IMMERSIVE – Trekking Langtang Valley in Nepal: Stunning Mountain Views, Himalayan Sounds & Struggles on the Trail

Langtang Valley, Nepal.

Touching down in the pool is always electric. A vibrant collision of noise, colour and life that instantly jolts the senses. This is our second visit, but this time the adventure feels even more profound. We're setting out to hike the legendary Langtang Valley trek. A journey that promises both challenge and serenity in equal measure. Soon we'll be deep in the Himalayas, where the crisp mountain air feels like a tonic for the soul.

and the flutter of prayer flags whispers ancient blessings on the breeze. I can already taste the Dao Bap after a long day's trek, hear the stories of resilient mountain villages, and feel the awe that comes when you're dwarfed by towering peaks that have watched over the world for millennia. Up there, time slows, your thoughts quiet, and silence, true silence, wraps around you like a blanket.

This journey is more than a hike, it's a pilgrimage into stillness, humility and raw, untamed beauty. Welcome to Langtang Valley. Let's begin.

Welcome to the Winging It Travel Podcast, your weekly ticket to the world, dropping every Monday and hosted by me, James Hammond, proudly part of the Voyascape Network. This is a travel podcast that throws out the itinerary and dive straight into the raw, real and unpredictable essence of global exploration, chasing moments over milestones, those spontaneous encounters, immersive sounds and unforgettable stories. Whether I'm hiking up volcanoes in Guatemala,

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or camping under the stars in British Columbia.

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We arrived into Kathmandu quite late and were picked up by a guest house host from the airport.

Already we can feel the dust and the busy traffic en route and to be honest I have missed it. The smell, the heat, the dust, it's all part of the character of Kathmandu. It's great to be back after five years.

We are staying in the area of Tamil, so the following day we're out for a stroll in the area. Tamil is the beating heart of Kathmandu, a buzzing, chaotic and colourful neighbourhood that serves as a hub for travellers from around the world.

Nestled within narrow winding alleyways, is packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, trekking agencies, hostels and many hotels of all kinds. It's where backpackers go to plan their Himalayan adventures and for digital nomads to find strong wifi and espresso coffee. Locals mingle with tourists in a vibrant street life. By night, the area transforms. Rooftop bars light up. Live music spills out onto the streets.

and the district pulses with energy. I absolutely love this place. Tamal has a charm that's hard to resist. One of my favorite restaurants in the area is called Momo's Star. I would highly recommend going there for a curry. I've missed it. In one of my favorite places in the world, Kathmandu, Nepal, and eating one of my favorite dishes and cuisines in the world, Nepalese cuisine. Today...

Some momos for lunch, fish tearing steams, some chow mein. You can get chow mein anywhere in this part of the world. the pool they have a bit of chow mein, fish chow mein, glass bottle coke, best kind of coke. Not sure what sauces this one looks great as well. Excited to get in there, let's do it.

Kathmandu to Sai Bribesi Sai Bribesi to Hotel Paro Hotel Paro to the Riverside Hotel Riverside Hotel to Langtang Village A rest day in Langtang Village Langtang Village to Kien Jeng Gunpa Then Kien Jeng Gunpa to Lama Hotel back down Lama Hotel to Sai Bribesi Then the bus or jeep back to Kathmandu It's going to be around 9 days in total and it's going to be quite a tough hike

but we're so excited for it, especially getting back into the Himalayas. ⁓

We're off to the valley in the Jeep.

and I refuse to take as many buses as possible in Nepal because the roads are awful. I've had too many near-death experiences on buses in Nepal and India, enough for a lifetime. Okay, we have left Kathmandu and we're off to the Langtang Valley and we are now making our way by jeep, not by bus this time because we paid a little bit extra to have a bit of comfort. That's five, six hours journey from Kathmandu to where we're going first, which is like the village where you start the trek.

and already great views, some mountains, some greenery, fantastic. And these roads are for everyone, so bikes, buses, jeeps, it's an interesting ride. And I'm looking forward to getting to a new place that not seen before, having a cup of tea and enjoying the view. We arrived into Saibu Besi, a small town and a starting point of Langtang Valley Trek. We're staying at the Rising Sun Hotel. Before we set off, let's discuss our kit.

Essential items include good, broken in hiking boots, warm clothing, trekking poles, first aid kit, plenty of snacks and a reusable water bottle. And of course, a camera or phone to capture the breathtaking scenery. There are plenty more things you might need, but these are the basics. We arrived at the hotel, checked in and walked around to check out Cyberbessie. We bought our snacks for the hike.

and had dinner at the hotel. After a six and a half to seven hour journey in the Jeep, buying our snacks, walking around Saibhubisi, it's time to get an early night up for an early start next morning to begin the hike. We're nervous but excited. Bring it on. Right here in the town of Serapubibisi, we're about to go on our first day of our Langtang Valley hike. And we're going to saunter up the hill, Leveson Wood, you said that yesterday. And fantastic setting here in the background. It's going to be a bit of a climb today, so got a load of water.

a of stacks and we've got a guide over there just doing a bit of admin and we'll be setting off. Looking forward to it.

The trek should take around 8 hours including breaks. It's a heck of a day for hiking. Made our first pit stop for lunch at Pyro Hotel. However, disaster struck on the first day.

Emma was not feeling well. Usually she is the better hiker of the two, but she wasn't moving too well and she was experiencing nausea with flu-like symptoms and sinus congestion. We decided to rest, stay the night and reassess in the morning. The owners here are so lovely. They cooked Emma an amazing soup to help her feel better. We talked about life, had tea, played the guitar, ate the most amazing bananas and they even gave us free wifi.

The Pyro isn't a place where people stay, it's too close to Sairubesi as it's the first stop on the trek so the amenities are basic. Wooden beds with hard mattresses, a not so clean Asian toilet and no shower. But we didn't mind at all, we were used to this type of travel. We finished the night with a great meal of Dalbat, singing songs, making connections and living in darkness too due to an electricity blackout. What a rollercoaster of a first day.

We woke up on day two quite early and Emma was in no shape to continue. So we both decided it was best for her to head back to Kathmandu in the jeep. It was a hard decision but the right decision. There's no point risking it going to high altitude in Langtang Valley. So Sapana walked back with her to Saibu Besi where she caught the jeep back to Kathmandu. And Sapana returned just after breakfast so we can continue the hike. I decided to carry on.

Our aim is to reach Riverside Hotel by climbing 1,000 meters to an altitude of 2,700 meters. This is a tough day of hiking. It's hard hitting on the knees. In the morning, we're overlooking valleys from Pyro, passing Bamboo Tibet Hotel on the trail. And we see welcome to Langtang Valley with prayer flags and great views in the distance.

The weather is cloudy, a bit moody and it's threatening to rain but we make our way up to Ramchi for a veg curry lunch and by this point I was almost done in but I knew there wasn't quite a way to go. Lunch at Ramchi was a nice stop, it felt like we've really started the trek now and the elevation is starting to get higher and higher. I passed some trekkers along the way.

Met Kentucky Daniel, he's trekking with his own guide to the same spot as us for the night at Riverside Hotel. But the trail between lunch and Riverside was brutal, one step after the other. Just relentless steps. It was brutal.

But finally, what seemed like all day and it was at dusk, even though I was pretty much shattered, we made our way to Riverside Hotel and we made it. And I was absolutely elated despite being so tired.

Worthy of note here, take a reusable water bottle. Buying water bottles, which you'll need, is expensive, at 300 rupees each. You're better off having a grail water bottle, put it in the stream, and then using the filter to drink that water. Dinner is roughly around 500 and 600 rupees, and normally is del bat, and the rooms are between 500 and 1,000 rupees. At a resting night with the guides and Kentucky Daniel over coffee, tea,

and dinner and it was an early night from an early start the next day to Langtang village.

I ambled out of bed, packed my stuff, had some breakfast, which is a veg omelette, and got ready to start the day of trekking. Today's climb will be 730 meters to Lantang village, where I intend to have a rest day. Early doors, we start to see some breathtaking scenery. The first thing we saw is the axe crossing a suspension bridge. I think this is the classic Nepalese sound of the Himalayas. Listen to this.

As we crossed the suspension bridge, the Langtang valley views start to come into play and it's clear skies and my word, it looks daunting but majestic. I can't quite believe that I'm aiming for those mountains in the distance and how high I've got to climb. As I walked along the trail, more and views and I was loving every minute of being back in the Himalayas. More yaks pass on a suspension bridge.

the locals using the axe to transport stuff from Langtang village and Kienjen Gupa back down to Saibu Besi. You'll see this all the time on the trek. Our lunch stop is at Thang Zep and this is a much needed lunch because that was a fairly brutal climb in the morning and from now on it won't be too bad to Langtang village. So now I can enjoy lunch with some amazing views and look over to the place that is the aim for the next few days.

and snow-capped mountains, silence, a little bit of wind and just the yaks with their bells and prayer flags rustling in the wind is just exactly what I thought this trek would be about. I'm absolutely alive right now. Despite feeling euphoric as I approached Langtang village with the views, you are hit with a sudden reminder how dangerous nature can be. We arrived to the Langtang village avalanche site.

Back in the day before the earthquake and avalanche, this was the original village. But now it's all under rubble. Schools of people died, homes lost, and a real heartbreaking moment for the residents of Langtang village. I stop here and I ponder about what devastation they must have gone through on that avalanche.

have to pass through this avalanche area what struck me more is how much you should respect the nature that you're in.

But arriving in Tlang Town village was a laition. I finally made it. It's one of the main points on the trek. And as I arrived in, it's quite moody, cloudy, and we wandered over to our hotel. And I couldn't believe what I saw when I walked in through the village, which was an espresso cafe. So immediately, dumped my stuff, went to the Himalayan bakery in Kaaf, and I sat there, ordered a coffee for me and Soprna, and a cake, and I couldn't believe I was drinking.

great coffee in the Himalayan mountains. It was an absolute dream. We stayed here for a few hours, reflecting, not really exploring because the weather is starting to turn into rain and a bit of wind and a bit of cloud. But it's okay. I've got a rest day tomorrow and I can explore more of the village and speak to more locals the next day. So for now, it's espresso coffee, Dao Ba Ta Na Hotel.

and an early night.

I had no real plans to explore on this day. Mainly to rest our legs, drink some coffee, speak to some locals and just soak in this amazing little village. Soprano explained yesterday that the landslide from the earthquake a few years ago came from the mountains above and it decimated the original village. They rebuilt some houses fair up the hill, now the main village. We're staying at Sunrise Guest House as a great little rooftop area for breakfast and coffee with great views.

I tend to realise that the best views are in the morning. Clear skies, snow-capped mountains and all the colours you can imagine. I wandered down to the Himalayan bakery and cafe and Mip Sang, the owner, is a great guy. You should go and see him. He talked to me about his family and how devastating the earthquake had been. Then his great aunt walked in to have some cake. She's nearly a hundred but survived the avalanche. She hid under a desk, not knowing what to do. But some of their family didn't survive.

and it's quite sobering to hear.

The Lang Tang village is one of my main aims of this trek and I'm happy to soak it all in. Despite Sipurna, my guide, probably being a bit bored, but I needed a rest before we crack on tomorrow to Kienjengunpa.

Day 5 is hiking to Kienjeng Gompah, the final destination of Langtang Valley Trek. And when I woke up this morning on the top of my sunrise hotel with a coffee, the views were absolutely incredible.

This is what I came here to see. Breathtaking views of snow capped mountains, no cloud in the sky, as far as the eye can see. I was absolutely overwhelmed to be out here in the Himalayas again, in the clean crisp air. What a choice. So I packed up my gear, had breakfast, admired the views and walked off on foot on the trail towards Kinjeng Gunpa.

You can see in the distance the mountains that are fully covered in snow and that's our aim.

One of the highlights of the trek is the diverse landscape, but this morning I am in awe of the vastness of this place. The views are like nothing else in the world. The pool and the Himalayas are truly special.

The silence, the fresh air, the people, the nature makes this a very special place. I'm honoured to share this with local people and other travellers who are making the same hike. Okay, one more video and I'm done. That's such clear views. It's too good.

unbelievable. So sat there, sipped my coffee and admired the views for half an hour. It's instant coffee, not my favourite but I don't care because I need the extra boost to get to Kinjin Gunpa. But I could sit here all day looking at these mountains.

We trundled on slowly up the hill and the altitude gets higher and higher and breathing in oxygen gets harder and more frequent. The ridges start to have snow on them so I've got snow on my boots. Now I feel like I'm part of the mountains and in amongst it. I love the little buildings and shrines with prayer flags that defines what you think about in terms of Buddhism, religion or the Himalayas in your mind. Yo, up a little hill.

We can now see some seriously high mountains like Langtang Le Rung. This stands at 7,227 metres high. You need to catch it in the morning before the clouds settle in and let me tell you, it is stunning.

After three hours we made it to Kienjeng Gunpa and what an achievement. I'm not a great hiker, I tire, I easily moan and curse but the end goal was always worth it because of the views.

Gengchen Gunpa is a beautiful monastery surrounded by towering peaks, the perfect spot to climatise and soak in the incredible views of Langtang Lirong and the other majestic mountains. I already love this place.

As we walked in, 360 degree views of Snowcat Mountains, you feel very small and just one speck of all the beings that are here.

The Holy Land Guest House is our guest house of choice. Again, they have a rooftop area to sit and enjoy your coffee and breakfast. And it's time for lunch.

Soperno and I used the weather so we got some views from the hotel on the rooftop then made our way down to the valley to get more photos of the area. You can walk down to the dry river bed and get really at the bottom of the valley. It's pretty cool but it's also pretty cold. I'm wearing a rain jacket and a hat. Soperno is doing a great job of getting content for me.

Kinchen Gunpa is not just a place of spiritual significance but also a base for several day hikes. You can hike to Seko-ri for even more spectacular views but for me, I'm too tired, I can't do anymore, this is the end point for me. I just want to sit here and enjoy the tranquility of this serene place. Physically, I am done for any more uphill hiking.

I bunkered down in the Kienjongunfa Bakery and Cafe for coffee for the rest of the day as the weather turned pretty bad. Many hikers such as Lawrence and Tor came in so we chatted and exchanged travel stories. And before we know it, it's like a group of 10 of us exchanging stories about Nepal and travels across the world. It's great to meet some fellow travellers and hikers and we had fun in the afternoon hiding from the rain, having coffee and cake and getting to know each other. It was pretty dreamy.

I actually got lost on my way back to the hotel but I finally found it in the rain. Early night for me as I want to go up early for the sunrise.

The sunrise next morning is on another level. I cannot believe what I'm Langtang village was incredible, but now we're high up in the mountains. No cloud in sight. And we saw helicopters coming and going, presumably to get the same view, dropping people off and picking people up. I got to the rooftop, had my coffee and admired the views.

360 degrees of snow capped mountains at the highest level in terms of altitude. I was in heaven.

Taran peak of Langtang Lurung dominates the skyline. Snow-covered slopes and jagged ridges create a dramatic backdrop. The mountain is often shrouded in a veil of clouds, adding to its mystique. But this morning, no such thing. You can see it in its entirety. From Kienjin Gunpa, you can see several glaciers cascading down the mountain sides. Kienjin Re offers a panoramic view of Langtang Valley. You can get up really early to go and see it. But for me, as I said yesterday, I am done. And it's time to admire the views I'm in.

not do more hiking. Another popular day hike is Seko-ri but again it's a tough climb up but you will see the Shishan Pang Ma in Tibet and that's 8,027 meters tall. But Kienjin Gunpa itself is a picturesque village with traditional stone houses and prayer flags fluttering in the wind. The monasteries, the colourful prayer wheels and ancient stupas as a spiritual and cultural dimension to the natural beauty. This is exactly what I envisioned when I set off on this hike.

and I'm so happy to be here. I could stay here on this rooftop all day and part of me feels like I should have stayed here for the rest day in Silang Tang village but hey, I've made my choice. So I ate my breakfast, soaked in all the views I possibly could, packed my stuff up and started to head down. We're aiming for Lamma Hotel, it's about six to seven hours hiking but for me, weirdly going downhill is much easier and we set off at a quick pace and retraced our steps from the previous six days.

I can get a move on downhill and hopefully we make it in good time before sunset.

There isn't really much to tell on this day. We stopped off at all the places we mentioned in this episode. Had lunch, had tea, had coffee. But at a quick pace. No real waiting here. We wanted to get down to Lama so I could chill out, have some dinner and get up early next morning to get back to Sairabhi Besi. Finally we made it to Lama Hotel before sunset. And it was a great day in terms of hiking. I think Soprano was a bit surprised at my pace going downhill, but he was happy.

We're at Lama Hotel with a tea and some Dal Ba. What a great way to finish the day.

An early omelette and coffee and we're setting off back to Saibabesi. And I wasn't going to do much on this day but there was one great moment on this hike when we got back to Pyro Hotel which is just before Saibabesi. You may remember Emma stayed here for the night with me trying to get better for the hike and had to go back to Kathmandu. So when I returned to Pyro Hotel I saw the old guy who owns the hotel and he gave me a hug and shook my hand and asked how Emma was doing.

It nearly made me cry. Unbelievable hospitality. We sat down, had lunch, talked about the trek and Emma. Honestly, truly the most sensational people. Interestingly, one of the workers there, I think maybe his son or his nephew, was ill. The fever. So I dipped into my first aid kit and gave him pretty much everything I had. Everything to help the cold and fever. He was really appreciative and tried to say thank you and I said no. No thanks here.

This is me saying thank you for looking after us on our first night. One of those moments that's magical. And if you can go back in time and spend another lunch there speaking to these people at the station, I would. And it's quite sad really because people won't stay here that long due to its location on the trek. But if I ever go back, I'll make sure I stay here, spend some time with them. The last bit to Cyberbessie is tough. You walk along roads, road works, construction sites.

as we made our way efficiently back to Saibu Besi, not the same trail as at the start of the trek. I finally made it back to Saibu Besi for a night at the Horizon Sun Hotel and I needed it because now we're much lower in altitude and I can sleep even better. Time for an early night.

Emma took the jeep because she was ill, so I now have to get a bus back to Kathmandu and I'm not that happy about it. It's going to be 10 to 12 hours. The slowest traffic along the worst roads and it's only about 180km. It's crazy. But I got my ticket, got on the bus and tried to settle in with some music. We stopped off along the way about 10 times. I don't really know why.

finally got back to Kathmandu and I promised myself that as the last bus ride I'll try and take in Nepal.

Finally got back to Kathmandu, caught up with Emma, and we sat with a coffee and a Dalbat talking about the trek, and it's time for a rest. So here's my summary. The Langtang Valley Trek can be challenging with steep ascents and changing weather conditions, but the rewards are immense. Every step brings you closer to nature, and the views are simply out of this world. I love this area and would always go back. But it's time to reflect on this incredible journey

It's more than just a trek, it's an experience of a lifetime and filled with natural beauty, cultural richness and personal growth. The Endest Dalbat never gets boring, I crave it daily. I'm absolutely glad that Emma couldn't join me on this journey, and it still saddens me today, but not carrying on was the correct choice. You do not take altitude lightly. It can affect even the fittest people on this earth. So add into that, a fever and a cold, it just wasn't the right choice to carry on for Emma.

but I love Nepal and the Himalayas. That part of the world holds a special place in my heart and visiting is always a good idea. I always dream of returning and I will one day again. The landscape is stunning, the food is incredible and the people radiate warmth, humility and kindness. What a place. One of my favourite places on earth. Thank you for joining me on this unforgettable adventure through the Langtang Valley. Subscribe for more travel content like this coming your way and leave a review

A five-star review would be great on any podcast app that you use. So until next time, happy trekking and I'll see you on next immersive episode.