The Langtang Valley opens out at Kyanjin Gompa into a wide glacial basin ringed by peaks. Langtang Lirung, 7,227 m, rises to the north with its hanging glaciers, Kyanjin Ri and Tserko Ri stand behind the lodges, and the valley carries on east past Langshisa towards the Tibetan border. The village takes its name from the gompa, a small Tibetan Buddhist monastery on a rise above the lodges, which was damaged in 2015 and has since been repaired.
For most trekkers Kyanjin is the turning point. It sits at 3,870 m, high enough that a rest day is wise, and the classic plan is to arrive around midday, visit the monastery and the yak cheese factory, then climb Kyanjin Ri early the next morning before heading back down. Strong walkers add Tserko Ri at 4,984 m, a longer and harder hike, or walk up the valley to Langshisa Kharka at about 4,100 m for glacier views.
Kyanjin's lodges were rebuilt and enlarged after the earthquake and are now among the more comfortable teahouses in the region, with solar power, dining rooms warmed by stoves and some rooms with attached bathrooms. Yaks graze the flats around the airstrip-like meadow, and the Swiss-founded cheese factory, started in 1955, still sells its hard yak cheese by the slice. Nights are cold: expect −5 to −10 °C in December and January, and frost even in October.
What to see and do
- Kyanjin Ri sunrise climb
Kyanjin Ri rises about 900 m above the village. The main summit is 4,773 m and a lower prayer-flag top sits a little below it. From the top you see Langtang Lirung, Gangchenpo, Naya Kanga and the glaciers feeding the valley. Allow 3–4 hours up and 2 down.
- Yak cheese factory
Founded with Swiss help in 1955, the Kyanjin cheese factory buys milk from herders in the upper valley and makes a firm yellow cheese. You can buy it by weight, eat it on toast in the lodges and see the simple wooden presses in the season when it is working.
- Kyanjin Gompa monastery
The small monastery on the knoll above the lodges is the spiritual centre of the upper valley. Butter lamps, prayer wheels and a view down the valley reward the five-minute climb. Visit in the late afternoon when it is quiet and the light falls on Langtang Lirung.
- Tserko Ri for strong walkers
Tserko Ri, at 4,984 m, is a long day of 8–9 hours with about 1,100 m of ascent on loose trail. It gives a wider panorama than Kyanjin Ri, including Yala Peak and the peaks along the Tibetan border, but should only be attempted after a night at Kyanjin and with good weather.
- Langshisa Kharka and the upper valley
An easier full-day walk heads east along the valley floor past yak pastures to Langshisa Kharka at about 4,100 m. The route gains little height, passes moraines and gives close views of the Langshisa Ri peaks and the snout of the Langtang Glacier.
- Helicopter breakfast landing
Helicopter tours from Kathmandu land at Kyanjin in about 40 minutes for a short stop with breakfast and views of Langtang Lirung. It is the fastest way to see the upper valley, though weather and the 3,870 m altitude mean it is not for everyone.
Experiences in Kyanjin Gompa
How to reach Kyanjin Gompa
On foot
From Syabrubesi, walk three days up the Langtang Khola: about 6 hours to Lama Hotel, 6–7 hours to Langtang village and 3–4 hours to Kyanjin Gompa. The climb is steady, from 1,460 m to 3,870 m, with no passes to cross.
Road
No road reaches Kyanjin. The nearest road-head is Syabrubesi, about 122 km and 7–8 hours by bus or jeep from Kathmandu via Trishuli Bazaar and Dhunche.
Helicopter
Charter and shared helicopter tours fly from Kathmandu to Kyanjin in about 40 minutes and land on the meadow near the village, weather permitting. Flights go in the early morning, before clouds build up in the valley around midday.
Where to stay
Kyanjin has around two dozen teahouse lodges grouped on the flat ground below the monastery, all rebuilt or enlarged since 2015. Expect twin rooms with foam mattresses and blankets, solar or gas showers for a fee, charging for a fee and dining rooms with a central stove. A few newer lodges have attached bathrooms and double-glazed windows; book ahead in October and April when groups fill them. There are no star-rated hotels. We pick lodges near the cheese factory end of the village for shorter walks to the Kyanjin Ri trail. Bring a four-season sleeping bag, because rooms are unheated and nights drop well below zero from November to March.
Tips from our trip managers
- Arrive by early afternoon so you can walk to the monastery and cheese factory before the wind picks up.
- Start Kyanjin Ri by 5:30 am in spring and autumn to beat the cloud that often fills the valley by 10 am.
- Do not go higher than Kyanjin on arrival day if you have a headache; rest, drink water and tell your guide.
- Buy a block of yak cheese at the end of your stay, not on arrival, so you are not carrying it up and down the hills.
- Charging and hot showers cost extra, so carry a power bank and small notes in rupees.
