Trekking Information

The trekking information given here focuses upon the Tamang Heritage Trail as Langtang and Helambu are well known. Since this is

additional information, a general travelling guide for Nepal is recommended.

The unexplored northeast of Rasuwa and Langtang National park was a restricted area near the Tibetan border. Recently developed, the

 trail can easily be linked with the routes to and from Langtang, Gosainkund and Helambu. It is most suitable for individual trekking in

small groups. Go there and be one of the first to discover the hidden treasure of ancient Tamang and Tibetan art and culture!

Trekking Time

There are many different routes you can take on the trail;

the usual route requires 6 days:

Syabru Bensi – Gatlang – Tatopani – Tuman – Timure / Rasuwagadhi – Briddim – Syabru Bensi

Climate / Trekking season

Spring and autumn are the main trekking seasons all over Nepal. I hiked the trail in January and highly recommend wintertime as the region is not very high (average altitude: 2000 - 2500m, highest point Naghtali: 3300m) and the temperature is warm by day (20 – 28 C) and moderate at night (9 C).

Accommodation

The Tamang Heritage Trail offers a unique opportunity to stay in the homes of local people.

Homestay is available in Goljung, Thambuchet, Tatopani, Brimdang, Timure and Briddim. As a guest you can stay in private houses, eat and talk with the families living here - the best way to discover the age-old culture of the area!

Solar Showers

For the time being hot showers are available in Gatlang and Briddim. The showers in Brimdang are under construction and will be finished hopefully in summer 06.

Hot Spring

In Tatopani hot springs await you. The thermal baths are known for their
health-giving properties for a variety of illnesses. Local people stay here for
one week and longer. Please wear Nepali style bathing suits (ankle-length
skirts for women, shorts for me

Food / Water

The food you are served grows on the fields and in the gardens around you. The range of fruits and vegetables depends on the season. People will share their food with you, even though they often have very little. Choice of food, especially in the wintertime, is small. You will get Dahl Baht (Nepal's national dish - lentils, rice and vegetable curry), eggs, Tibetan bread and noodle soup.

Do not drink tap water. Ask for boiled water that you can get everywhere, most of the time without asking. If necessary, purify the water with some iodine or water purification tablets.

Shops

As there are not many places to eat on the way, take along some cookies or
dry fruit that you can find the easiest in Dhunche or Syabru Bensi.

Digital cameras and electricity

There is electricity in Thambuchet. You may find an outlet to recharge your batteries there, but you should not rely on it. Why not try the solar powered recharger from WWF (for Swiss users: www.pandashop.ch)?

Language

People in this region speak Tamang, Tibetan and Nepali. I recommend Lonely Planet’s “Nepali Phrasebook” and/or a guide.

Guides and porters

As most of the people in this region do not speak any English, a guide is very useful. Without the help of my guide Sonam I would have missed an invitation for a wedding and many other things. The way is very well marked so you can easily find it alone. But if you are not able to communicate you miss the main attraction of the region, the open-minded people with their tradition and culture.

Local guides can be hired in Syabru Bensi. If necessary you can also hire porters there, but I recommend carrying your own backpack!

Tourists still need a special permit for the restricted area of Rasuwagadi (border town to Tibet). This permit has to be obtained in Kathmandu by an official travel agency and is issued for two people only ($10 per person). As I was travelling alone, it was impossible for me to get this permit. But I also did not find an agency that would have known how to issue this special permit. Go there, ask and try again!

Without a permit visitors can still take the whole trek up to Timure, paying the
Langtang National Park entry fee of Rps. 1000 in Dhunche.