Langtang valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal, known for its trekking routes and natural environment. Administrative The Langtang valley lies in the Rasuwa district of the Bagmati Province in Nepal. Situated 80 kilometres north of the Kathmandu Valley, the valley lies within the Langtang national park, which borders the Tibet autonomous region of China. Prior to the 2015 earthquake, 668 individuals are estimated to have lived within the Langtang valley. Ecology The Langtang valley lies within the Langtang National Park. The park contains a wide variety of climatic zones, from subtropical to alpine. Approximately 25% of the park is forested. Trees include the deciduous oak and maple, evergreens like pine, and various types of rhododendron. Animal life includes the Himalayan black bear, Himalayan tahr, Assam macaque, snow leopard, yak, red panda and more than 250 species of birds. Culture Among themselves, the local inhabitants of the Langtang valley refer to each other as 'Langtangpa'. They generally follow Tibetan Buddhism, and speak a Tibetan language that is closely related to the Tibetan spoken in Kyirong, southern Tibet. The Langtangpas regard the mountain Langtang Lirung as their 'yu-lha', their local country god. However, in the state census, the Langtangpas are categorised as Tamang. Langtang valley is believed to be the Beyul Dagam Namgo, one of the many hidden valleys blessed by Guru Padmasambhava. Economy The traditional livelihoods of the Langtangpas have centered around agropastoralism. Since the mid-1970s, tourism has grown to become an important source of livelihoods in the Langtang valley. Swiss cheese-making was introduced in Langtang in the 1950s by Werner Schulthess. Over time, Swiss cheese became a popular product of Langtang, and its production in the valley continues to this day. Access The nearest motorable roadhead for the Langtang valley is Shyaphrubesi, which is also the base for most treks into the Langtang valley. The distance of Shyaphrubesi from Kathmandu is 80km. But due to bad road conditions, it usually takes 6-8 hours to drive from Kathmandu to Shyaphrubesi. Just as for the Langtang National Park, entering the Langtang valley requires everyone except locals to have the TIMS permit and the Langtang National Park entry permit. Tourism The Langtang valley trek, from Shyaphrubesi to Kyanjin Gumba and back, is known to be the third most popular trek in Nepal, after the Annapurna circuit and Everest base camp treks. There are several treks that go through