Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

After having your breakfast at the hotel, you’ll embark on a short flight to Biratnagar located in the southeast of Nepal. Biratnagar lies 237 km southeast of Kathmandu in the Terai region of Nepal. After a brief layover, you’ll catch a commute and drive to Basantapur, Terhathum. Overnight stay at Basantapur.

The trek commences at Basantapur and gradually advances through the lushly forested hills to the village of Chauki. During the final parts of the trek, you pass Deurali and trek along the Tinjure Danda to reach Chauki. At Chauki, on a clear day, you will witness the majestic panorama of Kanchenjunga and Makalu peaks in the distance. Overnight stay at Chauki.

You’ll leave Chauki and trek north to Gupha Pokhari, a popular local tourist destination in Eastern Nepal. The uphill trek from Chauki advances through the lush rhododendron forest all the way the village of Gupha Pokhari (2900m) where you’ll find a pristine natural pond overlooking the beautiful valley. This pond is also revered by both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. Overnight stay at Gupha Pokhari.

You’ll leave Dobhan and trek downhill through the rhododendron forests to the village of Gorja Gaon. A short downhill hike will bring you to Dobhan village. It may take almost 7 hours to trek downhill through Gorja Gaon to reach Dobhan. Dobhan, at 645m, is the lowest altitude you’ll reach during the trek. The village is mostly inhabited by the indigenous Rai and Limbu tribes. Overnight stay at Dobhan.

Leaving Dobhan, you’ll begin trekking through the picturesque landscape and lushly forested trail towards Mitlung. From Dobhan, the trek heads on roadside tracks for a while to reach Khamlung. Later, you pass Khaireni and Hirebu. The trek progresses along the Tamor River to reach Mitlung. Mitlung is situated south to the confluence of Tamor and Sisne rivers. Overnight stay at Mitlung.

Crossing the suspension bridge you’ll start ascending uphill through the densely forested trail with narrow gorge to the village of Chirwa. The route goes through Pithu village and passes numerous small settlements to reach Tawa. Heading northeast, the trek concludes at Chirwa. The traditional village of Chirwa is mostly inhabited by Rai, Tamang, and Limbu ethnic groups. Overnight stay at Chirwa.

Leaving Chirwa, you’ll begin walking along the Ghunsa River and through the Tamor River valley towards Sukethum. The trek reaches Taplethok and continues to Temewa before reaching Sukethum. At Sukethum, you also enter the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. Crossing Simbuwa River followed by another crossing of Chatte1576m River takes you to Sukethum. Overnight stay at Sukethum.

Leaving Sukethum, you’ll encounter entirely an uphill trek. The trail goes along the Ghunsa River up north. Passing Jongim and Solima, the trek continues along Chanjalung Danda to arrive at Amjilosa. The continuous uphill ascent may take well over 5hr to reach Amjilosa from Sukethum. The village is mostly inhabited by the indigenous Sherpa tribe. Overnight stay at Amjilosa.

Today, you trek through the sparsely forested area to Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. You head towards Thyanyani and cross Saekang River. You’ll further pass through the dense bamboo, fir and rhododendron forests in between and trek uphill to reach the large Tibetan-settlement village of Gyabla. Here, you can explore the village and taste local cuisines. Overnight stay at Gyabla.

You’ll begin trekking eastward of Gyabla and walk few hours to reach Phale village. Phale is popular for its handmade Tibetan carpets and rugs which is a very popular export of the village. The trail, hereon, passes along the Lumba Sumba Pass (5160m) around Makalu and advances towards Ghunsa. Overnight at Ghunsa.

Today, you’ll spend time exploring Ghunsa village. It is a beautiful Tibetan village located above 3000m. Because of the high altitude, it’s essential that you spend time acclimatizing before ascending further. You can take an easy stroll around the village and explore the Tibetan settlement, beautiful Buddhist monastery, and majestic sceneries. Overnight stay at Ghunsa.

Leaving Ghunsa you’ll trek upward and enter Kanchenjunga Conservation Area. You’ll walk past meadows with wildflower and rhododendron along with pine forests on both sides of the trail. You’ll arrive at Rampuk Kharka from where you can catch the spectacular view of Mt. Januu (7711m), Phole Peak (6645m), Sobi Thongje (6652m), and Ghabur Peak (6044m). A few hours of the trek will bring you to Kambachen from here. Overnight stay at Kambachen.

Today it will be a challenging trek as you leave Kambachen and make your way north to the village of Lhonak. From Kambachen, it’s a decent 5-6hr hike to Lhonak village. From here you can catch the spectacular views of Kanchenjunga (8586m), Wedge Peak (6750m), Ramtang Peak (6700m), and Table Shikha (6,510m) among a plethora of other peaks. You’ll pass through Ramtang village and trek further to arrive at Lhonak. Overnight stay at Lhonak.

Today is the ultimate day as you leave Lhonak and trek to Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (5143m) or Pangpema. It may take almost 6hr from Lhonak to reach the base camp. You’ll mostly encounter rugged trail with snow and rock. Once at the base camp, you can enjoy the wonderful view of Kanchenjunga Glacier and the various summits of Kanchenjunga, Januu Himal, and Chang Himal ranges up close. Afterward, you’ll trek back to Lhonak.

Leaving Lhonak, you’ll start descending to the village of Ghunsa; however, it’s a fairly easy trek hence you’ll enjoy the day. You can enjoy the surrounding view of the mesmerizing mountains en route to Ghunsa. The trek will descend for most of the occasions and follows the Tamor River. Overnight stay at Ghunsa.

From Ghunsa, you’ll trek through the beautiful Pine, Birch, and Rhododendron forest towards Selele La Base Camp. The trek initially crosses the Selele La Pass (4480m) before making the descent to the base camp. It may take an ample amount of trek to the top of Selele La Pass (4480m), nevertheless, the views from the top are worthwhile of the rigorous climb. Mountains in Kanchenjunga and Sharphu ranges can be witnessed from the top. Later, you head to the Selele La Base Camp. Overnight stay at Selele La Base Camp.

From Selele La Base Camp, you’ll advance towards the Tibetan-styled village of Tseram (3870m). The trek on this day also crosses a high mountain pass by the name of Sinion La Pass (4646m). The panorama of Himalayas and glorious landscapes from the top of the pass are genuinely astounding. Then, you continue the trek and descend to Tseram. If the weather is clear, you can see the highest mountain on Earth, Mt Everest (8848m) from Tseram. Overnight stay at Tseram.

Leaving Tseram, You’ll trek uphill to the village of Ramche. After lunch, you can explore the Yalung glacier and Oktang monastery. The monastery is not just a religious symbol but a great vantage point to observe the peaks in Kanchenjunga, Kabru, and Simhalila ranges. After exploring the easternmost skirts of the Kanchenjunga region and Nepal, you return to Ramche. Overnight stay at Ramche.

From Cheram, you’ll make your way downhill to Tortong (2995m). Just a juncture ahead, you’ll encounter a Y-junction trail which leads directly to Selele La Pass on the right. You’ll take a left turn and trek towards Tortong passing lush rhododendron forest along Simbuwa River. Crossing Anda Phedi, you trek for a couple of hours to arrive at Tortong. Overnight stay at Tortong.

Leaving Tortong, you’ll trek from to Yamphudin village which is an easy downhill trek. You’ll pass through the lushly forested trail with lots of rhododendron bushes on both sides and walk past Lasiya Danda before reaching Yamphudin. On this day, the trek trail is opposite of the Deurali Danda for its entirety. Overnight stay at Yamphudin.

From Yamphudin, you’ll trek towards Mamankhe (1785m). An easy downhill trek from Mamankhe will bring you to beautiful ridges and a waterfall at Khebang village. Before arriving at Khebang, you cross the Ratadanda and Sangading. The day also entails crossing two hilly passes by the names of Ghatichhinne Bhanjyang and Kechana Bhanjyang. Overnight stay at Khebang.

Leaving Khebang, you’ll trek downhill to the village of Phakholing. Today is a long day with the 1000m drop over 6km to Dobhan for the lunch stop and another straight trek to the village of Phakholing. As the trek for the day nears its end, you also cross Khanigaon and Limbuding. Overnight stay at Phakholing.

Today is the last day of the trek as you finish with the 1200m climb to the village of Tharpu. You will basically take it easy and enjoy last glimpses of Kanchenjunga range from the vantage point of the village to end the trek. The trek crosses Kabeli River and concludes at the settlement of Tharpu. Overnight stay at Tharpu

You’ll catch a commute from Tharpu to Bhadrapur. The 190km drive will take you directly to the airport at Bhadrapur. The drive cuts through seven narrow ranges with over 100 hairpin turns and endless windings. It may well over 8hr to reach Bhadrapur. Overnight stay at Bhadrapur.

Today, you’ll catch a connecting flight back to Kathmandu. The scenic flight will take you over the lush forests and colorful settlements of Eastern Nepal back to Kathmandu. In Kathmandu, enjoy the hotel amenities or head to the wellness centers in the valley for relieving your tired bodies. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Today, you’ll drive back to the airport to catch your flight back home. A Himalaya Summit Club representative will accompany you as the journey comes to an end and you head to your destination.