The tranquil Langtang region located at the North of Kathmandu boasts of immense natural beauty. The close proximity of the region with the capital city of Kathmandu significantly reduces the Langtang Valley Trekking cost. Thus, the trek in the Langtang is relatively cheaper in comparison with other treks in Nepal.
Any trekker should start allocating the right budget for the trek in advance. With proper budget allocation, you can enjoy the trek comfortably without any hassle. This process also helps you estimate the total budget of the trek.
Getting the right trek package is essential. The trek packages generally include all accommodation, food, and other costs. Other costs like travel insurance cost, visa costs, international transportation, are not included in most trekking packages.
In the high Himalayas even the basic amenities like hot water, internet connection, charging electronic gadgets can get quite costly. Langtang Valley trek cost depends upon various factors including the itinerary (length of the trek), the season, type of accommodation, food and drinks, among others.
There are other costs like the permit costs, visa costs, transportation costs as well. The costs vary widely based upon the services and the itinerary. Trekking in pristine Langtang valley is affordable and cheaper compared to other treks in Nepal. So, are you ready for the challenging Langtang valley trek? Read further for the detailed cost breakdown of the Langtang trek and book your trip now.
Langtang Trek Cost Breakdown:
Various factors play an important role in determining the Langtang trek cost. While the cost of the trek depends upon the trekkers, a general estimate of the trek is necessary. The length of the trek and the spending nature of the trekkers also increases the Langtang trek cost. These are the various cost estimates at different cost headings:
Permit Fees for the Langtang Trek
For the Langtang valley trek, you will need the Langtang National Park permit and the TIMS permit.
TIMS (Trekker’s Information Management System)
The TIMS (Trekker’s Information Management System) permit is necessary for trekking any part of Nepal. An individual foreign trekker has to pay US $20 for the permit. If you are travelling in a group, it would cost you US $10. For SAARC nationals the fee is US $6.
Langtang National Park Entry Permit
The Langtang National Park Entrypermit costs around US $30 per person, including 13% VAT. For a SAARC national the permit costs US $15 plus 13% VAT. These permits are available at the office of Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu.
You will need a passport size photograph and the photocopy of your passport. The permits are also available at various trailheads and checkpoints along the trail. The price of the permits are higher in the checkpoints.
If you trek the Langtang valley through the alternative Sundarijal-Chisapani route, you will also need a Sivapuri Conservation Area Permit which costs around US$ 5. The entry permit of the area is available at the trek head of Sundarijal.
Accommodation Costs in the Langtang Trek
The Langtang valley trek is a tea house trek. The food and accommodations in the tea houses are pretty basic. You will get twin sharing rooms that costs around USD 2-5 per night. The twin-sharing rooms have a shared toilet option. They also provide a nice pillow and a fuzzy blanket.
The hotels in Kathmandu provide the facilities at a wide-ranging cost of USD 5-250 per night. You can get a hostel for US $5 in Kathmandu, or you can opt for a five star hotel, that starts around US $150. However, a good accommodation in Kathmandu is available for $40-$60 per night.
The teahouses, on the other hand, provide these facilities at US $2- US $5. During peak seasons the cost can rise to US $12-US $15. Therefore, you should pre-book your trip in advance. The accommodations get cheap if you choose to have your meal at the same teahouse. The off season's treks mean empty trails, and you can get the accommodation for US $3-US $5.
Food and Drinks Costs in the Langtang Trek
In higher elevations, the cost of meals and drinks rise significantly due to the added transportation costs. The roads are difficult and transportation gets limited to Yaks and other animals in the mountains. At lower regions, the meals cost around US $2-US $3, but as you go higher, it may cost around US $5-US $6.
One pro tip is to carry light snacks like, protein bars, snickers, granola bars, energy drinks to save costs. There are different varieties of hot beverages available in the tea houses including milk tea, coffee, black tea, ginger tea, and others. Bottled water costs around US $0.25-US $2 in lower regions, whereas it will cost you US $3-US $5 in higher areas.
If you want to save money, you can carry water purifying tablets. You can add these chlorine-based water purifying tablets for drinking purposes. You can get the staple Nepali food “Dal Bhat” and also a limited variety of western and continental dishes in the teahouses. The “Dal Bhat” consists of white rice, dal (pulses), lentils, spinach, vegetables, meat, and pickles.
The local foods are delicious and cheap where as other cuisines, it will cost you more. You can also have a variety of hot meals, noodle soup (thukpa), varieties of tea (mint tea, butter tea, rhododendron tea) along the trail. The cost of the meal around the region is USD 3-USD 6 per day.
Hot Water is available at USD 1-USD 3 in the teahouses. The Langtang valley is a relatively off the beaten trek, and the tea houses do not have as many facilities as the ones in the Everest and Annapurna region. You can also bargain and negotiate on the cost of food, and rooms as well.
Costs for Hiring Guides and Porters?
You can also hire guides and porters for your ease. Guides are your best companion and help you stay on the right trail providing information about the beautiful flora and fauna of the region. They also give you local insights so that you don't offend the locals with your actions and words.
A porter, on the other hand, carries your luggage lifting the weight off your back. A licensed professional guide costs around USD 20 – USD 25 per day. You will also need to pay for the meal and accommodation of the guide.
A porter, on the other hand, costs around USD 15 – USD 20 per day along with the food and accommodation of the porter. Some guides also work as a porter as well. You can hire them if you want to save costs. Trekking the Langtang Valley independently without guide is possible but comes with its own set of challenges.
Transportation Costs for the Langtang Trek
The Langtang region is accessible by public bus, tourist bus, or a jeep. Alternatively, you can also start your trek from Sundarijal-Chisapani. The drive takes you to Syabrubeshi from Kathmandu valley, which is the starting point of the trek.
You can take the transportation of your choice and budget requirement. The short and scenic drive takes you through the hilly landscape of Nepal. You can also take a taxi if you want to travel in private comfort. The luxurious tourist bus is available too.
A private jeep, on the other hand, provides a short and comfortable ride. You don't have to take a domestic flight for the trek which reduces the Langtang Trek cost by a large margin.
The various transportation costs are :
✔ Local bus- USD 3 per person
✔ Tourist Bus- USD 10-USD 15 per person
✔ Taxi- USD 70- USD 100 per person
✔ Private Jeep- USD 8 - USD 10 per person
✔ Drive from Thamel to SundariJal- USD 1- USD 5 per person
Langtang Trek Duration:
The Langtang Trek cost also depends upon the duration of the trek. The trek in the region can range from 1 week to 12 days. Depending upon your time convenience, you can choose how long to trek the wonderful region.
The exploration of the Kyanjin Gompa and the spectacular views of Langtang Lirung will enthral you. You could also extend the trip to visit the spiritual hub of the region, Gosaikunda and 108 glacial lakes.
The longer the trek, the costly it gets. The food and accommodation cost also increases with the duration of the trek. Hence, you can plan a short or long itinerary based on your budget.
Cost of Trekking Gears and Clothing
The cost of the trekking gears and clothing entirely depends upon the trekkers. You can either buy or rent the trekking gears and clothing. You can also use the old gears and clothing you have to reduce cost. These trekking gears cost around USD 1 - USD 10 per day. Some of the essential packing items for this trek include:
- Trekking T-shirt
- Trekking trousers
- Hiking shoes, slippers
- Rain Windproof jacket
- Hiking socks
- Quick-drying towel
- Hat or Beanie
- Breathable underwear
- Sunglasses
- Maps
- Water purifier
- Sunscreen
- Gloves
- Trekking Poles
- First Aid kit
- Sleeping bags and others
Travel Insurance Costs
Getting an excellent travel insurance package is a must if you want to trek the high Himalayn region. Generally, insurance packages only cover upto a height of 4000m. Thus, you need to be careful while selecting the right insurance package that covers above 5000 meters with the facility of an emergency evacuation.
On average, travel insurance costs starts from USD 120 per person. The total charge also depends upon the duration of the trek and the insurance company’s policies.
Visa Costs
You can get a visa on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. You can also apply for a visa online before arriving in Nepal.
The Nepal government issues visas for 15, 30, and 90 days with the cost of $30, $50, and $125 respectively. You can visit the Nepal government Department of Immigration’s official website for more information.
Miscellaneous costs
There are various miscellaneous costs during the trek as well. Some of them are listed below:
Tipping Costs
While tipping is not mandatory in Nepal, the guides and porters expect some tips for their services. Overall, tipping is a generous act in the mountains for the benefit of the local people. It is a custom to tip USD 15 for guides and USD 10 for porters per day. You can also tip the amount you wish to based on their services
Charging Costs
You will bring a lot of electronic gadgets in the mountains, including a mobile phone, camera, etc. The charging costs range around USD 2 to 5 per hour to charge in the high altitude region. You dont require extra charging costs at the lower elevations.
Wi-fi Connectivity and Sim-card costs
You can get wi-fi connectivity at USD 2 per hour on average. You could also get a local sim card and various mobile data package. NTC and Ncell are two of the local SIM providers.
These SIM cards will cost you around USD 1 to 2 and a couple of dollars more if you also want the mobile data package. You can charge your gadgets at around USD 0.5 -USD 3 in the Himalayas. The WI-fi connectivity and the mobile networks do not have proper coverage in the high altitude regions.
Personal Costs
You might want to have a relaxing dinner after completion of the trek or go last minute souvenir shopping for family back home. These personal expenses and costs are unexpected, there you need to separate some budget for your personal expenses as well.
Total Overall Cost:
The total cost of the Langtang trek is around USD 700 to USD 1000 per person excluding the international flight cost. The Langtang trek is reasonably cheaper in comparison with other popular treks in the Himalayan nation.
Tips To Minimize the Langtang Trek Cost
Are you are a budget traveller and want to save costs during the trek? These essential tips will help you immensely during the Langtang trek:
- Get yourself a solar power charger or a power bank
- You should carry only essential things on your bag to save money on a porter
- Carry chocolates, biscuits, granola bars, and other snacks to save money
- You can carry tea bags for instant hot beverage
- Rent trekking gears and clothing from stores in Thamel
- Carry water thermos and water purifying tablets
- Get yourself a local SIM card for connectivity
- Cut your personal expenses and spend wisely
Related Packages:
✔ Langtang Gosaikunda Trek
✔ Langtang Gosaikunda Helambu Trek
✔ Langtang Valley Trek
The Final Say:
The spectacular Langtang trek is an incredible experience in the mountains of Nepal. Trekking through the beautiful landscapes of the Langtang region is every trekker's fantasy. This exciting trek comes at a reasonable price.
The close proximity of the Langtang region from the capital city of Kathmandu reduces the total costs by a significant amount. The Langtang Trek is perfect for trekkers who want to trek the pristine nature at an affordable cost.
