Gosaikunda Trek 2027: 5-Day Itinerary, Cost and Best Time

Updated 18 October 2026.

Short answer: The Gosaikunda trek takes 5 days from Kathmandu and back: two days of driving, two days walking up and one long day walking down. It reaches the sacred lake at 4,380 m, in Langtang National Park. On our website it costs USD 369 on Budget, USD 700 on Standard and USD 999 on Luxury for two to four people, with a solo traveller paying USD 600, USD 860 or USD 1,840. Autumn (October and November) and spring (March to May) are the best seasons, and the lakes freeze from about November.

I am Shreejan. We run this trek as a private trip for your group only, and I wrote this page for anyone planning it for 2027. It gives you the day-by-day plan, what every tier includes, the permit fees, the honest problem with a trek this short, and what you pay in the end.

Gosaikunda trek at a glance

The full trip page is Gosaikunda Trek, 5 days. For the lake itself, its mythology and the other lakes in the basin, read my Gosaikunda lakes guide.

What is the Gosaikunda trek itinerary, day by day?

Those are the times and distances on our trip page. Day 2 is a steep forest climb of about 1,370 m, and it is the day that tells you how your legs are. Day 3 is shorter in distance but takes you above the tree line to a cold, stony basin. Chandanbari has more comfortable lodges than the lake, and the cheese factory at Sing Gompa is worth a stop. At the lake, the lodges are basic, with small rooms, a stove in the common room and very cold nights. Day 4 is the long one. You lose more than 2,400 m in a day, and your knees will notice. Walking poles help.

Is five days enough, and how hard is it?

I will be straight with you. This is a short trek with a big altitude gain. You sleep at 1,960 m on day 1, at 3,330 m on day 2 and at 4,380 m on day 3. There is no rest day, and that is faster than the usual advice of adding about 300 to 500 m of sleeping height per night above 3,000 m. Most healthy people manage it, because the walking days are short and you are only at 4,380 m for one night. But headaches and poor sleep at the lake are common, and a few people feel properly unwell.

My advice is simple. If you have never been above 3,500 m, or you have had altitude trouble before, tell me when you enquire. We can add a night at Chandanbari, or I will suggest the 13-day Langtang Gosainkunda trek, which approaches the lake slowly and crosses the Laurebina pass at 4,610 m. Your guide checks everyone each evening with a pulse oximeter, and if you are not well, we go down. Read my guides to acclimatisation and preventing altitude sickness before you fly.

The trail is well made and there is no technical climbing. The challenge is altitude and the steep ups and downs, and I would call it a moderate-to-hard trek for a fit beginner.

How much does the Gosaikunda trek cost?

These are the prices on the trip page for 18 October 2026, per person. The price does not change by month, and our website prices hold for 2027 departures.

Pricing is the same for a private trek and a group, and it falls only by group size. We never add strangers to a private booking. If you would rather have company, you can join one of our fixed departures at the same price.

Here is what the tier changes. The route, the licensed guide and the safety kit are the same on all three.

One point on solo travellers. On Standard, a single trekker has no porter, because porters are shared one for two. Your guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag, and you carry a small day pack. On Luxury, a solo traveller still gets their own porter. On Budget, nobody has a porter. A porter of your own on Standard or Budget costs USD 25 a day, plus 13 per cent VAT and the 3.5 per cent bank charge on top.

What is included, and what is not?

Every tier includes the airport pick-up and drop-off, your licensed guide, the Langtang National Park entry permit, the TIMS card, all government taxes, a first-aid kit with a pulse oximeter, a sleeping bag and down jacket if you do not have your own, free storage for your spare luggage in Kathmandu, a T-shirt and cap, and a farewell meal.

The official fees behind the permit lines are NPR 3,000 for Langtang National Park and NPR 2,000 for a TIMS card. We buy both, and you pay nothing extra at a checkpoint. A licensed guide is also a rule inside Langtang National Park. I explain that rule in my Langtang update.

Not in the price: your international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days, paid in cash on arrival), your Kathmandu hotel, travel insurance bought at home, tips for the team, and on Budget your meals. Our trip notes suggest about USD 20 a day for snacks, hot showers, charging and other extras on the trail.

Your insurance must cover medical costs and helicopter rescue up to 4,500 m. The lake is at 4,380 m, and a rescue helicopter has to fly higher than you are standing. Please send us your policy details within a week of booking.

When is the best time to trek to Gosaikunda?

I have no weather-station reading for the lake, so I describe the seasons and not the degrees. The lakes freeze from about November, so if you want to see open water, go in autumn or spring. If you want the festival, read my Janai Purnima guide, and book early because the lodges fill. For late-year conditions, read Langtang in November and December.

Is the road to Dhunche open?

As of 15 October 2026 the road to Dhunche and Syabrubesi is open again after the August flood. Our 5-day trek starts at Dhunche, so it avoids the damaged Syabrubesi. I cannot promise the road stays open into winter, so we check road and trail conditions 48 hours before every departure and tell you if the plan changes.

Questions people ask

How many days is the Gosaikunda trek? Five days from Kathmandu and back with us, including two days of driving. The walking is three days. The slower version through Langtang takes 13 days.

How much does the Gosaikunda trek cost? From USD 369 on Budget, USD 700 on Standard and USD 999 on Luxury for two to four people. Solo travellers pay USD 600, USD 860 or USD 1,840.

Is the Gosaikunda trek difficult? It is moderate to hard. The trail is good, but you gain about 2,400 m of altitude in two days and sleep at 4,380 m with no rest day.

What permits do I need? A Langtang National Park entry permit (NPR 3,000) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). Both are in our price.

Do I need a guide for Gosaikunda? Yes. A licensed guide is required in Langtang National Park, and one is included in every tier.

Can I trek Gosaikunda in winter? It is possible, but the nights are very cold, snow can cover the upper trail and the lakes freeze. Ask me about conditions for your dates before you book.

Can I do Gosaikunda solo? Yes, you can book as one person, with a guide. See the solo prices above.

What if I get altitude sickness? Your guide checks your oxygen level each evening. If symptoms get worse, we descend. Insurance with helicopter cover to 4,500 m is a requirement.

What are the booking terms?

The deposit is 10 per cent. It is non-refundable and there is no refund if you cancel, but you can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year with at least 72 hours notice. If we cannot run the trip ourselves, we refund what you paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on permits and flights. You pay the balance in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries a 3.5 per cent bank charge and cash carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with the month you want to go and how many of you there are. I will check the dates and the road, and send you an exact quote. If you only have a day, look at the Gosaikunda helicopter day tour instead.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.