Overview
One of the largest of the mountain ethnic groups is the Tamang people. Living for centuries in the Himalayas, they have developed their own unique language, culture, foods and dress. These people are always smiling and are known for their outstanding hospitality.
The Tamang Heritage Trail is nestled between the Langtang and Ganesh Himal Mountain ranges. There are Buddhist chhortens along the trails, and even a wonderful hot springs to soak in at Tatopani.
The Tamang Heritage Trail is one of the relatively new trekking routes that have been recently opened in Nepal. It links to both the Langtang Range as well as Ruby Valley. This trek will feature stays in local tea houses where you will get an opportunity to get to meet the Tamang people. No doubt you will share many a cup of tea as you explore their heritage. This is an excellent trek for families as it is a moderate trek.
Vertical Expedition is pleased to be able to feature this new trekking area.
Itinerary
You will arrive today at Tribhuvan International Airport and be met by your representative of Vertical Expedition and taken to your Three Star Hotel where you will spend the night.
It’s a day’s drive from Kathmandu to our starting point at the village of Syabrubesi. This picturesque village is nestled in a deep valley with the mountains rising all around. The drive here offers scenes of village life, local farms, and terraced fields along with wonderful views of the Langtang and Ganesh Himal Mountain ranges.
Today we climb up the side of the hill. You can either follow the switchbacks on the road which leads to Gatlang or you can climb the traditional “short cut trails” that the locals do. We are heading to Gatlang Village which is a traditional Tamang village. It is around 6 – 7 hours to Gatlang where you will spend the night in a local lodge and enjoy the local culture.
The trail to Tatopani starts out as a gentle trail that passes Buddhist chhortens and Mani walls. It will pass through dense forests until reaching Chilime. We cross a suspension bridge and then walk up the terraced farmland to Gonggang Village for lunch. Our destination will be the hot springs of Tatopani, one of the largest hot springs in Nepal where the warm waters are good for joint pain and arthritis. We will have a chance to soak in these wonderful waters. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours.
Nagthali offers a wonderful view of the mountains. From here, you will see the peaks of Langtang Lirung, Shishapangma, Ganesh Himal and many more snowcapped peaks. It is about 4 – 5 hours to reach Nagthali, where we will spend the night in a local lodge.
Get up this morning and look with awe on the mountainscapes as you sip your morning tea. From here, enjoy a wonderful sunrise view of the Himalayas. The trail descends to Thuman village where we can stop for tea. This is the last place you can stop until reaching Timure. We will descend until reaching the Bhote Koshi Nadi (river), crossing on a suspension bridge. We will overnight in Timure, with trekking time around 6 – 7 hours.
Today is a day excursion to the historical site of Rasuwagadhi. This day excursion allows you time to explore the old fort at Rasuwagadhi, which is on the old trail to Tibet. It is about 2 hour walk to Rasuwagadhi and another two hours back to Timure.
We follow the Bhote Koshi River upstream until Lingling village where we will have lunch. From here, the trail gently climbs to Briddhim village. Briddhim is a small Tamang village known for its great views and wonderful, friendly culture. We will stay in a home stay here, and visit an ancient monastery.
This is our last day of trekking, and we make our way downhill through rhododendron forests until we reach the village of Wangal. Our trek continues downhill until we finally reach Syabrubesi. The total time of trekking are around 5 – 6 hours and we will stay in a good local hotel for the night.
Today, relax in a private vehicle as you make your way to your Three Star Hotel for a hot shower and a good bed in the capital city. It is around a 5 – 6 hour journey back to Kathmandu. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner and 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.
- Two 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 Tamang Heritage Trail Lodge Trek 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 two nights in Three Star Hotels. On the trek, we will stay eight 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.
