Ganesh Himal
Ganesh Himal (Ruby Valley)
A week between Langtang and Manaslu: Tamang and Gurung villages, rhododendron forests and the Pangsang La pass facing Ganesh Himal, staying in homestays.
- Walking days 5–8 days
- Highest point 3,840 m
- Level Challenging
- Permits 5,000 NPR (≈ €29)
- Start Syabrubesi
- Mandatory guide, checks vary
At a glance
From Syabrubesi, at the end of the Langtang road, you climb to the Tamang village of Gatlang, then past the sacred lake of Parvati Kund and over the Khurpu Bhanjyang pass (3,720 m) to the pastures of Somdang. The next day you reach the Pangsang La pass (3,840 m), with views of Ganesh Himal, Langtang and Manaslu on a clear day.
You then drop into the Ruby Valley itself, to the Tamang and Gurung villages of Tipling, Sertung and Chalish, between terraced fields and forest, and on to Jharlang, where jeeps head back via Dhading Besi. Few trekkers, nights in homestays: it is a village trek more than a high-mountain one. Its neighbour to the west is the Tsum Valley.
Highlights
- The Pangsang La pass and its view of Ganesh Himal, Langtang and Manaslu
- Tamang and Gurung villages that see very few tourists, such as Gatlang and Tipling
- Nights in homestays rather than lodges
- A one-week trek with no flight and no very high altitude
Drawbacks
- Northern access cut since the August 2026 flood: start from the south for now
- Basic accommodation, sometimes limited at the Pangsang La pass
- Poorly marked trails and long descents after the pass
- Long, bumpy dirt roads both ways
In pictures
Route
Five days on foot from Syabrubesi to Jharlang over the Pangsang La pass; the next morning, a jeep from Jharlang or a short walk down to the ones at Dundure Khola (see Transport). Longer variant (8 days on foot): from Tipling, carry on through Borang and Lapa, then over the Mangro pass (around 2,940 m) to Machha Khola on the Manaslu circuit, and the road to Arughat; one night camping (Nauban Kharka, no lodge), poorly marked trail: a local guide is advised from Lapa. To see it on the map and in the schedule, drag the “Finish” label to Machha Khola.
- Road (bus)
- Track (jeep)
- Chosen route
- Other possible trails
- Possible start or finish
Drag the “Start” and “Finish” labels to another served point, or tap a point. The “+” buttons add a side trip. Zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll wheel), then drag the map to move around.
How do I use it in a hiking app?
The file contains the route you chose on the map (start, finish, side trips), with altitude, and a marker for each night, pass and viewpoint.
- Organic Maps or Maps.me (free, offline): download the Nepal map before you leave, then open the GPX file from your phone and choose the app.
- OsmAnd: menu “My places” → “Tracks” → “Import”.
- Komoot, Gaia GPS, Wikiloc, Garmin: use the app's or website's “Import a GPX file” feature.
With no signal, your phone's GPS still works: you can see your position on the track. The track is indicative: on the ground, waymarks and advice from the lodges come first.
Itinerary
- D 0Syabrubesi1,460 m
- D 1Gatlang via Goljung2,240 m+780 m15 km1,240 m480 m
- D 2Somdang via Khurpu Bhanjyang 3,720 m3,270 m+1,030 m13 km1,460 m440 m
- D 3Pangsang La3,840 m+570 m7 km620 m70 m
- D 4Chalish via Tipling, Sertung1,880 m−1,960 m13 km200 m2,340 m
- D 5Jharlang via Percho1,660 m−220 m16 km850 m870 m
- Syabrubesi — Usually: bus from Machhapokhari (Kathmandu), 7 to 10 h, or shared jeep via Trishuli and Dhunche. ⚠ Dhunche–Syabrubesi road cut since the flood of 26 August 2026: see the southern alternative.
- Dhading Besi — Jeep from Jharlang when the dirt road is passable; otherwise about 2 h downhill on foot to Dundure Khola. Then a jeep to Dhading Besi (about 4 h on a dirt road) and a bus to Kathmandu.
Elevation
Permits
The Langtang National Park entry fee (3,000 NPR (≈ €17) for a foreigner) is checked at Dhunche, on the road to Syabrubesi, even though the trek stays outside the park; add the TIMS card issued by the agency that provides your guide. No restricted-area permit for this route: the Rasuwa district one only covers the villages further north (Thuman, Timure).
National park
Langtang National Park
3,000 NPR (≈ €17)
At the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu or at the Dhunche checkpoint, on the road.
Trekker card
TIMS card
2,000 NPR (≈ €12)
Issued only by a licensed agency since April 2023: it goes hand in hand with hiring a guide. See the Guide and porter page.
Guide
Mandatory guide, checks vary
A licensed guide has been compulsory for foreign trekkers since 2023, but checks are rare in this region.
A guide is still very useful: trails are poorly marked, the Pangsang La pass can be snowy, and they make homestay nights easier. See Guide and porter.
A guide for this trek? The Guides Nepal directory lists guides, porters and agencies who know this trek, with their licence checked, the languages they speak and traveller reviews.
Transport
Getting to the start
Kathmandu → Syabrubesi
Bus from Machhapokhari or shared jeep via Trishuli, Betrawati and Dhunche (permit check). ⚠ Cut between Dhunche and Syabrubesi since the August 2026 flood.
Alternative: Kathmandu → Dhading Besi → Dundure Khola
Bus to Dhading Besi (3 to 4 h), then a jeep to Dundure Khola, below Jharlang (about 4 h on a dirt road); you then do the trek in reverse.
Getting back
Jharlang → Dhading Besi → Kathmandu
Local jeep from Jharlang when the dirt road is passable, otherwise from Dundure Khola (or Darkha Phedi), 2 h on foot, to Dhading Besi on a zigzagging dirt road (about 4 h), then a bus to Kathmandu (3 to 4 h).
Longer variant: Machha Khola → Kathmandu
The trekkers' bus of the Manaslu circuit: from Machha Khola via Soti Khola and Arughat to Gongabu (Kathmandu), or a shared jeep. The Soti Khola–Arughat section is known to be rough.
When to go
IdealPossibleNot advised
October–November: the best time, clear skies after the monsoon. March–May: rhododendrons in bloom in the forests, a little more haze.
December–February: cold, with snow or ice possible at the Pangsang La pass (it can happen in any season). June–September: monsoon, landslides on the dirt roads and leeches.
On the trail
| Accommodation | Homestays and small lodges in the villages; limited facilities at the Pangsang La pass (bring a packed meal). |
| Budget | With an agency: around 900 USD (≈ €805) per person for about ten days from Kathmandu (price seen in 2025). |
| Water | Springs and taps in the villages; treat or filter your water. |
| Signal | Patchy: fine in the larger villages, none at the pass. |
Good to know before you go
What about the visa? A two-week trek plus a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara quickly adds up to more than 15 days: get the 30-day visa. The calculator on our sister site Visa Nepal shows the cheapest length.
Which visa length?Comments
A question, recent news from the trail, your own experience? Share it here.
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