Mt. Kanchenjunga Expedition

In the morning after breakfast at 9 AM, we host a Pre-Trip meeting at your hotel in Kathmandu and introduce you to our Sherpa climbing leader who will brief about the climbing program, official formalities and shopping items etc. Overnight at hotel

We will take a morning flight (45 min) to Bhadrapur and then continue our journey with a long drive to Taplejung (9 – 10 hours). On the way we pass through Ilam, Nepal’s largest tea plantation area.

The next couple of days see us trekking through Nepal’s lush, green and diverse mid hills, following shimmering rivers and contouring around precipitous ridge lines. The villages we pass through are Hindu and Buddhist with traditional mud-brick houses and are dotted with rice paddies, terraced fields, fruit trees and cardamom farms. Today we walk down to the Tamur River and then follow it upstream, stopping for lunch at Handewa. We will be following the Great Himalaya Trail Cultural Route, a spectacular and interesting route through some of Nepal’s most remote villages.

Today is quite challenging as we follow rough paths high above the river. The trail passes through the Limbu and Tamang villages of Sinwa, Tawa and Porke, and as the valley narrows, passes over old landslidedebris and b oulder-strewn river deposits. We will finally descend to the Thiwa Khola, crossing it on a wooden bridge, before the final leg of up and down before arriving at the small market town of Chirwa.

Today we pass through Limbu, Rai, Tamang and Sherpa villages. The trail follows the Tamur River and climbs a spur before descending to the Simbua Khola, which originates from the Yalung Glacier on the south of Kanchenjunga. After another ridge we join the steep and narrow Ghunsa Khola Valley and then where the confluence of the Tamur River and Ghunsa Khola meet it is only a 15 minute walk to our campsite on the banks of the river at Sukethum.

From Phuramba we trek northeast along the Ghunsa Khola gaining altitude as we head towards Kanchenjunga South Base Camp. Today’s walking is on exposed terrain with steep uphill after our lunch stop at Jaubari, bringing us to the Tibetan village of Japan Tar where we will camp for the night.

After traversing through mixed Himalayan Oak, Rhododendron and bamboo forest we meet the valley base, which has risen steeply. We pass more camping places and eventually come to Amjilasa, a sparse sherpa settlement for overnight stay

This relatively short day continues to climb along the Ghunsa valley. You will definitely feel the mountainsare  getting closer as you climb to a flat ridge and meander through a forest of bamboo, rhododendrons and gnarled brown oaks, passing scattered pastures and waterfalls. Eventually, you will come to a large cascade on the Ghunsa Khola.

The day begins with a steep drop into a ravine, followed by an easy level stage through fir and rhododendron forest along the river bank. It takes all morning to trek to the yak pastures and potato fields of Phole 3210mwhere th e villagers will provide fresh several vegetable. Above Phole, the valley widens and the trail improves as you trek through fields and larch forest, dipping down to the riverbed before crossing Ghunsa.This is the largest village on t he trek and Buddhist prayer flags flutter over the rooftops.

You have new entered serous mountain country and you must prepare your body for the increase in altitude.Gh unsa is an attractive place to kick back for day – may people use this rest day to wash cloths in the river or stroll up to the fading Gompa above the village, but you can also take a rewarding day hike along the trail to Lapsang La.

Beyond the land slide, the trail climbs gradually the drops down the Khambachen, a Tibetan outpost of about a dozen shingle roofed stone house, wedged into side valley at the confluence with the Nupchu Khola.

Above Khambachen, the trails enter a desolate landscape gouged by the icy fingers of glaciers. The path climbs gradually across the screen slopes if recent landslides to another area of pasture at Ramtang 4350m. To stave off the chill winds that curl down the valley, use lip balm and wear your warmest trekking gear. Above Ramtang, the trail runs along the lateral moraine of the Kanchenjunga glacier, following the northbank of the river to a wooden brid ge at the mouth of the Lhonak glaciered. On the east side of Merra Peak 6344m. The views from here are stupendous in every direction. Across the Kanchenjunga glacier, the door wedge summit of Chang Himal (Wedge Peak 6750m) dominates the valley.

The trail now follows the floor of the valley beside the blue green waters of the infant Ghunsa Khola through scrub rhododendron and juniper. The terminal moraine of the Jannu glacier can be seen clearly ahead, although there is only ever the occasional glimpse of a snow-covered peak. As the moraine is reached a small bridge gives access across the river to a tiny grassy clearing known as Rhambuk Kharka. The slopes above here are subject to landslide and rockfall and great care is needed to negotiate a steep traverse across one very large affected area. The views to the north and east gradually open out to include the peaks of Phole, Sobithonge and Jannu rising majestically above the moraines of the Jannu Glacier. Beyond the landslide the trail levels, traverses the hillside and finally descends to the small summer settlement of
Kambachen.

We will cross the narrow rocky brèche of the Sinion La and follow the southern flank of the ridge on a good trail with superb views to the Tama Lase La, 12,800ft/3900m, on the shoulder of the ridge. A long descent of 1,300ft/396m now follows, through beautiful forest to a clearing on the lip of the Yamatori valley. Continue descending through pine and rhododendron forest to Ghunsa. There is a small Tibetan monastery here and Ghunsa is a well-kept village of some thirty stone houses, plus a police post. There is an excellentcampsite in open woodlan d a little beyond the village. Overnight at tented camp

After breakfast we walk through rhododendron, conifer, pine and oak forests. On our way we pass some settlements before we reach Amjilosa. Here we will camp overnight.

We rise early and begin the trek following the trail at the river’s south bank to avoid the hot sun during afternoon. After we descend through cardamom fields and dense mixed forest away from the Thamor River we cross the suspension bridge and make a last gentle walk to Sekathum where our large campsite willappear.

After walking through a dense forest for 2 hours the valley narrows into a deep gorge. Soon you will hear the overwhelming sounds of the river and waterfalls cascading down from both sides of the valley. Here,w e walk a manmade stone walkway along the river’s waterline which is an awesome spot for making pictures though we also have to concentrate on the trail. After we follow one more forest path and cross a suspension bridge before reaching our camping site at Phuramba.

Today we walk slowly downhill passing through some teahouses, local shops and schools. The entire areawher e we walk through is inhabited by Kirat tribal people of Nepal. After walking down for few hours we approach Chirwa a compact hamlet perched between a river and a steep hillside. We prepare ourselves for a quiet night in our tent camp.

We follow rough paths downhill. The trail passes through the Limbu and Tamang villages of Sinwa, Tawaan d Porke, and as the valley narrows, passes over old landslide debris and boulder-strewn river deposits. We will finally descend to the Thiwa Khola, crossing it on a wooden bridge, before the final leg of up and down before arriving at the small market town of Mitlung.

Today we trek through Nepal’s lush, green and diverse mid hills, following shimmering rivers and contouring around precipitous ridge lines. The villages we pass through are Hindu and Buddhist with traditional mud-brick houses and are dotted with rice paddies, terraced fields, fruit trees and cardamom farms. Today we walk down to the Tamur River and then follow it upstream, stopping for lunch en route. Overnight at Taplejung

We will take a morning flight (45 min) to Bhadrapur and transfer to hotel