Kanchenjunga Trek (26 nights 27 days)

At 8,586m, Kangchenjunga is the world's 3rd highest mountain. Located in the far north eastern corner of Nepal, on the border with Sikkim, the surrounding region is less accessible than the Khumbu or Annapurna and still sees few Western visitors.we have designed what we feel is the optimum itinerary in terms of route choice and acclimatization.

Kangchenjunga has a special place in the hearts of British climbers and explorers. From Douglas Fresh field’s initial circumnavigation in 1899, the first ascent in 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, to the ground-breaking ascent of the North Ridge, by Doug Scott, Pete Boardman and Joe Tasker in 1979 - many chapters in British climbing history have been dedicated to "Kangch". Together with the huge bulk of Jannu, Chang Himal's imposing North Face and the impenetrable ridges of Ratong, the mountain vistas on this trek are every bit as impressive as the peaks in the Everest region.

Our itinerary approaches the North Base Camp first, trekking through deep ravines, forests of bamboo, rhododendron and larch pine to the Tibetan village of Ghunsa and the high mountains. We take care to spend time acclimatising around Ghunsa and Kambachen, before continuing along the Kangchenjunga Glacier to spend a night at Pangpema, base camp on the north side. The views of Jannu, Kangchenjunga and Chang Himal are jaw dropping.

Then we cross the Mirgin La (4,550m) to Tseram. It is much more logical to cross the pass from north to south and this part of the trek is simply superb. Magnificent scenery and interesting walking, now we're well acclimatized, now we're well acclimatized, and can enjoy the gentle walking up to Oktang and the awesome views of Ratong, the Kabru Peaks and the South Face of Kangchenjunga. We exit the mountain via an esoteric route, traveling through villages where the locals rarely see trekkers. Expect to be the focus of much attention! This is a long and committing trek in a region with little infrastructure. The trails are at rough and undulating, at times exposed and there are landslides to cross.

Itinerary In Detail

Day 01
Arrive Kathmandu transfer to hotel . Meet the trek leader

Day 02
Sight seeing in Kathmandu & trekking preparation day as much of Kathmandu as possible, an early start is worthwhile to visit the temples of Pashupatinath and Swayambhunath and districts of Patan. Durbar Square is also on the essential list.

Day 03 Fly to Biratnagar
It's an early morning flight from Kathmandu Domestic Airport to Biratnagar. In the afternoon, we will drive to Illam (5 hours). Overnight in local hotel.

Day 04 Drive to Taplejung
If the airstrip at Suketar is still being reconstructed (in 2012), we will drive from Illam to Taplejung via Phidim. The last 100Km section of this is on a newly surfaced road. We will meet our porters and the rest of the trek crew at Taplejung.

Day 05 Trek to Mitlung (921m)
Our first day of trekking is short and is actually downhill! It's a 3.5 hour walk to Mitlung, crossing the Hungdewa Dhola to arrive beside the raging Tamur River. Mitlung is a small farming village surrounded by paddy fields.

Day 06 Trek to Chirwa (1,270m)
From Mitlung, the trail climbs out of the village before dropping down to Sinwa after a couple of hours. Sinwa is a well-kept village with a large school. Bananas, grapefruit and oranges are grown here. We continue to a pleasant lunch spot at Tawa then climb up again before crossing a suspension bridge at Thiwa, where there are great views up the valley. Finally we arrive at Chirwa, where we camp on a large field on the far side of the village, surrounded by water-worn boulders (5.5 - 6 hours).

Day 07 Trek to Sekathum (1,660m)
From camp the trail leads uphill for 30 minutes until the valley broadens out and we drop down to meadows. After showing our trekking permit at the park gate, we cross the river onto the west bank and follow a newly built path through delightful forest - look out for butterflies, dragonflies and praying mantis. The path is flat for an hour before we gain height and contour the steep hillside above the river. We have lunch looking out across the valley. In the afternoon, we drop down via indistinctive paths to cross the Tamur River for the last time where it is joined by the Ghunsa Khola. After another 20 minutes we arrive at Sekathum, a campsite and lodge right next to the river (5 hours).

Day 08 Trek to Amjilosa (2,510m)
We have our first views of Jannu from the campsite if the weather is clear in the morning. It's a tough walk today, following a new path, which is very narrow in places, undulating, exposed and slippery after rain. We cross the river directly out of camp over a new bridge and follow a path steeply up and then down, before soon crossing back over the river on an older wooden bridge. Again we climb up out of the bottom of the gorge and then drop back down, passing a solitary lodge at Solima until the trail descends right down to river level. For a few hundred metres the path clings to the side of the gorge, with spray from the pounding river making it all too obvious that a slip here would be catastrophic. Further on we cross the river once more to a lunch spot.. After lunch we follow zig-zags up through trees until the path contours high above the gorge. Eventually we reach Amjilosa, a collection of Tibetan lodges high on the hillside above the gorge (4- 5 hours).

Day 09 Trek to Gyabla (2,730m)
From Amjilosa the trail contours the hillside before dropping down through bamboo, oak and rhododendron forest. It's undulating and narrow with the odd exposed section, though any sense of exposure is removed by the presence of the bamboo. Eventually we reach a small stone house by the river before climbing up again. The path crosses a couple of small bridges at the base of waterfalls. Lunch is at a great spot by an icy pool at the base of yet another stunning waterfall. It's a short walk in the afternoon uphill to Gyabla, a small Tibetan settlement with impressive views up the valley towards Khabur (6,332m). The air here feels much cooler and we have the sense of entering the high mountains (4 hours).

Day 10 Trek to Ghunsa (3,595m)
After putting on some warmer layers of clothing we set off and drop down to the river yet again. After 1.5 hours we arrive at c3,000m and enter Larch pine. The path now becomes very easy underfoot and the valley begins to open out. We arrive at Phole (3,140m) for lunch. Phole is a fair sized Yak herder settlement with a rather run down Gompa. It's another 1.5 hours trekking to Ghunsa, a Sherpa village, which benefits from a small hydro-electric power plant. (4.5 - 5 hours).

Day 11 Acclimatisation day at Ghunsa (3,595m)
In the morning we can do some washing and have a chance to sort out our gear before having an acclimatisation walk. The walk heads up towards the Lapsan La through forest to a point above the tree line at c4,200m. We should be back in Ghunsa in the early afternoon to relax and have a shower. You can make a phone call and even send a postcard from here.

Day 12 Trek to Kambachen (4,100m)
Heading north from Ghunsa the trail follows the east bank of the river. It really is delightful walking through Larch and Juniper, with some trickier sections across small landslides and along the riverbed. We cross a bridge at Rampuk Kharka (3,720m) and have lunch just beyond against the backdrop of snow capped peaks and spires. In the afternoon we continue on past a sacred waterfall before contouring up the hillside and crossing a large landslide. It's important to move quickly across this hazard as there is always the danger of stonefall from above. Just beyond the landslide we have our first views of Jannu, as it comes into view above a ridge. It is simply breathtaking and consequently, it may take us a while to walk the last section into Kambachen (7 hours).

Day 13 Acclimatisation day at Kambachen (4,100m)
It is possible to continue to Lhonak (4,785m) today, but this would be pushing our acclimatisation schedule and would likely result in some members of the group suffering from the symptons of altitude sickness. Instead, we will base ourselves from Kambachen as there is plenty to see and do from here as part of an 'active pottering' day. We will most likely walk up the Nuphchu Khola Valley for superb views of Jannu. It's also possible to trek up towards Jannu's base camp, though the Ghunsa Khola can be difficult to cross so this might not be the sensible option. Having had a second night in Kambachen, we should find the walk up to Lhonak tomorrow fairly steady and crucially, the long day to base camp the following day will feel easier for everybody.

Day 14 Trek to Lhonak (4,785m)
From Kambachen, the trail follows the hillside on the north bank of the river. At a waterfall, the base of which can sometimes be icy, the path almost disappears and there is a section of boulder hopping. We cross a bridge and climb up to Ramtang, a grazing pasture with a couple of Yak herder huts. It takes another hour or so to reach ramche. At first, we amble along gentle paths, which weave between boulders, taking in the superb views. Not long before we arrive at Lhonak the path is narrow and loose where it crosses some small landslides, before dropping down to the river and finally arriving at Lhonak. Here there are 6 Yak herder huts set out on the expansive and grassy valley bottom. Chang Himal has now come into view ahead and the route beside the Kangchenjunga Glacier all the way to Pangoema is visible (3.5 - 4.5 hours).

Day 15 Trek to Pangpema - Kangchenjunga North Base Camp (5,100m)
It's possible to visit Pangpema and return to Lhonak the same day, but this wouldn't be much fun. Instead, we can take as much time as we like to walk the final 6 miles to base camp. The trail follows the edge of the glacier all the way and is mostly fairly gradual on grassy trails. There are some rockier sections and a couple of narrow landslides, which need to be crossed quickly. Chang Himal looms over our right shoulders all morning with it's steep North Face - first climbed in October/November 2009 by Brits, Nick Bullock and Andy Houseman - and at the head of the valley is Kirat Chuli (7,386m), a peak attempted in 1985 by Jagged Globe Managing Director, Simon Lowe. Pangpema is a flat, grassy base camp with a couple of porter huts. For better views of the vast bulk of Kangchenjuna's North Face, we can walk up a little higher above base camp to a natural viewing platform.

Day 16 Trek to khambachhen(4,100m)
There's no rush to descend back down the valley, so those who would like to take more photos in the morning light can do so. The sun casts shadows across the north faces at this time of day, so really it's a better time for photography. When we are ready, we will stroll back to Lhonak and then continue down the valley to khambachhen.

Day 17 Return to Ghunsa (3,595m)
The return walk to Ghunsa from khambachhen takes 4 hours.

Day 18 Trek to Sele Le (4,300m)
The trail out of the village passes the hydro electricity plant and soon climbs up into the dense forest of moss, rhodedendron and juniper. After 45 minutes it becomes extremely steep and for the next hour, it's a tough ascent up rocky steps to emerge from the trees at a point on the ridge. The path now crosses onto the south side of this ridge and contours across the hillside to a possible lunch spot by a stream, just before a short pull to reach a saddle at 4,210m. It's another 20 minutes or so to arrive at Sele Le, a small camping spot by a hut and bubbling stream surrounded by lichen-covered boulders (4 - 5 hours).

Day 19 Trek to Tseram Cross Mirgin La (4,480m) and descend to Tseram (3,870m)
This is a long and demanding day, but also one of the most rewarding on the trek. There are superb views and the walking over three high passes is both varied and continually interesting. From camp, we slowly climb up to the first pass, the Sinion La at 4,480m. The views from here of the south side of Jannu and the East Face of Makalu are incredible. Cho Oyu can also be seen in the distance. We then contour two corries, crossing the Mirgin La (4,480m), then dropping down, before walking on rocky paths to gain the Sinelapche La (4,724m). If it is clear, the views from here into Sikkim and towards Ratong (6,675m) are fabulous. The 850m descent to Tseram is a test of the knees, being very steep and to begin with, loose and shalely underfoot. The trail drops down to a small lake, then descends extremely steeply to Tseram (7 - 8 hours).

Day 20 Trek to Oktang (4,730m)
As we're now very well-acclimatised, the walk to Ramche and onwards to the viewpoint of Oktang should not feel too demanding. We are soon above the tree line and climbing up through alpine meadows, beside a stream. There might be a few icy sections underfoot and it's common for the lake at Lapsang to be frozen. We follow the lateral moraine of the Yalung Glacier to eventually reach Ramche after 3 hours or so. It's a lovely, grassy spot and there is a new porter lodge here. We'll have lunch before ambling on in the afternoon up the open valley to climb right up onto the edge of the moraine to reach a Chorten at Oktang (a further 1.5 hours). The climbers' base camp for the north side of Kangchenjunga is another day across the glacier, so Oktang is the logical high point, which can be reached without ropes and mountaineering equipment. We descend back to Ramche in the late afternoon to enjoy the surrounding mountains turning from gold through to pink as the sun bathes Ratong and Kokthang with evening light.

Day 21 Descend to Torontan (2,995)
It takes a couple of hours to walk back down the valley to Tseram. From here, we continue on down the valley beside the Simbuwa Khola to Torontan. Much of the afternoon is spent in the cool of the forest, with sections of the path close to the riverbed. There are three Teahouses at Torontan perched above the river and some nice terraces for camping (6 hours).

Day 22 Cross Lasiya Bhanjyang (3,500m) to Yamphudin
From Torontan, a bridge crosses the roaring Simbuwa Khola. At first we follow the left bank of the gorge, before the path begins to ascend above the valley through the trees. It's fairly hard going all morning as we climb higher and higher through the forest. A huge landslide in this area means that the trail now ascends to almost the top of the ridge and the saddle called 'Lasiya Bhanjyang'. The final section of trail is cut each year (following the monsoon) through the trees and in places literally requires you to pull on branches to ascend the steep mud. At the top of the pass there is one hut - Lassi Than, where we can stop for a well-deserved rest and lunch. Then, it's a big descent down the other side of the mountain. Eventually we arrive at a river, hop across this, then contour for another hour to another impressive river and rickety bridge. A further hour sees us walking into Upper Yamphudin, a beautiful Sherpa village with Trekking lodges. Congratulations on completing one of the toughest days on the trip! (8 - 9 hours).

Day 23 Trek to Khebang
We follow the river downstream before climbing up to a pass at Otham, then dropping down through trees and gradually ascending to the Kedan La (2,070m) for lunch. There's a tiny Primary School here and the views are delightful. It's a short descent to Khebang, a lively village with shops and big school (4 - 4.5 hours).

Day 24 Trek to Sibudin
The morning walk through fields of rice and millet is a joy. After an hour the path narrows and clings to the steep valley side before descending to a point where the Tawa Khola and Kabeli Khola merge. We camp by the river (4 hours).

Day 25 Trek to Medibung
The final day of trekking is fairly long, following the Kabeli Khola all the way to a big suspension bridge, 1.5 hours below Medibung and the roadhead. From the river, we ascend through paddy fields to Medibung and the end of our walk, having completed 185Km. We'll stay overnight in a basic local hotel in Medibung (5 - 6 hours).

Day 26 Drive to Illam
The unsurfaced road to Phidim takes 3.5 hours. It's a further 2.5 hours on surfaced road to Illam, where we stay in a local hotel.

Day 26 Fly to Kathmandu
We continue our drive to Biratnagar and fly back to Kathmandu. farewel dinner

Day 27
departure from Nepal

Important Note:
Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is adventure travel in a very remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it! Weather conditions, and the health of team members can all contribute to changes. The guides and their Sherpa assistants will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if necessary.