Tilman pass Trek

Our representative will meet you upon your arrival in Kathmandu airport and transfer you to your hotel. Remaining time is free for independent activities. You can simply take a rest in your hotel room, or step out in the neighborhood for a short stroll. In the evening, meet your guide and discuss the trek and have him check your equipment.

Today, our tour guide will take you for full-day sightseeing of Kathmandu Valley as we complete your permit formalities. We begin the day with a visit to Swoyambhunath Stupa -- a landmark Buddhist temple in Kathmandu and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Popular among tourists as Monkey Temple, the main attraction is a white-washed dome and a glittering golden spire. Then we move on to Kathmandu Durbar Square -- another UNESCO World Heritage site. Here you can see temples and monuments dating back to the 17th century. It used to be the seat of Malla rulers and the now deposed Shah kings. After lunch, we move to Bouddhanath Stupa -- the biggest stupa complex in South Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is also a white-washed dome capped by a glittering golden spire. The ambience here is quite amazing as you can see incense sticks burning and pilgrims circumambulating the stupa chanting sacred mantras. It is believed to have been built in the 5th century. Then we move on to our hotel.

After breakfast, we start our drive to Syafrubensi. We leave Kathmandu from Nagdhunga pass and drive down winding roads to Galchhi Bazaar on the Prithvi Highway -- that links Kathmandu with Pokhara. From there, we take the right road along the banks of the Trishuli River and start driving toward Syafrubesi. After crossing Betrabati, we start getting views of different snow-capped mountains, notably of Ganesh Himal and Langtang ranges. The narrow road snakes through lush forest, terraced fields and the beautiful countryside. Passing through small towns like Kalikasthan and Dhunche, we finally reach Syafrubensi after crossing the powerhouse of a hydroelectric project.

We hit the trail today. We begin the day after crossing the Bhotekoshi River, which originates in Tibet, and walk along the banks of Langtang Khola. Passing by a monastery dedicated to Guru Rimpoce, we follow the stone-paved trail till we cross the suspension bridge over Langtang Khola. After that, the trail makes a gradual climb to a small settlement of Bamboo. From here, the trail goes along the sub-tropical forest mainly of oak, maple, spruce, fir and blue pine and rhododendron trees. These forests are inhabited by yellow-throated martens, wild boars, Langur monkeys, red pandas and Himalayan black bears, among other wild species. From Bamboo we will reach Rimche (2400m) before ending our day’s walk at Lama Hotel.

We will resume our trek after having breakfast at our campsite. We begin the day with a gentle climb initially. The trail soon becomes steeper as we gain altitude. We climb through hemlock, oak and maple forest. During spring, blooming rhododendrons add colors to the forest. We will get views of Mt. Langtang Lirung (7244m) looming up in the horizon as we progress forward. After crossing the river on a log bridge, we make a brief climb and reach the lush meadows of Ghora Tabela (2992m). The trail climbs further until the valley opens up. We continue walking across the helipad and yak pastures, and climb briefly through rhododendron forest and small Tamang settlements. Continuing further, we reach Langtang Village. The village, which was swept away by an avalanche after the 2015 earthquakes, has stood up and locals here are serving trekkers as usual. Langtang is one of the largest settlements in the region. Locals here grow buckwheat, potatoes, wheat, turnips and barley. Yak farming is another profession of local people. Our tents will be pitched near the village.

We continue to gain altitude today as well. Leaving Langtang village, the trail climbs a ridge with a beautiful chhorten and continues along a beautiful Mani wall, crossing a stream to the small village of Mundu (3442m). After crossing several small streams, the Kyanjin Gompa -- the major landmark in this village -- will appear before us. Behind this beautiful monastery, we can see the peaks of Langtang Lirung and Kimshung in full glory. Our crew will have pitched our tents and prepared our lunch by the time we reach Kyanjin. After lunch, we will have plenty of time to explore this village. We will visit a government-owned yak cheese factory. You can buy some as souvenirs for your friends and family back home. The village offers breathtaking views of Langtang Lirung (7246m), Genjempol, Kyanjin Ri (4750m), Tsergo RI (5000m), Ganja la (5160m), Langshisha-Ri (6427m), Dorje Lhakpa (6430m), Naya Kang (5844m), Yala Peak (5500m), and several other peaks.

Today, we will take the much-needed rest day for acclimatization. We will spend the day hiking to Tsergo Ri -- a beautiful viewpoint above Kyanjin Gompa. It’s a strenuous climb but the view from the top is rewarding. You can get 360 degree views of mountains all around you including Mt Shishapangma in Tibet. The hike takes around four hours and you need to negotiate an icy zig-zag trail to reach the top. We can see a wide range of Himalayan peaks as well as the Langtang Valley with the trail leading over to the famed Ganja La Pass. The last section of the trail is on a rocky surface. You can see prayer flags fluttering on the summit. We then return back to our campsite.

After early breakfast, we will leave Kyanjin valley and follow Langtang Khola toward Langshisa Kharka. The distance is short but you need to be careful as chances of rockfall are high in this section. Langshisha Ri (7427m) and Dorje Lakpa (6966m) dominate the view. The trail is more or less levelled on grasslands, icy trails, and glacial moraines. Our campsite is located on the grassland near a river confluence.

The trail today climbs steeply on the moraines formed by a glacier falling from Tilman Pass. The walk takes around four hours. The campsite is surrounded by snow-capped peaks of varied heights and the views are absolutely amazing.

This is going to be the most difficult yet adventurous day of your trek as you will be crossing the famed Tilman Pass and traverse from Langtang to Jugal valley. We will start early in the morning as sunlight might make the boulder field stable as the day progresses. Follow the instructions of your guide who will safely navigate you to the top of the pass. From the top, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of snow-capped peaks of Langtang and Jugal Himal ranges. After spending some time at the top, we will start making a descent to Yak Kharka. It will be a long descent as the trail on the boulder field of the moraine is really difficult. Our crew will welcome you at the campsite with a cup of hot brew.

The trail descends down along the glacier until it meets another glacier coming from Dorje Lhakpa peak. Both the glaciers flow as Balephi River downstream. We will leave the glacier and climb to the right. Going further, we reach Tin Pokhari which literally means three ponds. From here, we make one final push to a ridge where we will be greeted by the sight of five pristine lakes. We have reached Panch Pokhari – a pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists. Our tents will be pitched near one of the lakes.

We will take another rest day today. We will spend the day exploring pristine lakes and green pastures and hiking to nearby viewpoints. We will get a fantastic view of different peaks in Langtang and Jugal Himal ranges.

A relatively short day today. We will leave Panch Pokhari early in the morning and head toward Nesyampati. It's an easy walk with a gradual descent on rocky hills. We will lose some 400 meters of altitude today. Nesyampati is a small settlement with few teahouses and shepherd's shelters. It’s a junction of three trails – one drops to Indravati River valley, the other progresses toward Hile Bhanjyang and then to Chautara, while the third is a section of Great Himalaya Trail that continues toward Rolwaling Valley.

Today, the trail continues on the rocky terrain before dropping to a small pass with some teahouses. We will stop here for lunch. After lunch, it's a steep hike through rhododendron and juniper forests to a ridge that offers breathtaking views of peaks in Jugal and Langtang Himal ranges. It then makes a small descent to our campsite at Hile Bhanjyang.

This is going to be the penultimate day of our trek. After leaving the camp, the trail makes a climb to a ridge through thick rhododendron forests. We will pass through herders' sheds as we continue our walk. The trail is more or less levelled in this section. Before arriving at our camping site at Pauwabas, it makes a slight descent. Our campsite is situated in a beautiful forest opening. You can see some makeshift shelters for pilgrims here.

Today is the last day of our trek. We will hit the trail after having early breakfast at our camp. The trail is mostly downhill as we will lose more than 1,000 meters today. The trail is mostly downhill offering you views on both sides of the trail. We will pass through pasture fields and sparsely populated settlements before we reach Sano Okhreni. It's a small marketplace with road access. In the evening, we will organize a small get-together in honour of our amazing crew.

After a leisurely morning at our campsite, we will start driving toward Kathmandu. The drive takes about five hours. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, we will transfer you to your hotel. In the evening, we will host a farewell dinner for you at a restaurant serving typical Nepali cuisines. You can recollect fond memories of the trek as over a bottle of beer or two.

After a leisurely morning, our representative will escort you from your hotel to the airport for your return flight. We will leave about three hours prior to your flight so that you don't have to rush for immigration formalities. In the comfort of your aircraft seat, you will have plenty of time to reflect on the amazing time you had during the trek and plan your next holiday. Bon Voyage!