Kanchenjunga Trekking

After breakfast, your guide will come collect you at the hotel and accompany you to the airport. The flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur will take you over the city, the green hills and some of the mountains in the north. This is an experience in itself for first timers. On arrival in Bhadrapur, we will drive to Taplejung. On the way, you get to see the amazing green tea manufacturing district (Illam). After hours of drive, you will finally reach (Suketar) Taplejung.
Altitude: 1442 m
Overnight: local lodge

Today is the final day of driving around of the trek. We drive to Sekathum from Taplejung.
Altitude: 1576 m
Overnight: Local lodge

Today is a banger of a start day. Put on your best boots as today’s trail is dramatic and one of the toughest. After breakfast in Sekathum, we cross the suspension bridge over the Ghunsa Khola and continue on steep narrow trail. Waterfalls cascade on both sides of the valley making the trail slippery and conversation difficult. There is a stone walkaway beneath the cliff face along the river’s waterline which is perfect for taking pictures but we need to be careful. Then after few hours of walking, we arrive at our first Sherpa Village, Amjilosa.
Altitude: 2308 m
Overnight: Local lodge

Leaving Amjilosa, we pass through oak, bamboo and rhododendron forests. You can notice the increasing influence of the Tibetan culture as we go in further. We will also see yaks, sheep and goats on the trail, not to mention rich bird life. All while we move forward, we are graced by the magnificent south Kanchenjunga. After numerous steep climbs and short descents, we cross a wooden bridge to Gyapla, our stop for the day.
Altitude: 2730 m
Overnight: Local Lodge

Today we see noticeable difference in the flora and fauna. As we continue on to the forest, we find ourselves amidst rhododendron, camellias and azaleas. On the way, we pass the Phale village, which was a Tibetan refugee camp but now a winter settlement. Here, you can buy handicrafts and homemade rugs from the locals if you ask around. We have time to explore the village for a while before getting back on the trail. Tonight, we stop at Ghunsa, the largest village in the area with telephone and internet services.
Altitude: 3595 m
Overnight: Local teahouse

Here we are at high altitude and planning to go higher, so we will take an acclimatization rest day. There is a monastery to explore and a ridge to climb. The Sherpa hospitality is legendary so you will feel right at home. You can choose to climb up to a ridge which offers exceptional views of the Jannu Peak which is worth the five hours round trip. If you are up for it, we can take a packed lunch and enjoy eating on the top. It is also wise to bask in the sun and relax.
Altitude: 3595 m
Overnight: local teahouse

After breakfast, we gradually climb along the south bank of the Ghunsa Khola, passing through Mani walls, colorful prayer flags and chortens along the way. And as we are deep in the Snow Leopard territory, we may be lucky to spot one! Soon, the trail climbs up to the Tibetan settlement of Khambachen with the north Jannu dominating the sky.
Altitude: 4050 m
Overnight: local teahouse

The trail away from Khambachen is easy as we walk on scrubby lateral moraine. The next part of the trail is probably the hardest and most dangerous as we climb up a long section of landslide. Carefully, we move slowly and soon, we will be walking on grassy plains. On the far side, we can see the Lhonak khola. We cross North west of the Kanchenjunga and past large stones to the village of Lhonak offering impressive views of the Himalayas. Relax and explore the village for the rest of the day.
Altitude: 4785 m
Overnight: Local teahouse

We start early towards the Kanchenjunga North side base camp at Pangpema (5143m) to catch stunning views of the Tent peak, Nepal peak, Twins and the Kanchenjunga itself. At the base camp, we are greeted by the fluttering prayer flags and cold gusts of wind. We can eat our lunch and have some warm drinks at the top and come back for the day. There is no proper accommodation so we will return back to Lhonak or we can camp for a different experience altogether.
Altitude: 5143 m
Overnight: Local Teahouse

We retrace our steps back to Ghunsa over the Kanchenjunga glacier and stop for lunch at Khambachen. Take it all in as you walk through the familiar trail. The vegetation and the terrain appears greener as come closer to Ghunsa.
Altitude: 3595 m
Overnight: Local Teahouse

From Ghunsa, we climb thorugh a forest and along a grassy ridge from where we can see Ghunsa and Phale villages as well as Mt. Makalu in the distance. The trail climbs a steep 500 m to a high camp, for an overnight stay in a preparation for the trek to the Mirgin La pass.
Altitude: 4480 m
Overnight: Local Teahouse

We continue our trek early after breakfast towards the Kanchenjunga south base camp. We continue trekking and reach the Sinion La pass which is not very far. Crossing the Sinion la pass, the trail takes us along a ridge to the Sinelapche la pass. From here the views of the Mt Kanchenjunga and its valley is fantastic. We descend for a while to Tseram, the only settlement we find on this route.
Altitude: 3870 m
Overnight: Local teahouse

This is an easy day in the mountain paradise. The natural horseshoe of the valley gives us magnificent view of all the peaks to the east along the Nepal-India border, such as Koktang (6147m), Rathong (6679m) and many more above 7000m. we stay overnight at Ramche.
Altitude: 4580 m
Overnight: Local teahouse

We retrace our steps back to Tseram and stay there for the night.
Altitude: 3870 m
Overnight: Local Teahouse

Now we descend to go back home. Today, the trail is mostly downhill and we pass through oak, rhododendron and birch forests. There are no settlements until we reach Tortong; completely deserted.
Altitude: 2995 m
Overnight: Local Teahouse

Our trail today has a few climbs today but majority is long descents to Yamphudin. We climb up through mossy forests to reach Lamite Bhanjyang where we will have lunch. Then, we begin with a steep descent to Imja Khola and continue downhill to a mixed community of Sherpas, Rais, Limbus and Gurungs. In the evening, you can walk around and notice the cultural differences and similarities between these groups.
Altitude: 2080 m
Overnight: Local teahouse

Now, we are going back home. We hire a private jeep to take us to Suketar.
Altitude: 2300 m
Overnight: local lodge

Our wonderful trek is at its end. We enjoy a scenic drive back to Bhadrapur. As we get closer to Kathmandu, we can see a noticeable change in the surrounding.
Altitude: 91 m
Overnight: Local lodge

Getting on a plane after days of walking and hiking through the nature gives us a different feel. After 45  minutes flight, we are back in Kathmandu. Once we check into the hotel, you can chill in your hotel room. We will have our final dinner together as a crew later in the day. You can share your experiences and thoughts about the trek. Here is where you will bid your goodbyes to your Nepali friends until next time. Your guide will help you book a ride to the airport for your flight back.
Altitude: 1400 m
Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu