Trekking - Kanchenjunga - Round Kanchanjunga Trek

Round Kanchanjunga Trek (24 Days)

Trip Facts

Trekking Type: Camping Trek
Trekking Grade: ▲▲▲ (?)
Maximum Altitude: 6355m.
Best Season: October - November, March - May

Of all the world's great peaks, Kanchenjunga is perhaps the least known; the third highest in the world at 8,598m,

Trekking Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu Airport & Transfer to Hotel. Welcome dinner in the evening.

Day 02: Full day Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley.
We will be visiting three of the famous heritage sites in Kathmandu. You will visit first the Swayambunath Stupa (Monkey Temple). It is said that Swayambunath Stupa is more than 2,000 years old, and it symbolizes knowledge. The painted eyes on all four sides symbolize the all-seeing power of Buddha. It is an important Buddhist place where pilgrims from all over the world come.

It is a 30 minutes drive to Boudhanath Stupa, another important Buddhist pilgrims site. This ancient Stupa is considered one of the biggest in the World. Every morning and evening, many Buddhist devotees come here to pray and circumambulate enabling the visitors to observe local religious practices.

One of the holiest hindu shrines in the world, The fabulous pagoda houses the linga of Lord Shiva and people bathe in the Bagmati River with a faith of cleansing themselves spiritually. Many Sadhus or Hindu Ascetics live here. During religious festivals, Hindus come to make offerings, and it is sometimes very crowded.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square: This former royal palace complex offers the elegant 15th century Palace of 55 win-dows, artistic courtyards, the Golden gat.

Patan Durbar Square : Durbar Square an enchanting melage of palace buildings, courtyards and pagoda temples, is the center of Patan's religious and social life.

Day 03: Kathmandu to Biratnagar
Today we fly from Kathmandu to Biratnagar, the second largest city in Nepal. The flight takes almost 1 hour and if the weather is clear we are treated to some spectacular views of the Himalayan chain, stretching from the peaks of Langtang to the huge bulk of Kangchenjunga, including Gauri Shankar, Menlungtse, Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Jannu (Khumbhakarna). Overnight hotel.

Day 04 Biratnager - Lal Kharka (2000 metres)
A 30-minute flight from Biratnagar takes us to Suketar (2400m), a grassy airstrip above the large bazaar town of Taplejung. Our trekking crew and porters will be waiting for us on arrival and after lunch we will start trekking with a 3-hour walk to Lal Kharka. The walk takes us through some beautiful mixed forest; our camp is a clearing with one bamboo hut and distant views of Kangchenjunga. Overnight Camp.

Day 05 Bhanjyang (2100 metres)
From Lal Kharka we contour around the hillside passing through a number of small hamlets where the people are mostly Hindu - Chettris and Brahmins. Along the way there are many chautarra's by the side of the trail, stone benches, used by porters for resting their loads. After the village of Tambawa we descend to cross the Phawa Khola on a wooden suspension bridge and stop for lunch. After lunch we climb steeply to Kunjari and then a more gradual climb to our camp at Bhanjyang, a small village on a grassy ridge with tremendous view of the Kangchenjunga massif. (6 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 06 Mamamkhe (2000 metres)
From our camp on the ridge we descend through terraced fields to Khesewa and then climb gradually, contouring through thick, lush forest to Fun Fun, a small village on top of a narrow ridge with views of Jannu, Kangchenjunga and Talung. From here we descend through more terraced fields and by thatch roofed houses where the people grow a great variety of crops including millet, spinach, limes, chilli's, maize and even castor oil trees. Today's lunch stop is in an idyllic spot, by a waterfall and stream, perfect for washing hair, bodies and clothes. After lunch we climb quite steeply for an hour to round a ridge, giving views up the Kabeli Khola and across to the village of Mamamkhe, a small village on the opposite hillside and our camping stop for the night. To get there we have to descend steeply through the small hamlet of Ponpe Dhara, crossing the Kasshawa Khola on a rickety suspension bridge and then climbing steeply towards Mamamkhe, camping on the terraced fields just opposite the village. (6 to 7 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 07 Chitre (2750 metres)
From Yamphudin we continue along the left bank of the Kabeli Khola before crossing the tributary stream of the Omje Khola and begin a steep ascent to the Dhupi Banjyang pass, about 2 ½ hours of steady climbing through open grassland. Near the top we enter forest and prayer flags overhead mark the top. From here it is a steady descent through deciduous forest to the Omje Khola and lunch. After lunch 2 hours of steady climbing brings us to Chitre a clearing in the forest with a single bamboo shelter and our camp for the night. (6 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 08 Simbua Khola (3000 metres)
Today we enter rhododendron and bamboo forests but first we have to cross the Lamite Bhanjyang pass crossing the Deorali Danda ridge at 3230m. From the saddle we get our first close views of Jannu, Kabru and Kangchenjunga and down to the Simbua Khola Valley, our route to the Yalung glacier. From the pass we descend into the Simbua Khola valley, first crossing a short landslip area before descending through forest to our lunch stop, a clearing in the woods. The afternoon walk from here is beautiful, first descending to the Simbua Khola (called the Souke Khola by the Nepalese) and then climbing gently up the valley through mixed forest to camp at a clearing on the banks of the river. (7 hours walking)

Day 09 Tseram (3770 metres)
We continue climbing gently up the Simbua Khola valley. As we near the tree line there are good views of Kabru Peak (7338m) and Rathong (6678m). After 4 hours of walking we arrive at Tseram (3770m), a delightful grassy meadow beneath the Mirgin La. We will camp here as it is important to gain altitude slowly and an afternoon resting here will help with acclimatisation. (4 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 10 Tseram
A day for exploring the area and relaxing around camp. It is very important to gain height gradually to enable our bodies to acclimatise to the altitude. A second night at Tseram will help enormously, particularly if we have been higher during the day to the height we will be sleeping at. Overnight Camp.

Day 11 Ramze (4360 metres)
We eventually emerge above the tree line following the left bank of the Simbua Khola into yak pastures and glacial moraine. The scenery is magnificent as we ascend to Yalung Bar, the end of the forest line and at Lobsang La the valley opens to give commanding views of Kabru, Rathong and Kokthan. We ascend past the snout of the Yalung Glacier before reaching Ramze at 4360m, camping in a broad flat glacial valley surrounded by towering peaks and grazing yaks! (3 ½ hours from Tseram). After lunch those who wish can explore the area by walking further up the valley or ascending a ridge above camp for even more tremendous views. Overnight Camp.

Day 12 Ramze
After breakfast those who wish can follow the glacial valley towards the huge Yalung Glacier with spectacular views of Kangchenjunga's south wall. The route by which the mountain was first climbed in 1955 is clearly visible and there are dramatic views all around. There is time to climb the lateral moraine of the glacier towards a Chorten (monument) for better views (2 ½ hours from camp). Ranged in an enormous circle is a fantastic array of peaks. A great sweep of snow crested ridges lead to the rocky pyramid of the main summit of Kangchenjunga. From the last of the Kangchenjunga peaks the ridge sweeps down to form the Talung saddle and rises to Talung Peak and the massive whale back of Kabru. Overnight Camp.

Day 13 Below Mirgin La (4300 metres)
We descend to Yalung Bara and then a short steep climb after the river to lunch (2/2 hours). After lunch we traverse above Tseram with great views of Kabru and Rathong behind. Finally a steep ascent to our campsite beside a small lake. (4 to 5 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 14 Camp below the Tamo La (4000 metres)
Today we cross the Mirgin, Sinion and Tamo La's. From our camp we continue climbing to emerge on an open trail with tremendous views back down to the Simbua Khola Valley and across to the peaks rising above the Yalung Glacier, to Kabru Peak and to Kangchenjunga. It takes around 2 hours of steady climbing to arrive at our first pass, the Mirgin La (4550m). The views from here are spectacular, a beautiful spot to rest and eat our picnic lunch. Overnight Camp.

From the Mirgin La the trail is much gentler as we contour around the hillside on an easy trail, gently climbing to the Sinion La (4500m). This is a beautiful walk, high above the valleys with magnificent views across ridge after ridge to Makalu and the Baruntse/Chamlang massif. From the Sinion La the trail descends slightly to our last pass, the Tamo La (4500m) and from here we are treated to a tremendous view of Jannu (Khumbhakarna). Now it is downhill to our camp, a beautiful grassy meadow, surrounded by snow-splattered hills with views across the Ghunsa Khola Valley to a tremendous panorama of peaks. (5 to 6 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 15 Phere (3100 metres)
An easy day descending to Ghunsa, a village situated on the right bank of the Ghunsa Khola. From our camp we descend into beautiful rhododendron forest to enter the village near the school. After lunch we cross to the right bank of the river and descend along forest trails to Phere, a small village with a very interesting monastery. (6 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 16 Amjilassa (2500 metres)
We continue our descent south, along the river valley towards Taplejung. From Phere the trail descends to the river through mixed forest and bamboo. A short climb brings us to the small hamlet of Kyapra and then on into the bamboo forest where we stop for lunch in a clearing (3 hours). After lunch the track winds its way up and down across the steep hillside, until finally open ground is reached shortly before the small Sherpa hamlet of Amjilassa (7 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 17 Tapethok (1300 metres)
From Amjilassa we continue first traversing then descending, steeply through rocky, open pastures towards Ghaiya Bari and the small hamlet of Sakathum (1650m), 4 hours from Amjilassa. Here we have lunch before crossing the Ghunsa and Simbua Kholas and following the left bank of the Tamur River, once again entering an area of lush vegetation and terraced fields. Today's camp is alongside the Tamur River near the small village of Tapethok, 2 hours from Sakathum. (6 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 18 Phrumba (2000 metres)
We continue following the east side of the Tamur River to the village of Chirwa with its giant boulders. We then start to climb and traverse the hillside through many scattered villages and woods to our lunch spot. In the afternoon we continue to climb to the village of Phrumba where we camp at the school. (5 to 6 hours walking). Overnight Camp.

Day 19 Suketar (2400 metres)
The morning sees us gaining most of the remaining height before we traverse around ridges and past villages to lunch (31/2 hrs). Now it is an easy traverse around the hillside to Suketar, high above the town of Taplejung. (5 hours walking) Overnight Camp.

Day 20 Kathmandu
Today we fly to Kathmandu, first by charter flight to Biratnagar and then by scheduled flight on to Kathmandu where we transfer to our hotel. Overnight hotel.

Day 21 Depart Kathmandu
Morning free in Kathmandu for last minute sightseeing and shopping. Transfer to the airport for the Qatar Airways or Gulf Air flight to London Heathrow.

Day 24 Tour ends