Day 01: Arrive Kathmandu airport, transfer to hotel.
Day 02: Paper work such as special trekking permit from Nepal government office.
Day 03: Fly to Suketar trek to Tembewa 1880m 4-5 hours. Early morning flight to Suketar. The first stage of your journey partly follows the unfinished dirt road along a rhododendron- covered ridge known as Suke Danda 2580m. At the high-test point of the ridge, a side trail branches north towards the revered Pathivhara Devi who is clan deity of Hindus. The trail on Kanchenjunga winds down through forest to a collection of basic teashop lodges at Lali Kharka 2220m, and them drops amongst terraced fields to the substantial Limbu village of Tembewa 1880m, where groups set up camp for the night.
Day 04: Trek Tembewa to Khesewa 1960m, 5-6 hours. From Tembewa, the trail strains up to al ridge, then drop steeply through the villages of Shimu and Pokara to a suspension bridge across the Phewa Khola at 1430m. Climb steeply up the east side of the valley to the Limbu village of Kanjari 1700m. Continually Sinchebu Bhanyang 2240m where there is Gurung settlement has several shops and catches your first views of the snowy caps of Kandchenjuga and Kyabru 7412m. Look out for the Peg-like summit of Jannu (Kumbakarna) 7710m to the west of the main ridge. Continue over the pass into the valley of the Kavely Khola and Khesewa 1960m where our staff will settle the camp night.
Day 05: Trek Khesewa to Mamanke 1780m. 6-7 hours trekking. From Khesewa, it's an easy descent past a series of small waterfalls to a crude bridge over the Nadewa Khola. Just beyond is Phundruwa, which is shown on some maps with the fanciful spelling Phun; Cross the saddle to an enormous papal tree, then turn north towards Yangpang, where you may be able to find restorative cup of tea. The path climbs through forest past a large waterfall, and then descends across a series of gullies to a ridge at 1850m. The stage of the day is a tiring climb past the dotted houses of Pauwa to Manmanke where your staffs settle the camp. Day 06: Trek Mamanke to Yamhudin 1690m 3-4 hours trekking. On today's you will meet mixing village of Sherpa, Gurung, Rai, Limbu with some basic lodge, shops and school.
Day 07: Trek Yamphuding to Amji Khola 2340m 3-4 hours trekking. Today's path is zigzags up through fields of corn and barley to a handful of houses at Darachuk, and continues climbing through meadows to a pass at Dhupi Bhanjyang 2540m. That's the hard work over the final stage of the day is a gradual descent through ferns and forests to the edge of the Amji Khola. An alternative trails runs along the opposite bank of the Amji Khola, but this involves a steep climb on a hard -to-follow path, and you must continue over the Lamite Bhanjyang to find the camp.
Day 08: Trek Amji Khola to Torantan 2990m, 5-6 hours. From the camp site at Amji Khola, it's another steep climb through bamboo forests to a Kharka at Chitre 2930m, which often resounds to the climbing of yak bells. The final stage up to the Lamite Bhanyang 3410 is less strenuous, passing through a bird-filled forest of pines and rhododendrons. The trail emerges into the open above the churning Simbua Khola; follow it upstream to a wooden bridge and cross to Torontan, where a handful of teahouses offer meals and rudimentary rooms.
Day 09: Trek Torontan to Tseram 3870m 4-5 hours trekking. Tseram is 900m above from Toronatan, and the climb takes you to an elevation where you may feel the first effects of altitude sickness. From there you are just two days' walk from the Indian border and Sikkim. The hike starts in forest of mixed rhododendrons, then climbs over the scars of old landslides to an isolated gosh at Tsento Kang 3360m. Continue with Spanish moss, with glimpses of the snow peaks between the trees. This is the place to indulge you’re your fantasies of being an early Himalayan explore or a warrior on a World of Warcraft mission. The snow peaks become more imposing as you follow a gravel streambed bowards Tsera, a grassy meadow beside a jumble of mossy boulders. At the edge of the meadow is a single-story shack that doubles as a lodge and shop - most people camp just in front.
Day 10: Trek Tseram to Ramche 4620m, 3 hours trekking. Above Tseram the trail climbs to the treeing, passing the junction with another small trail to Mirgin La. Above a mani wall at 4040m, alpine meadows slope up the valley towards the peaks of Rathong 6678m and Kabru Dome 6700m. You are now in serious mountain country and there is little shelter from the icy winds that blow off the glacier. The trail climbs alongside the terminal moraine of the Yalung Glacier to a yak pasture at Yalung Bara 4260m. Many groups headed for Mirging La turn off here and climb west for four to five hours to camp site below the pass. For south base camp, continue along the north side of the valley to small, often-frozen lake a Lapsang 4430m. Just beyond Lapsang, a smaller trail turns west along a side valley towards the Lapsang La 5160m the high pass leading to Guhnsa. As you trek through this area, keep an eye out for herds of blue sheep high on the sides of the valley. The view is dominated by the spectacular peak of Rathong, straddling the Nepal India border.
Day 11: Day Trip to Yalung Glacier; Return Tseram 6-7 hours walking. The end point of this trek is loosely defined. The actual base camp for mountaineering ascent of Kanchenjunga is a one or two day walk along the Yalung Glacier, but most groups are happy to make half day trek to a viewpoint on top of the moraine. From the camp site at Ramche, follow the strum and then climb up onto the top of the moraine to a cairn-like chorten stuck with prayer flags and tridents, for a hot shopping view of the south face of Kanchenjunga, which from here seems to occupy the entire skyline. A short distance beyond the chorten, the perspective changes and you will get glimpse of Jannu. This is a good place to turn around and retrace your steps to Tseram. To continue to Oktang or the actual base camp, you would need to clamber down the crumbling side of the moraine onto the precarious surface of the glacier. Return to Ramche and descend to Tseram for the night camp.
Day 12: Trek Tsera to Lamite Bhanjyang 6-7 hours.
Day 13: Trek Lamite Bhanjyang to Yamphudin 5-6 hours.
Day 14: Trek Yamphudin to Phumphe 5-6 hours.
Day 15: Trek Phumphe to Kunjari 6-7 hours.
Day 16: Trek Kanjari to Suketar 7-8 hours.
Day 17: Fly Suketar to Kathmandu if flight available or fly to Biratnagar and Biratnagar to Kathamndu.
Day 18: Free day in Kathmandu.
Day 19: Leave Kathamndu. |