Tharepati and then your hike gets into a descending mode. Before climbing to Tharepati, you cross a stream after coming through rhododendron, oak and juniper forests. From Tharepati the trail gradually descends through pine and rhododendron forest with good views down into the Helambu valley and across to Jugal Himal and Numbur in the Solu Khumbu. Melamchi Gaon is surrounded by beautiful forests, which are mainly inhabited by Sherpa people with their distinctive culture. You will also find some Buddhist monasteries around here. Stay overnight at lodge (tea house).
The early part of the trek descends until you cross the stream named as Melamchi. Now you trek gently up to Tarkeghyang passing through Sherpa settlements. Tarkeghyang is a beautiful Sherpa village with one of the oldest and biggest monasteries. Stay overnight at lodge (tea house).
This day the trail gets quite easier through flat land with beautiful forests on the way. You trek on crossing some small streams on the way. There is also a beautiful village on the half way to Shermathang. To add to your joy, Shermathang is another pretty Sherpa village where you can visit several ancient monasteries. From here you can see Jugal Himal range from the north face of Shermathang village. Stay overnight at lodge (tea house).
The trail gradually descends all the way to Melamchi Pul Bazaar through meadows and cultivated fields. It takes about 4 hours to reach Melamchi Pul Bazaar from Shermathang. On the way, you come across several old villages with their own particular traditions. Same day, you will drive back to Kathmandu that takes about 4 hours.
Below is a list of equipment and clothing required for trekking. The necessity of these items depends on the type, altitude, timing and destination of trekking. Appropriate trekking gears are not only required for the comfort/pleasure of your trek but also to improve safety factor. Please have a look over these items in order to fully prepare and thoroughly enjoy the trekking.
General Items:
Daypack, Rucksack, Sleeping bag, Duffel bag, Walking Poles, walking boots, sandals, Toiletries (Soaps, Toilet papers, Sanitizers, toothpaste, tooth brush, etc.)
Clothing Items:
Thermal underwear, Down jacket, Shorts, Trekking trousers, Towels, Woolen gloves, Gaiters, Fleece jacket or Pullover, Wind/water proof jacket, Raincoat, Warm socks, buff
Sun-worn Items:
Sun hat, Sunglasses, Snow goggles, Sunscreen, Lip balm
Gadgets:
Headlamp, Flash light, Binoculars, Cameras (chargers and batteries),
Liquid/Snacks:
Water bottle/bladder, Water purification Iodine tablets, Energy bars and snacks
Medical Essentials:
First Aid Kit
Optional:
Altimeter, Compass, Binoculars, Books/magazines, GPS, Pocket knife, Candles (for lodges), Notebook with pencil/pen, etc
Additional items for camping trek:
Tent, Stove and fuel, Utensils for cooking, eating and drinking, sleeping mattresses
Note: We can also provide sleeping bag, down jacket, duffel bag, walking poles, and First Aid Kit in case if you don’t have one. These items are inclusive of total package price.
VASUTHAVAN MAHESWARY , TAMAN SELAYANG BARU
First and foremost, I would like to express my joyous experience on my visit to Nepal,
Nepal , Langtang Trek 19 Days
Nepal , Langtang Trek 7 Days
Nepal , Langtang Trek 7 Days
