30 years ago: 23 May 1982, Langtang Trek day 7, Ghora Tabeloa to Kyangjin

Sunday 23rd May 1982:  Ghora Tabela to Kyangjin (10 miles)

I walked to Kyangjin (12,300 ft) ahead of Nick and Dave, the last part in falling snow.  The whole walk was very reminiscent of that to Chukung on the Everest Trek, but with more vegetation.  The view from Kyangjin should be nice if it is clear in the morning, it certainly wasn’t now!  Temperature at mid day was apparently 0.5°C but it doesn’t feel cold.  I hate to think what it fell to at Loboche!  The snow stopped at 15:00 and I had a really excellent afternoon walk down to the Langtang Khola where I saw 12 Ibisbills.  I'd seen them wintering at Hetauda on my previous trip to Nepal but there was something rather special about seeing them on their breeding grounds, more so in such a remote area (the best part of a week's walk from the nearest road).  The yak cheese made at Kyangjin is good, as is the food at the lodge.  It was not ultra cold in the evening and nice and warm in my sleeping bag at night.  The main trekking season seems pretty much over as we are the only ones staying in the lodge.

Birds recorded:  Golden Eagle 1, Impeyan Pheasant h, Ibisbill 12, Snow Pigeon 200, Rufous Turtle Dove 4, Himalayan Swiftlet 15, Nepal House Martin 10, Olive-backed Pipit 3, Rosy Pipit 20, Grey Wagtail 2, Black-backed Wagtail 6, Rufous-breasted Accentor 6, Blue-fronted Redstart 15, Grey Bushchat 10, River Chat 6, Blue Whistling Thrush 10, Blyth’s Crowned Leaf Warbler 3, Large-billed Leaf Warbler h, Lemon-rumped Warbler 1, Tickell’s Warbler 7, Slaty-blue Flycatcher 1, Rufous-gorgetted Flycatcher 4, Variegated Laughingthrush 6, Streaked Laughingthrush 12, Black-faced Laughingthrush 2, Chestnut-tailed Minla 1, Stripe-throated Yuhina 4, Rufous-fronted Tit 2, Grey-crested Tit 1, Black-crested Tit 2, Green-tailed Sunbird 6, Fire-tailed Sunbird 2, Grey-backed Shrike 2, Alpine Chough 10, Chough 30, Large-billed Crow 10, Pink-browed Rosefinch 3, White-browed Rosefinch 1, Beautiful Rosefinch 3.

the trail just north of Ghora Tabela

between Ghora Tabela and Langtang - I took a number of photos but don't remember where they all were

an attractive plant by the trail

a forested section of the trail

still below the tree-line ...

... but not for long

approaching a village in a more open part of the Langtang valley

looking back the way I'd come, even I found it warm enough for shorts

a Tamang village on the way to Langtang

house near Langtang, well stocked with firewood, purple stain a chemical blemish on the slide 

water driven prayer wheels near Langtang

Snow Pigeon at Kyangjin

view from Kyangjin back to Langtang peak

view of Kyangjin airfield, unlikely to have been used recently!

the braided Langtang Khola at Kyangjin, ideal breeding habitat for Ibisbill 

Ibisbill, one of the main attractions of the Upper Langtang Valley in summer and well worth a week of walking to reach

getting excellent views of such a superb species was one of the trip highlights