Nepal is a paradise for adventure lovers and travel enthusiasts from all around the globe. The Remote villages of Nepal and the mountain vistas are where “Gurus” found the true meaning of life. These mountains and valleys are the reflections of peace and calmness. Away from the chaos of the city, the only sound you hear belongs to the cascading river and melodious birds. The sound is fascinating and will make you lost in the premise of nature.
Helambu Circuit trek, in the premises of Langtang Valley, is a short and quick trek from Kathmandu. Helambu shares its northern border with the autonomous region of Tibet. Besides being the nearest mountain trekking, the nature and culture of Helambu remain untouched from the world. Along with the unbelievably stunning mountain and distinct landscape, the wonder of Hyolmo culture makes Helambu trek a perfect blend for trekking in the Nepalese mountains. Earlier, pilgrims used to explore this valley on their way to the famous holy lake of Gosaikunda. If you plan a brief cultural insight into Nepalese culture, this is the trek for you.
Only 30 km north of Kathmandu, the Helambu valley is an easily accessible trek. This trek mixes the distinct landscape, high mountain views, and beautiful river. Thanks to fascinating local history, each chapter of Helambu trekking is full of wonder- the culture and lifestyle, mountains, and the biodiversity. The path follows the river via a forest of pine, bamboo, and Rhododendron. The engaging scenario of biodiversity from Shivapuri and the Langtang National Park is very pleasing.
This week-long journey in the lower Langtang valley is relatively easy. The trip to Langtang village commences from the city of Kathmandu itself. We first take a short and exciting drive to Sundarijal and then walk above the Chisapani hill. Walking on the river banks to the sacred hill point, we interact with the villagers on our way up.
From Chisapani, the path winds on the dense forest of Rhododendron/ the timberline takes us across Kutumsang and Tharepati. Here we meet some classic Tibetan Buddhists as we witness their religious practices and language on the Langtang trek. The pleasing local and the Buddhist monasteries that appear out of nowhere make the charming Helambu valley trek.
We climb to the hilltop of Tharepati to render the panoramic views of the Himalayas. Walking past the forest into the scenic highlands bestows the shocking sight of Manaslu (8163m). You can see that this region experienced the worst hit by the devastating earthquake in the year 2015. Then, we head down across the terraced fields of Shermathang. This short trek in Nepal ends with the fun walk to Melamchi Pul Bazar. And finally, an exciting drive brings us to Kathmandu, where we spend our final day of the trip.
In case you don't know, Nepal might be the world's best place to live in terms of climate. The temperature of the whole year is around 15 0C to 35 0C, the perfect temperature to live.
The climate of Helambu valley is the primary factor that affects your trekking experience. How? The warm temperature and less precipitation make your journey fun. Here, let's learn about Helambu weather in detail.
The average high temperature in December is about 15 0C, but the lowest can be up to 3 0C. In January, the average temperature is about 8 0C. The night temperature throughout winter is also warm. Helambu doesn't experience frequent snowfall, thus making winter months very pleasing.
Spring is known for the pleasant weather and colorful blooming. The average Helambu temperature of spring is about 20 0C. May might welcome some rainfall in Helambu, about 400mm. Sunshine hours and UV rays are quite high in spring.
Summer in Nepal is mild and bearable. The average high temp during summer can be up to 27 0C and low can be 17 0C. The frequent monsoon rain makes July quite remarkable; up to 1000mm rainfall is seen. The monsoon might block the sky, making the views unclear. Helambu is one of the wettest areas of Nepal.
Autumn begins with an average temperature of 22 0C in September. Then, it drops to 15 0C until the end of November. September still experiences a post-monsoon effect with about 500mm of rainfall. After that, the weather is parched and stable.
Helambu, being one of the best low-altitude treks of Nepal, is possible throughout the year. While most tourists flood in the autumn and spring season, we suggest the winter trek for a relatively peaceful experience.
In autumn, the skies are clear while the night is a little cold. The warm weather and the best views make autumn the busiest month for the trek. It's also the month for festivals and celebrations like Dashain and Tihar. You might find it difficult to stay at a local lodge since many tourists visit during autumn. Next, spring is a popular trekking season when the trail is full of colorful blooms of Rhododendron. The crisp surrounding and the clear morning views make spring a very pleasing time of the year. Lush bushes and forests are rejuvenated while people celebrate Lothar.
Winter in Helambu is equally pleasing. In fact, it's among a handful of winter treks in Nepal where you can walk in solitude without much difficulty. Days and nights are warm in comparison to other popular treks in Nepal. It's a great winter escape with a lot of discounts. Last but not least, we have summer. Since Helambu receives a high amount of rainfall, summer trekking is not so pleasing. The trail is slippery, and the leeches are frequent. However, the lush forest and greenery after the raindrop are just WOW. Grab a good pair of boots and design a flexible itinerary before you go for Helambu Circuit trekking. Our experts' guide and trekking team in the Mystic Mountain Treks help you explore this fantastic valley throughout all the year.
The Helambu trekking is marked as the "easy" trekking trail of Nepal. This is easily accomplished by anyone with sound physical and mental health. The challenges you may face during the trek are due to the distance and altitude.
Helambu valley is only 75 kms away from Kathmandu, Capital of Nepal. And thankfully, you will be covering over half of this distance through a scenic drive. We will be walking 30kms in about five days which is not that of a big deal. Even a newbie with zero trekking experience can easily walk about 9 to 10kms per day (5 to 6 hours). The path is also less steep than other popular treks of Nepal and thus easily achievable. However, some cardio exercises before the trek can be helpful.
The highest altitude we get during this short trekking in Nepal is Tharepati at 3,690m. This is quite a low-altitude trek in comparison to other Himalaya’s trek in Nepal. If you walk slowly and keep yourself hydrated, the chances of altitude sickness are very low. Even if you develop symptoms like headache and nausea, you will be fine after some hours of rest. Emergency cases are significantly less, but it's always wise to be on the safe side with high-altitude travel insurance.
| Day | Day Acitivity |
|---|---|
| Day 01: | Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel |
| Day 02: | Kathmandu valley cultural tour and trek preparation day |
| Day 03: | Drive from Kathmandu to Sundarijal and trek to Chisapani |
| Day 04: | Trek from Chisapani to Kutumsang |
| Day 05: | Trek from Kutumsang to Tharepati |
| Day 06: | Trek from Tharepati to Tarke Gyang |
| Day 07: | Trek from Tarke Gyang to Shermathang |
| Day 08: | Trek to Melamchi Pul Bazar and drive to Kathmandu |
| Day 09: | Final departure |
Our representative will be waiting for you with the placard of your name. As soon as you complete the customs formalities, our staff will welcome you to Kathmandu. Then, we will drive to your hotel in Thamel in a private vehicle. This 30-minute drive shows you the best of Kathmandu valley. In Thamel, the vibrant streets and the cultural reflection of Kathmandu will please you. Check in to the hotel and recover from the jet lag.
In the evening, you will have enough time to stroll around the hotel. We will arrange an introductory session to brief you about the trek. Further, we enjoy the welcome dinner in the finest restaurant of Thamel. After that, you can enjoy the bustling urban nightlife of Thamel.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
| Accomodation | As per request |
| Meals | Dinner |
We will have a beautiful day to explore the best of Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu, known as the city of Temples has many beautiful UNESCO world heritage sites. Today, we explore some of these historical monuments and cultural attractions. We visit Swayambhunath Stupa (also called Monkey Temple) in the morning, which shows the entire view of Kathmandu Valley.
Then, we go for a sightseeing at Pashupatinath to get the blessing of Lord Shiva. Pashupatinath is the holy temple for the followers of the Hindu religion. It's the biggest and most important temple in Nepal. We might also stop at Bouddhanath temple. Then, we will visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, which was once the home to Nepal's Kings and Queens.
The sightseeing tour comes to an end after a half-day tour. Then, we get to our hotel for some trek preparation. The guide helps pack your bag and later shop/ rent anything else you need for the trip. We make our bags ready before taking off from the schedule. Overnight in Kathmandu.
| Accomodation | As per request |
| Meals | Breakfast |
After your breakfast in the hotel, we will begin the drive on the highway towards Sundarijal. This short drive in a luxurious private vehicle takes you to the calmer and peaceful side of Kathmandu valley.
As our trek commences, we walk towards Chisapani, one of the foremost loved short hikes from Kathmandu. The slow walk from Sundarijal to Chisapani promises many natural and cultural delights to the visitors. This section of the walk highlights the overall sweetness of the Helambu region. Strolling down the green hills towards the realistic viewpoint of Chisapani, the mountain appears further far and beyond. But this picturesque setting will still be pleasing to your soul. Overnight in Chisapani.
| Accomodation | Tea House Lodge |
| Meals | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Activity Duration | 6 hrs |
On the fourth day of Helambu valley trek, we head to Kutumsang from Chisapani. This might be the longest and most adventurous day of your trek.
You wake up early to enjoy our warm breakfast in the local lodge. After the fantastic sunrise between the hills, we now start the walk. Firstly, we walk on the trail that brings us to the dense forests. Soon, we reach a small village inhabited by Brahman’s and Chhetri’s. After a short stop here, it’s a couple of hours before we will arrive in Kutumsang. This small village at 2470 meters is mainly inhabited by the amicable Tamang people. Overnight in Kutumsang.
| Accomodation | Tea House Lodge |
| Meals | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Activity Duration | 6 hrs |
Get prepared for another fun day of the walk. Today, we depart after the morning breakfast and head towards the north. As we pass, the small streams and waterfall accompany us. We slowly ascend the nearby pass for the best possible views of the mountains. It is essential that we walk slowly and carefully on the fifth day. As we gain about 1000 meters altitude today, we might be victimized by altitude sickness.
Don’t worry, your guide has many tips and tricks related to High Altitude Sickness After an exciting walk, we get to the village of Tharepati. Here we can see some comfortable tea houses. Tharepati, the highest point of the trek, offers the most spectacular view of Himalayan sights like Ganesh Himal, Dorje Lhakpa, Langtang Lirung, Manaslu and many others 6000 ers and 7000 ers. People on this side of Helambu follow the authentic Buddhist culture that you might find unique. Overnight in Tharepati.
| Accomodation | Tea House Lodge |
| Meals | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Activity Duration | 5 hrs |
On the 6th day of the Helambu Valley trek, we begin the walk after breakfast. We first descend down to a river, where we hike over a small suspension bridge. Continuing the downward walk, the occasional glimpse of the mountains greets us.
After lunch, we walk via the terrace farms to the village called Melamchi Gaun. We stop for some rest before walking to the Tarke Gyang. This one is the biggest village we encounter in the Helambu area. There’s a stunning Ama Yangri Peak (3771m) just before the town. The friendly Hyolmo community has a unique lifestyle going on. Be a part of their life as you enjoy some classic food and dances in the village. You might visit the old heritage that carries immense religious significance among the local people. Overnight in Tarke Gyang.
| Accomodation | Tea House Lodge |
| Meals | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Activity Duration | 4 hrs |
As we approach the end of our trek, we lose a lot of altitudes in a short time period. This is an easy trek as we mostly walk in the leveled plain land. Firstly, we walk down from Tarke Gyang to a beautiful stream. Afterward, we head on a straight path until we get to the dense forest. In the Spring, this forest is full of colorful Rhododendrons far and wide. You might see some mani- walls and Chortens. As we reach Shermathang, the mountain appears quite far. Shermathang, a traditional village in the Helambu area is inhabited by friendly locals. Overnight in Shermathang.
| Accomodation | Tea House Lodge |
| Meals | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Activity Duration | 6 hrs |
Get ready for the final day of the trek after breakfast. We will get up early in the morning for one last tremendous sunrise view from Shermathang. Then, we will slowly walk downwards to the Melamchi Pul Bazaar. This short walk along the terraced farm is the last sight of the rural lifestyle.
From Melamchi Pul Bazaar, a personal cab drives you back to Kathmandu. As you check in to the hotel, enjoy the hot shower and let your shanks rest. Afterward, you can go for some souvenir shopping to enjoy the place in general.
In the evening, we will together enjoy a farewell dinner, our last dinner as a team. Remembering the journey we accomplished, we enjoy the moment. Thereafter, you can savor the nightlife of Thamel.Overnight in Kathmandu.
| Accomodation | As per request |
| Meals | Breakfast Lunch Dinner |
| Activity Duration | 7 hrs |
Sadly, our Helambu trekking comes to an end today. After a leisurely breakfast in the morning, we will drive you to the airport. Do inform us about your flight schedule so that we can take you to the airport accordingly. We will guide you to the airport three hours before your flight time to complete your customs and immigration formalities. Waving a final goodbye, you will be rushing to your next destination- probably your hometown or somewhere else.
We wish you the best journey onwards. !!NAMASTE!!
Note: Trekking in Helambu is an enriching experience. But you can fully utilize your stay in Nepal with many other adventure’s activities. We highly recommend a thrilling white water rafting in Trishuli or Bhotekoshi. Similarly, a quick drive to Pokhara for a city tour and some adventures such as paragliding, ziplining, bungee, etc., will be fun. Or you have to go for a Jungle safari and Elephant ride in Chitwan. The Mystic Mountain team makes all the arrangements in addition to the very minimum cost.
And, if you are still willing to do another adventurous treks in Nepal then, the experts suggests you:
| Meals | Breakfast |
