Kanchenjunga Trek

Best Time

Because the Kanchenjunga region first gets the monsoon rain in its arrival and last to suffer when it leaves, the most enjoyable time for the Kanchenjunga trek is therefore fall or autumn period from September to November.

The routes to Kanchenjunga base camps and the dominant Passes at this time remain clear of fresh snow and the mornings and days bless exceptionally stable weather conditions and cold below usual values. The air is rejuvenated and purified by the monsoon with crisp vegetation. However, nights can quickly become cold, and heat around or below freezing are not uncommon.

Spring season spans in Kanchenjunga from the beginning of March until May featured by the warm heat and indescribably lush colors and flowers. Although snowfalls to the base camps and high Passes cannot be completely counted out.

Winter commences in mid-December to late February characterized by heavy snow, and cold heat in Kanchenjunga making it unfeasible to trek to the region.

From the beginning of June, the monsoon rain begins till August downpouring intense rain in Kanchenjunga making the track vulnerable to landslides.

Elevation and distance

Our Kanchenjunga trek route is a circular walking route of 250 km in length that smoothly passes from tropical, bamboo, and rhododendron forests to the high-mountain zone with the opportunity to touch the third peak of the world.

Starting from Bhadrapur, which is 297 kilometers apart from Kathmandu and accessible by a quick 45-minute flight, our 19 days Kanchenjunga trek proceeds on its journey. We will commence to walk from Suketar- 245 km farther from the capital and 221.6 km from Bhadrapur airport.
During the trekking segment of the tour, we may have to climb up to 12000 m approximately per day or less. And, the descent can take place up to approximately 1600 m per day or less.

During this tour, our highest sleeping height will be at Lhonak at 4785 m and the highest height our foot will take us will be at the Pangpema Base Cam at 5143 m.

Maximum/Minimum walk per day

We have distributed 16 days for walking in our 19 days Kanchenjunga trek with walking times up to 7 hours per day. However, most stages of the tour are shorter not exceeding 6 hours resulting in walking distances of 15 to 20 km each day.

The shortest day in terms of walking duration will be when we travel from Sele La Camp to Ghunsa, which only takes 4 hours. On the other hand, day 14 will be the toughest and longest, as we journey from Lhonak to Pangpema and back to Lhonak within 7 to 8 hours.

Difficulty and Acclimatization

The 19 days Kanchenjunga Trek is a very demanding expedition type of hiking adventure to the lonesome region of Kanchenjunga. However, our track doesn’t include high alpine challenges as the majority of our walking trail runs through wide beautifully laid out hiking trails. But, there will be some narrow and steep tracks for example when going down towards Ghunsa.

In addition, during our Kanchenjunga trek, we will be at heights surpassing 4500 m for several days. Therefore, being accustomed to heights will be most essential.

In our travel program, we have attached significant importance to good and sustainable acclimatization at altitude. The first week of our trekking tour is primarily intended for altitude acclimatization. In this section, our stages are deliberately kept a little shorter in order to be able to maintain appropriate sleeping heights for better acclimatization.

We have planned a rest day at Cheram during which we will roam through the beautiful rhododendron and bamboo forests in the surrounding area. This day will therefore give us additional strength for the following stages as we approach the northern massif of the Kanchenjunga.

A trip to the Oktang viewpoint and relatively lower Southern base camp will then prepare us optimally for the altitude at the Kanchenjunga north base camp.

Can a beginner do this trek?

The 19 days Kanchenjunga trek is ideal only for trained mountain hikers who are used to high-altitude remote trekking trips, especially in Nepal. Those who love longer tours with an altitude of more than 3000 m and who already have good physical well-being can easily engage in this trip.

There are also three major high Passes that you have to tackle each exceeding the elevation of 4000 m along with several other small passes reaching up to 3000 m.

Thus, another precondition for this trek is you should regularly do the endurance sport and have trekking experience of several days but only a little experience with altitudes around and above 5000 meters.

Another essential factor you should keep in mind is this trek is literally far from home trip. You must therefore be ready to live the basic local conditions in simple teahouses.

They are small and in the very first stages, but decent enough and they can remind you of those you saw on, for example, the Annapurna trek 30-40 years ago.

You should not therefore compare the teahouses on Kanchenjunga with those you find at Annapurna or Everest, which are more like small hotels.

Therefore, for the first adventure trip in Nepal, we don’t recommend this trip.

Preparation and training

Often people neglect the importance of the physical and mental resources they will need for the trek. They start training 2 weeks before their trip and think it is far more than enough. However, when you are not used to walking, a period of physical preparation of 3 to 4 months on average before departure is a must.

For regular walkers, that is to say for people who have allowed themselves at least two hours per week of walking at a moderate pace for 6 months, you just have to add muscle-strengthening sessions. Still, plan for about 3 sports sessions in your week lasting 30 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes for top preparation.

For a long hour hike, you need a trained heart and strong legs. For a trek, you should add the weight of the backpack.

For shortness of breath, you should find endurance sports (walking, cycling, running, swimming) at moderate intensity over a longer duration (between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes). If you are in the gym, you can turn to equipment such as the exercise bike, elliptical or rowing machine, or group sports sessions such as cardio training.

To feel strong on your legs, you can follow the exercises such as squats, lunges, the chair, and the hip thrust. To avoid having to carry the weight of the backpack, you can strengthen your back with the daily practice of walking with 5 to 15 kg each day.

As for psychological preparation, please accept the likelihood of unforeseen events, know this, and accept them, especially since these unforeseen events are often real highlights.

Living in a group will also require your adaptation skills. A positive outlook, team coordination, and an irreplaceabl humor are welcome to ensure a good atmosphere in the Kanchenjunga trek.

Alternate Route

The Kanchenjunga trek offers great flexibility which allows trekkers to customize their route depending on their physical abilities, time, and preferences.

Here, we have included a visit to the Southern base camp first followed by the crossings of the four High Passes, and then a visit to the Northern Base Camp. You can also choose to start trekking to Northern Base Camp, which prevails over the four High passes followed by a trek to the Southern Base Camp. However, this route often leads to a rapid gain in heights with shorter days for acclimatization.

Another option you can add to excite your Kanchenjunga trek is to climb the Drohmo Ri Peak standing at 6100 m from the Pangpema base camp. However, the ascending track is more strenuous and technical.

To cut short your trek, you can also march to either any one of the base camps.

Altitude Sickness

In our 19 days Kanchenjunga trek, nine days will be spent above the altitude of 3500 m. Our highest sleeping elevation will be at Lhonak at 4785 m and the highest altitude will be at Pangpema Base Camp at 5143 m.

In lack of appropriate altitude acclimatization, you will surely go through altitude sickness. Many of our members who have taken part in this journey have encountered milder effects such as headaches, nausea, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

Our guides have received thorough training and have extensive experience in this trek so they are skilled to effectively address such situations. After monitoring your condition, they may provide you with Diamox Tablets that will reduce the mild symptoms within 2 to 3 hours. If the symptoms continue, you will be moved to a lower elevation until you show signs of improvement.

To prevent acute mountain sickness (altitude sickness), we suggest you consistently use your energy reserves at the beginning of the tour. Please protect your body and protect yourself from overexertion or stress as well as from cold, wind, and weather.

When beginning the day for a trek, please eat healthy, walk gradually, and do not race especially when climbing, and increase your intake of fluids and water. And, please trust our guide and follow his advice whenever such a situation arises.

Transportation, Accommodation, Meals and Drinks

On the very first day of our Kanchenjunga trek, you will be flying from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur which we take care of of course. Then, you will be driven in private transport from Bhadrapur Airport to Taplejung or Suketar.

At the conclusion of the journey, we will ensure a return flight for you from Taplejung to Kathmandu. As the flight takes place only three times a week, there is also an option to travel by local bus to the capital.

We will sleep in simple hotels in Phikkal, Taplejung, and Suketar. However, each room will come with a shower and bathroom. It has not been long since the Kanchenjunga trek has turned into a full tea house trek.

So there are simple lodgings in a very basic condition enough for a night stay and avoid the need to camp in cold tents. However, many renovations are underway and we will do our best to house you in the best among the best accommodations.

Meals on the trekking tour are taken in the tea house. The menu mainly includes vegetarian dishes based on rice, pasta, or potatoes in a wide variety of variations.

Snacks, chocolate, bars, beverages, etc. are not included and must be brought by yourselves or some can be purchased on-site.

Communication, Gadgets charging, and Internet/wifi

You can get a SIM Card in Nepal to make international or national calls or simply to stay connected at all times. To do this, you have two companies, Ncell, and Nepal Telecom, the first being the one we suggest as it is the most tourist-oriented due to its easy acquisition. It should be noted that we are talking about a prepaid card.

On the other hand, you can also go for Nepal eSIM (NTC or NCELL) so you don’t need a physical SIM to make calls or have internet, but you install a virtual card in your mobile phone without problems. You make the purchase, automatically configure your phone and as soon as you arrive at your destination your smartphone will connect to the network.

Both options will allow you to connect to a 4G or 5G network for improved internet accessibility. However, in the distant region of Kanchenjunga, the signal often comes and goes so don’t rely on the continuous service.

As for WIFI, the hotels up to Taplejung and Suketar are equipped with good WIFI. Following the proceedings to the unique hamlets, the tea houses don’t offer the WIFI so rely on your mobile data.

There is electricity now in the villages and locals have installed solar for the uninterrupted flow of the current. So you can charge your gadgets but not free of charge of course.

Permits

After you choose our Kanchenjunga trek, we will carry on the process of acquiring the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project Entry Permit (KCAP) and Restricted Area Entry Permit (Rap) for you. The associated fees are part of our itinerary cost.