Below you can see a 180-degree panorama over lower Langtang, taken from a hill
near Chyolangpati and Sing Gompa. Usually you don't see this kind of view
in lower Langtang, as most trails are deep in the valley. The white mountain
on the right is the giant Langtang Lirung, and Langtang valley goes along
its right hand side.
The trail to Gosainkund goes at the extreme right of the panorama (where the
hut is). The snowy peaks on the left are in Ganesh Himal, and those in the
middle are in Tibet.
If you want to go higher than the yaks, no problem. Langtang National Park brochures say there are 120 named and unnamed 6000m+ peaks in the area. Many of them rise directly from the valley; indeed, the valley ends with 8013m Shishapangma, which is in Tibet. There are plenty of climbing opportunities for all difficulty levels:
Alternatively, you can spend 4-5 days making long daytrips out of Kyanjin; but you cannot really go farther than Langshisa Kharka without camping, as this makes for a 15+15=30km daytrip already. Just before Langshisa Kharka, the valley turns to the left; behind that turn you discover a whole new world, a hidden part of the valley at the foot of Morimoto, Langshisa Ri, and beautiful Ganchempo (all 6000-7000m).
Unfortunately most trekkers make this classic mistake of trying to cram too
much into too little time, and they end up skipping those daytrips because
they have to be "back in Kathmandu" for a flight etc. They just trek up
to Kyanjin, climb Kyanjin Ri, and go back down the next morning! I can
honestly say that for me the real value of Langtang was in those daytrips,
and skipping these is really not the way to go.
The above approach photo is taken at 5000m altitude.
Most of the climb goes on steep snow slopes, but
at times there are ca 50 vertical meters of rocks as well (the rocks were
loose). The last 15 meters to the top were climbed on a relatively exposed
rock pyramid, with 1500 meters to fall if you are really unlucky.
So although it's at the same altitude as Kala Pattar, it's not a peak for
everyone. But it's still basically a non-technical trekkers climb.
Ice axes were very useful in some places, but not essential. Equipment can
be rented in Kyanjin.
On the photo taken at the top, Shishapangma is the broad rocky peak to the right of my head.
It was the last eight-thousander to be climbed by a human.
The big pile of rock and snow on the left side of the photo is one of the
6000m+ border markers. Shalbachum Glacier is down below. The exhausted
fellow on the right is me, face burnt by the sun, lips torn by the wind.
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