As the trail passes through the area of the Langtang National Park, you will get the perfect window of opportunities to get glimpses of wildlife and take part in different activities of the local people. Another perk of doing the Langtang Trek is you have multiple routes to choose from and can add another destination, making your journey even more memorable. You can do the classic Langtang Valley Trek, or Tamang Heritage Trail, or Langtang Valley Gosaikunda Trek.
On an average day, you will have to hike at least 5-6 hours. Beginning your hike as early as 8 am and reaching the teahouse before dark is a common routine. The teahouses and trekking lodges are located at a suitable distance where you can stop for lunch or tea breaks. But planning a trek can be a bit overwhelming when you are not aware of how the area works and how to navigate yourself through the trail. There will be many questions, such as, where will I stay? Or how much does accommodation cost? Or where do I eat during the trek? And many more.
On this blog, we will navigate through the food and accommodation during the Langtang Valley Trek, as the title suggests. Leaving no stone unturned, we will provide you with all the information you need before you embark on your journey to the Langtang Valley.
Food Options during the Langtang Valley Trek
Trekking is a demanding activity. Our body needs a substantial amount of energy to successfully complete the trek with ease and comfort. That means we need to plan a diet that will adhere to the grueling demands of the trek. From a full meal of breakfast, lunch, and dinner to light but nutritive snacks between the trek, food is what determines your overall performance.
While there will definitely be restrictions on some food as the menu will be limited, there will be food that will be well rounded with nutritional value to provide you the energy to successfully complete the Langtang Valley Trek. The teahouses and lodges have a set price based on the menu, so the cost in different teahouses won’t make much of a difference. The difference in meal prices is based on location rather than different teahouses. The higher you ascend, the higher the meal prices become. But you will get options for different types of food, from traditional Nepalese food to western food or even fusion food. Here’s what you can expect:
Traditional Meals
The most traditional Nepalese food you can find during the trek or rather anywhere in the country, is dal bhat. Dal Bhat is a staple meal among the Nepalese that contains an assortment of food where the main portion is rice and lentil soup and different curry vegetables or meat. While many might not be used to this, it is actually a very well-rounded meal that will provide you with protein, fiber, and carbs to give you energy for the day-to-day hike. And it might be a little unusual for most, but people here eat Dal Bhat twice a day for lunch and dinner. Which is why you’ll hear the phrase “Dal Bhat Power, 24 Hour” often.
Apart from Dal Bhat, there are other delicious Nepalese foods that have Tibetan influence as well. You can also get food like momo, thukpa, roti, vegetable curry, etc. The local dishes are often prepared with fresh ingredients, especially vegetables that are grown there. So, it would be wise to actually have local food compared to food that comes in prepackaged containers.
The local Nepali foods are filling, healthy, and most of all give you all the energy it is required to conquer a rigorous day of hiking during the Langtang Valley Trek. When you see the local porters carrying things twice their own weight and walking faster than you, they are running on dal Bhat power and not pasta or even momo. So having dal bhat at least once a day is highly recommended.
Western and Other Popular Meals
It is understandable that eating the same meal every day can be a bit repetitive and boring, especially if you miss the meals you have back home. While the menu might be limited, there will still be quite a few meals you can choose from. Such as pasta, sandwiches, and soups; some places even have pizzas and spaghetti. It can be a change in palate when you are eating Nepali food for the majority of the time. When ordering the food, just make sure you have enough carbs and protein on your plate so that you can get good energy for the trek.
Even for breakfast, you can have pancakes with butter, jam, or honey. Other popular meals include noodle soup, potato fries, and other variations of potatoes. And after you reach Langtang Valley, you can find bakeries that sell fresh bread and even cakes. Also, yak cheese will be the highlight of this journey, so make sure to get a taste of it.
Drinks and Beverages
As the Langtang Valley Trek takes you from the base of mid-hills to the high Himalayas, it changes the temperature from moderate and even hot to extremely cold in a matter of days. Especially during spring and summer, you’ll want some cold drink to soothe your heated body but once you enter the higher elevations, you will want a hot drink to warm you up. While you can keep drinking tea and coffee in proportion, it is crucial to avoid alcohol during the trek. Not only can consuming alcohol while trekking make it dangerous and increase the chance of getting injured, but it can also contribute to triggering altitude sickness.
So, along with tea, coffee, hot lemon water, cold lemon water, juice, and other soft drinks, make sure to actually drink plenty of water on its own. Hydration is the key to a successful trek. And a famous drink on the trail is known as “sea buckthorn juice.” A bright orange, berry-like fruit known for its nutritional benefits and traditional medicinal values.
Diet Preferences and Restrictions
Communication is very important if you have any specific dietary preferences or restrictions. While it is easily manageable for vegetarians as Langtang Valley is considered a vegetarian trail, vegans can also find plenty of choices as well. Just make sure to let the hotel owners know beforehand of what you want or do not want in your dish. And for people who prefer meat, it is not very common on the trail. But it's better to stick to a vegetarian diet because meat can cause digestion issues, which is not something anyone wants to experience.
In case of allergies, make sure to let them know because many times the food is cooked in big batches, which sometimes can lead to cross-contamination.
Accommodation Along the Langtang Valley Trekking Trail
The accommodations on the trail of the Langtang Valley Trek do vary from location to location. For accommodation, depending on the location, you can find different types who provide different facilities. Teahouses are the most common form of accommodation across many trekking destinations in Nepal, including the Langtang region.
There are also trekking lodges and guest houses that provide accommodation. Locations like Lama Hotel and Bamboo have small teahouses with a limited number of rooms and basic facilities, whereas other locations such as Langtang and Kyanjin have good lodges with standard facilities.
Types of Accommodation
You can find three types of accommodation along the trail of the Langtang Valley Trek:
Teahouses
They are the most common form of accommodation and have pretty basic facilities. They offer warm meals and a dormitory-style room and mostly commonly shared bathrooms. These types of tea houses are found in Lama Hotel and Bamboo.
Trekking Lodges and Guest Houses
They essentially are the better versions of the teahouses. Langtang is quite known for having trekking lodges with good facilities. Rooms with private bathrooms and extensive menus are some of the highlights of trekking lodges and guest houses. Especially in Langtang village and Kyanjin village, good facility lodges and guest houses can be found.
Homestays
While hotels, lodges, teahouses, and guest houses are individually owned and serviced, homestays are operated by the whole community. It is to ensure that everybody benefits equally. Homestays in Langtang Valley Trek can be found when you take an alternative trail known as “Tamang Heritage Trail.” If you want an exclusive homestay experience, then you can stay in a small yet beautiful village known as Briddim.
Facilities Provided by Accommodations
What we need to keep in mind during this journey is that luxury isn’t a primary focus and in many instances you might have to compromise as well. But that being said, Langtang does offer some really great facilities and amenities for the trekkers.
Rooms
The rooms in most teahouses and lodges offer a similar layout: a twin bed with bedding and blankets. You can also get a single private room with an attached bathroom but that is not the norm for every place. As previously mentioned, places like Syabrubesi, Langtang, and Kyanjin villages do offer these services, but prices will be slightly higher compared to a basic room.
Beds
Most of the rooms have twin beds, whether you are alone or with a companion. In some cases there are rooms with 3-5 beds that can hold multiple people. They do provide bedding and blankets but you are free to bring your own sleeping bag, especially in winter, where the blanket provided might not be enough.
Electricity
You can find electricity throughout the trail. While Kyanjin and Langtang villages are powered through hydroelectricity, other places depend on solar energy. Which is why charging your electronics can cost you a small fee. The electricity may not always be reliable so carrying an extra power bank can go a long way.
Internet or WIFI
While wifi is available in most places on the trail except in Bamboo, Lama Hotel, and Riverside, buying a data pack with a local SIM card is more feasible. Some parts of the trail also do not have a cell network but most of the time you can access it. For wifi, you will need to pay extra before using it. But maybe being off the internet for a week can be an opportunity to fully connect with nature and mountains.
Toilet and Shower Facilities
First and foremost, bring your own toilet paper. You will find that squat toilets are the most commonly found but there will be western-style toilets as well. And one thing you do not have to worry about in the Langtang region is the water. For a shower, you can get hot water but for an extra charge.
Booking Accommodation
Pre-booking your accommodation is very crucial, especially during the peak season of spring (March, April, and May) and autumn (September, October, and November). During this time, the Langtang Valley sees a huge influx of tourists, so if you do not pre-book, you might have trouble finding a good accommodation or, in some cases, have to resort to sleeping in the dining hall.
But during the off-season, you can check in as you reach your destination of the day, as there will be a lot fewer trekkers compared to peak season. But even so, pre booking allows you to have the comfort of knowing you do not have to look for accommodation after a tiring day of hiking.
Food and Accommodation Cost during the Langtang Valley Trek
The Langtang region is generally known to be a bit more affordable compared to the Annapurna region and especially the Everest region. But nonetheless, you will require extensive planning on how much to spend on food and accommodation during your adventurous journey of the Langtang Valley Trek.
In general, for both food and accommodation, it can cost around $35-$40 per day on average. Breaking it down further, it costs $20-$25 for meals and $5-$7 for a room on the Langtang Trek. But ultimately, apart from the standard cost for food and accommodation, how much you spend depends on yourself. So make sure to spend money as per your budget.
Meal Cost: $20-$25
Accommodation Cost: $5-$7
Wifi Cost: $3-$5
Charging Electronics: $3-$5 per charge
Hot Shower Cost: $5-$7
Tips and Tricks for a Comfortable Trek to the Langtang Valley
Here are some tips and tricks to make your experience of the Langtang Valley Trek even better:
- Carry an adequate amount of cash and secure it in different places. The tea houses do not prefer online transactions so cash on hand is very convenient.
- Carry snacks such as protein bars, trail mixes, chocolates, etc., so you have something to snack on in between breaks.
- Make sure to drink enough water to keep yourself hydrated during the trek.
- Eat high-calorie and high-carb meals, which give you enough energy to push through the hike day.
- Ascend slowly to minimize the risk of high altitude sickness.
- Pre Book your accommodation, especially during the peak season.
- Communicate your food and accommodation preferences either with your guide or the hotel owner to make things easier.
- Do not go expecting luxury and high-end services; the accommodation in the mountains is very basic so compromising is the key.
- Support the local businesses. Apart from the local tea houses and lodges, there are a lot of small local businesses, especially owned by women, who sell handmade woolen clothes such as caps, sweaters, etc. Your small support can go a long way.
- Respect the local communities and cultures.
- Pack items like headlamps and solar chargers as well as a portable water filter or water purifying tablets.
- Practice responsible tourism and leave no trace to minimize your impact on the environment.
Conclusion
While we all are so engrossed in all the extravagant things in life, the Langtang Valley Trek will capture your attention with its simplicity. Whether it be with the trails that take you up to the high mountains or the people there living the humble life by being of service to the tourists that come from all around the world, it is a journey you want to embark on at least once in your lifetime.
While not luxurious, the food and accommodation will still be a significant part of the trek. The people, their warm hospitality, their delicious food, and the friends you make along the trail will be a much more prominent memory after your journey. It is the integrity and authenticity of the Langtang Valley that ultimately entices you in. So if you are planning a trek to the Langtang Valley in the future, then let us be of your service. You can contact us via WhatsApp or email at +977 9851175531 or info@alpineramble.com
If you are further interested, you can also check out:
Best Time to do the Langtang Valley Trek
Langtang Valley Trek vs. Annapurna Base Camp Trek
Langtang Valley Trek Packing List: Your Ultimate Guide to a Safe and Comfortable Journey
