Dorje Lakpa Expedition

You will be arriving at the Tribhuvan International airport where a team representative will welcome you with the auspicious Nepali “khata”. Consequently, a short drive through the side winding streets of the colorful Kathmandu will take you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free, or leisurely depending on how one arrived, to wash up from the trip.

Late in the afternoon there will be a briefing that covers the plan of the day, introduction to Sherpa guides and porters, review of permits, discussion on the climb and anything else you may wish to know. If there is time, there could always be a bit of gearing up to check if everyone has the right gear for the task.

In the evening you will spend time with the group in a cultural program followed by traditional Nepali welcome dinner in one of the restaurants.

Meals: BB Plan + Welcome Dinner

In the morning after having your breakfast at the hotel, you will take a full day sightseeing in Kathmandu’s UNESCO world heritage sites. Your city guide will arrange to take you to visit Pashupatinath Temple which is one of the most important Hindu temples in Nepal, after that you shall be taken to Boudhanath Stupa which is one of the world’s largest Buddhist shrines.

You will visit Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) which has a good view of Kathmandu city. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant so that you will have a fresh Nepali meal. The last day of the initial preparatory stage is also dedicated to requesting the permits for climbing from the expedition leader after lunch and checking all the necessary equipment one more time.

If there is anything missing from your packing list, you will be able to hire or buy equipment from hardware stores in Thamel. The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax and go sightseeing in the city some more.

Meals: BB Plan

Kathmandu Altitude: 1345m / 4411ft

Dhunche Altitude: 1966m / 6448ft

Elevation Gain: +621m

Today, you are off the Kathmandu roads and proceed on your drive to Dhunche. As you go high, you will feel the air change from the warm city air to the cold mountain air. The road goes along the Trishuli River most of the time and once in a while rolls through villages, children wave and farmers in muddy terrains cultivate small fields that are stacked on the slopes of the hills.

The higher you go up, the more the terrains change. You will now see lush forests instead of the farmland and if you are lucky, you will perhaps get your first glimpse of the Langtang and Ganesh Himal, their tops covered in snow makes them seem like white giants from a distance.

Finally, after passing through such a long and winding route that included some steep and even comparatively narrow way, one arrives at Dhunche. At a height of 1966 meters, this is a small mountain town that is the starting point of the Langtang area. Here you will settle in a teahouse, where you will spend the night as you prepare for the trek that starts from tomorrow.

Dhunche Altitude: 1966m / 6448ft

Thulo Syabru Altitude: 2250m / 7380ft

Elevation Gain: +284m

You go from Dhunche to Syabru after breakfast when you begin your first trekking day. The actual hiking starts with a steep incline that immediately takes you into the quite lush rhododendron, oak, and pine forest. When you walk, you’ll be able to listen to the sounds of animals, monkeys moving through the branches and mountain birds somewhere in the distance.

It moderates throughout the forest and provides you with the ample opportunity to get familiar with nature. A while later the trees start to get less dense and you get a chance to see the open peaks in the area. Still vivid in the background is the imposing Langtang Himal, offering a preview of what is to come.

Thulo Syabru, the village you will reach today, is a ridge top settlement style village. Taking around 4 to 5 hours’ trek, the climb up gives a fantastic view of mount Ganesh Himal and Langtang Lirung. The village is not very large but has warm welcomes and simple tea houses for the night stay. It is recommended to spend the night here to rest after the first day trek in the Himalayas.

Syabrubesi Altitude: 1086m / 3563ft

Lama Hotel Altitude: 2470m / 8101ft

Elevation Gain: +1,384m

Trekking starts immediately after breakfast. The trek goes on through the descent to the Bhote Koshi River, there is a suspension bridge to be crossed but is quite interesting as the ascent will begin at the very spot along the Langtang Khola. During your hike experience, you will cross through the bamboo forest, rhododendron, and oak trees where you can also see wildlife such as red panda and monkeys’ langurs.

Later in the afternoon you will take lunch at bamboo, a small village on the same stretch. The trail then moves through thick forest and steep land and you go through several suspension bridges on your way to your destination, Rimche. After crossing several suspension bridges over streams and reaching a few waterfalls, a small village of teahouses known as Lama Hotel is reached.

Take a rest in a peaceful environment with sounds of the river flowing nearby and have dinner in the restaurant of the teahouse.

Lama Hotel Altitude: 2470m / 8101ft

Langtang Village Altitude: 3330m / 10922ft

Elevation Gain: +696m

 The walk progresses and you start ascending along the steep trail passing through oak and rhododendron, following a few openings of the tree line you get the first glimpse of Langtang Lirung. By 2 to 3 hour trek, the next halt is Ghora Tabela, which has been the camp of Tibetan refugees. Here you will be able to fill a slip at the military checkpoint and have tea or lunch. Further on the valley broadens and you get a better view of Langtang Lirung. This part you will cross several small villages of Tamang people where you can see its inhabitants. During these hours, you are likely to arrive at Langtang Village that was most affected by the 2015 earthquake but has been reconstructed. The village is located in an area of numerous pastures with yaks freely roaming all around the village. Once checked in to your teahouse, you will either get to wander around the village or relax and admire the scenery.

Langtang Village Altitude: 3330m / 10922ft

Kyangjin Gompa Altitude: 3870m / 12693ft

Elevation Gain: +370m

 Today’s district does not require a really long trek, so after breakfast you will start your moderate climb to reach the grassy, open land inhabited by yaks and on the edges graced by magnificent, multihued flowers. During your climb you will travel through two tiny Tibetan settlements of Mundu and Sindum that can fascinate you with their stone built houses and herds of yaks.

On the way you will be able to see the Langtang Lirung and its glacier dominating the skyline. In a couple of hours, you’ll reach Kyanjin Gompa, which is a small village famous mostly for the Buddhist monastery and Cheese Factory. After checking in your teahouse and having lunch you will have a restless time to take a walk.

The Gompa situated at Kyanjin or the cheese factories processing yak cheese using traditional ways is nearby. If you have a lot of energy you can also climb to Kyanjin Ri which is a viewpoint at 4750 meters and offers an excellent view of the Langtang region.

This is an optional hike, although this actually assists in acclimatization greatly as well as offering arguably the most stunning views on the trek. You will go back to this teahouse you came in for dinner and then spend the night there.

Today focuses on acclimatization at Kyanjin Gompa which will allow your body to get used to such altitude. After breakfast, you may want to have a rather demanding yet fulfilling acclimatization trip to Tsergo Ri (4985m), it will take approximately 5 to 6 hours in total.

Standing at the top, you get the panoramic view of Langtang Lirung, Dorje Lakpa, Shishapangma in Tibet and other small tops of the hills that are snow capped. For those who have little interest in the strenuous day, you can trail around Kyanjin Gompa, Langtang Lirung Glacier or a short round in the nearby valley. This is a good opportunity to communicate with some local people, especially yak herders and learn about this rather conservative ethnic of the Himalayas.

In the evening, your guide will brief you with the plan for the next day’s trek to Dorje Lakpa Base Camp. You will have dinner at your teahouse preparing for the next few days that will be harder for you.

Kyangjin Gompa Altitude: 3870m / 12693ft

Yak Kharka Altitude: 4600m / 15088ft

Elevation Gain: +630m

After having your breakfast, the next phase of the climbing process directed towards Yak Kharka which is an alpine meadow territory of Yak herders. The trail becomes somewhat steep and goes through areas which are less woody and ample of alpine vegetation.

As you hike, you will be witnessing Langtang Lirung and the glaciers and as you continue climbing, the peaks will get closer. This part is less populated with human settlements and trekkers, which gives this relatively new trek a very isolated and spectacular location in the Great Himalayas. More rugged terrains will be faced as you progress through the trip with dips in alpine meadows and juniper shrubs.

It will approximately take 5, maybe 6, hours to get to Yak Kharka. You will reach there in the afternoon. The group will then unpack the equipment to camp for the night and you will make up your tent. Yak Kharka is often used as a camping site because there are no rocks and the path is easy to follow to the Dorje Lakpa Base Camp. You will find some time to spare to get ready for the tougher climbing that awaits you.

Yak Kharka Altitude: 4600m / 15088ft

Dorje Lakpa Base Camp Altitude: 4950m / 16236ft

Elevation Gain: +450m

Today you will be doing the Yak Kharka to Dorje Lakpa Base Camp hike. What comes next is the steep and rather difficult incline to the base of the hill in the morning after breakfast. The trail becomes steep and you cross moraines, boulder fields and rocky terrains which make one have to ascend slowly and steadily as the altitude increases. It only gets colder and rocks stages to ice fields but the scenic mountains and glaciers are stunning.

The entire trekking takes about 4 to 5 hours and you get to Dorje Lakpa Base Camp which is situated at 4950 meter height. The Sherpa team will construct the base camp, and this will be your home for further days until the day of the summiting attempt. Afternoon is to have a discussion with the leading Sherpa regarding the climbing plan and get familiar with how higher camps will be set up, ropes and technical gears and safety disciplines.

You will also be doing gear check to be certain that all the gear is ready for the summit days. The rest of the day is spent at leisure and the participants get used to the altitude.

Dorje Lakpa Base Camp Altitude: 4950m / 16236ft

Summit Altitude: 6966m / 22848ft

Elevation Gain: Base Camp to Camp I: +450m, Camp I to Camp II: +400m, Camp II to Summit: +1166m

In the following 20 days, attention is paid to the ascent to the top of Dorje Lakpa and the descent to Base Camp. First few days will be very steep, from Base camp to Camp I at an altitude of 5400 meters over the glacier field and steep, icy slopes.

When you get to Camp I, you spend some days resting as the body adjusts to the high altitude. Afterward, you will proceed towards Camp II on the altitude of 5800 meters on which the slope gets steeper and the climb more challenging.

At Camp II, you will spend some time before you prepare for the summit of the mountain. The actual arduous day involves hikers or climbers climbing upwards through snowy and icy grounds in order to reach the top of Dorje Lakpa. The hard work of several hours on a steep slope will be rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains in the Himalayas region.

After that, you will descend to Camp II, then to Camp I and finally back into the Base Camp. The last of the days afford free hours for unexpected changeability of the weather, tiredness, additional days off or any difficulties that could occur. All these days are incorporated within the plan as such days would help to create a safe and successful expedition.

Dorje Lakpa Base Camp Altitude: 4950m / 16236ft

Yak Kharka Altitude: 4600m / 15088ft

Elevation Loss: -450m

The day begins with the coming down from Base Camp which has taken several weeks to get to. As you descend the trail, although the air feels warmer and thicker, the trail is still challenging with loose rock and steep regions. This change you will notice from the icy surface, with little or no vegetation to grasslands and patches of Juniper as you progress with the descent.

The day is relatively easy, but it still needs slow pacing especially as you are approaching the mountainous region. You get to see yaks feeding on the alpine meadows when approaching Yak Kharka is a very beautiful sight indeed. Here the terrain gets a bit broader in the sense that there are some low ridges on the horizon that define the surrounding area of the campsite.

When you get to Yak Kharka you will then spend the night and since it is in a very remote region you will be relieved after a day of climbing to relax a bit. The feeling of a descent is less stressful but it also makes you reflect on what you have just achieved.

Yak Kharka Altitude: 4600m / 15088ft

Langtang Village Altitude: 3330m / 10922ft

Elevation Loss: -1,270m

After coming out of Yak Kharka, the actual descent can be felt as the terrain changes continuously throughout the region. Gradually the Himalayan pastures turn to green temperate marshy meadows and the noise of Langtang River can be heard getting louder as one enters the valley.

The trail has a familiar feel to it and while the ascent provides specific vantage points, coming back down has a different experience with new views of up the trail you just climbed.

Lower altitude vegetation replaces naked alpine terrain and the sun tends to be warmer. After several hours of crossing several suspension bridges and strolling along the side of the river, you get to Langtang Village.

This village of which some parts were destroyed by the 2015 earthquake has been reconstructed and the place is lively and hospitable. Here, you’ll spend your night in a local teahouse and get a good feeling to be back with local people and other travelers.

Langtang Village Altitude: 3330m / 10922ft

Lama Hotel Altitude: 2470m / 8101ft

Elevation Loss: -860m

Today’s trek goes further into the Langtang Valley by descending from Langtang Village all the way down to Lama Hotel. It passes through the timbered oak and rhododendron land and the red color of the flowers comes out shinny from the middle of the trees’ green. The path mostly descends but there are times it ascends slightly just to make sure the trekker remembers that it might be an easy trek but demands your focus.

The enclosure of the forest top provides some protection from the sun as you progress with the downward journey, and the noise, the monkeys playing in the trees overhead, birds chirping, accompanies you. Now these small streams intersect the trail and the waterfall does make the trek quite picturesque. The fragrance of the forest is really felt when you move towards Lama Hotel, and this small village provides a perfect resting place after the day’s activities.

Lama Hotel Altitude: 2470m / 8101ft

Syabrubesi Altitude: 1420m / 4658ft

Elevation Loss: -1,384m

On the last day you will go down from Lama Hotel to Syabrubesi which is the place you started your trekking. Trail passes through a rich forest track initially along the Langtang Khola, rivers and some suspension bridges make the track a little bit thrilling.

The 10 kilometers trek will take nearly 5 or 6 hours to cover and as you approach Syabrubesi you will have ample time to give thoughts to the entire trip. Descent will be easier as you breathe in thicker air at that and other lower altitudes respectively. It is then that you spend the last night of your stay in the Langtang region in a teahouse at Syabrubesi.

You can commemorate the trekking that has been successfully accomplished, take photos with the Sherpa team or fellow climbers and do a farewell dinner and have a taste of the successful expedition.

Syabrubesi Altitude: 1420m / 4658ft

Kathmandu Altitude: 1345m / 4411ft

Elevation Loss: -75m

After breakfast it is time to take a bus or private vehicle to drive back to Kathmandu. The 7 to 8 trip, back to Kathmandu, brings you through the same sights that you had seen at the beginning of the trip, the Himalayan foothills, the rivers and terraced farmlands. Lunch will be taken in a restaurant en route followed by a last glimpse of Nepali cuisine before getting back to Kathmandu.

After that, you will arrive in Kathmandu in the evening or night and you are going to check into your hotel. You are pretty much on your own in the evening as it is free time for resting, sightseeing or shopping in the Thamel area. You can relax after the long drive and be ready to proceed with your next destination the following day.

Your last day begins with you being transferred to the Tribhuvan International Airport. After many days and nights of hiking and ascending, the ride back home is somewhat sad. At the end of the tour when you come out of your hotel, you get to hear the sounds of Kathmandu city, sounds of motor bikes, smell of incense near the temples. The ride to the airport goes right through the center of the city, by markets and monuments one has been known to.

While you go through the process of checking in for a flight, you get a chance to look back at the trip, the struggles, achievements and learning from the climbing of Dorje Lakpa. The mountains may be out of sight once the plane has started to take off but the memories of certain areas of Nepal cannot be erased.