Kanchenjunga South to North Base Camp Trek

After breakfast, a local tour guide will meet you at the hotel and arrange a Kathmandu sightseeing tour. Today you will visit the major places of tourist interest such as Pashupatinath, the most popular Hindu temple, Patan Durbar Square, renowned for art and architecture and Swayambhunath, a famous Monkey temple. In the late afternoon, you will return to the hotel and prepare for tomorrow’s trip to the Kanchenjunga trek. Rest of the day you can stay at leisure.  We recommend you leave a bag or any unnecessary stuff during the trek/ climb, you may store them at the hotel. Overnight stay in hotel

Following your breakfast in the hotel, our guide will pick you up and transfer you to the Kathmandu domestic airport for a flight to Bhadrapur.  It is located in the flatland of the east part of Nepal at 91m from the sea level. It would be best to take the earliest flight at around 10 am to Bhadrapur. Furthermore, it takes around forty-five minutes to get there. On arrival in Bhadrapur, we will drive you to Ilam, a small hill town. It takes around 4–5 hours.  Ilam is very popular, particularly for tea gardens, tea production in Nepal as well as a pleasant climate. It has beautiful landscapes that attract most of the local tourists. It is a great destination for travellers seeking tranquillity, natural beauty, and cultural experiences. There you will find many good hotels and homestays to stay overnight. During our travel by road, we will  reach Panchthar district located between Ilam and Taplejung connected by Mechi Highway.

After breakfast, we will drive for 4–5 hours through lush tea gardens, coconut groves, betel nut trees, broom grass (Amliso in Nepali), cardamom farms and terraced paddy fields until we reach Suketar, another small, beautiful town situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, surrounded by beautiful landscapes, lush greenery, and snow-capped mountains. Here you will also find an airport. During the drive, you will also come across Rai and Limbu’s (ethnic people of Nepal) small cemeteries (sanochihan) at the side of the road.

Suketar is the starting point for Kanchenjunga trekking, peak climbing and mountaineering expeditions in Kanchenjunga region. Another significance of the town is the existence of the most popular Pathivara Temple, which lies only 15 km away. And it takes 5–6 hours walk to reach the temple. Many Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims from different parts of Nepal and India visit this temple on special occasions. Suketar is also considered a hub of domestic tourists. After arrival in Suketar, we will have our lunch and then begin our first day trekking to Lalikharka or further driving. The next important place after Suketar is Phukling bazar- the headquarters of Taplejung district. It is a beautiful place surrounded by green forests. On both sides of the road, you will see a row of beautiful houses. We walk slowly ascending and descending through rhododendron forest and steam until we reach a small village called Lalikharka for an overnight stay. Here you will get basic facilities of lodge accommodation and food.

After early morning breakfast we will leave Lalikharka and continue our trek to Kunjar village (1928m) and Kandebhanjyang (2129 m). On the way, we can see villagers engage in traditional farming, tea harvesting and carrying loads by horses. If we are lucky, we can also see Nepalese film shooting in a rural setting. It is very interesting to observe how millet and rice paddy are harvested and wheat seed sowing in the terraced fields etc. The villages we pass through belong to Hindu and Buddhist with traditional mud-brick houses and are dotted with rice paddies, terraced fields, fruit trees and cardamom farms. Most of the villagers are involved in agriculture and animal husbandry. We take lunch at Deorali and then walk through the mixed forest of rhododendrons, Wild pears and Utis (Nepalese alder). While trekking, we can also see how local people manufacture handmade Nepali paper from the bark of evergreen shrubs called Daphne papyracea and Daphne bholua, in a local dialect known as Bhulu. In addition, you will also come across shrubs like stinging nettle (Sisno), and Girardiniadiversifolia (Allo) along the trail. After 6–7 hours of continuous walking with a short break, will reach Kande Bhanjyang. From this hilltop, you will enjoy great views of Mount Kanchenjunga and Jannu Himal.  Stay overnight at Kande Bhanjyang

Following breakfast, we begin our trek on a trail which is mostly downhill for a couple of hours until we reach Phawakhola. After crossing the Phawakhola bridge we come across a High School and here we take lunch and spend some moments for rest. After lunch, we continue the steady climb for almost two hours walking through forests and small villages until we reach Mamankhe (1785m) for an overnight stay.

Today’s trek involves a moderate ascent along the KabeliKhola (river), so make sure you have had a hearty breakfast and are adequately hydrated. A suspension bridge, breathtaking mountains, waterfalls, and other typical breathtaking vistas along the walk are all visible to us. The boundary of Kanchenjunga South’s restricted area starts at this suspension bridge. Here, we go through forests to get to LamiteBhanjyang, where we take a little break. From here, we go downwards and cross a little river to get to Yamphudin. We will have lunch along the river. After lunch, we will visit the Limbu Cultural Center and Museum in the small Limbu community village of Mamankhe. Then we proceed to the next village of Yamphudin, also known locally as Sherpa Gaon. In this village, you come across a varied group of Sherpas, Limbus, Rai, and Gurung people and experience their diverse cultures and lifestyles. We will spend the night at Sherpa Gaon a guesthouse.

Beyond Yamphudin, there aren’t many facilities. To provide you with the finest services possible, we have carefully planned our trip, carrying a ton of supplies. Although the trail is well-maintained, the ascent from AmjeKhola is difficult. In Chitre, it would be wonderful to see some yaks grazing. As we continue, we pass through a thick forest that seems like it belongs in a movie, covered with Spanish moss. It’s a beautiful day for a walk through the immense forest of rhododendron, oak, and other trees. The melodies of the many woodland birds will brighten your day. We will have lunch at LamiteBhanjyang, which offers breathtaking views of Mt. Kumbhakarna and the surroundings. From RamiteBhanjyang we make a short hike to the open area just above the SimbuaKhola.

Leaving behind Torang , we steadily ascend to Cheram around 880m. We follow the SimbuwaKhola to the left of our track. For the most of our travel today, we wind through the picturesque Lalung Valley, with Taplung Peak watching over us. We continue across alpine trees and rhododendrons before arriving at the breathtaking Yalung glacier. We reach a flat meadow at an elevation of, 3870m. This isolated place is called Tseram where we spend a night.

To keep yourself fit for the higher altitudes ahead, today we spend the day at Tseram for acclimatization, which is most necessary and required as high altitudes affect trekkers unpredictably. We suggest you to stay active rather than being idle as you need to adapt to changes in climate and environment. Today you can spend time exploring Yalung Glacier and visit the viewpoint to enjoy the spectacular sights of Kaburu and Rathong Peaks. And, it is one of the major highlights of the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek in Nepal. When you spend one extra day in Tseram, you may also walk around to observe how high-altitude people live, their lifestyle and daily activities.

After spending the acclimatization day in Tseram you will continue your trek ascending 750m. for some time through forest to landslide area until you reach the muzzle of Yalung Glacier. While passing through the valley, you will be amazed by the spectacular views of the mountains and after a couple of hours’ walk you will reach a small village locally called Lapsang. After passing through this village, you will reach Ramchaur in the late afternoon. Here you will spend the night. While heading to Ramchaur, you will have an extraordinary experience while walking alongside the moraine, a beautiful pasture with grazing yaks, scrub Junipers, a lake and a big meadow.

Today you will explore Okhorung and enjoy the mesmerizing views of the South face of Kanchanjunga. From Ramchaur the route turns north, and you will reach Okhorung in about 1 hour. In a further one-hour excursion, you will reach the site of the lateral moraine of the Yalung glacier and a chorten. From this point, you can enjoy the unsurpassed views of the Kanchanjunga Main Summit. You will also see Yalung Kang and Kambachen Peak at the top of the valley. After spending an hour exploring, you will retrace your steps through the boulder-strewn glacier to Tseram for an overnight stay.

Leaving Tseram you will continue your trek to a further destination. Today it will be quite a challenging day for you as you have to cross over three high mountain passes- Selele La (4440), Sinion La (4646m) and Miring la (4480m). It takes relatively longer hours as well as you have to exert lots of energy. However, you will enjoy tantalizing views of Jannu Himal (7710m), Kanchenjunga (8586m), Baruntse (7129m), Makalu (8481m), and other mountains from the top of the passes. The descending route from the passes will take you to Sele camp where you will spend the night. Please note that we have to take our packed lunch along the way and continue our trek to Sele Le Camp

 Today’s trek is relatively shorter, but we will enjoy the amazing views along the trails. A steep descent from our campsite brings us to Lamba Sumba Kharka where you can even more awesome views of Jannu’s southwest face. From here, the trail is easy. We descend to Ghunsa on the well-kept track to end the day. Here, we will set up a camp in a field at the side of a river. Ghunsa is a Tibetan village with small Gompa and prayer flags fluttering in the air atop houses. It is a small village with a friendly vibe. In one of the teahouses, you may have the taste of the locally prepared Tongba (millet wine) in the evening. This is a lovely delicacy that can also keep us warm at night. Overnight stay in tea house.

From Ghunsa we trek farther north along the riverbank, enjoying the breathtaking alpine views. We go through pine and rhododendron forests after passing through meadows filled with gorgeous wildflowers. At RampukKharka, we cross over a bridge and go beyond a waterfall. After traversing the landslide area, we once again see Mt. Jannu, although from a different angle this time. Our journey to Khambachen will ultimately include more exploration and navigating the challenging mountain terrain. Spend the night at a tea house.

Today will be a challenging day so we have to set off early morning to Lhonak. We trek through a desolate landscape with large boulders on the hillside. We follow the route to the riverbank and cross over the Lhonak Glacier and then the Ramtang Bridge. While trekking, we can see the stunning views of the Kangchenjunga massif and Mera Peak on the eastern side of the valley. After a consistent walk of a couple more hours, we arrive at Lhonak for an overnight stay. Lhonak is a beautiful small town surrounded by Mountains. Every trekker will have a great opportunity to explore rich culture, tradition and picturesque landscapes of the region. Overnight stay in tea house.

Leaving Lhonak, we will head in an eastern direction, passing close through the Lhonak Glacier on the northern ridges until we reach the end point of Kanchenjunga North Base Camp at Pangpema. This is the main entry site to climb Kanchenjunga’s Northside. Just to note that the base camp of Pangpema is not as pleasant as Lhonak because you will find the base camp full of rocks and dust except for a few grassy outcrops. But the view across to Kanchenjunga 3,500m above is one of the best in the Himalayas. You will be surely immersed in the grand views of Kirat Chuli, Nepal Peak, Sikhar Peak, Twins Peak etc. You can have a great opportunity for photography amidst the huge surrounding mountains. Furthermore, you can enjoy every moment of being here, and we will have our lunch at the base camp After having a wonderful experience at the base camp, we return to Lhonak for the night stay.

Following an amazing stay at Lhonak, you will hike to Ghunsa village. Once again, you’ll pass through the pine forest, Khambachen and arrive at Ghunsa village after 4 hours walk through the lonely route.  While trekking, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of the mountains and the dramatic alpine scenery as you move ahead. At Ghunsa village, you will have lunch. After that, you can explore the culture and interact with the local villagers. Overnight stay in tea house

Wake up with a very nice smell of the burning Juniper leaves and have your breakfast. All the villagers burn the juniper leaf early morning while they are doing their regular puja (prayer) ceremony at home. After breakfast, we pack our bags and head to the trail for Gyabla. Overnight stay in tea house.

Leaving Gyabla, you will be heading to Seketumn. The trail follows along the river and goes through some steep sections that open up many smaller villages. You will continue to hike through forest, enjoying the breathtaking views of mountains and landscape until you reach Sekthumn.

Today we leave Sekethumn as early in the morning for Ilam because it will be a long drive and takes around 9–10 hours to reach Ilam. We will be heading southwest in a local jeep through a narrow and winding road. While driving, we will pass through some villages and towns, enjoying the beautiful landscape and scenery. Ilam is popular as a municipality town and the headquarters of Ilam District in the eastern part of Nepal. It is also well-known for its tea gardens and is a popular tourist destination. Overnight stay at tea house.

After leaving behind Illam and its beautiful tea garden, you will proceed to Bhadrapur to board your flight as per your flight schedule and fly to Kathmandu. After 40 minutes of flight, you will eventually land at Kathmandu Airport. During the flight, you will see an alluring mountain range, verdant hills, rivers, and exquisite towns and cities below from your window seat.

After your Kathmandu arrival, you will be transferred to your respective hotel, and relax for a while. In the evening, you could use your leisure time exploring Thamel and buy some souvenirs for your friends and relatives to remind them of your memorable Nepal journey.