Overview
The Helambu Valley is one a very popular trek that is popular with families as it is located near Kathmandu, yet offers spectacular views of Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Dorje Lakpa and other snowcapped peaks. The people of the valley are very friendly and welcoming to visitors. There is a strong Buddhist culture in the area as there are a number of monasteries, prayer flags and chhortens along the trails.
Vertical Expedition is pleased to be able to feature this wonderful trek into the Helambu Valley. Here we can share its unique culture, history as well as its incredible beauty.
Itinerary
Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport where you will be met by your representative of Vertical Expedition and taken by private car to your Three Star Hotel to relax for the night.
There is plenty to see and do in the Kathmandu Valley, including seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We will be visiting four of them today within the valley.
We leave Kathmandu and make our way past Dhulikhel to Melamchi Pul to enjoy an incredible view of the Langtang Mountain Ranges. We will travel by private vehicle for around 4 – 5 hours. We will stop for lunch, and then begin our trek to Kakani, a Tamang village which takes around 3 – 4 hours. We will spend the night in a local lodge.
Today is our first full day of trekking, and we are heading for Sermanthang village. The trek today is a gentle ascent up to our destination where we plan to have lunch. In the afternoon, explore the old monastery as well as tour the village. Trekking time is 4 – 5 hours.
The trail really reflects the Buddhist culture of the region as we pass impressive Mani Walls and chhortens, passing through forests. We will take our lunch break at Ganjawal where we can explore the local monastery which is an excellent example of Buddhist architecture as influenced by Sherpa culture. After lunch, we trek through rhododendron forests until we reach the Sherpa village of Tankegyang. Explore the local monasteries in the evening. Trekking time is 4 – 5 hours, and we will stay in a local lodge.
After breakfast, we will descend until we reach a suspension bridge crossing the Melamchi Khola, We will come across a huge Chhorten. Then we climb upwards through rhododendron forests until we reach Malamchi Gaon. Here we discover a prosperous little Sherpa village. We will tour the local monastery with our guide as we overnight in a local lodge.
This is our final day of trekking as we make our way to Thimbu village. We follow along the Melamchi Khola, and we walk around four hours to reach Thimbu. We will spend the night in a local lodge.
We will return to Kathmandu by private vehicle. The road is rough until we reach Dhulikhel where we find pavement all the way back to our Three Star Hotel where we can relax and get a hot shower.
Today we will be able to visit two popular UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Patan and Bhaktapur. Both cities were once their own kingdom and each features its own royal palace (durbar square) along with incredible temples. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with cultural show.
All good things must come to an end, and today, it is time to travel to your next destination. Your representative at Vertical Expedition can help you to plan your future trip as well as to other destinations around South Asia. Be sure to talk to your representative before leaving Kathmandu about a return trip to this great country. As they say, a lifetime is never enough to explore all that Nepal and the Himalayas have to offer.
Trip Information
- All airport/hotel transfers.
- Four nights in a Three Star hotel in Kathmandu. For duration of trek, local lodges and/or tea houses.
- All accommodations and meals during the trek.
- A full day of sightseeing tour in the Kathmandu Valley including an English-speaking tour guide and entrance fees.
- Private transportation by land cruiser.
- And experienced English-Speaking trek leader (government trained trekking guides), assistant trek leader (4 trekkers = 1 assistant guide) and Sherpa porters to carry luggage (2 trekkers = 1 porter). This includes salaries, insurance, food and lodging.
- Sleeping bag, a Vertical Expedition Duffle Bag, T-Shirt and trekking map. (Sleeping bags and duffle bags are to be returned at the end of the trek.)
- Farewell dinner along with one cultural show.
- A comprehensive medical kit.
- All government and local taxes
- Nepal Visa Fee (bring USD currently and four passport photographs)
- International airfare to and from Kathmandu
- Excess baggage charges
- Personal clothing and gears
- Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu because of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountains (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary.
- Travel and rescue insurance.
- Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
- Cost raised by cancellation, landslide, weather, political unrest or illness will not be our responsibility since these factors are not within our control.
- Tips for guide, drivers and porters.
Extras
FAQS
What will be the crew & group size during this trek?
For this trek, there will be one leader, an assistant leader (4 trekkers = 1 assistant leader) and Sherpa porters for carrying luggage (2 trekkers = 1 porter). This arrangement ensures that if anyone in the group is sick, the trip can still go ahead as planned. Vertical Expedition can run this trek for groups of any size. But, Vertical Expedition generally includes maximum of twelve (12) visitors as this company has found this to be the optimum size for a successful trip. However, if you would like to make a group booking for more than twelve people, Vertical Expedition can arrange this, too.
Where will you be staying during this trek?
All accommodations for the Helambu Family Trek with Children are on a twin sharing basis with inclusive trip costs and based on standard of hygiene, standard of service and food, location, etc. There are two styles of accommodations on this trip. In Kathmandu, we will stay four nights in Three Star Hotels. On the trek, we will stay five nights at local lodges and tea houses which do vary in quality. Most contain unheated rooms with wood beds and foam mattresses. Vertical Expedition provides attached rooms in some major towns; however tea houses or lodges in some places only have shared facilities as well as shared toilet. If we are a solo traveler, we may have to share the room with someone else of the same sex. Please understand that we will try to provide single rooms if at possible for an additional supplemental fee.
What are the meals arrangement during this trek?
During our trek, we can enjoy typical Nepali food as well as some basic foods from different types of cuisines. While in Kathmandu, we can enjoy a great selection of foods from a variety of ethnic cultures. In the larger villages, we will have good selections, but some of the small villages may only feature a single item for dinner. Lunch will be served as a picnic lunch. There will be a farewell dinner that will feature a cultural show in Kathmandu.
