Red Panda and Rhododendron Trek in Langtang
Wander in the wilderness with wayfarer around the hills of Langtang National Park embarking on a red panda and rhododendron trek. This trek truly takes you to the habitats of rare red pandas and a colorful wide variety of rhododendrons in the Langtang National Park. During the trek, you come across changing climates, cultures, and lush vegetation full of blossoming rhododendrons on the trekking routes. Rhododendron (Gurans in Nepali) is the national flower of Nepal. The flower is native to the high Himalayas.
Trekking in a forest of blooming rhododendrons is especially beautiful at high elevations. In the spring season (March to May), rhododendrons bloom in the forests of hills and mountains of Nepal. The spring season (the rhododendron flower blooming season) is the best time to trek in Nepal than any other month. The trek during this season enables the trekkers to explore the enchanting varieties of rhododendrons. This adds to the beauty of trekking in Nepal. The main goal of our trek is to track the red panda trail to spot at least one of them. If we are lucky enough, we might spot red panda climbing at the branches of rhododendron trees.
Another major attraction in this trek is the Pake View Point. The viewpoint is located at an altitude of 3,500 meters offering the panoramic vistas of the Himalayas ranging from Ganesh Himal, Langtang, and Jugal ranges. You can get a glimpse of the world’s highest mountain, Mt. Everest on a clear day.
Moreover, you will get a chance to witness the unique and captivating culture and lifestyle of the Hyolmo people (Helambu Sherpas) living in the highlands of this region. The culture of Helambu Sherpas is quite different and unique from other sherpas of the Khumbu and eastern region.
Red Panda Tracking Trek is a wonderful wildlife safari in the closest national park to Kathmandu. The core habitat of red pandas is accessible within a day from Kathmandu. It takes about 5 hours of drive and 3 hours of hike to reach the habitats of red pandas in Langtang. Langtang National Park is the first mountainous national park in Nepal. It is not only the first national park of Nepal to save snow leopards but also the place where the first red panda was spotted in Nepal. As Nepal’s most important habitat of Nepal, the park serves as the red panda conservation region of the world. It is also the second biggest national park in Nepal that covers the Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk, and Nuwakot districts of Nepal.
Blog by: Lhakpa Gyalbu Sherpa