The trail drops through a bamboo forest so thick the sunlight comes through in broken columns, and then the canopy opens to reveal a valley floor of terraced rice paddies rising in perfect green steps to a ridgeline where a cluster of stone houses catches the late afternoon light. There is no signpost. There is no guesthouse menu in English. A farmer looks up from his field, raises a hand in greeting, and your guide calls out a phrase in Gurung that makes the man laugh and wave you toward the village. This is Ruby Valley, and there is a reasonable chance you are the first foreign trekker these families have seen all month.
In nine days, you walk from the roadhead at Dhading Besi through a landscape that feels untouched by the last half-century of Himalayan tourism. The route crosses through Darkha, Lapagaon, and the scattered settlements of the Ruby Valley itself before climbing to Gatlang and descending to Syabrubesi, the gateway village to Langtang. Fewer than 200 trekkers walk this trail each year. There are no teahouses with Wi-Fi, no bakeries selling banana pancakes, no drone-carrying influencers. There is only Nepal as it was before the trails got famous: stone villages, bamboo forests, terraced farmland dropping into river gorges, and the kind of quiet hospitality that costs nothing and means everything. The drive from Kathmandu takes just three hours. The distance from the tourist trail is immeasurable.
What Makes This Trek Unforgettable
This is Nepal before the brochures.
On the Ruby Valley Trek, you do not follow a trail marked with painted arrows and teahouse signs. You follow your guide through farmland where the path is the space between terrace walls, across suspension bridges built by the village for their own use, and through forests where the only footprints ahead of you belong to livestock. The villages here have no tourism economy. There are no souvenir shops, no menus laminated in English, no "Namaste coffee shop" with a view. What there is, instead, is the Nepal that trekkers in the 1970s wrote home about — a country of staggering natural beauty and disarming hospitality, where a stranger is not a customer but a guest.
The landscape is wilder and more varied than you might expect for a trek that never climbs above 3,842m. The lower valleys are lush and subtropical, with waterfalls cascading through moss-covered rock faces and bamboo groves so dense they block out the sky. Higher up, the forest opens into farmland that has been terraced by hand over centuries, each step of the hillside a perfect horizontal line of green rice or golden millet. And from the ridgelines above Gatlang, on clear mornings, the Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, and the snow peaks of the Tibetan border fill the northern horizon.
If you are looking for a trek that will make you feel like an explorer rather than a tourist, the Ruby Valley is it. This is not a trail you choose for the altitude or the famous viewpoint. You choose it because you want to know what Nepal feels like when nobody is watching, when there is no audience, no Instagram spot, no competition for the best lodge. Just you, your guide, a family's kitchen, and the sound of the river in the valley below.
Arrive by 4:00 PM on Day One
Please arrive in Kathmandu by 4:00 PM on Day 1 so our team can complete the welcome briefing, confirm your gear, and prepare for the drive to Dhading Besi the next morning. If your flight lands later, let us know in advance and we will adjust accordingly.
Online Trip Briefing
After you book, we schedule a video call to walk through the full itinerary, answer your questions about gear, fitness, and what homestay accommodation is really like in a region with minimal tourist infrastructure. We will be honest about the simplicity of the lodgings and the richness of the experience. This call is included at no extra charge for all tiers.
Note to Hikers
Every trek with The Everest Holiday is a private trek arranged for your group of two or more. We never add strangers to your group. Your guide, your pace, your experience. On the Ruby Valley Trek, your guide is especially important — they speak the local languages, know the families who host trekkers, and navigate trails that are not marked on commercial maps.
Kathmandu Accommodation
Accommodation in Kathmandu is not included in the trek package but can be arranged on request. We recommend hotels in Thamel for easy access to restaurants, gear shops, and our office. During the online briefing, share your preferences and budget, and we will set it up for you.
9-Day Ruby Valley Trek Overview
The Ruby Valley Trek is named after the rubies and semi-precious garnets historically mined in the hills west of the Ganesh Himal range. The mines are largely exhausted now, but the name stuck, and the valley remains one of the most remote and least visited trekking areas accessible from Kathmandu. The trek sits in the transition zone between the Langtang and Manaslu conservation areas, a region of deep river valleys, subtropical forests, and mid-hill farming communities where Gurung and Tamang cultures overlap.
The maximum altitude is approximately 3,842m, reached at the ridge above Gatlang village. This is a mid-altitude trek with no high passes and no technical terrain. You walk 5-7 hours per day through a landscape that changes dramatically as you move north: subtropical river valleys give way to bamboo forest, then open farmland, then rhododendron woodland, and finally the drier, more Tibetan-influenced landscape around Gatlang. Several river crossings on suspension bridges, muddy trails through forests after rain, and steep village-to-village ascents keep the walking interesting without ever becoming dangerous.
Accommodation is in local homestays and basic community lodges. This is not a trail with a developed tourism infrastructure, and that is the entire point. You eat what the family eats: dal bhat, seasonal vegetables from the kitchen garden, dhindo (buckwheat porridge), and endless cups of sweet milk tea. Your guide is your translator, your cultural interpreter, and your link to communities who receive so few visitors that your presence is a genuine event. Children will follow you through the village. Grandmothers will invite you to sit by the fire. The farmer in the field will insist on giving you an orange from his tree.
The trail ends at Syabrubesi, from where you drive back to Kathmandu. This means the Ruby Valley Trek can be combined with the Langtang Valley Trek or the Tamang Heritage Trail for trekkers who want a longer journey through the region.
Highlights
- Trek through Nepal's most undiscovered valley — fewer than 200 trekkers per year, no tourist infrastructure, no crowds, just raw Himalayan countryside
- Stay in genuine homestays with Gurung and Tamang families in ancient stone villages where daily life has barely changed in centuries
- Walk through four distinct ecological zones in nine days — subtropical river valley, dense bamboo forest, terraced mid-hill farmland, and alpine rhododendron woodland
- Cross the historic ruby mining region of the Ganesh Himal foothills, where garnets and semi-precious stones were mined for generations
- Experience the overlap of Gurung and Tamang cultures in a region where two of Nepal's richest ethnic traditions meet and blend
- Finish at Gatlang and Syabrubesi, gateway to the Langtang region — easily extendable into a longer Langtang Valley or Tamang Heritage Trail trek
- Only a three-hour drive from Kathmandu to the trailhead — the most remote-feeling trek with the shortest approach in Nepal
Compare Our Three Packages
| Feature | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | USD 353 | USD 499 | USD 1100 |
| Transport to Dhading Besi | Local vehicle / shared jeep | Private tourist vehicle | Luxury private vehicle |
| Trek Meals | Not included (homestay meals available locally) | 3 meals daily with tea and fruits | 3 meals daily with fruits, dry fruits, nuts, all drinks except alcohol |
| Accommodation | Homestay / community lodge (shared) | Best available homestay rooms (private where possible) | Best available rooms with all available comforts, hot showers where available, charging covered |
| Porter | Not included | 1 porter per 2 trekkers (10 kg each) | 1 porter per trekker (carry nothing yourself) |
| Guide | 1 Nepal government well-trained guide, assistant at 8+ trekkers | 1 senior guide per 6, assistant at 6+ | 1 senior guide per 2 trekkers |
| SIM Card | SIM card (no data) | SIM with limited data | SIM with unlimited data |
| Sleeping Bag & Jacket | Loan included (safety requirement) | Loan included + duffel bag | Loan included + duffel bag |
| Water | Not included | 2L hot water daily + tea/coffee at meals | All drinks anytime (except alcohol) |
| Farewell Dinner | Included | Included | Included |
Your Trek, Our Family
The Everest Holiday is a family business spanning three generations of Himalayan experience. Shreejan Simkhada co-founded the company in 2016 as a government-licensed trekking guide. His father, Ganesh Prasad Simkhada, has held senior positions at the Nepal Tourism Board and the Nepal Mountaineering Association. His grandfather, Hari Lal Simkhada, arranged logistics for Himalayan expeditions in the 1960s and 1970s, long before trekking was an industry.
Shreejan's wife, Shamjhana Basukala, co-founded the company and holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism. Together with team members holding degrees in Tourism and Mountaineering, The Everest Holiday is not a booking platform. It is a family that has lived and worked in these mountains for decades.
You can reach Shreejan directly on WhatsApp at +977-9810351300. No call centres. No chatbots. The person who designed your trek is the person who answers your questions.
Our Credentials
- 320+ verified reviews across TripAdvisor, Google, and Trustpilot
- TAAN certified (Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal), registered and licensed
- Three generations of Himalayan experience, from the 1960s to today
- WhatsApp directly to the CEO, not a sales desk
- MATKA 2026: one of only 9 companies chosen by Nepal Tourism Board to represent Nepal in Helsinki
- No strangers in your group: every trek is private, arranged for your party only
Solo Trekkers Welcome
Nepal's mandatory guide law (April 2023) means you cannot trek independently. But you can book as a solo trekker with us, and we will pair you with a dedicated guide who knows the Ruby Valley intimately and speaks the local Gurung and Tamang languages. Our groups range from 2 to 14 trekkers. If you prefer to walk alone with your guide, that is exactly what we arrange. Read more about private vs group treks in Nepal.
Difficulty: Moderate ((3 out of 5)
The Ruby Valley Trek reaches a maximum altitude of approximately 3,842m, with most nights spent between 1,500m and 2,800m. You walk 5-7 hours per day on village paths, forest trails, and farm tracks. There is no technical terrain, no glacier travel, and no high-altitude passes. The trail involves moderate ascents and descents between river valleys and ridgelines, and some sections may be muddy after rain. River crossings are on suspension bridges. Suitable for reasonably fit beginners who are comfortable walking on uneven ground for extended periods. We recommend 3-4 weeks of regular walking and hill hiking before the trek. Accommodation is basic — homestays and community lodges, not standard teahouses — so come with an open mind and a sense of adventure. Learn more about altitude sickness prevention.
Trek With a Purpose — Changing the World, One Step at a Time
In 2019, Shreejan and Shamjhana founded the Nagarjun Learning Center, verified and listed on the UN Partner Portal. Today, 70 children receive free education and hot meals every school day. More than 600 people have received free medical care through annual health camps. 275 women have been reached through support and skills programmes. Seven learning centres now operate across Nepal. When you trek through the Ruby Valley, you walk through the same kind of remote community our charity serves. Every booking helps keep the doors open.
