Duration: 8 Days
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Helambu Trek is one of the charming short excursions that take you to the secluded Helambu region of Nepal. A great alternative to other treks of the region like; Lantang valley and Gosaikunda, the Helambu Trek is an off-beat trek in the region. Dominated by the Langtang Himalayan range, it is a rarely visited part of Nepal where you can witness the simplicity in the lifestyle of ethnic people living in the region. The trek offers you a trail full of pine forests, slow-moving rivers, rugged rocks, diverse landscapes, and snow-capped peaks as you pass through several traditional ethnic Tamang and Tibetan villages. It is also a comparatively shorter and easier trek as the highest elevation you'll reach during the trek is just 3650 m. Despite the elevation, the Helambu Circuit Trek provides you with spectacular views of the Langtang Himal (7245m), Ganesh Himal (7405m), Dorje Lhakpa (6990m), and other several small peaks of the Langtang Himalayan range. Along with the sceneries and landscape, another main highlight of the trek you should look forward to is the cultural richness and diversity all along the trail. You can observe and experience the traditional Tamang Buddhist culture and lifestyle influenced by Tibet during the trek.
This total 8-days trek starts with a short drive from Kathmandu to Sundarijal and a hike to Chisapani. From Chisapani you'll pass through Kutumsang, Tharepati, Tarkeghyang, and Sermathang until you finally make it to the ending point of the trek, Melamchi Bazar from where you'll drive back to Kathmandu. A quick escape to the Himalayas and hillsides of Nepal, the Helambu Trek is ideal for trekkers with a brief time in their hands, taking you close to the nature and culture of the Himalayan region of Nepal.
Travellers can expect some light physical activities.
Narayan Baniya (nature pathfinder) and Sumir Gyawali (yoga teacher) guide me in this adventure. Actually they manage perfectly my short time and all the noisy burocratic thinks like documents or Covid control. They makes me feel safely and had care of me since the moment I reserved .. now I’m at home and still feel the power of their experience, friendship and good nature. They makes me “enter” in the Nepali lifestyle, from metropolitan Kathmandu until the top of the mountain were the vibes are soo deep. Their good vibes are compatible with all, Sumir had a clinical yogi eye and Narayan the calm you need to arrive over the clouds.. it was like a day dreaming and I never forget this experience out of time. Thank you Antonio
A great & well organised experience. I highly recommend Himalayan recreation to anyone planning to trek to the Annapurna Basecamp. Everything from start to finish was all taken care of, taking away all of the stress of organisation so that I could focus on enjoying the trek. Ashok was very responsive on whatsapp at all times and was able to adapt the tour when circumstances changed. For example, when my flight to Pokhara was cancelled, Ashok arranged for a friendly driver to take me all the way there by private car instead (I did have to wait 1.5 hours for the driver, but traffic in Kathmandu is difficult). My guide Santosh and porter Bal were very friendly and accommodating and were good company during the trek. They have the English skills required to answer the majority of questions, particularly relating to the trek. Overall, a very good experience. The trek itself is very beautiful. It has everything, including rural villages with rice terraces, bamboo forests, and epic mountains. The accommodation is basic but everything you need for a trek (much better than camping). The weather forecast is inaccurate - I enjoyed decent weather despite the forecast being constant rain/thunder. I found the difficulty to be much easier than others state, and could have completed the trek in 5-6 days. Almost anyone with a decent level of fitness would be able to complete this trek (adjusting the duration to accommodate).
The Annupurna Poon Hill Trip is a lovely trek through the lower elevations of the Annupurna range of the Himalayas. Starting from Pokhara, a 90 minute drive in a taxi drops us off at the beginning of the trek and then goes up from there. My guide, Raj, was absolutely awesome and provided a lot of great information about the area during our trek over the several days that this trek takes place. The second day of the climb takes us to the small town of Ghorepani, and then an early climb the next morning to Poon Hill. I went on this trip in the 2nd year of the virus. According to my guide, the number of travelers was still way down from pre-pandemic years. So, in one way, it is a great time to travel since you will have most of the trails to yourself. The tea houses are also pretty empty. The negative side to this is that there are limited menu items and several places didn't have WiFi. There are a few recommendations I would make about this trip. The first is the ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara. I took the bus and regretted it about halfway there. While the distance is only 200 km, it took about 8 hours on the bus. If I were to do this again, I would have opted for a 30 minute flight. It costs more, but is so worth it. Second, make sure you bring toilet paper with you on the trek. The tea houses I stayed in during my trek didn't have any. So, bringing a roll of your own is a huge help. And speaking of bathrooms, most of the toilets along the route are not the western style sit-down toilets. Rather they are the hole in the grounds. So, make sure to use the bathroom before leaving the tea house since the next western-style toilet isn't until the next guest house, which could be a half day hike away. Finally, if you have time after the trek, spend an extra day in Pokhara. It is much more interesting than Kathmandu. Otherwise, the trek was wonderful and the folks at Himalayan Recreation did a great job in staying in touch, picking me up at the airport when I arrived in Nepal, and provided excellent service all the way through.
This trip was the first we took with those guys. It was very nice, guide was interesting and gave us a lot information about Bhaktapur and Nepal itself. After they arranged few more trips for us. First was Chitwan national park and jeep safari. After Pokhara and paragliding. And then return to Kathmandu. It was very helpful to have someone local there who can arrange flights, pick ups, all the activities and return wherever needed. We didn't have more time, but all the time we had, they managed to organize for us, without stressing or worrying. I truly recommend them, because they are very responsible and helpful for any situation. I firstly met them in Kathmandu for our first trip and they helped us with all the others.
This is your arrival day in Kathmandu. Our representative will be there at the airport to welcome and greet you at the time of your arrival. You'll then be escorted to the hotel in Kathmandu where you can take a rest for the rest of the day after completing the check-in formalities. In the evening you'll have a short briefing session with your guides regarding the trek. Overnight stay at Kathmandu.
Things to lookout:
Meet and greet at the airport.
Short briefing session.
Keep in mind:
During your briefing session, feel free to ask questions to your guide, if you have any confusion regarding the trek.
This is the starting day of your trek. Today you'll have a short, around an hour drive to Sundarijal from Kathmandu which is a famous getaway site from the city. From Sundarijal, your trek on foot starts as you head to Chisapani. Chisapani is a stunning place that provides panoramic views of the mountains and natural surroundings. After around 4 hours of an uphill trek through forest and village, you'll finally reach Chisapani where you'll stay for the night.
Things to look out for:
Waterfalls and surroundings at Sundarijal.
Panoramic views of mountains.
Forested trails and villages along the way.
The walk today is moderate, with some ascent and descent leading you to the village of Kutumsang. You'll pass through a few forests and uphill stairs along the way. As you continue your way to Kutumsang, you can get a glimpse of the Langtang mountain range. After 6-7 hours of walking, you'll arrive at Kutumsang. Overnight stay at Kutumsang.
You'll continue your trek as you head to Thadepati today. The trail today gives you some magnificent views of the Lantang Himalayan range. You'll reach a place called Yurindanda before Tharepati, which is a great point to relish the mountain views. After a walk of around 6 hours, you'll arrive at Tharepati and spend the night there.
Magnificent Mountain views along the way.
The walk today takes you on a wonderful exploration of the Helambu region. You'll pass through several monasteries and Gompas today as you head to a beautiful Sherpa village of TarkeGhyang. TarkeGhyang is an amazing place where you can observe a blend of culture and spirituality of the region. Overnight stay at Tarkeghyang.
Ancient monasteries on the way.
Spectacular sights of mountains.
It is relatively a short walk today to Shermathang from Tarkeghyang. You'll walk on a forested trail as you pass through several small settlements along the way. After walking for around 3-4 hours, you'll arrive at Shermathang where you'll be spending the night. Overnight stay at Shermathang.
The forested trail along the way.
Several small settlements.
This is the final day of your trek. Today, you'll head to Melamchi Bazaar from Shermathang. You'll trek down passing several traditional villages and terraced farms until you reach Melamchi Bazaar. After walking for 3-4 hours you'll arrive at Melamchi Bazaar. From Melamchi Bazaar, you'll take a drive back to Kathmandu which takes around 2 hours. Once you arrive in Kathmandu you can either choose to rest or explore the city. In the evening you'll have a farewell dinner with our team as it is your last day in Nepal. Overnight stay at Kathmandu.
Terraced farms on the way.
Farewell dinner at Kathmandu.
The trek has come to an end and this is your departure day. Our representative will be there to drive to the Airport and bid you farewell during your departure time.
All ground transport in a private vehicle, including airport transfers
Two nights accommodation with breakfast at a 3-star category hotel in Kathmandu
3 standard meals a day during the trek
Snacks of seasonal fruits during the trek
Best available twin sharing lodge for accommodation during the trek.
Kathmandu-Sundarijal by Jeep and Melamchi Bazaar to Kathmandu by Jeep
Himalayan Recreation’s experienced, government licensed, English speaking trekking guide during the Helambu trip
Porter services during the Trek (1 porter = 2 trekkers)
All costs of staff which includes food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment’s and medicines.
Duffel bag use while trekking, Trekking map and trip achievement certificate
Required Langtang Permit fee and TIMS Fee- Trekkers' Information Management System
First aid medicine kit
Farewell dinner with Cultural show in a fine restaurant on second last day.
Government taxes & office service charge
Meals not specified in the 'Meal Inclusions' in the above itinerary
Personal Travel insurance & Personal trekking equipment or expenses
Alcoholic drinks and beverages
Tips for trekking Guides, Porters (tipping is expected)
Any other expenses that are not mentioned in the 'Price Includes' section.