Kangchenjunga Base Camp
Trek to the base camps of the world's third highest peak. Spectacular views of Jannu from the Mirgin La. Tranquil villages on the borders of Sikkim & Tibet

This is a superb trek to the foot of Kangchenjunga (8586m), a huge massif situated in the far north-east corner of Nepal on the borders of Sikkim and Tibet. The region is one of the most pristine high mountain areas in Nepal and our trek takes you through magnificent and varied scenery to the Base Camps on both north and south sides of this vast mountain.

We begin our trek from the small airstrip at Taplejung, siuated in the far east of the country. For several days we trek through fields of verdant rice paddies which cling to the steep terraced hillsides. Climbing higher, we pass through dense rhododendron forests which gradually give way to Himalayan blue pine and tranquil alpine pastures. At Ramze, on the south side of the mountain, we are surrounded by high alpine peaks which form Nepal’s border with Sikkim. Further exploration up the valley reveals the stupendous south face of Kangchenjunga by which the mounatin was first climbed by Joe Brown and George Band in 1955. Our trek now crosses the Mirgin La (5180m) to the attractive village of Ghunsa. Crossing this pass is hard going but we are rewarded with sensational views of Jannu (7710m). Leaving Ghunsa and habitation behind, we trek through Himalayan scrub and juniper, past the yak pastures at Lhonak and Kambachen. At the northern base camp of Pang Pema (5200m) we reach the high point of our journey where Kangchenjunga finally reveals its mighty north face. The Kangchenjunga trek contains the best that Nepal has to offer, from beautiful villages and lush green rice paddies to spectacular Himalayan summits. It combines visits to both the north and south face base camps and offers a fascinating insight into the culture of this remote Buddhist region.

Grade
Strenuous

Duration
26 days

Day 1 Depart UK
We depart from the UK for the overnight flight to Kathmandu.

Day 2 Arrive Kathmandu
We arrive in Kathmandu in the afternoon and are met by our Kathmandu team who greet us with the traditional Nepali welcome of garlands of marigolds. We transfer by private coach to the comfortable Hotel Marsyangdi situated in the very centre of the Thamel tourist district of the city. We are within close walking distance of the many restaurants, bars and shops which this part of the city is famous for. After checking into our rooms we can relax in the hotel’s pleasant garden before an early evening meal.

Day 3 Fly to Biratnagar
The morning will be free. Around lunchtime we depart our hotel for Kathmandu airport and take the flight to Biratnagar in Nepal’s eastern Terrai. The flight follows the length of the eastern Himalaya and those sitting on the left hand side of the aircraft should be rewarded with great views of Everest, Makalu and even Kangchenjunga itself. Biratnagar is actually Nepal’s second largest city and an industrial centre where many factories are located. We transfer to a comfortable tourist hotel on the outskirts of the town where we can relax in the pleasant gardens.

Day 4 Fly to Taplejung
After an early breakfast we return to the airport and fly by Twin Otter aircraft up to the airstrip at Suketar, situated just above the village of Taplejung. This is a 35 minute charter flight with Royal Nepal Airlines. Because the flight to Taplejung is very weather-dependent we fly first thing in the morning to take advantage of the usually good flying weather. All mountain flights in Nepal operate on visual flying and when you see the airstrip at Taplejung you will understand why. After an exciting landing we will meet our Sherpa trek crew who will have walked in from the road head near to Hille. We take an early lunch before making the 3 hour trek to Lali Kharka. This very pleasant and there are a number of small lodges where you can sample the local alcoholic brew known as ‘Tungba’. This is made from pulverised fermented millet which is drunk out of large pots to which hot water is added and then sucked through a bamboo straw known as a ‘pissing’. Beware – it is much more potent than it seems on first acquaintance!

Day 5 Trek to Khewesa
This morning we leave Lali Kharka early. In Nepali language ‘kharka’ means meadow or grazing area and we will pass many of these pleasant clearings during the course of our trek. We trek through forests passing through the village of Tambawa. Many Hindu pilgrims use this trail, heading towards the sacred temple at Pathi Bhara. At important Hindu festival times it is customary and auspicious to slaughter a goat at Pathi Bhara and at such times the trail is often jam-packed with these unfortunate creatures bleating their way uphill on a one way ticket. From Tambawa we can look across the valley at the rest of today’s walk. We begin by traversing the hillside a short distance before descending to the village of Pakora situated on the Phawa Khola. We cross a suspension bridge to reach Kunjuri and then continue to cross a ridgeline to the village of Khesewa (2100m) where we’ll camp. We get our first good views of Kangchenjunga from here and we are able to make out the separate summits of the main peak and its subsidiary – Yalung Kang.

Day 6 Mamankhe
From Khesewa we trek through pleasant terraced fields and traverse a steep mountainside high above the Kabeli Khola. We cross several minor tributaries flowing into the river as the path wends its way around the hillside. We pass through the delightfully named village of FunFun and continue along a shady path to Anpan. These are beautiful villages with exquisitely maintained houses, white-washed walls and thatch roofs with colourful gardens of marigolds. During today’s trek we get our first distant views of Jannu (7710m), one of the most impressive peaks in the region. Eventually we reach the prosperous village of Mamankhe where we camp in one of the fields. The fermented millet drink of Tungba which we may have sampled in Suketar is produced in abundance in Mamankhe so those who developed a taste for this brew earlier on the trek may be able to re-acquaint themselves with it here.

Day 7 Yamphudin
We leave Mamankhe and follow an easy path through terraced fields to the small hamlet of Dekadin. There are fine views from here looking north up the Kabeli Khola towards the low range of hills which guard the Kangchenjunga massif. We climb high up on the hillside above the steep river valley before eventually descending down to the level of the river. We follow this trail easily along the riverside past many inviting bathing pools and at one of these we stop for lunch, giving everyone the opportunity of having a quick dip in the waters. We continue to the village of Yamphudin which is the highest permanently inhabited settlement in the Kabeli valley. This will be the last permanent village we pass through until we reach Ghunsa on day 15. Beyond this only the occasional shepherd and yak handler will be encountered. Yamphudin also houses a police check post and our trekking permits will be scrutinised here.

Day 8 Forest clearing
Beyond Yamphudin we climb up a long and steep spur which commands excellent views of the Omje Khola valley and of the ridge line of Deorali Danda which we must cross. We trek through delightful forests teeming with bird life and stop for lunch in a grassy meadow on the top of the spur. After traversing this spur we drop back down and cross the Omje Khola. The trail continues through an area of beautiful Himalayan pine forest until we reach a wooden bridge over the river which leads to a pleasant forest clearing and our campsite.

Day 9 Torontan
From our riverside camp we climb continuously and fairly steeply for about three hours to the crest of the Deorali Danda at 3230m. For most of this long ascent we are walking through dense forests of pine and rhododendron with little in the way of mountain views. But when we reach the crest of the ridge a superb panorama opens up. We have a wonderful view up the entire length of the Simbua Khola and although Kangchenjunga is not quite visible from here we see Jannu (7710m) as well as many other smaller summits. After a welcome rest on the pass we begin our descent which initially follow loose scree before regaining a good path in the forest. We drop down to the Simbua Khola and follow this beautiful river valley to our campsite at Torontan (3080m), located amidst tall Himlayan fir trees.

Day 10 Tseram
Today we emerge from the low lying forested Himalayan foothills and enter the higher Himlayan pastures which are characterised by sparse scrub-like vegetation interspersed with occasional juniper bushes. The trail follows the course of the Simbua Khola initially through dense forests of rhododendron and fir, but as we slowly begin to climb the trees become more stunted and we begin to get our first views of the peaks which lie on the Sikkim border. Koktang (6147m), Ratong (6678m) and Kabru (7336m) are the first to be seen, rising above the massive snout of the Yalung Glacier. The trail is still ascending when we stop to camp at the meadows of Tseram (3750m) but we are now gaining altitude quite steadily and need to measure our ascent.

Day 11 Ramze
A magnificent trek today takes us to the meadows and pastures of Ramze (4360m) situated in a pleasant grassy ablation valley. As we climb higher, we find ourselves entering a tremendous cirque of peaks which forms Nepal’s border with Sikkim. Ramze is characterised by a series of clear mountain streams flowing though verdant alpine glades where we can pitch our camp with a fantastic backdrop of snowy, fluted peaks. We should reach Ramze by lunch time allowing for a restful afternoon. This camp will be our highest altitude so far.

Day 12 Mirgin La
We descend a short distance down the valley to a junction of paths where we turn off in a north-westerly direction and begin our climb to the Mirgin La (4900m). At first the going is fairly easy but it becomes much rougher as we cross a tortuous boulder field, the remnants of glacial debris deposited here thousands of years ago. Eventually we gain the crest of the pass and are greeted by a breath-taking panorama which includes Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Chamlang, Jannu and many other smaller peaks. We pause here to take the mandatory photos before beginning the descent on the west side of the pass. The temperatures begin to plummet and it is with some relief that we reach the warmth of our camp in an area of moraines above Lumba Samba Kharka.

Day 13 Past Lumba Samba Kharka to Ghunsa
After what will probably be a cold night we depart our camp as quickly as possible. In the morning the camp will still be in shadow, although down in the valley below we will be able to see the first rays of the morning sun hitting the grassy meadows of Lumba Samba. We race down into the valley where we can rest in the delightful meadows and can soak up the sun’s radiating warmth. We continue to descend down a pleasant sandy path and so reach the tree line and the cultivated potato fields of Ghunsa (3475m). This prosperous Tibetan style village is the largest and most important in the region. There is a small gompa and prayer flags flutter above the wood panelled houses. Our campsite is located in grassy meadows a little way beyond the main village centre, but the inquisitive village children will surround our camp almost at once.

Day 14 Kambachen
From Ghunsa the trail ascends along the Ghunsa Khola river through delightful pine and rhododendron forests, where the numerous chortens and mani walls we pass are a testament to the rich Buddhist culture of the region. Our destination today is the collection of yak pastures at Kambachen (4130m), a small summer grazing hamlet frequented by the villagers from Ghunsa. The situation here couldn’t be more impressive, with the tremendous west face of Jannu towering above us. The peaks of Sorbithongie (6669m) and Phole (6645m) complete an outstanding panorama, making this one of the finest camping sites on the entire trek.

Day 15 Lhonak
A stupendous day of walking awaits us today. We leave Kambachen and trek easily up a broad, grassy valley and as we progress a whole series of spectacular peaks come into view one by one. We are gaining altitude all the while, but the ascent is gradual and we are able to enjoy the sheer splendour of the mountains, pausing at each new vista to take lots of photographs. We stop for lunch in the meadows of Ramtang and get our first views of the superb Wedge Peak, with its exquisitely carved ice flutings. As we continue during the afternoon, The Twins, Merra, Nepal Peak and White Wave all come into view. Our campsite for the evening is on the grassy plains of Lhonak (4780m) situated directly beneath Wedge Peak. This campsite loses the sun very early in the afternoon and it will be a cold night here, but the tremendous views more than compensate.

Day 16 Pang Pema
The culmination of our trek is today’s short walk to Pang Pema (5150m), a delightful meadow in a broad, grassy ablation valley. Many people regard this as one of the most spectacular campsites in the world and the views of Kangchenjunga’s huge north face are nothing short of awesome. The long route successfully climbed by Doug Scott, Joe Tasker and Pete Boardman in 1979 can be seen almost in its entirety. Although Kangchenjunga totally dominates the scene here, there are numerous other peaks which together form Nepal’s border with Tibet and Sikkim, and you will use a lot of film here!

Day 17 Free at Pang Pema
Pang Pema is fortunate in that it gets the sun fairly early in the morning so we are able to have a leisurely breakfast outside of our mess tent with the most amazing views imaginable. There are various options for today. Many members will simply wish to rest and relax around camp, simply savouring the outstanding views. Others may wish to climb a little higher for some better views of Kangchenjunga. Alternatively it is possible to do a little local exploration towards the classic Jonsang La. This high pass was used by Douglas Freshfield and Vittorio Sella in their epic journey Around Kangchenjunga in 1899, and was later crossed by Frank Smythe when he repeated the journey 30 years later. Because the pass leads over the border into Tibet it is not permitted to cross it, but an approach to the pass is a thoroughly worthwhile excursion for today and is a journey through history. We can only wonder at the audacity and daring of the early explorers who came to this region over 100 years ago,

Day 18- 19 Return to Ghunsa
We return to Ghunsa, retracing our steps through Lhonak, Ramtang and to back to Kambachen where will will spend the night. The next day we trek through Ghunsa and continue to the Tibetan Refuge Camp at Phole where we will spend the night. There is also an excellent market here.

Day 20 Amjilasa
We leave the high mountains today and begin the final stage of our trek back to Taplejung. We follow the Ghunsa Khola steeply downhill through dense forests of oak and rhododendron which cling to the steep valley sides. We pass through the village of Kyapra which is the last Tibetan style community we visit. Turning to look back north there is a wonderful view back towards Ghunsa and with a final glance towards the mountains we continue trekking for an hour or so to a small forest clearing known as Tang- the altitude here is a mere 2300m which means we will have descended nearly 10,000 feet over the past three days. The trail undulates for a couple of hours until we reach the tiny village of Amjillasa where we camp.

Day 21 Chirwa
We leave the forests behind and traverse a high mountain path which eventually descends very steeply down to the Ghunsa Khola. There are expansive views down to the valley and across the endless series of interlocking ridgelines which make up Nepal’s lowland chain of hills. Eventually we reach Sakathon (1600m) where we camp in the pleasant village fields. An easy day as we follow the valley downwards to a mighty confluence where the Ghunsa Khola meets the Simbua Khola (which we followed to Ramze) and the Tamur Khola, which drains the region of Walungchung Gola, until very recently a restricted area. These three rivers combine to form the mighty Tamur River which we now follow as far as the little village of Chirwa. There are many small bathing pools on today’s route and at an altitude of only 1180 metres we will notice the appreciable warmth and humidity during the day.

Day 22 Campsite near to Taplejung
After three hours of walking we arrive at Mitlung where we have lunch. The land around us is heavily cultivated and we pass through several small villages where our Sherpa team will be able to buy fresh green vegetables. After Mitlung the trail begins to climb a long hill which eventually leads up to the airstrip at Taplejung. We camp after just an hour adjacent to some pleasant golden corn fields.

Day 23 Taplejung
We continue to climb the hill up to Taplejung, taking around three hours to reach the village. We have lunch here whilst our porters head straight through to the airstrip at Suketar. As this is the last trekking day it is not unusual for some members and Sherpas to indulge over lunch in the local home brewed ‘chang’ – fermented rice beer – before tackling the final two hour climb up to the airstrip. We stay in a lodge adjacent to the runway where we will have a final celebratory party with our Sherpa team.

Day 24 Return to Kathmandu
After breakfast we say goodbye to our team of porters and Sherpas who must walk out to the road head with all the tents and communal supplies. We then fly by RNAC Twin Otter back to Biratnagar and from there we connect with the Turboprop service to Kathmandu. On arrival we transfer to the Marsyangdi Hotel for that long awaited bath. In the evening we can look forward to eating out at one of Kathmandu’s many excellent restaurants.

Day 25 Kathmandu
A free day to explore this lively and exotic city. Guidebooks will suggest many popular excursions including the Buddhist stupa at Bodnath and the Monkey Temple at Swayambunath. These are best visited using a taxi or by bicycles which are available for rental at every street corner. In truth there are so many places to see in the Kathmandu valley that you will not have time for all of them. Many people enjoy just wandering about the narrow alleyways of Asan market place, or down by the temples and pagodas of Durbar Square, near to the old hippy area of Freak Street. Others will need to scour the plethora of walking and climbing shops for that last essential piece of trekking equipment. And for those who just have to stay in touch with the outside world you can check your email in one of the many internet cafes which have sprung up around Thamel Chowk and the Kathmandu guest house. In the evening we will visit a traditional Newari restaurant for an authentic Nepali meal and live entertainment.

Day 26 Return to UK
We depart the hotel very early in the morning for our flight home, arriving at London Heathrow Airport the same evening