Kanchenjunga Trek

We will start the day by flying from Kathmandu to Biratnagar. Depending upon the availability of flying options to Suketar from Biratnagar, you will fly to Biratnagar and spend the night before flying to Suketar the following day. Or, if there are no flights to Suketar, we will drive to Phidim and spend the night there.

Depending on your journey the day before, you will be flying or driving, and either way, end the day in Suketar.

Today, the trek begins! It’s all downhill today to ease you into the trek. We will walk over beautiful pasture land and through several villages, cross a small river on Hangdewa, and follow the riverbank of Tamor. The trail will become muddy, so get out your walking poles and wade through the last part of the trail to reach Mitlung for the night.

We pick up the pace today as we ascend and descend throughout the day. We go through Sinwa on our journey before heading downhill to the village of Tawa. After the Tawa, we hike to Thiwa, passing through some beautiful landscapes. On arrival, we will enjoy the beautiful village of Chirwa – a small village consisting of a few teahouses and excellent hospitality.  

We go from terraced fields to dense forests on our journey today. We begin uphill before descending to the Tamor River. En route, we will pass through lush green fields and Cardamom Fields. We then need to cross the Ghunsa River before the trail becomes more gentle, and we are easily led to Sukathum for the night.

Today sees a more significant challenge. Once we have crossed the suspension bridge by Sekathum, we enter a dense forest with a steeply ascending trail. A few more ups and downs led us to another hike to Solima Village. We must then pass through a gorge along the ridge that borders the upper and lower parts of the Kanchenjunga Region before completing our 7-hour walk to Amjilosa.

Another long day as we make our way to Gyabla – the Tibetan refugee settlement. We begin our trek along the riverbank and make our way through dense forests of bamboo, firs, and rhododendrons. We will cross several bridges and pass by some beautiful waterfalls on the way to Gyabla. On arrival, you can receive an insight into Tibetan culture within Nepal.

We start by trekking down the river towards Phale, with many opportunities to purchase unique goods from the locals. Today’s trail is primarily flat and carved out by conifer and pine forests, so it is a pleasant walk towards Ghunsa. Ghunsa is a Sherpa settlement, unlike any areas we have previously visited. So, soak up this new culture as we settle for the night.

Today, it’s time for a well-deserved rest as we relax and acclimatize to the altitude. To pass our time, we can hike up to the surrounding ridge and visit a monastery, allowing ourselves some spiritual insight.

Rested and revitalized from the day before, we continue through some spectacular terrain that exposes us to the impressive snow-capped mountains surrounding us. Follow the riverbank to the northern territory and through rhododendron meadows and wildflowers to reach Rampuk Kharka. Here things become a bit trickier as we pass through waterfalls and landslide-affected areas. At 4050m, Kambachen is a high alpine area accompanied only by a grassy plain. 

Another day of rest is needed to acclimate to the surroundings, and Lambachen makes a great choice. We can explore the Nupcy River Valley and its beautiful surroundings, but otherwise, we recommend pure rest, as this is our last day of a rest day for a while, so make sure to make the most of it!

After rest, we hit our 7-hour trek today, full of energy. We will pass through rocky fields and sizable boulders before entering the Ramtang Valley and visiting the Ramtang Monastery. Its location next to a sparkling waterfall makes it a great place to take a break before navigating the landslide-prone areas that require precision. Also, see Everest Base Camp Trek.

A shorter and better-structured path leads us today. Only 3 hours of walking means you have time to take in the surrounding areas and enjoy the majestic mountains. Accommodation in Pangpema is not always guaranteed, so our destination could also be Kanchenjunga North Base Camp.

A nice, gentle day as the path requires us to move pretty slowly. Enjoy the sights as you travel from Pangpema to Kambachen, a beautiful spot to rest and spend the evening.

Today will begin with a short descent from Kambachen, taking us out of the wild landscape of Kanchenjunga North. Beautiful forest lines lead us to Ghunsa, just a short walk away. Once here, you have the entire afternoon to get some well-deserved rest as we arrive early and will stay for the night.

Today, we leave behind the trail to Gyabla and embark on the steep uphill trek to Sele Le – an uninhabited area of Kanchenjunga. The trail today passes through dense forests filled with rhododendrons and juniper. On arrival, there are chances to spot wild snow leopards on our final night in the Northern Kanchenjunga region.

Today may be our longest and one of our most challenging days yet. A quick steep uphill climb takes us to the top of Sele Le Pass, giving us aerial views of the north side of Kanchenjunga, complete with a peek at both Mount Makalu and Mount Jannu. We then have one final uphill push to reach Cheram before we can relax and rest for the night.

On a day hike. Give you a break and feel light as air as we set off early in the morning and begin by passing through the Yalung Glacier. We then continue past the Simbuwa River and Lapsang Village before arriving in Ramche. We will push on just a little further to a nearby ridgeline that gives us amazing views of Mount Jannu before returning.

A nice gentle trail today to Tortong, as we lose 1000m of elevation. As we descend from Cheram, the course will split into two directions. We will take the right-hand side, leading us back to Sele Le Pass, taking in Smbuwa Khola along the way.

Another long day of walking, lasting 7 hours, greets us today as we head towards the biggest village in the southern section of Kanchenjunga: Yamphuding. Depending on the time of year you choose to trek, today’s trail can be prone to landslides and monsoon damage, so that the route may vary. On arrival, you will be able to meet Sherpa, Limbu, and Rai, locals.

From Yamphuding, we descend to a small bridge that takes us from Samekham to the riverbank of Kabeli Khola. We will then pass through Mamangkhe, where we can visit the Limbu Museum and the Cultural Centre. We then cross the Khsewa River, walk through a forest of Cardamom, pass several villages, and descend to Yangpang.

We will start today by passing through terraced fields and a few villages as we take the relatively unbeaten path between Yangpang and Thorpe. As this is not the usual tourist route, enjoy the quiet, empty trails and undisturbed nature as we make our way to Yangpang to rest up for our final day of trekking tomorrow.

Today is our final day of trekking! We will experience a fundamental shift in climate and notice a remarkable difference in the landscape as we embark on the final portion of our journey. As we trek, the terrain changes into a fertile valley, and the weather will slowly become hot and more humid. On arrival, you can relax and celebrate the end of a long and successful trek.

Today, we will start by driving to Bhadrapur, and then we will catch a short flight to Kathmandu from here. On arrival, you are free to spend the rest of your day enjoying the excitement of the Capital – either taking a rest or exploring the city’s nightlife for the final night of your trip.