Gosaikunda Trek Difficulty

12th Nov, 2019

Infotrekking

Gosaikunda Lake, known as a holy lake for both Hindus and Buddhist is one of the most preferred trekking destinations in Nepal. Lying at an altitude of 4380m within Langtang National Park, this lake has been able to attract a large number of national and international tourists every year. But, what about Gosaikunda Trek Difficulty? Is it easy or hard and can anyone do this trek is what most tourists are curious about? Well, let’s find out.

Table of Contents

Gosaikunda Trek famous for both natural beauty and religious perspective lies in Nepal’s Langtang National park, Rasuwa district. This place attracts many foreigners because of its charming scenes in spite of the difficulties. Whereas thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit due to the significance carried by this place. It is believed that the Gosaikunda originated when Lord Shiva pushed his Trishul against the mountain to extract the water to cool his stinging trek after taking poison.

Though many people find Gosaikunda Trek with a moderate level of difficulty, the difficulty level of this Trek depends upon various factors. These factors are most common while trekking to the Himalayas so it doesn’t add up in making this trek more difficult one than others.

Remote Places

Langtang Valley is one of the most remote places near Kathmandu Valley. Along with being equally amazing with naturally beautiful places, this region lacks far behind in terms of infrastructure development.

Having bumpy and narrow roads, with no modes of transportation, you need to carry all your belongings yourselves while trekking. Though taking porters along with you may be of little help if you have your budget managed.

While trekking, you cannot afford to be sick due to a lack of medical facilities. For a proper medical check-up, it will take days or need to take a flight back to the city which will increase your cost. 

Weather and Temperature

Weather and Temperature is one of the important factors to be considered in determining the difficulty level of any trek.

Though this trek is achievable throughout the year with little compromise, Spring ( March-May) and Autumn (September- December) are known as the best seasons for Gosaikunda Trek. During these seasons, the sky is clear and all the surroundings are equally attractive with flowers, fauna and full of greenery. Rhododendron and magnolia flowers on the way help to add beauty to this trek.

However, trekking during monsoon and winter is equally challenging even you experienced one or just a beginner. Walking along with the trials covered with snow or slippery road full of muds both are harsh if you are not careful enough. But, who knows it can be your most adventurous trip too with these little challenges.

Altitude Sickness

Altitude Sickness is common to most people when you trek above the height of 3000m. Trekking to the height of 4800m, you will have a high chance of suffering from altitude sickness. When you trek to the higher region, the air becomes thinner and it becomes difficult to breathe. So, if you find yourself vomiting, headache or fever then immediately shift towards the lower region. You can take a rest there and again start your trek with few rests on the way this time.

Though this Langtang Valley trek does not take you to the higher region like that of the Everest region, being cautious always remains in your favor. So, fully prepare your body and acclimatize it with a higher altitude before the trek. You can take Diamox  (medicine for altitude sickness) along with you which will help if any problem occurs.

Stress

Gosaikunda Trek includes walking continuously for few days with 7-8 hrs hike per day which is a big deal in itself. It can be tiring and result in physical and mental stress too.

The challenging trail with those steps which takes a few hours to climb is also a lot exhausting. Whereas, having constant fear about landslides, getting sick, lost and not making to the top will grab a lot of your energy. Some of you might also get homesick and miss all your luxurious things way back there.

What helps people to overcome these stress and continue trekking are those beautiful scenarios and Langtang attractions. The view you will get after reaching the top will make it all worth it. Anyway, Trekking is meant to be a little difficult, isn’t it?

Packing

Lastly, many people don’t make packing as a problem and ignore it and regret later. Both under-packing and over-packing may increase your difficulty during trekking. Packing lightly but including all the necessary things is a must during the trek. Try to pack as light as possible, you wouldn’t want to add your weight and make your walk more difficult.

Reducing Gosaikunda Trek Difficulty

We cannot step back from our dream trek just by hearing a few difficulties, right? So, how to overcome Gosaikunda Trek Difficulty and start your new journey towards Gosaikunda? Let’s discuss that too.

Physical Activities

Gosaikunda is a short trek, so you need not need to be really ready for months. Just try to go short hiking, swimming, and other physicians activities for a week. You can also hit the gym for warming up your body if you have never been to a trek. Being fit is mandatory for the trek. By fit, it doesn’t mean you should have a perfect body just remain healthy.

Though for experienced trekkers, it may not be difficult as the trek is of moderate one.

Stay Hydrated

Carry lots of water with you and fill up the water bottle as soon as you see rivers or tap along the way. Dehydration is the biggest enemy of one’s during the trek in the Himalayan region. Anyway, what can help to boost your energy more than water?

Choosing the best season

I suggest taking the Gosaikunda Trekking during those best seasons as mentioned above. Even the trekking is durable for the whole year, skipping heavy snow and monsoon season will only benefit us. Whereas, if you are the one who doesn’t like much crowd and love challenges then you can surely try trekking in offseason.

Packing Well

I have already mentioned the importance of packing during the trek. But, what I would like to add is always to try the fitness of your clothes and shoes before the trek. Be familiar with your shoes by wearing for a few days, if those are new, you cannot afford to get a wound. And, always be comfortable with your clothes too.

Stay on the Trail

The trail was made for a reason, so avoid shortcuts as much as possible which will only increase your risk of getting lost. And your time and energy both will go in vain too. Always keep Langtang Gosaikunda Trek map along with you for your own easiness.

Gosaikunda Trek with or without a Guide

Trekking independently or along with a guide, this choice completely depends upon you.

Gosaikunda Trek route is quite simple and you can easily reach the top without any help. During peak seasons, you will find many companions along with you too. So, a guide may not be mandatory. But, they will be of great help if you hire one. The guide will be your best friend in this beautiful journey and great assistance guiding you along the way. As they have known this place more closely than others, you will be able to find hotels and lodges without facing any problems. Walking along with them will also provide a sense of motivation as we get to hear about their stories and passionate work.

 If you are not habituated with walking for these many hours by carrying items of baggage with you then hiring a porter will also be a great help. As it will reduce your physical stress by a great amount.

So, if you have a friendly budget you can hire both guide and a porter according to your want and need.

Gosaikunda Trek Distance

Gosaikunda Trek distance depends upon the route you take, the itinerary you choose and the facilities you would love to enjoy. Although the total distance you will be covering will be around 117km normally.

Gosaikunda- Dhunche and Gosaikunda- Sundarijal are the two most famous routes to reach Gosaikunda.

Gosaikunda Trek from Dhunche

The common itinerary for the Dhunche route is of 5 days in normal. Dhunche is 44km away from Kathmandu valley and is the most preferred route by trekkers.

Here, you will be taking 6-7 drive hours from Kathmandu to Dhunche enjoying the greenery of forests along with the snow-capped mountains along with way. This will give you an idea about the trekking experience you will be having ahead. Spending night in Dhunche, headquarter of Rasuwa district, you will start the trek from the next day. The destination for the next day trek will be Chandanwari which will take about 5-6 hrs walk. The main attraction of this place is a cheese factory and a famous monastery, Singompa.

On the third day, you will reach to Gosaikunda Lake after 6-7 hours of walk. This is the most difficult part of the Gosaikunda Trek because of its steep road. You will be spending the night here, there are availabilities of various hotels and lodges. You will get to explore all the 108 lakes, and enhance the beauty of those lakes which will make all the difficulties you get to encounter worth of all.

The next day, you will return back from the same route to Kathmandu capturing all the moments with you.

Sundarijal to Gosaikunda

Your trek to Gosaikunda from Sundarijal will be of 7 days. Driving to Sundarijal and start trekking from there is your journey starts. Sundarijal is the nearest starting point to Kathmandu being only 27 km away.

After 5 hours walk from Sundarijal, you will be reaching Chisapani where you will get to spend a night. The way will be along the green forest offering the sight of lush valleys surrounded by the Himalayas and mountains. Heading towards Tuksang by 6 hours walk, you will get to witness the culture and traditions of Tamang and the Buddhist community. With chirping birds and various other animals, your journey to Tuksang will be equally amazing. You will stay overnight at Tuksang and start your trek tomorrow morning to Ghopte.

Trek to Ghopte will be of 6-7 hours and from here you will start gaining altitude slowly being the elevation of 3340m. Day 4 will be your trek to Gosaikunda which will take around 6-7 hours. Walking along the rocky terrains and crossing through Laurebina pass you will get to enjoy the beauty offered by Gosaikunda. You will stay on a local lodge there and take a rest for the next day too as walking for too many days may be tiresome. Then, you will be returning back from the Dhunche route experiencing a new environment.

So, depending upon which route you choose, you will get your itinerary from your travel agency or make one's own if you want to travel independently.

Excited for the Trek thinking I will surely walk along this road by overcoming these difficulties but confused about the budget? Then, let’s be acquainted with the cost of this trek too.

Langtang-Gosaikunda Trek Cost

Gosaikunda Trek cost depends upon the number of factors like people in your group, the season you are trekking, accommodation, trekking route and so forth. The itinerary you are choosing for the trek can also be adjusted according to your needs and preferences. At all your cost may go around in between $400 USD to $600 USD including all the expenses.

Here’s the list of the significant cost that is included in your Gosaikunda Trek.

Transportation Cost

No matter which route you will take you can easily get a vehicle from Kathmandu. private jeeps, local jeeps or local buses all are available according to your preference.

In the Dhunche route, if you are taking private jeep it will cost around US$ 140, US$ 6-7 per person for one way in local jeep whereas US$ 3-4 per person for one way in a local bus.

In the Sundarijal route, a local bus will be available with US$ 5-6 per person and private jeep will cost you around US$ 50.

Guides and Porter Cost

Hiring guides will cost you around US$ 25-30 per day whereas porters cost will be around US$ 20-25 per day. Giving an extra tip is not compulsory though you can give it if you wish.

Permit Cost 

You will need two permits for Trek to Gosaikunda if you are a foreigner. Though your guide, porters or any local person will not need these permits.

Langtang Local Area permit will cost US$ 20 per person and Langtang National Park entry permit will cost US$ 30 per person. These permits are available at Nepal Tourism Board, Kathmandu. You can also buy these permits at the trailhead but it will cost you slightly more. There will be various checking points on the way for these permits, so keep it safe with you.

Accommodation and Meal Cost

The choice of accommodation and meal is quite wide in the Kathmandu valley. Accommodation is available from simple lodges to five-star hotels costing at a low of US$9 to 500 per night. Similar is the case with the meal, simple food with US$3-4 to US$30 to 40 depending upon the place you want to eat. Drinks are available with US$ 1- 5 for bottled water, soft drink or tea and coffee.

During your entire trek, local lodges and treehouses will be there within every few distances. Total cost with accommodation and meals will be around US$50-$80. The cost is for 5-6 days. Hotels will have basic facilities like bed, blankets, pillow, and a few required items whereas meals will include typical Nepali food: Dal, Bhaat, Tarkaari, Achaar. If you want a luxurious food, it will cost much more being in a rural area.

Trekking Equipment

Your trekking equipment cost will be covered within US$ 100-400 depending upon what you don’t have. You can rent equipment or buy, these will be easily available in various shops in Thamel, Kathmandu. 

Personal Expenses

If you want to buy something for memories or do extra spending during your stay, then you surely need to separate some more money from your planned budget.

Gosaikunda by Helicopter

Limited with time and can’t afford to go overcoming all these Gosaikunda Trek Difficulties? No worries, you can reach to Gosaikunda Lake in a day by Gosainkunda Helicopter Tour.

It is the easiest and fastest way to reach Gosaikunda from Kathmandu which will only take 1.5 hours.  The cost will be around US$ 1600 depending upon the privacy and sharing policy.

The helicopter tour starts from Kathmandu and ends at Kathmandu. The helicopter will land near Gosaikunda Lake for half an hour where you can perform rites and rituals, take photos and enjoy the scenic beauty.  For exploring the Langtang Himalayan range, it is the best and short ride from Kathmandu. It is best suited for elders too who want to reach there but don’t have the energy to walk.

Gosaikunda Heli Tour is the third most popular Helicopter Tour after Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour and Annapurna Base Camp Helicopter Tour.

Lastly,

Being a short trek with moderate difficulty, Gosaikunda Lake is a perfect trekking spot for trekkers. You need not need to spend much on permits, expensive gears and enjoy the Langtang valley within a short period of time.

As this trek offers you views of greenery scenes, rhododendron forest, beautiful landscapes, snow-capped mountains, rivers, and lakes, it can be the trekking experience of once in a lifetime.

Prepare yourself for the trek fully and try to clasp the beauty of this place rather than worrying about its difficulties. You will surely have the best time of your life.

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