Langtang and Gosainkunda trekking routes have been drawing hordes of foreign and domestic sightseers lately as the peak tourist season kicks off.

The area offers one of the shortest trekking routes located a few kilometres from the Kathmandu Valley. Shiva Lal Gaire, information officer of Langtang National Park, said the authority is issuing permits to an average of 200 visitors daily from the check post at Brabal. Trekkers visit the site mainly to explore the Langtang mountain range, Gosainkunda and Tamang Heritage trail road.

Temba Lama, a tourism entrepreneur, said trekkers visiting Langtang trail routes can enjoy multiple views that include panoramic mountain vistas, biodiversity and art and culture of Tamang community, among others.

According to the entrepreneurs, the October and November period is when hordes of tourists descend upon the area.

“This time, domestic visitors have outweighed the number of foreign visitors,” said Dhindup Tamang, a hotelier. According to him, the route of Syaphrubesi-Kyangjin is now brimming with trekkers.

The entrepreneurs said that trekkers can make their way to Kyangjin in five days from Kathmandu. Visitors need to take a 130 km long bus ride from Kathmandu to reach Syaphrubesi, where a large number of hotels offer accommodation for visitors. On average, visitors can reach Kyangjin after a two-day hike.

Domane, Pahiro, Bambu, Rimiche, Ghodhtabela, Thangsyab and Gumbadanda are among the popular places to visit along the Syaphrubesi-Kyangjin route.

Many visitors who reach Kyangjin also travel to Cherkori, a peak situated at an altitude of 5,000 metres from sea level, which offers sightseeing of more than a dozen Himalayan peaks. According to entrepreneurs, a trekker can expect to spend Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 exploring the Langtang range.

Likewise, Gosainkunda is another popular destination in the Langtang region that offers panoramic views. “In the past few years, the place has become one of the main attractions mainly among domestic visitors,” said Subba Lama, a hotel operator at Chandanbari. Many visitors consider Gosainkunda as a religious spot to worship Lord Shiva. They believe that they will attain salvation if they take a bath in the lake of Gosainkunda, which is situated at 4,350 metres above sea level.

The Langtang range also houses more than 15 species of rare animals and plants which include Rhododendron, Red panda and musk deer, among others. Trekkers use the trail along Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Sidhupalchok to reach Gosainkunda, out of which Kathmandu-Dhunche-Gosainkunda is the most popular route.