Lapchi Kang Milarepa Cave Trek

Lapchi Trek Overview

Lapchi Trek, a 7-day hiking trip to the hidden world of Lapchi Valley in northern Dolkha bordering Tibet, aims to give a full experience of this visually extraordinary and geographically isolated area, hugely rich in flora, wildlife, and folklore, yet rarely visited by tourists or scientists. Lapchi Kang is a small Himalayan range lying like a twisted backbone jammed between the road to Tibet and the huge Himalayan valley of Rowaling Himal. Lapchi Trek is restricted and tucked away enough to be ignored by the tourists, and yet not high enough to entice mountaineers. Somewhere in this isolated wilderness, Milarepa, an ancient Tibetan magician, went into retreat, lived in a cave, ate stinging nettles, and slowly turned green! The maze of twisted hills, rock spires, and sheer cliffs that make up the landscape from Ama Bamare Himal to Lapchi Karhka gives the snow leopard a perfect habitat for survival. This trek follows the Tama Khosi river from Jagat to Lamanabagar, where we turn off the main trail and head up through dense bamboo and cloud forest to an isolated pocket of Lapchi Kang under the unclimbed rock spire of Ama Bamare and the awesome rock face of Kookur Raja Darra (King Dog Ridge ). This Lapchi Kang Trek is unique!

The Lapchi trekking trail is located in the Rolwaling region along the border of Nepal and Tibet. Lapchi Kang Milarepa Cave Trek is an opportunity to explore the least visited, isolated, and exciting secret corners of Nepal. Lapchi Monastery is a famous pilgrimage of Buddhists where the famous Tibetan Yogi Milarepa lived in Milarepa cave for a long time and died in the Lapchi region. Milarepa performed many miracles in Lhapchi and left behind sacred marks such as his footprints. Lapchi trekking, protected by the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, requires a GCA special permit and TIMS for trekking in Lapchi Kang, which is considered a Buddhist Adventure trip to the sacred land of Lapchi.

Milarepa is not only a Buddhist yogi but also a poet, singer, and ancient Tibetan magician. Lapchi Trek and Lapchi Region are the sacred destinations in the Himalayas after Kailash and Tsari. According to Tibetan Buddhist and Hindu ancient literature, the three holy mountains in the Jambudvipa are 1. Mount Kailash, 2. Mount Labchi Kang, and 3. Mount Tsari. These are the core power places or the paramount spiritual mountains, not only for Buddhists but also for Hindus. Holy Lapchi Mountain is situated in the eastern part of Nepal at a height of about 4,850 meters. Lapchi trek from the Nepal side is cheap and best because it is not necessary to arrange a Tibet visa and permit to explore holy Lapchi and Mount Lapchi Kang once in a lifetime.

When is the best time to trek to Lapchi Valley?

The best time to trek in Lapchi is from March to October. Lapchi, known as Milarepa’s Hermitage, has a variety of cave hermitages in Lapchi. We organize the Lapchi trekking from Lamabaagar on camping basics, following the Tama Koshi river, passing through dense bamboo and cloud forest, to the remote areas of Lapchi Kang under the unclimbed rock spire of Ama Bamare and the awesome rock face of Cookur.

Lapchi Valley Trek Itinerary and Package Cost Variations. 

Our standard 6-night, 7-day itinerary is for Buddhist Pilgrimage groups and on short time visitors to Lapchi Valley. The itinerary goes straight up and retraces straight back the same way. We (Wilderness Excursion) also propose a different itinerary (a loop route) for adventure and wilderness enthusiasts that takes 11 days. Below is an 11-day fully supported camping trek, and the cost will be USD 1499 per person on a minimum two-person basis for an inclusive package fully supported camping trekking trip. 

Extended Lapchi Camping Trekking Itinerary

Day 01: Kathmandu to Lamabagar (1950 m) by bus/jeep. 
Day 02: Trek from Lamabager Lower Lumnang (2700 m)
Day 03: Trekking to Lapchi Village (3670 m) 
Day 04: Explore the Lapchi Monastery, Village, and Other Spiritual Heritages. 
Day 05: Lapchi Village to High Alpine lakes trek (4900 m)
Day 06: Trekking to Yak Kharka (3424 m)
Day 07: Trekking to King Dong Kharka (2800 m)
Day 08: An excursion day at King Dong Kharka
Day 09: Trekking to Samling Phedi
Day 10: Trekking to Lamabagar
Day 11: Drive back to Kathmandu by bus/Jeep 

Lapchi Monastery Trek can be combined with the Rolwaling Valley Trek, and also can be extended the trek to the Bigu Gompa, which offers cultural and natural varieties in untrodden off-beaten trails through the rural villages.  This trek is totally off the beaten path and seldom seldom-visited place in the area of Lapchi to the west of Rolwaling Valley. We can arrange your trek as a basic camping and teahouse or homestay trek that allows you to experience the locals, their culture, and their traditions. We also arrange fully supported camping treks for comfortable trekking keen.