Choose Langtang Valley if
- you have time and want a longer journey
- you want to go high and are ready for the altitude
Nepal treks compared
Langtang Valley vs Ghorepani Poon Hill
Two walks of about a week from a city by road. Langtang starts from Kathmandu, climbs a deep valley to glaciers and Tamang villages and goes higher; Poon Hill starts from Pokhara, stays lower and is famous for one sunrise. Langtang is quieter; Poon Hill is easier.
Written by Rujan Neupane, licensed trekking guide from the Kathmandu Valley
Side by side
From each trek's own page.
| Langtang Valley | Ghorepani Poon Hill | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 7 | 5 |
| Highest point | 4,984 m, Kyanjin Ri | 3,210 m, Poon Hill |
| Nights at 3,000 m or more | 2 | 0 |
| Grade | Moderate | Easy |
| Best months | Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr | Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr |
| On the trail | Some walkers | Busy in season |
| Getting there | By road | By road |
| Permits | For the Langtang Valley walk: Langtang National Park permit, arranged through my registered partner agency. | One permit is needed: the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). It is issued in Kathmandu or Pokhara and checked on the trail. It is paid at the official price, and… |
| Guide fee | $175 for the walk | $125 for the walk |
The guide fee is one fee for 1 to 5 people. Permits, lodges, food and transport are paid at cost: what a trek really costs.
The difference, in short
- Langtang Valley takes 7 days, 2 more than Ghorepani Poon Hill.
- Langtang Valley goes higher: 4,984 m against 3,210 m, so it needs more rest days and warmer nights.
- Langtang Valley is the quieter trail.
Which one for you?
Choose Ghorepani Poon Hill if
- you have fewer days
- you prefer to stay lower
- this is your first trek in Nepal
Not sure which trek suits you? Tell me your dates and what you hope for, and I will say honestly.
