The team after completing their trek at Syabrubesi. — Photos: JOHAN JAAFFAR
Don't believe the brochures. Most of them will say that the Langtang Valley Trek in Nepal is rated “fair to slightly difficult”. Some even say it is “a good trek for beginners”, and that it is arguably “more beautiful than the Manaslu Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek or the Annapurna Circuit”.
I concur with the last statement, but not the first two. Unless, of course, you are in your 20s, 30s or even 40s, and that you are physically fit. Or that you have a track record of trekking in some of the toughest terrains on Earth.
While I realise that difficulty levels are subjective and will depend on many factors, I will argue that the Langtang Valley Trek is a strenuous one for most people, whatever their fitness level is.
I am almost 71 years old, and I have a vast experience when it comes to trekking and climbing. I would say I am reasonably fit for someone my age; I have the strength and stamina to walk many hours a day. I have also never experienced any form of altitude sickness before, even at a height of above 5,000m. My knees and legs are “OK” and my heart and lungs are able to take the punishing pressure, too.
However, walking the entire 77km-long trek from the town of Syabrubesi, the gateway to the Langtang National Park, to Langtang Village is no ordinary feat. The total incline is 4,000m.
The writer with the scenic Langtang Valley in the background.
There are days when I had to walk seven straight hours mostly ascending through narrow paths along the roaring Langtang Khola (river). There are signs along the way reminding you, “Do not walk near the edge” – one wrong step and you will plunge hundreds of meters below.
And on many occasions we shared the path with horses and donkeys with heavy loads on their backs, as well as humans carrying burdens that were perhaps as heavy as they were, wearing only sandals and walking past us without looking any bit weary.
I, on the other hand, was huffing and puffing my way along, hoping that the next turn would be a flat track. It was literally an uphill battle for me all the way from Sherpagaon to Langtang Village.
In many sections I had to manage steep ascents and knee-jerking descents, too.
A local carrying a huge load walking past the writer.
There were 10 of us on the trek, ranging in age between 17 and 77. Three were women, the youngest of them being 17. The leader was Mohd Noor Mat Amin, an accomplished mountaineer who made history summitting Mount Kinabalu in Sabah more than 111 times.
Many in the group have never even climbed up a mountain as “low” as Gunung Ledang in Johor (1,276m), but prior to our trek they trained hard for at least three months.
Syabrubesi is located at an elevation of 1,460m. By the time we reached Sherpagaon, the elevation was 2,583m, which is higher than Gunung Tahan (2,187m) in Pahang. It took me five hours from where the jeep dropped us to get to Sherpagaon.
The “hotel” (more like a tea house) was strategically located on a slope. The owner, Tika Bahadur Nawar, lost one of his legs to frostbite during a rescue mission at Ngakhang Mountain many years ago.
The next day’s walk to Lama or Changdam Village (2,480m) via Rimche (2,485m) was a real challenge. We ended up going to Gumanchok (riverside) at 2,748m. It took me six-and-a-half-hours to complete it as the walk was hellish.
At a monastery at Langtang Village.
The walk to Langtang Village meanwhile was also a monumental endeavour for most of us, as it was yet another seven-hour walk. During this time, we experienced physical exertion going through difficult terrains, loss of trail awareness, fatigue, altitude-related challenges and many more. And leeches!
The pain we had was both physical and mental. But one’s tenacity was rewarded by the natural vistas that were unlike anywhere else in the world. We walked along rocky farmlands and subtropical forests with enchanting waterfalls and enjoyed breathtaking views of the natural world. We encountered lush rhododendrons and an oak forest, home to some of the most endangered flora and fauna, particularly the red panda.
From Langtang Village the land turned into a barren landscape going up to Kyanjin Gompa (3,870m), a mountain village so picturesque you’d think it only existed in paintings. And to think that this was where the major earthquake that killed many locals and climbers took place in 2015.
For the braver ones, an ascent to Kyanjin Ri (4,400m) would be a bonus. From the peak one could see some of the most spectacular mountains around including Ganesh Himal (7,422m), Langtang Lirung (7,227m), Gang Chhenpo (6,388m), Dorje Lakpa (6,380m) and Tsergo Ri (4,984m).
Kyanjin Gompa.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to Kyanjin Gompa as three members of the team were sick – two were coughing incessantly while another suffered a mild altitude sickness.
The area is known as Lamang tribe territory, rich in tradition and history. They are the proud highlanders who mostly own the hotels and lodges there that were not unlike the five-star hotels of Kathmandu. Some of the lodges do not even have electricity, not to mention WiFi. I do find the 48-hour device detox a pleasant thing, though.
If you need a hot bath, all you have to do is ask ... and pay – the lodge charges NPR200 (RM6.40) for a bucket of hot water.
Coming down from the mountains had its own risks. From Rimche to Bamboo (Langmar-cherkhola) the descent was extremely steep and treacherous. But after that, the walk was much easier, especially to Pahiro, Dovhan and lastly, to Syabrubesi. Langtang Valley anyone?
The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.
The writer is an avid trekker and climber. He celebrated his 70th birthday at the peak of Gunung Batur in Bali, Indonesia in November last year.
