Gosainkund on Langtang to Helambu Trek

To go between Langtang and Helambu you can also trek via Gosainkund. Proper preparation should be taken to do this trek.

To walk from Dhunche, where the Langtang Trek begins to Tharepati in Helambu takes four days. You can also make this trek from Syabru on the Langtang route. It is a good option for the return trip on the Langtang trek. The trek can also begin on the Helambu side.

There is a major pilgrimage to Gosainkund each year in August. It is during the monsoon and is not a good time for trekking. It is believed that the large rock in the center of the lake is the remains of a Siva shrine. It is also believed that water is carried from the lake to the tank at the Kumbeshwar Temple in Patan, 60km south.

During the season there are teahouses and it is possible to stay and eat at them. During the winter, there is often snow on the Gosainkund trail, so often it is impassable during in the winter.

Day 1
You start at Dhunche at 1950m and go to Chandan Bari (Sing Gompa) at 3350m. Between Syabru and the gompa the trail can be hard to follow.

Day 2
The second days the trail go up steeply and the goes down to Saraswati Kund at 4100m, the first one of the Gosainkund lakes. There are good views of the mountains along the way. The next lake is Bhairav Kund and the third is Gosainkund itself at 4380m. During the high season there are some teahouses between Sing Gompa and Gosainkund.

Day 3
The trail climbs from Gosainkund up to Laurebina La Pass at 4610m and then descends to Gopte at 3430m, where there are some teahouses.

Day 4
The trail descends to a stream and then climbs up to Tharepati at 3490m. From Tharepati you can go west to Tarke Gyang and Helambu or can go south to Pati Bhanjyang and to Kathmandu.

Crossing the Ganja La Pass
To go from the Kyanjin Gompa, the end of the Langtang trek south to Tarke Gyang in Helambu, you have to go over the 5106m high Ganja La pass. The trek takes four days. Between Kyanjin and Tarke Gyang there are no places to stay. Most of the year there is no water going south for two days, so one has to be prepared for this.
The pass is closed because of snow from December to March, and bad weather can come at any time of the year which can be very dangerous. The final climb to the pass is very steep on both sides and is exposed.

Warning This is one of the toughest pass to go over in Nepal. It should not be done unless you have a competent guide, proper equipment, mountaineering experience and proper acclimatization.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides