At the majestic height of 8586m, Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world. It sits astride the border between Nepal and Sikkim in India and derives its name from Tibetan meaning ‘Five Treasures of the Great Snow’, which refers to the five peaks that form the Kanchenjunga complex.
This trek traverses the remote mountain ranges surrounding Mt. Kanchenjunga encountering a variety of landscapes from tropical forests with rhododendrons, pine forests, forests of oak and chestnut, pasturelands with grazing yaks, thickets of bamboo as well as high alpine environments.
There is abundant wildlife and if you are lucky you may get to see some iconic species such as the snow leopard, musk deer, red panda and the Himalayan black bear along the way. Over 40 species of Nepal’s national flower the rhododendron (the Nepali name is Laligurans) flourish on the mountain slopes in the region.
You will find terraced fields and mountainside villages along the trails inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups including the Limbu people of the lower valleys to the Gurung, Rai and Sherpas in the more mountainous higher regions. Along the way you will stay in teahouses and homestays and have the opportunity to experience the unique and mysterious culture of the local people. If you’re lucky you may witness one of the many festivals that are held regularly in villages of the region. Either way, you will get to experience some unique cultures that few get to see. With very few other trekkers on these trails your experience in these beautiful, wild borderlands will be very special indeed.
Our 28 day trip begins with a flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur followed by a road trip to Suketar from where the trek begins. We visit viewpoints on the southern side of Kanchenjunga first trekking through the interesting villages of Lali Kharka (2266m), Yamphudin (2080m), Tseram (3870 m), Torontan (2990m) and Ramche (4620 m) on our way to Oktang Monastery and Yalung Base Camp where there are breathtaking views of the southwest face of Kanchenjunga.
From Ramche we descend along the same route before heading north to Sele La Pass (4480 m) and on to Gunsa (3430m). After a day acclimatising in Gunsa we head north east following the Gunsa Khola to Kambachen (4050m) and Lhonak (4792m) before arriving at Kanchenjunga Base Camp (5140m). Along the way you will experience magnificent views of Nepal Peak, Cross Peak and Tent Peak. The following day we trek to Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (5680m), the highest point on our trek, and return. We descend via the villages of Kambachen, Gunsa, Amjilosa (2395m), Sukathum (1585m), Chiruwa (1270 m) and Phurumbu (1540m) before returning to Suketar for our flight back to Kathmandu.
This wonderful trek in one of Nepal’s last frontiers has been described by some as the finest trek in Nepal. The lack of crowds plus, unique culture and wildlife in this remote region make it an experience not to be missed.
The trek starts and finishes in Kathmandu and includes flights to Bhadrapur and return from Suketar. In order to keep the trek cost as low as possible, we offer the flexibility for you to arrange your own accommodation in Kathmandu however we are happy to arrange this for you if you wish.
Day 1: Fly from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur.
Day 2: By road to Suketar (1824m)
Day 3: Trek to Lali Kharka (2266m) 5 hrs.
Day 4: Trek to Kande Bhanjang (2149m) 6 hrs.
Day 5: Trek to Mamankhe (1785m) 6 hrs.
Day 6: Trek to Yamphudin (2080m) 6 hrs.
Day 7: Trek to Sherpa Gaun (1792m) 5 hrs.
Day 8: Trek to Torontan (2990m) 5 hrs.
Day 9: Trek to Tseram (3870 m) 6 hrs.
Day 10: Acclimatisation day Tseram
Day 11: Trek to Ramche (4620 m) 7 hrs.
Day 12: Trek to Oktang, Yalung Base Camp (4500m) and back to Ramche 7 hrs.
Day 13: Trek to Sele La Camp (4480 m) 8 hrs.
Day 14: Trek to Gunsa (3430m) 6 hrs.
Day 15: Acclimatisation day Gunsa.
Day 16: Trek to Kambachen (4050m) 5hrs.
Day 17: Trek to Trek to Lhonak (4792m) 4 hrs.
Day 18: Trek to Kanchanjunga Base Camp (5140m) 4 hrs.
Day 19: Trek to Kanchanjunga North Base Camp (5680m) and back 5 hrs.
Day 20: Trek to Kambachen (4050m) 5 hrs.
Day 21: Trek to Gunsa (3430m) 6 hrs.
Day 22: Trek to Gyabla (2780m) 5 hrs.
Day 23: Trek to Amjilosa (2395m) 5 hrs.
Day 24: Trek to Sukathum (1585m) 5 hrs.
Day 25: Trek to Chiruwa (1270 m) 5 hrs.
Day 26: Trek to Phurumbu (1540m) 5 hrs.
Day 27: Trek to Suketar (1824m) 4 hrs.
Day 28: Fly Suketar to Kathmandu.
0 Reviews on Kanchanjunga