Nepal April/May 2024 Langtang region (1 Viewer)

[David Roche]

Hi All

Just putting out feelers to see if anyone would be interested in potentially teaming up for a trip to Nepal, trekking the Langtang Valley in April/May next year? I have already booked my flights, out from London 19th April, returning from Kathmandu 12th May, but have since discovered that the Nepali government have brought in new regulations that now make it mandatory to be accompanied by a certified guide. If that's the case, and I'm no longer allowed to trek the route solo as I did in Nov 2017, the idea of another birding participant suddenly becomes quite an appealing prospect. As treks go, its not a particularly challenging one and anyone with a reasonable state of fitness should complete it without much difficulty.

For my first trip in 2014 I used the services of Unlimited Trekking Nepal, based in Pokhara and would happily use them again. Highlights from Langtang in Nov 2017 (trip report attached) included Tibetan Snowcock, Himalayan Monal, Long billed Thrush, Grandala, Yellow rumped Honeyguide, Chestnut headed Tesia, Fire tailed Myzornis and Great Parrotbill. Better chance of Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan and Ibisbill this time around plus summer migrant Flycatchers and Cuckoos.

Anyone interested or keen to find out more, just drop me a message. Its an incredible place...
David

 

[temmie]

I would love to, but can't make it in 2024.

You would want to change the year in the title of this thread

 

[Antik]

I would love such trip as I've spent half a year in Nepal (for work) seeing 300+ species but missing all the high altitude specials. Next spring, however, won't be possible. I would like to read how it went with the new guide rules after your trip.

 

[transform777]

That's a very helpful and concise report. Thanks a lot! I would have been happy to join you as a keen hiker and birder but I'm going to probably be there end of November/start Dec 2025. What kind of temperatures where are you dealing with?

 

[BirdingHugo]

Thanks for the report! I will be there end of Oct - end of Nov 2024. Heard the regulations depending a mandatory guide aren't really enforced... Did you went with a guide this spring?

 

[MiddleRiver]

Fantastic trip report! Thanks ;-)
We've been to Nepal 2x (not entirely birding) and I'd go back in a heartbeat!

 

[David Roche]

Thanks for the report! I will be there end of Oct - end of Nov 2024. Heard the regulations depending a mandatory guide aren't really enforced... Did you went with a guide this spring?

I did this time around but, as you say, they are not really enforced. We met several people, traveling both solo and in small groups, who were clearly doing it by themselves and without guides. I never got the impression that this was a problem. My guide never questioned anyone who we passed, nor did the staff at the military check point, searching luggage (something they do for all visitors, entering the Langtang National Park) for a family who were travelling on the same bus as us, also without a guide.

A friend of a friend, who had been out there a few weeks before me said that "no one cared" if you had a guide with you or not. Unless anything changes between now and October, I can't see that you will have any issues, doing it solo.

Cheers
David

 

[David Roche]

That's a very helpful and concise report. Thanks a lot! I would have been happy to join you as a keen hiker and birder but I'm going to probably be there end of November/start Dec 2025. What kind of temperatures where are you dealing with?

Temperature was a pretty consistent 30 degrees or just under whilst in Kathmandu. Similar trekking conditions to before (lightweight trousers, t shirt and thin top layer) but didn't feel quite as cold at night in Langtang or higher

 

[James Lowther]

Hi David,
Have you done a trip report for this year’s trip?
Cheers
James

 

[David Roche]

Hi David,
Have you done a trip report for this year’s trip?
Cheers
James

Only just making a start on it now

 

[James Lowther]

I am looking forward to reading it!

 

[transform777]

Temperature was a pretty consistent 30 degrees or just under whilst in Kathmandu. Similar trekking conditions to before (lightweight trousers, t shirt and thin top layer) but didn't feel quite as cold at night in Langtang or higher

Just noticed I misunderstood the dates. I guess you are referring to your spring trip? I meant what were the typical temperatures when you went in November-December? Many thx!

 

[Andy Adcock]

Just noticed I misunderstood the dates. I guess you are referring to your spring trip? I meant what were the typical temperatures when you went in November-December? Many thx!

We did a trek over November, December and on several nights, my contact lens solution froze overnight, inside the room.

It wasn't extreme though, I don't think it got below -7/10c very often but the temp dives when the sun drops.

This was our trekking route

We walked between 2-300km in 25 days.

Day 1. Starting by taking a taxi to Besisahar and then a bus to Bulbule we then walked to our first overnight stop at Ngadi. 930m

Day 2. Ngadi to Ghermu 1100m

Day 3. Ghermu to Tal 1700m

Day 4. Tal to Chame 2670m

Day 5. Chame to Dhikur Pokhari 3060m

Day 6. Dhikur Pokhari to Braga. 3439m

Day 7. Braga to Manang 3540m Check the groups of Rock Pigeons around the village, these flocks very often contain a Hill Pigeon or two.

Day 8. Acclimatisation day at Manang during which we climbed up to c4000m for Himalayan Snowcock.

Day 9. Manang to Yak Kharka 4050m

Day 10. Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi 4450m We had our Only Altai Accentors of the trip here, a group of c15 birds feeding in a small garden in front of our guesthouse. Alpine Accentor and Robin Accentor were also easily seen and are quite approachable and we also had the only Red-breasted Rosefinch of the trip, approachable to just a few metres.

Day 11. Thorong Phedi Pre dawn start up to 'High Camp' (there is the option to actually overnight here but we decided against it) 4833m. Drank tea until light before continuing up and over Thorong La pass 5416m and then the long descent to Muktinath 3760m. A long, hard day.

Day 12. Muktinath to Jomosom 2720m from here we took the bus to Tukuche 2590m. In many places they are now building roads which will undoubtedly impact on the trekking routes, not necessarily in a positive way. Since a new road they have built on this stretch makes for dusty, uncomfortable birding / trekking conditions, we decided to take the bus to Ghasa. What will potentially happen is that small lodges in villages on the traditional routes, will be abandoned as people look for alternative routes that take them away from the traffic and all the dust.

Day 13. Pre breakfast look for Ibis bill then Tukuche ( 'High Plains' guesthouse, you won't regret it!) to Ghasa 2010m

Day 14. Ghasa to Tatopani. 1190m

Day 15. Tatopani, rest day

Day 16. Tatopani, rest day

Day 17. Tatopani to Chitre 2390m. We stayed at Chitre Instead of making the journey all the way to Ghorepani, this allowed us to cover the short, very 'birdy' stretch between Chitre and Ghorepani at a leisurely birding pace the next morning whilst not being too tired to bird properly and it paid off with amongst others, excellent views of Plain-backed (Mountain) Thrush.

Day 18. Chitre to Ghorepani 2860m and bird local area. We had plenty of time to bird the local environs due to our previous decision to overnight in Chitre making this a short day. We were rewarded with Crimson-browed Finch (3), Red-headed Bullfinch (c6) and an amazing flock comprising c100 White-throated Laughingthrushes. An amazing sight from our dining hall was two Yellow-throated Martens which were foraging at the edge of the forest on the border of the garden, what a lovely animal.

Day 19. Birded Ghorepani ridge, took tea at Deorali tea rooms and returned via the ridge maximising our coverage of the area. This meant that including our departure day we covered the ridge three times. Disappointingly no Parrotbills at all but great views of a flock of c6 Spotted Laugingthrushs which came in to tape very well.

Day 20. Ghorepani to Tadopani 2630m. The view from our terrace here allowed scrutiny of the forest below and a flock of c20 White-collared Blackbirds in the tree tops was the highlight, surprisingly all males?

Day 21. Tadopani to Chomrong 2120m Again our dining hall window produced some nice birds with White-collared Blackbird, Grey-winged Blackbird and Cinnamon Sparrow among others.

Day 22. Chomrong to Dobhan 2600m This was the site of the 'quote of the trip', as I sat exhaustedly sipping hot tea in a plastic chair outside our guesthouse, Martin raised his 'bins' and uttered the immortal phrase 'Andy. (dramatic pause).....there's a cracking cabbage behind you'.........!? It was quite a big cabbage though.

Day 23. A.M Birded up to Himalaya Hotel 2920m, c1000 Grandala's seen and P.M birded down to 'Bamboo' at 2310m then back up for the night at Dobhan.

Day 24. Dobhan , re-traced out route via Chomrong to Jhinu Danda 1780

Day 25. Jhinu Danda via 'Bee-hive' to Birethanti where we took a taxi back to Pohara.

 

[transform777]

Hi All

Just putting out feelers to see if anyone would be interested in potentially teaming up for a trip to Nepal, trekking the Langtang Valley in April/May next year? I have already booked my flights, out from London 19th April, returning from Kathmandu 12th May, but have since discovered that the Nepali government have brought in new regulations that now make it mandatory to be accompanied by a certified guide. If that's the case, and I'm no longer allowed to trek the route solo as I did in Nov 2017, the idea of another birding participant suddenly becomes quite an appealing prospect. As treks go, its not a particularly challenging one and anyone with a reasonable state of fitness should complete it without much difficulty.

For my first trip in 2014 I used the services of Unlimited Trekking Nepal, based in Pokhara and would happily use them again. Highlights from Langtang in Nov 2017 (trip report attached) included Tibetan Snowcock, Himalayan Monal, Long billed Thrush, Grandala, Yellow rumped Honeyguide, Chestnut headed Tesia, Fire tailed Myzornis and Great Parrotbill. Better chance of Blood Pheasant, Satyr Tragopan and Ibisbill this time around plus summer migrant Flycatchers and Cuckoos.

Anyone interested or keen to find out more, just drop me a message. Its an incredible place...
David

I think I am going to do a similar route to yours. Which map system did you use? I couldn't find some of the places mentioned at all or easily. Offline GPX would be good

 

[YuShan]

I did this time around but, as you say, they are not really enforced. We met several people, traveling both solo and in small groups, who were clearly doing it by themselves and without guides. I never got the impression that this was a problem.

Interesting. I've solo trekked in Nepal twice (2013 and 2014) and at the time you could legally trek independently but needed to get a TIMS permit in advance, which was checked at checkpoints.

There were two types of permits: Blue if you had a guide, and Green if you trekked independently. If you wanted to go independently, you went to some office by yourself where you filled in the forms with your itinerary + photo, paid the fees for the permit and the national parks that you crossed and then you were good to go.

With a guide being mandatory now, I guess the Green permit has gone, so you would somehow need to get hold of the Blue permit. So I wonder how to get that. Perhaps you can bribe a travel office to have a licensed guide to apply for the permit for you and then you just go hiking by yourself?

I really want to go hiking in Nepal again, but the mandatory guide rule deters me. So if there is a way around that... I would like to know how!

Btw: I was told local people hate the mandatory guide rule, because it deprives them of income. Guides (often from Kathmandu, so not even local) channel all their clients into big lodges that are able to pay them the highest commissions, so small lodges lose out. Previously, these small lodges with only a couple of rooms would still get the independent hikers, who generally prefer small lodges. Also, the independent hikers are the ones that are coming back. I have met guys who were on their 10th year, because (apart from awesome landscape etc) the attractiveness of Nepal used to be the ease of independent hiking.

 

[YuShan]

I think I am going to do a similar route to yours. Which map system did you use? I couldn't find some of the places mentioned at all or easily. Offline GPX would be good

Langtang is really simple because it is just one trail to Kyanjin Gompa and then the same way back, just following the valley. Kyanjin Gompa is a nice place to then spend a few days. It's ridiculously scenic and there is a nice forest nearby where you can see pheasants among other birds, the Ibisbill on the stream towards the glaciers and Snowcock when hiking the surrounding mountains like Kyanjin Ri.

 

[transform777]

Langtang is really simple because it is just one trail to Kyanjin Gompa and then the same way back, just following the valley. Kyanjin Gompa is a nice place to then spend a few days. It's ridiculously scenic and there is a nice forest nearby where you can see pheasants among other birds, the Ibisbill on the stream towards the glaciers and Snowcock when hiking the surrounding mountains like Kyanjin Ri.

Yes it looks amazing. I don't think I will get lost but he did an unusual route at the beginning which was quite productive with birds. Just don't want to get into a dead end in the bushes and have to climb all the way back up again . Did you find blood pheasant or any of the other rarer ones?

 

[YuShan]

Yes it looks amazing. I don't think I will get lost but he did an unusual route at the beginning which was quite productive with birds. Just don't want to get into a dead end in the bushes and have to climb all the way back up again . Did you find blood pheasant or any of the other rarer ones?

I haven't seen blood pheasant in Langtang valley, but at the time I was bit more of a casual birder not specifically looking for targets. However, I know they are present in the forest at Kyanjin Gompa.

A few months later I did a much longer trek, which included among other areas the popular Lukla to Everest Basecamp trail and there blood pheasants were very easy to see in the forest at Tengboche. I've seen quite a few there. Also Satyr Tragopan in the "middle hills" on the Jiri to Lukla trail, at Bupsa.


Route


Blood Pheasants at Tengboche, pocket camera photo

 

[transform777]

I haven't seen blood pheasant in Langtang valley, but at the time I was bit more of a casual birder not specifically looking for targets. However, I know they are present in the forest at Kyanjin Gompa.

A few months later I did a much longer trek, which included among other areas the popular Lukla to Everest Basecamp trail and there blood pheasants were very easy to see in the forest at Tengboche. I've seen quite a few there. Also Satyr Tragopan in the "middle hills" on the Jiri to Lukla trail, at Bupsa.

View attachment 1594720
Route

View attachment 1594721
Blood Pheasants at Tengboche, pocket camera photo

beautiful! I won't have time to do that one on this trip. What time of year? I'm a bit early - late Feb, early March

 

[YuShan]

beautiful! I won't have time to do that one on this trip. What time of year? I'm a bit early - late Feb, early March

I started walking from Jiri March 6th (2014) and arrived back in Jiri April 11th. Timing was great. There was still plenty of snow on the high passes, but mostly clear skies in the morning and clouds rolling in in the afternoon (still plenty of sunshine). Towards April the sky gets more murky, but then I was heading back towards Jiri again through the "middle hills" (which is still 2000-3500m). Of course that is already a month further into the spring so it looks quite different by then. Great for birds.

The Jiri to Lukla stretch ("middle hills") is much tougher than the Lukla to Everest Basecamp stretch, which is a fairly easy walk on a well maintained trail. Roughly 3/4 of the elevation gain/loss is in the middle hills because it keeps going up and down. But in the higher areas you have the elevation to deal with, so to properly acclimatise you walk only a few hours per day and take a few rest days too. Which is of course ideal, because you can spend all that acclimatization time birding near the lodges and take side trips without carrying your backpack.


Chaurikharka in the "middle hills"


Local kids in Dagchu hijacking my field guide. The next generation birders!


Gorak Shep, last lodge before Everest Basecamp.


Tibetan Snowcocks at Gorak Shep. Super tame, they hang around the lodges.


Chukhung Ri was the highest point of my hike: 5559m (18238 ft). Awesome view of the Nuptse glacier.


Here in Thame, I'm looking back towards the high mountains. From here I'm heading back towards Lukla and then the middle hills again, walking all the way back to Jiri.


After Thame going down again, feeling so nice and warm now! And more oxygen in the air. The smell of the trees and tons of birds. Still a long way back to Jiri, but more birds have arrived from the lowlands now.