Kanchenjunga Trek

Departure from France from different cities

Arrival in Kathmandu
Arrival at Kathmandu airport (usually in the afternoon) already marks our entry into another world... Customs formalities, baggage collection and welcome by our local French-speaking guide. Crossing the city to the hotel already offers a first discovery of the bustling and colorful capital of Nepal. Buses, trucks, bicycles and sacred cows crisscross in a friendly chaos... Depending on the arrival time, visit the surrounding area or simply settle in and rest at the hotel before your dinner at the hotel.
In case of early arrival in Kathmandu, lunch will be included in the program.

Free time 
Accommodation: In Hotel 

Flight from Kathmandu -Bhadrapur, Ilam -Taplejung (2400m)
Departure at dawn to reach the national airport. The check-in hall offers a very special atmosphere where a good-natured character, administrative rigor and excitement of upcoming departures combine... all in the middle of the luggage piled up on either side of the counters... Flight (subject to the vagaries of the weather... ) towards the south to reach the border town of Bhadrapur. We leave directly by private bus towards the town of Ilam, located about 3 hours away, between the plains of the Terai and the first hills covered with terraced crops and subtropical vegetation. We then continue between the tea crops and the winding road to the hamlet of Apu Khola and then we arrive at Taplejung in a capital of Kangchenjunga. Long day of driving. A little after 10 hours in the jeep. Really arrive at the stage in the evening.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Accommodation : in lodge

Taplejung – Chirwa- Tapethok – Sekhathum (1596m)
We got up peacefully after a long journey the previous day. It’s another day in a jeep but rather the mountain jeep on the track. It takes a little after 4 hours by jeep and we walk 1 hour to reach the stage.
The terrain is wooded and rocky and it is at Tapethok that rice fields and bamboos timidly reappear. We continue our long descent to the bottom of the Ghunsa Khola gorge. Narrow and steep paths, bridges and stairs, follow one another until Sakathum where the valley begins to widen.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Time: 4h to 5h of jeep+30 minutes of walk 
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +800m/-600m

Sekathum - Amjilossa (2550 m)
Our Sekathum stage is the valley begins to widen. It begins with narrow and steep paths, bridges and stairs. We continue our long steep climb from the bottom of the Ghunsa Khola gorge. The cool stop, we have lunch and sleep in Amjilosa. It is a small village of 4/5 houses. Well insulated with terraces and crops. Full nature. Sometimes opportunities to taste local yogurt. Camp at the hamlet of Amjilosa.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 3h to 4h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +851m/-47m

We begin to climb gradually after 10 minutes of walking. A balcony and aerial path. We gradually leave the distance with the valley floor. There are several successions of descents and ascents. In front of us, numerous waterfalls, more or less enlarged by the melting of the snow, are discovered as we progress. We cross several trails with different landscapes in the rhododendron forests. Camp at the hamlet of Gybla. There are two villages up and down or the old and new village. Opportunities to visit the old village after lunch.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h to 4h30
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +554m/-234m

We progress to the bottom of the gorge, surrounded by rhododendron forests, to the hamlet of phere and its two beautiful gompas. We have lunch at Phale 3215m. Afterwards, we visit the monastery. We pass many Buddhist monuments. A few fields of potatoes that resist the altitude well dot the bushes along the path before crossing deep gorges. We arrive in the largest and most beautiful village in the region at Gunsa. It is a large village with many Buddhist monuments.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h to 5h30
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +967m/-272m

>Rest day to acclimatize. We go up to Boktoh point view (4135m). We climb into the beautiful forests and into the mountain pastures with a beautiful view of the mountains. It’s a great day out and back with great hiking. We have lunch at Gunsa and after lunch rest and visit the village. Free time after lunch.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h 
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +/-733m

We go up the Ghunsa Khola valley along a path perched above the river, sometimes on one bank, sometimes on the other. We thus reach the Tibetan hamlet of Khambachen, located opposite the entrance to the Jannu cirque. At this altitude of 3900 m, the trees have disappeared. You cannot find a more beautiful view of its immense granite wall. It resisted attacks by the best mountaineers before being climbed for the first time by a Russian team in 2004.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h30
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +785/-100m

The Ghunsa Khola rises north towards a very dense complex of high mountains, at the bottom of which the Kangchenjunga is hidden. The route follows a good balcony path, joins the front of the glacier and runs along its moraine through small valleys. We set up camp at the mouth of a large sandy valley where a Tibetan summer pasture hamlet, Lonak, is located. We will sleep here for 2 nights, in the middle of a very spectacular glacial crossroads. On either side stand high glaciated peaks, little known but magnificent: Merra 6335 m, Kangbachen 7902m, White Wave 6960m, Chang himal 6812m, Nepal peak 7168m, etc…

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h30
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +706/-50m

It's the most magical day of the program. To enjoy an exceptional view of the third highest mountain in the world, bathed in the crystalline purity of the high-altitude light, we walk along the glacier, facing a barrier of summits at more than 7000 m, chiselled with ice flutes, overflowing with seracs, hemmed with cornices. We soon perceive the entrance of a major tributary coming from the right, flowing directly from the foot of the northern wall of Kangchenjunga. Little by little the cirque is revealed, immense, cold, austere... It is undoubtedly one of the most impressive walls on earth! We enjoy this wonderful place as long as possible, before returning to camp.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6/7h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +/-793m

Descend towards Khambachen from where we climbed on day 9. After lunch, possibilities to climb to a splendid place towards the base camp of Janu Himal (Kumbhakarna) (7710m). Dominate the camp and enjoy the sunrise on the southern slope of Jannu (7710 m). This mountain, with its lines of rare aesthetics, was climbed for the first time in 1962 by a team of French mountaineers, including the famous Lionel Terray, René Desmaison and Robert Paragot. The people of the region worship these mountains. There are many pilgrims in summer. 500 pilgrims pass during the day. There is a temple with a big rock. Very beautiful view of Janu Himal with other mountains.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6/7h (Not counting after lunch break) Choice rest/walk 
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +31m/-687m

This morning we retrace our steps towards Ghunsa and leave the high altitude with a pang in our hearts... Time is slowly catching up with us and we cannot stay any longer in this universe of pure serenity. We pass back near Jannu for a last glance at this very aesthetic mountain. We arrive for lunch and after rest and laundry.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +176m/-681m

We will then begin to attack the heights to reach the greenery, the softness and the cover of the rhododendrons.
Another exceptional day. We go off-trail to reach the belvedere ridge. We pass the view point which overlooks Gunsa and the trails that we took before arriving at Gunsa. We then retrace our steps to join the path leading to the Seleley pass (4180 m).

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +878m/-43m

We rise into the morning sun above the Kanchenjunga valley to head south of the massif. We climb to the mountain pasture to attack several salt passes with the summit of Makalu 8463m emerging on the horizon. The path rises sharply to the ridge of Mirgin la et sine la pache. There are several descents and climbs to cross the 3 passes. Beautiful view of the mountain range in the southern Kanchenjunga massif.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h to 6h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +492m/-862m

See you today with Kangchenjunga! We leave for a nice acclimatization run back and forth above Tseram, along the Yalung glacier. Early departure in a fresh atmosphere. Along the way, the white walls of Kabruse reflect in the waters of two small lakes. We reach the edge of the moraine of the powerful Yalung glacier where it is not uncommon to see large bharals, a Himalayan goat also called blue sheep, grazing on the alpine steppe. A "tea shop", a small tea stand, installed in the long ablation valley which borders the moraine is welcome for a good break before reaching the Oktang belvedere at 4700 meters, at the foot of Kangchenjunga 8586 m. The base camp of its normal route is located further on the glacier. Its gigantic southwest face stands 3000 m high. The summit has only been climbed by 250 people. Return to Tseram camp.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 7h to 8h 
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +/-950m

The day is easy. We descend by a pleasant path following the course of the Simbua Khola. The forest is thinning out more and more, opening up the view of the Kabru massif. Also surprising is this small Hindu temple dedicated to snakes, on the side of the path that leads us to Tortong.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h 
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +171m/-1051m

We cross the bridge and leave the bank of the Simbua Khola, which flows from the southern Kangchenjunga glacier. The trail climbs through a spectacular rhododendron forest, with numerous specimens of large rhododendrons, recognizable by their long leaves 20 to 30 cm long, which are only found in eastern Nepal. We climb the Lamite Bhanjyang ridge, at 3350 m, is the last mountain that separates us from the Kangchenjunga valley. The mountain, covered with humid forest, is covered in a mysterious atmosphere. Orchids cling to mossy branches, giant lichens drape entire trees. We cross the Dubi Bhanjyang ridge, at 2540 m, to descend into the Omje Khola valley. There is no longer a village, only a few mountain pastures in rare clearings. We cross the Dubi Bhanjyang ridge, at 2540 m, to descend into the Omje Khola valley. There is no longer a village, only a few mountain pastures in rare clearings. In the two villages we pass, Limbus, Sherpas, Rais and Gurungs live together. You will notice the large fields of millet, a cereal that the villagers ferment to prepare the local beer, latomba. It is drunk with a straw in large bamboo cups. To test. Arrival early in the afternoon at Yamphudin camp, official entrance to Kangchenjunga National Park.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h to 7h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +885m/-1830m

This is the last day of the trek, following a river through rice fields before going down and up wooded slopes to small hamlets. We are in the country of the Limbu ethnic group who have inhabited Eastern Nepal since the dawn of time. We continue our route through the greenery of the mid-altitude mountains. Alternation of balcony paths taking cultivated terraces, rural encounters on the outskirts of villages, passages in the undergrowth sometimes lined with large cardamom leaves, deep jungles where torrents and waterfalls flow, suspension bridges, steep paths on the way up like on the way down. The camp is located in the magnificent Limbu village of Khibang: white and ocher two-story houses, flowered balconies and thatched roofs highlighted by garlands of corn cobs. It goes up to the pass and goes down steeply to Kebang. We cross tracks and return to civilization.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference: +991m/-1286m

We take the jeep to go to Badrapur city. It’s a long day of drive. It takes around 12 hours by jeep. The hotel is next to the airport.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Accommodation : in hotel 

45 minutes flight to Kathmandu. Then visit and rest.

Breakfast and Lunch included 
Accommodation: In Hotel 

Departure to the destination.

Breakfast included 

Arrival at the destination.

End of the trip.