Himalayan trekking tour with Kathmandu visit
North of Kathmandu, the Helambu Trek winds through one of Nepal's most varied and visually arresting landscapes, weaving between rhododendron and bamboo forests, cascading waterfalls, and high mountain terrain.
Over nine days, you'll pass through remote villages where traditions have endured for centuries, tracing paths alongside rice terraces and ancient shrines and monasteries. This is Nepal at its most elemental: a spiritual land where the modern world falls quietly away, and the rhythms of nature and local mountain culture take over. Our local experts craft every detail of this journey to match your pace and preferences.
Services
Included:
- 8 nights accommodation in double or twin rooms
- Daily breakfast & select meals as per the itinerary
- Airport transfers as per the itinerary
- Land transfers as per the itinerary
- Activities & admission fees to sites as per the itinerary
- English-speaking guide on excursions
- Porter on treks
- Langtang trekking permit
- Government tax
Excluded:
- Any meals & drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Any expenses incurred due to unforeseen circumstances
- Expenses incurred during rescue services
- Nepal visa fees
Optional:
- Scenic mountain flight
- City tour
Itinerary at a Glance
Arrival Kathmandu
Welcome to Nepal!
Kathmandu - Swaymbhunath - Kathmandu Durbar Square
Visit the Cultural Highlights of Kathmandu
Kathmandu - Drive To Sundarijal - Trek To Chisapani
Trek to a Sherpa Village
Chisapani - Trek To Gol Bhanjyang
Venture into the Himalayan Foothills
Gol Bhanjyang - Trek To Tharepati
Journey Up Above the Tree Line
Tharepati - Trek To Melamchi
Spend the Night in an Authentic Nepali Village
Melamchi - Tarkeghyang
Hike along Rivers and Rice Terraces
Tarkeghyang - Trek To Timbu - Drive Back To Kathmandu
Head Back to Kathmandu
Transfer To The Airport
Farewell, Nepal!
Detailed Itinerary
Arrival Kathmandu
Day 1: Welcome to Nepal!
As your flight descends over Kathmandu, you will surely be entranced by the stunning views of the Himalayas. In the coming days, you will be trekking across this magnificent landscape!
After landing you will get your visa, and be picked up by a tour representative, who will drive you to your hotel in the heart of Kathmandu. At the hotel, you will have time to refresh and settle in after your long journey.
Kathmandu - Swaymbhunath - Kathmandu Durbar Square
Day 2: Visit the Cultural Highlights of Kathmandu
Today you will enjoy a walking tour of Kathmandu to discover some of the city's cultural highlights.
First, you will visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square, an ancient royal site surrounded by vibrant local markets.
Afterward, you will venture to the Buddhist stupa Swayambhunath, also called the Monkey Temple. Situated at the top of a hill, the site can be reached by 365 stone steps. The ancient stupa is thought to have been built over 2,500 years ago and has been an important Buddhist pilgrimage site since the 13th century.
Kathmandu - Drive To Sundarijal - Trek To Chisapani
Day 3: Trek to a Sherpa Village
After an early breakfast, you will be guided to Sundari Jal, the starting point for your first trek, which will lead you through the dazzling mountain landscape to the Sherpa village of Chisopani.
En route, you will cross Shivapuri National Park, where you will encounter a land marked by diverse landscapes. Here, you will find a mixture of subtropical forests as well as dense oak and pine forests. The park is home to Indian leopards, Himalayan black bears, muntjaks, pangolins, numerous kinds of monkeys, and over 300 bird species.
After trekking for 5 hours, you will stop for lunch before continuing to the Borlang Bhanjyang Pass (2,472m). From here, it is an easy trek to the Sherpa village Chisapani.
Before dinner, watch the sunset from your tea house, where you will spend the night.
Chisapani - Trek To Gol Bhanjyang
Day 4: Venture into the Himalayan Foothills
Today you will ascend above the elevation inhabited by the Nepalese people, into the foothills of the Himalayas.
After trekking for 2 hours through Langtang National Park, you will reach the village Kutumsang, where you will stop for a tea break. From here, the route climbs steeply through dense jungles and impressive rhododendron forests. Depending on the weather conditions, you may walk through clouds.
Enjoy lunch in a simple hut, situated at a forest clearing, before making the final ascent of the day to Mangengoth (3,420m), a hill-top close to Gol Bhanjyang, where you will spend the night.
Gol Bhanjyang - Trek To Tharepati
Day 5: Journey Up Above the Tree Line
From Gol Bhanjyang a beautiful path leads along a riverbed, before meandering through an enchanting rhododendron forest. From here on, the landscape becomes continuously sparse.
Leaving the forest, you will continue on a rocky path, which offers impressive views of the Langtang range. After approximately 4 hours you will reach the goal for today: Tharepati.
Stop for a rest and once you've regained your energy, set off on an exploration of the surrounding area taking in the spectacular views to the west, which include the awe-inspiring Laurebena Pass (4,610m) and look to the east where radiant Himalayan peaks rise up to heights of 7,000m.
Tharepati - Trek To Melamchi
Day 6: Spend the Night in an Authentic Nepali Village
From Tharepati you will descend steeply into the valley. After several hundred meters, dense fauna will greet you and you will find yourself surrounded by pine and rhododendron forests once again. Despite its steep descent, the path will be good to walk on. Observe the little springs that stream into the Melamchi River.
Back in the valley, you will cross a suspension bridge where you may have the chance to encounter a herd of Tibetan yaks.
After checking in to your lodge and having lunch in Melamchi, spend some time exploring the village, which has been rebuilt after the earthquake of 2015.
Home to a boarding school for children from the region as well as a Buddhist cave, the village has some interesting sights. Go with the flow and immerse yourself in the genuine life of the Nepali countrymen.
Melamchi - Tarkeghyang
Day 7: Hike along Rivers and Rice Terraces
After breakfast, you will continue east, further into the valley. As the path descends, enjoy beautiful views of rice terraces and villages, until you reach the Melamchi River, which flows to Kathmandu, providing the city with drinking water.
Passing a small village with only a few houses and an impressive shrine built into the rock, the path leads to a suspension bridge embellished with prayer flags. After a short ascent along rice terraces, you will reach the small village of Nakotefaon, where you will stop for lunch. From here, you will ascend further through fields and mixed forests, before reaching today's goal: Tarkeghyang (2,600m).
Tarkeghyang - Trek To Timbu - Drive Back To Kathmandu
Day 8: Head Back to Kathmandu
Today, the final trek of your Nepali adventure proceeds easily and evenly through picturesque villages and dense forests. Again and again you will pass old stupas in the forests, where prayer flags wave gently in the wind. Take in enchanting views of waterfalls and slopes that descend steeply into the valley to the Melamchi River.
The beautifully renovated village of Ghangyul invites you for a lunch break. Here, the farmers plant kiwis, which they sell in the markets of Kathmandu to earn a small income.
After you reached Timbu, you will be driven back to Kathmandu. Spend the rest of your day at your leisure.
Transfer To The Airport
Day 9: Farewell, Nepal!
After a breathtaking week trekking through the Himalayan foothills, it's time to say goodbye to Nepal. We hope you have had an unforgettable encounter with Nepal's nature, traditions, village-life, and local people, and wish you pleasant travels as you continue your journey.
