Kanchenjunga Trek

Day 01 - Arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) Kathmandu

Whatever time you arrive at the Tribhuwan International Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our airport representatives. He will help you get transferred to your Hotel. There are no planned activities for the day, so you may check into your Hotel and get rid of jet lag. Tour plans and programs will be provided to you later. Overnights stay at the Hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 02 - Kathmandu valley sightseeing tour

Kathmandu valley Sightseeing tour will start early in the morning. The holy Pashupatinath temple will be our very first visit. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pashupatinath is one of the four most important religious sites in Asia for devotees of Shiva. Built in the 5th century and later renovated by Malla kings, the site itself is said to have existed from the beginning of the millennium when a Shiva lingam was discovered here. It lies on the banks of the Bagmati River and is one of the most revered holy sites of the Hindu people. The Pashupatinath is built in the pagoda style architecture and contains many smaller shrines outside the main temple as well. It is also the cremation site of many hindu people and sometimes, it can be observed. The nest site of the tour is the holy Bouddhanath stupa. The Buddhist stupa of Boudha Stupa dominates the skyline; it is one of the largest unique structure's stupas in the world.The influx of large populations of refugees from Tibet has seen the construction of over 50 Gompas (Tibetan convent) around Bouddhanath. The Stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet which enters the Kathmandu Valley by the village of Sankhu in the northeast corner. Tibetan merchants have rested and offered prayers here for many centuries. When refugees entered Nepal from Tibet in the 1950s, many decided to live around Boudhanath. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha. The next site, in the tour, is the Kathmandu Durbar Square. It is known as the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, a name derived from a statue of Hanuman, the monkey devotee of Lord Ram, at the entrance of the royal palace. The Durbar at the Durbar square was the royal Nepalese residence until the 19th century and was where important ceremonies, such as the coronation of the Nepalese monarch, took place. The palace is decorated with elaborately-carved wooden windows and panels and houses the King Tribhuwan Memorial Museum and the Mahendra Museum are located here. Time and again the temples and the palaces in the square have gone through reconstruction after being damaged by natural causes or neglect. Presently there are less than ten quadrangles in the square. On 25 April 2015, an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 hit the region and severely damaged the Square, reducing several buildings to rubble. The oldest temples in the square are those built by King MahendraMalla (1560–1574). They are the temples of Jaggannath, KotilingeswaraMahadev, Mahendreswara and the Taleju Temple. More and more temples and statues were added to the Square under different ruling kings over the time. It is one of the most architecturally intricate showcases of Nepali art and the unique Newa architecture. Then finally, the last site of the tour will be the Swayambhunath Stupa- an ancient religious architecture at the top of a hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. Swayambhunath is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites especially for Tibetans and followers of the Tibetan Buddhism. We were breathless and sweating as we stumbled up the last steep steps and practically fell upon the biggest vajra (thunderbolt scepter) that I have ever seen. Behind this Vajra was the vast, round, white dome of the stupa, like a full solid skirt, at the top of which were two giant Buddha eyes wisely looking out over the peaceful valley which was just beginning to come alive. The complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, some dating back to the Licchavi period. After visiting each site, we will head back to the Hotel. Overnights stay at the Hotel in Kathmandu. Breakfast included.

Day 03 - Fly to Taplejung (2320m/76096ft) trek to Mitlung (920m/3017ft) Duration: 3 hrs

A thirty minute flight to Taplejung at Suketar Airport and we star our trek to Mitlung. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included. Today, you will be flying to Taplejung. You will be dropped to the Suketar airport by an early flight to Taplejung. The short flight presents attractive views of the mountain peaks. From Taplejung, you will make your way to Mitlung, a beautiful settlement Along the way, you can catch amazing scenery. Overnight stay at the guesthouse. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 04 - Mitlung to Chirwa (1270 m/4166 ft) Duration: 5-6 hrs

Our trail ascends and descends steadily as we make our way towards the village - Sinwa. And then continue trekking downhill to Tawa. From Tawa, we ascend to some heights and cross the suspension bridge at Thiwa. We pass beautiful rural landscape along the way and reach Chirwa, a beautiful Limbu village with few lodges, tea shops etc. We spend the night at there. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 05 - Chirwa to Sukathum (1576 m/5169 ft) Duration: 5-6 hrs

We trek from Chirwa through cardamom fields and dense forests to reach Sukathum. Then trail moves uphill for sometime then descend to the lush green fields below and continue along the Tamor River passing through a dense forest to uphill and downhill crosses the Ghunsa River and finally reaches Sukathum. We spend the night there. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 06 - Sukathum to Amjilosa (2308 m /7570 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

Trekking from Sukathum to Amjilosa is challenging and adventurous. After crossing the suspension bridge outside Sukathum, we go through a dense forest, ascend the steep trail, and then descend to cross the river again. We also climb a gorge from the bottom and pass by Solima village and descend again to the level of the river. It is advised to be very careful especially while walking the trail that passes the gorge. All in all, this day’s trekking is rather tough and tiring too but joyful for adventurous people. At last, we follow a tricky trail which goes both uphill and downhill until we reach Amjilosa where we spend the night. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 07 - Amjilosa to Gyabla (2730 m /8954 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

We start from Amjilosa. At first we trek along the river bank, move through a dense forest of bamboo, fir and rhododendrons. From a small stone house by the river, we climb uphill crossing a few small bridges along the way. Here, we get to enjoy the stunning waterfalls that originate from the mountains. The final short uphill walk takes us to the Tibetan settlement called Gyabla. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 08 - Gyabla to Ghunsa (3595 m/11792 ft) Duration: 5-6 hrs

We descend down the river and reach Phale, a Tibetan refugee settlement, where it is possible to purchase handicrafts and homemade rugs from locals. After purchasing a few souvenirs, we travel through conifer and pine forest and reach the Sherpa village named Ghunsa where we spend the night. This place is famous for its hydroelectricity plant and more than 20 prominent conservationists met a tragic end in a helicopter crash. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 09 - Acclimatization day at Ghunsa

This day is reserved for acclimatization. To some degree, this will help you avoid the feeling of dizziness by adjusting the body to the higher elevations and push off the altitude sickness that might occur in the coming days. So we take rest and enjoy the day exploring the picturesque scenery. We recommend you to stay active even in a rest day as it is better than being idle while on a trekking journey. Therefore, we take a short hike towards the Laspsan La monastery through the lush green forest. Come back to Ghunsa by afternoon and relax. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 10 - Ghunsa to Kambachen (4050 m/13284 ft) Duration: 5-6 hrs

From Ghunsa, we trek further north along the river bank which presents us with magnificent mountain scenery. We pass through meadows full with beautiful wildflowers, rhododendron and pine forests. We cross a bridge at Rampuk Kharka, continue past the waterfall which attracts us to quench our thirst and cross the tricky section of the landslide. After crossing the landslide area, we begin to see the spectacular view of Mt. Jannu. Further exploring and tackling the tricky mountain trail, we finally arrive at Kambachen and spend the night. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 11 - Acclimatization Day at Kambachen

This day is reserved for acclimatization. To some degree, this will help you avoid the feeling of dizziness by adjusting the body to the higher elevations and push off the altitude sickness that might occur in the coming days. So we take rest, observe if anybody in the group has any symptoms of altitude sickness and enjoy the day exploring the picturesque scenery, take a bath and/or explore the Nuphchu Khola Valley area. We spend yet another night at Kambachen. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 12 - Kambachen to Lhonak (4780 m/15678 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

Today is another challenging day of the trek. We start early in the morning. The trek moves through rocky fields and large boulders on the hillside along the riverbank and reaches at a waterfall. We then cross a bridge to Ramtang monastery then come across a landslide section where we become so careful and make a steady pace before descending to the river and then finally arrive at Lhonak where we have a sound sleep. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 13 - Trek to Pangpema/Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (5388 m/17673 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

We have a different experience today because we trek along the Kanchenjunga Glacier to spend a night at Pangpema, Kanchenjunga base camp is located on the north side. Our trained guide guides you how to move ahead here. In short period of time we reach at Pangpema, a flat grassy base camp. You can climb a little higher and enjoy the splendor of Jannu, Kanchenjunga and Chang Himal. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 14 - Trek back to Kambachen (4050 m/13284 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

We rtrek back to Lhonak and continue down the valley to Ramtang Monastery. The return journey offers a different perspective of the mountains Kanchenjunga, Taple Shikhar, Gimmigela, and Mera Peak among others as if we have achieved something in our life. Due to the descending nature of this trek we reach Kambachen by evening and spend the night there. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 15 - Kambachen to Ghunsa (3595 m/11792 ft) Duration: 3-4 hrs

We descend to Ghunsa from Kambachen. We get to enjoy the beautiful forests along with a backdrop of impressive mountain scenery. Overnight at Ghunsa. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 16 - Ghunsa to Sele Le (4290 m/14071 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

It’s a steep trek upward from Ghunsa to Sele-Le. To reach Sele Le, we climb through a dense forest of moss, rhododendron and juniper. We spend the night in Sele Le. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 17 - Sele Le to Cheram (3870 m/12694 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

We enjoy the mesmerizing south side view of Jannu Himal and Makalu (the world’s 6th highest mountain) while ascending. Today is a strenuous trekking day as we cross several passes- Sinion La, Mirgin La and Sinelapche Bhanjyang. At last, we then make a steep descend to Cheram and spend the night there. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 18 - Cheram to Ramche (4580 m/15022 ft) and return back to Cheram, duration: 4-5 hrs

We ascend, past the snout of the Yalung Glacier, and walk along the Simbuwa Khola, pass through Lapsang village and reach Ramche. On the way we get chance to view blue sheeps, moraine, Kanchenjunga’s southern face, a glimpse of the Jannu Himal and Oktang Monastery. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 19 - Cheram to Tortong (2995 m/9824 ft) Duration: 5-6 hrs

As we descend along the Simbuwa Khola to Tortong. We enjoy the lush rhododendron forest along the way. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 20 - Tortong to Yamphudin (2080 m/6822 ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs

Today, we descend from Tortong to Yamphudin. We pass through Lasiya Bhanjyang and cross the area of landslides. Walking further down, we reach the village named Yamphudin. It is the village which is inhabited by Sherpas, Limbus and Rais. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 21 - Trek to Mamanke (1800m/6000ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs.

Today we trek to Mamanke (1800m/6000ft). It takes about 6-7 hrs. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 22 - Trek to Lalikharka (2265m/7430ft)

Our destination for today is to reach Lalikharka (2265m/7430ft). It takes about 5 hrs. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 23 - Trek back to Suketar (2320m/76096ft)

We trek back to Suketar (2320m/76096ft). The route is joyful as usual. About 4-5 hrs of walk is needed to reach Suketar. Overnight at Guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 24 - Fly back to Kathmandu.

Today, you will have a short flight from Lukla back to Kathmandu. It takes nearly half an hour to reach Kathmandu. You can see the peaks once again for the last time and feel proud of before you land at the bustling city. You will be taken to your hotel from the airport. Overnight stay at the Hotel. Breakfast included.

Day 25 - Leisure Day

This day is reserved for any delays in the Lukla flight. Today, you can spend the day as you wish. Shopping or visiting the city’s many restaurants and places of significance can be done. Overnights stay at the Hotel. Breakfast included.

Day 26 - Farewell

Approximately three hours before your scheduled flight, you will be dropped off at the airport for your departure. Breakfast included.