Langtang Valley and Langtang Himal is the closest mountain region to the capital Kathmandu city. Located, at a mere aerial distance of 35 km. on the route to Tibet / China and various adventure destinations.
Langtang Valley is one of the most popular adventures for trekking and peak climbing after Annapurna and Everest region. The Langtang Valley is situated within Langtang and Central Himalaya in between Ganesh and Jugal Himal ranges.
Langtang valley is situated within the Rasuwa district, the headquarters town is Dhunche at 2,030 m / 6,660 feet high. Which is on the main Dhunche and Kathmandu Highway and the entrance of Langtang National Park.
The first mountainous national park of Nepal was established in 1976 and is the country's fourth protected area. The people of Langtang Valley and the whole Rasuwa district are populated by the indigenous Tamang Hill Tribe.
The Tamang word means Horsemen, at one time a Cavalry or Horse-Soldiers who migrated to Nepal from Inner Mongolia. After spending hundreds of years in Tibet, and drifted to the high hills of the Central and Eastern Himalayas.
The Tamang is one of the oldest tribes in Nepal, the history shows more than 5,000 years. Tamang settled around Kathmandu Valley rim hills before the lake was drained from the present Kathmandu valley.
The Tamang are interwoven with Buddhism and similar culture and customs of their Tibetan predecessor.
Tamang also follows the ancient practice of the Bon sect of Pre-Buddhism, as well as the practice of Shamanism, a practitioner (shaman). The old religion still exists in Far South West Tibet, around Dolpo and Upper Mustang.
Visitors can witness lovely Tamang traditional culture and customs on the Langtang Valley trek, as well visiting the monasteries. Where villages and houses are festooned with Buddhist prayer flags and Mani Walls; the Tamang celebrates New Year similar year and ritual like Tibetan but a month earlier called Sonam Losar.
Tamang at present the 4th largest population of Nepal after Hindu Chettries, Bharamins, and Magar tribes. Tamang with more than 50 sub-castes within their tribal communities, the tribe with a language similar to Tibetans.