The Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek is among the magnificent Himalayan routes, traversing the eastern region of Nepal. The word “Kanchenjunga” means crystal clear in Nepali. Kanchenjunga (8586m) ranks as the world’s third tallest peak and is commonly referred to as the “Five Treasures of the Great Snow,” which includes Gold, Silver, Precious Stones, Grain, and Holy Scriptures. The renowned Kanchenjunga lies in North-East Nepal and shares a border with Sikkim, India. Because the mountain is located partly in Nepal and partly in India, the sight of Kanchenjunga can be observed from India, Bhutan, and Tibet.
The trail to Kanchenjunga Base Camp goes through the Arun valley, known as one of the most stunning areas for trekking in Nepal. A key feature of this trek is the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, spanning 2035 square kilometers. The region hosts a diverse range of plants and animals along with various wildlife such as the Himalayan black bear, musk deer, snow leopard, red panda, wild boar, and several others. The path to basecamp presents diverse landscapes ranging from alpine meadows to sub-tropical woodlands, low river valleys, glacial debris, and stony slopes. During the trek, hikers can enjoy the breathtaking panoramic vistas of the enormous mountain summits like Lhotse (8516m), Everest (8848m), Kanchenjunga (8586m), Makalu (8481m), among others. The Kanchenjunga area is home to a diverse community of Sherpa, Rai, Limbu, and Gurung, offering trekkers a chance to gain insight into their culture and way of life.
Highlights
- Explore the epic landscape of the Kanchenjunga conservation area, en route to the 3rd highest mountain in the world.
- Trek in one of the few restricted areas of Nepal.
- Take a journey through various landscapes, including valleys, rivers, jungle, and woodland, and of course, the amazing views of Kanchenjunga and its equally impressive surrounding peaks.
- Experience a wide range of flora and fauna, including the world-famous Nepal Rhododendron bloom.
- A chance to see some of the world’s most endangered animals, such as the elusive Snow Leopard, Red Pandas, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Monal, and many more!
- Cross mountain passes and thrilling suspension bridges.
- Visit the North and South base camp of the 3rd highest mountain in the world.
- Immerse yourself in Tibetan and Buddhist culture by visiting many monasteries along the way.
- Discover the path less trodden, while traveling one of the lesser established trekking routes in Nepal, before it becomes overcrowded like many others.
- Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek by Road – Begin and End the trek with Bus Journey
Him-Trail is among the most reliable travel agencies in Nepal, having been involved in tourism since 2012. We ensure your journey in Nepal is unique and unforgettable. We obtain various legal authorizations for your journey within the country. We provide you with a local English and French speaking guide to ensure you fully enjoy the trip. We provide you with the finest lodging in the vicinity to ensure your stay is enjoyable. So, keep us in mind if you are organizing a journey to the Himalayas.
Included/Excluded
- Airport / Hotel / Airport pick up & transfer by car/van.
- 2 nights deluxe single/double/twin bed sharing accommodation with breakfast at 4* hotel Kathmandu Guest House in Kathmandu and 2 nights standard hotel Ilam.
- All domestic flights; Kathmandu-Bhadrapur-Kathmandu and airport tax.
- Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with Tea & coffee and hot/cold filter water during the trek.
- Lodge/Guesthouse accommodation during the trek.
- 1 experienced, helpful and friendly English-French speaking guide, porters (1 porter for 2 peoples and carry 25kg), their food & accommodation, salary, equipment and insurance.
- Down Sleeping Bag (Minus 30-40 Degree Celsius), Duffel Bag, Spikes, LifeStraw Water Filter for drinking water, trekking map.
- All land transportation by private vehicle.
- Kanchenjunga Conservation permit and all necessary permits.
- Kanchenjunga Restricted Area permit.
- First Aid Medical Kit box.
- All Government Tax.
- Any meals (Lunch and Dinner) other than breakfast in Kathmandu.
- Travel insurance.
- Extra accommodation and meals behind schedule the scheduled times of this trekking trip program
- All kinds of beverages, including alcoholic and nonalcoholic, as well as hot and cold drinks
- Additional costs are out of management's control due to the landscape, weather conditions, illness, changes in government policies, strikes, physical conditions, etc.
- Personal expenses such as shopping, hot and cold drinks, hot shower, hard and soft alcohols, snacks, hot and cold water, Wi-Fi, battery recharge fees
- Travel insurance has to cover emergency rescue evacuation from high altitudes up to 6000 m.
- Any other expenses that are not mentioned in the Price Inclusive section of this trek
Tour Plan
Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, our company representative picks you up and transfers you to the hotel. Overnight at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu.
We catch afternoon scenic flight to Bhadrapur. After landing, we take a jeep ride to Ilam enjoying the view of beautiful landscapes. Ilam is Nepal’s largest tea plantation area and serves as a major tourist area even for domestic tourists. The picturesque town of Ilam hosts large orchards of tea plants and is also famous for the Himalayan chew made of cheese. Overnight at a hotel in Ilam.
Today, we head towards Taplejung in private transportation. Driving along the beautiful countryside view, we pass through Phidim to reach Limbu village of Taplejung. Overnight at a hotel in Taplejung.
The trekking route today passes through lush mid hills and several villages with traditional mud-brick houses. We also come across rice paddies, terraced farm fields, and cardamom farms. We then continue to trek following the flow of Tamor River to reach Mitlung. Overnight at a home-stay/lodge in Mitlung.
Today we trek through the Limbu and Tamang villages of Sinwa, Tawa, and Porke. We also pass over old landslide debris and boulder, and strewn river deposits, before descending to Thiwa Khola. We then cross a wooden bridge to reach Chiruwa. Overnight at a lodge in Chiruwa.
Trekking through the villages of Taplethok, Tamewa, Hellok, and Lelep, we move alongside Tamor River and descend towards Simbu Khola, which emerges from the Yalung Glacier. We then trek through steep and narrow Ghunsa Khola valley to finally arrive in Sukethum. Overnight at a lodge in Sukethum.
Moving with the flow of Ghunsa Khola, we head towards Amjilosa walking through steep uphill on exposed terrain. Relishing the amazing landscape view and crossing several bridges over Ghunsa Khola, we reach the Tibetan village of Amjilosa. Overnight at a lodge in Amjilosa.
Today, we walk through forested trail filled with rhododendrons and bamboo, before ascending to Gyabla. We also come across a big waterfall on the opposite side of the river on our way to Gyabla. Making a steep ascent and then a descent, we arrive in Gyabla. Overnight at a lodge in Gyabla.
Leaving behind the beautiful Gyabla village, we trek towards Ghunsa through a broad meadow. We then climb a small hill and descend to cross the river to reach the Tibetan village of Ghunsa with wooden houses, a micro hydropower plant, school, and a health post. Overnight at a lodge in Ghunsa.
To adjust with the thinning air, we take a short hike to the opposite side of Ghunsa Khola with a gain of about 400m. After returning from the hike, we can spend rest of the day exploring the ancient village of Ghunsa visiting monasteries and learning about their Buddhist culture and tradition. Overnight at a lodge in Ghunsa.
Today, we begin our trek entering the forested path along the south bank of Ghunsa Khola and passing several Mani walls and Chortens along the way. We also trek through several scree slopes and some glacial moraines to reach the Tibetan settlement of Khangpachen from where we can get the stunning view of the north face of Jannu (7710m). Overnight at a lodge in Khangpachen.
Leaving behind Khangpachen, we follow the trail on the left side of Kanchenjunga Glacier. We hike along a high plateau to reach the campsite of Lhonak. From Lhonak, we can see the panoramic view of massive mountain peaks like Wegde Peak (6802m), Mera Peak (6364m), Nepal Peak (7177m), Twins (7350m), and many others. Overnight at a lodge in Lhonak.
Today, we head towards Kanchenjunga Base Camp following the trail along the glaciers on the northern ridges. The camp is also known as Pang Pema from where we get the mesmerizing and spectacular view of Mt Kanchenjunga (8586m) along with the skyline filled with snow-capped mountain ranges bordering Nepal-India and Nepal-Tibet. Then walk back to Lhonak. Overnight at a lodge in Lhonak.
After the amazing experience in KBC and Lhonak, we retrace our trail to Ghunsa enjoying the spectacular view of different mountains. Descending past Lhonak and Khangpachen while walking on the moraines of Kanchenjunga Glacier and Kumbhakarna Glacier, we arrive in Ghunsa. Overnight at a lodge in Ghunsa.
To reach the High Camp, we trek along a steep rocky trail through a forested area filled with birch, pine, and colorful rhododendron. An amazing view of Jannu (7710m), Nyukla Laching (6670m), Temachunggi (6044m), and other mountains can be observed from High Camp. Overnight at a lodge in High Camp.
Today might be the most challenging day as we cross over two passes on our way to Tseram, the highest pass being the Sele La (4480m) and Sinion La (4660). Upon reaching the top of the passes, we are rewarded with an amazing view of Yalung Glacier, Jannu (7710m), Makalu (8481m), Baruntse (7129m), Kanchenjunga (8586m), and many other mountain ranges along the Sikkim border. We then descend to Tseram. Overnight at a lodge in Tseram.
Passing the moraines of Yalung Glacier into an ablation valley, we ascend towards Ramche. We also come across a lake and a meadow where we can spot the blue sheep grazing on the grassy hills. We will visit the small monastery in Ramche, in the evening. Overnight at a home-stay/lodge in Ramche.
Today, we explore Oktang view point area. Trekking through the glacial moraines and challenging rocky path, we cross Oktang, from where we can get a panoramic view of Jannu (7720m) and Kanchenjunga (8586m), and several other peaks. Retracing the same trail, we trek towards Anda Phedi relishing the view of different mountain ranges and herds of blue sheep over the grassy slope. Overnight at a lodge in Tseram.
We descend towards Tortong through the densely forested path filled with rhododendrons and bushes. We also stumble across few streams, Chortens, monasteries, ponds, and waterfalls on our way to Tortong. Overnight at a lodge in Tortong.
We continue to descend to the Amji Khola and then crossing Lasiya Bhanjyang (3310m) and Dhupi Bhanjyang (2620m), we descend towards Yamphudim. Yamphudim is a village inhabited by a mixed community of Sherpa, Rai, Limbu, and Gurung. Overnight at a lodge in Yamphudim.
Leaving behind the village of Yamphudim, we descend towards Khebang passing through valleys, waterfalls, and forest area. Crossing suspension bridges over several streams, we walk past small settlements alongside Kabeli Khola to arrive in Khebang. Overnight at a home-stay/lodge in Khebang.
We take a long drive to Ilam enjoying the view of green hills, snow-capped mountains, rivers, and daily activities of the locals throughout the ride. From the mountainous part, we are now in the flatlands of Nepal. Overnight at a hotel in Ilam.
We drive towards Bhadrapur airport to catch our flight back to the capital city. Enjoying the aerial view of the mountains, we arrive in Kathmandu. After landing, we transfer you to the hotel. Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Kathmandu.
We drop you at the Tribhuvan International Airport for your final departure with a hope of seeing you again.
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