Hike from steamy forest to high-altitude trails in the wildly beautiful Langtang Valley, close to the Tibetan border
Grab your crampons, ropes and ice axe as you navigate the ridge to Yala summit (5500m) on an adventure of a lifetime
Trek among panoramic views of towering peaks and tumbling glaciers in the High Himalaya, including Shishapangma (8027m)
Day 1
Welcome to Kathmandu! After checking in you'll have a pre-departure meeting with your guides to run through the plans for the trek. You'll finish the day with a group dinner to get to know your team for the next couple of weeks.
Day 2
Bidding goodbye to Kathmandu, you'll hop on a bus for a bone-rattling journey to Syabrubesi – the set-off point for the trek ahead. The journey will take approximately seven hours, but there's plenty to look at as you drive along the scenic banks of Trishuli River with beautiful views of valleys, meadows, rivers, and mountains. You'll make a stop at Dhunche to have your permits checked before bedding down in a teahouse in the village of Syabrubesi.
Day 3
Time to lace up your hiking boots up and hit the trail. The gently undulating track weaves up and over the Bhote River suspension bridge through dense forest and past Langtang Khola. Passing through the hamlet of Bamboo, keep your eyes peeled for red panda – these elusive creatures can sometimes be spotted in the forest. You can expect a few glimpses of snow-covered peaks but today is mostly about the river, forests, rocky stairs and a few bridge crossings. Although the elevation is not high yet (below 2500m), the humid temperature will make the hike a sweaty one and test your stamina for the challenge ahead.
Day 4
Start the day with a walk through beautiful wild forests of hemlock, oak and huge rhododendron, with snow-capped peaks beginning to appear in the distance. After a steady climb, you'll pass the army checkpoint at Ghodatabela before reaching Langtang village. This sombre spot was one of the worst-hit areas when the earthquake hit in 2015 and is still being rebuilt – income from tourism is fundamental to its recovery.
Day 5
Leaving Langtang behind, the trail crosses yak pastures and follows a meandering stream. Gengchempo (6387m) is a prominent landmark off to the east and your first sight of a mighty peak. The trail reaches the Tamang settlements of Mundu (3410m) and Sindum (3410m) flanked by equally spectacular peaks, as the full Langtang range makes an appearance. Time for some dal bhat at your teahouse in Kyanjin Gompa to end the day.
Day 6
No need to pack up this morning as you'll return to the same spot this evening. Today is a relatively easy day as you acclimatise to being at altitude (currently at 3830m). You can wander to a monastery, visit a local cheese factory or walk up the moraine to see the spectacular ice faces and tumbling glaciers of Langtang Lirung. For those with energy to burn, your guide can also take you up Kyanjin Ri (4773m) for a breathtaking panorama of the Langtang peaks. Overnight at Kyanjin Gompa, don't forget to look up at the stars!
Day 7
Leaving behind the last settlement you'll see for a couple of days, you'll start to trek along the rocky glacial trail. You'll arrive at base camp (4600m) mid-afternoon with plenty of time to settle in, grab a hot drink and marvel at the peak above. Sunset this high up is something to behold, and worth checking out before you gather together in the mess tent for a hearty meal prepared by your crew.
Day 8
A second day and night at Yala Base Camp allows for better acclimatization before your summit attempt. Depending on the conditions, there will be an acclimatization hike to Tserko-Ri (4984m) or a nearby pond. In the afternoon, your climbing guide will run through essential skills including rappelling, abseiling and how to use crampons. You'll spend the night under canvas again, ready for the challenge ahead.
Day 9
Headtorches at the ready as you set off for the summit in the early hours, when conditions are usually at their best. The summit generally takes approximately eight hours, with the last 700m usually needing ropes, crampons and ice axes. You'll make your way along a small ridge to reach the top at 5500m – Yala Peak bagged! Your reward is panoramic views of Shishapangma, Dorje Lakpa, Gangchempo, Naya Kang, Tserko Ri, Langtang Lirung and many other astonishing mountains. After summiting, you'll head back to base camp for a quick refuel before descending back down to Kyanjin Gompa.
Day 10
With lung fulls of oxygen, you'll hop, skip and jump back down the valley all the way to the Lama Teahouse in Rimche. Now at a sensible altitude to do so, you can grab a local beer and celebrate your achievement!
Day 11
It's the last day on the trail today, with an easy walk through the forest, retracing the track past Bamboo and Dovan and onto the overnight spot at Syabrubesi. This small town perched above a river is the perfect place to end your trek and to reflect on your achievement, before saying goodbye to the mighty Himalaya tomorrow.
Day 12
Jump on the bus back to Kathmandu, where a hot shower and your clean clothes await. You'll be staying right in the centre of Thamel, an area popular with travellers and packed with street food and backstreet bars. Head out for a final group meal and perhaps onto a local cocktail bar for a final celebratory nightcap.
Day 13
Enjoy a well-earned lie in and breakfast at your hotel, then spend your last day exploring the city before heading back to the airport, and reality.
MICHELLE G. December 2025
Jorge December 2025
Lydia D. December 2025
Fiona T. November 2025
Simon F. November 2025
Simon F. November 2025
Louise P. October 2025
Catherine W. October 2025
Cionut075 October 2025
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To request any extras, message your host via your Much Better Adventures account once you have booked your trip.
All extras must be paid before your trip starts.
The preferred currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). Whilst ATMs are available in the main cities, please do not rely on them as they are often out of order and most have a maximum withdrawal limit equivalent to about £300.
It's best to bring the bulk of your money with you in cash and exchange it at a bank or at one of the many money changers in Nepal - your guide will help you with this. Most major currencies are accepted, including GBP (Sterling), Euros and US Dollars, however Scottish or Northern Irish currency cannot be changed. Keep your exchange receipts in case you want to change any unused Rupees back into hard currency when you leave Nepal (it is illegal to export Nepalese Rupees as it is a closed currency).
You will need to carry a fairly large amount of cash while trekking, for the meals (see 'Not Included', above). We advise that you keep this in a waterproof bag and in your day bag along with your passport.
We work with some of the best leaders in the industry. Every single one of them is government licensed and very experienced. In order to ensure the guides high standard of performance, the host provides them with top-notch in-house training that covers advanced wilderness first aid, hyperbaric chambers, oxygen system, mountain rescue and incident management and Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.
Your host in Nepal can arrange a variety of extra experiences in Kathmandu, should you want to explore further. Please discuss these directly with your host, who will be able to book them for you.
Kathmandu Heritage Tour: Visit four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple). Duration: full day (approx. 08:00–15:00).
Spice Markets & Durbar Square: Explore Asan Market and Thamel, visiting spice and tea markets and learning about the cultural, culinary and medicinal uses of Nepali spices from local vendors. Finish at Kathmandu Durbar Square, home to historic temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Duration: approx. three hours (flexible timing).
Master the Arts: Head to Bhaktapur Durbar Square for a pottery workshop. Learn to spin the wheel and shape clay into simple items such as cups, bowls or vases, and observe traditional drying and firing techniques used by local potters. Duration: half day (approx. 08:00–12:30).
Nepali Cooking Class: Learn to prepare four traditional Nepali dishes with hands-on guidance, then enjoy one of your creations. This experience supports SASANE and their work addressing human trafficking, child marriage and violence against women. Duration: half day (morning or afternoon).
Although we schedule departure dates outside of the main monsoon season, weather conditions in any mountain region can be unpredictable and sometimes your host will need to revert to 'Plan B'.
No two trekking seasons are the same, but occasional landslides or heavy snowfall and avalanches have been known to lead to trail closures in this region. In this event, it will not be possible to reach Yala Peak or summit a peak and your host will organise an alternative trek: usually the Laurebina La to Gosainkunda.
As you are summiting a peak in mountainous terrain, it may be that the weather isn't perfect – if this is the case, you are likely to get another chance to summit the next day. So to play it safe, we advise you to consider booking an extra night’s accommodation in Kathmandu at the end of the trip.
You can leave any extra luggage that you don't need on your trek at your hotel in Kathmandu.
There will be one porter for every person. They will each carry up to 24kg of kit (including your climbing gear), so your overnight bags will be transported for you. Please pack no more than 10kg per person of personal clothing/items (including your sleeping bag) in a soft backpack or duffel bag (approx. 60-65 litres), allowing for the climbing equipment to make up the remainder of the porter's weight limit. You will only need to carry a daypack with essentials in it (extra layers, snacks, water, suncream, camera etc).
Although most teahouses have the option to buy bottled water, we advise against it to reduce the use of plastic in the mountains (this ends up being burnt, or dumped in landfill out of sight). You will instead be provided with cold water that needs treating. There are a wide range of products available these days which are more effective than traditional purification tablets – some trekkers like to use UV handheld devices such as a Steripen, but other options are available (just check that they perform in freezing conditions).
Whilst there are no domestic flights included in this itinerary, should you choose to add one to your booking as an additional service you should be aware of the following:
Nepal's mountainous terrain and weather make for challenging flying conditions and sadly more incidents (including fatalities) occur here than in other countries. Since 2013 the EU has banned all Nepalese domestic airlines from flying within EU airspace in order to raise awareness of the poor safety record (although no Nepalese airlines were operating routes within the EU prior to the ban). You should be aware that flying in Nepal is an identified risk: please consider this carefully before booking. Additional information can be found on the Aviation Safety Network entry for Nepal as well as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for Nepal.
Domestic airlines in Nepal are generally not accredited by any internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.
What does Much Better Adventures do about this?
Much Better Adventures collaborates with other UK travel companies to arrange for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually and assess the local airlines. Much Better Adventures then only uses the carriers that were approved as part of the most recent audit. If any concerns are subsequently raised about an approved airline between audits, we put them on hold until the auditors are satisfied that safety standards are being met.
Owing to the nature of this trip, it is essential that your personal travel insurance policy provides cover to the maximum altitude visited on this trip (5500m), as well as for emergency medical evacuation by helicopter.
At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip, depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.
Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.
BACKGROUND
Nepal’s cuisine is shaped by its mountainous geography, agricultural traditions, and strong cultural ties to India and Tibet. Meals are typically hearty and practical, centred around rice, lentils, seasonal vegetables, and preserved foods, with meat used more sparingly in many regions.
In Kathmandu and Pokhara, there is a wide range of hotels and restaurants serving high-quality food. However, in the remote trekking regions, limited infrastructure (including a lack of refrigeration) means teahouses tend to offer a similar, simple menu throughout. It is generally advisable to avoid meat in more remote teahouses, as freshness cannot be guaranteed—your guide will advise accordingly. A vegetarian or vegan diet is often the most suitable, whilst a lactose-free diet is also not too restrictive. Gluten-free diets, however, can be accommodated but are more limited and repetitive.
Meals in trekking regions are built around dal bhat (rice, lentil soup, and vegetables), along with variations of potatoes, noodles, soups, breads, rice, pasta, and even pizza—sometimes with egg, vegetables, cheese, or tinned tuna. Desserts may include apple pie, chocolate pudding (often with custard), or cake. Breakfast typically consists of toast, eggs, pancakes, Tibetan bread, porridge, or muesli.
Fresh fruit is rarely available, and fresh vegetables become scarcer at higher altitudes. While carbohydrates are plentiful, meals can lack variety and certain nutrients, so bringing snacks such as nuts or dried fruit is recommended.
Some dietary requirements and allergies may not be well understood in remote areas. Your guide will help communicate your needs, but flexibility and preparation are essential when trekking in these regions.
SPECIAL DIETS
Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be well catered for on this trip, provided your host is informed in advance. There are plenty of options available both in cities and along trekking routes. Common dishes include dal bhat, vegetable momos (dumplings), vegetable noodle soup, and fried rice or noodles with vegetables and/or egg. Potatoes, Tibetan bread, pasta, and pizza are also widely available.
Vegan Vegan diets can be well catered for on this trip, provided your host is informed in advance. Porridge is a common breakfast and can be made with water on request, though it is often prepared with milk powder by default. Dal bhat is the main staple, though some versions may include ghee - so do check. Momos may contain egg in the dough. While carbohydrates are easy to find, sources of vegan protein are limited, so bringing snacks is recommended.
Kosher Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are not available in remote teahouses, so a Kosher diet cannot be accommodated on this trip. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.
Halal Certified Halal meat is not available in remote teahouses, although it can be found in Kathmandu and other major cities. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.
INTOLERANCES
Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-free diets are difficult to accommodate in trekking regions of Nepal. Please inform your host in advance, but be aware that options are limited and often repetitive. Many staple foods—such as Tibetan bread, noodles, pasta, pancakes, and muesli—contain gluten, making breakfast particularly restrictive. You may often rely on eggs as an alternative. Additionally, powdered soups, seasonings, and soy sauce frequently contain gluten, and cross-contamination is a significant risk in teahouse kitchens. Naturally gluten-free options do exist, including dal bhat, potatoes, eggs, plain rice, and simple soups. However, flexibility and preparation are essential, and your guide will assist in communicating your needs.
Lactose Free Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many dishes are naturally lactose-free, but you will need to specify at each meal that you require food without milk, milk powder, ghee, butter, or cheese. Porridge and muesli can be prepared with water on request. As sources of healthy fats may be limited, bringing supplementary snacks is recommended. Flexibility remains important in remote areas, and your guide will help communicate your requirements.
ALLERGIES
Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. Please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip.
This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
There are two key seasons for trekking Yala Peak in Nepal:
Pre-monsoon/spring (March-May): Temperatures rise significantly in spring and flowers are in full bloom in the lower lands. Although it can still drop below freezing at night, the daytime temperatures tend to sit between 10-15°C.
Post-monsoon/autumn (Sept-Nov): This is the most popular time to trek in Nepal with sunny and mild days generally. It can get cold and windy at higher altitudes, however skies are usually clear.
Snow is likely in early March and late November but for other dates later in spring and earlier in autumn, it will be less prevalent. If there is minimal or no snow, the summit will be approached as more of a scramble than a snowy hike, so crampons and ice axes won't be needed. Of course, mountain weather is notoriously hard to predict and snow can be expected on any trip, so all the kit will travel with you in case it is needed.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 343kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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