Days
24 Days
Arrival City
Kathmandu
Departure City
Kathmandu
Best Season
September–December · March–May
Max Altitude
5,143m
Accommodation
3-star hotel in Kathmandu, standard hotel in Bhadrapur, tent/lodge/teahouse on the trek
Transportation
Private vehicle/domestic flight
Difficulty
Strenuous
Group Size
2–12
A remote circuit around the north and south base camps of Kanchenjunga (8,586m), the world's third-highest mountain, on Nepal's far eastern border with Sikkim. Closed to trekkers until the mid-1980s and still lightly visited, the route runs through the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area past the Yalung and Kanchenjunga glaciers, crossing high passes including Mirgin La and Lapsang La (5,160m) to link the north base camp at Pangpema with the south base camp at Oktang.
Kathmandu → Bhadrapur → Taplejung → Chirwa → Ghunsa → Pangpema (North Base Camp) → Ghunsa → Tseram → Oktang (South Base Camp) → Yamphudin → Bhadrapur → Kathmandu.
A representative meets you at the airport and transfers you to your hotel.
A domestic flight to Bhadrapur in southeastern Nepal, then a jeep or bus drive through the hill town of Ilam to Phidim.
A long drive along the Mechi Highway through Ilam's tea-growing hills to Suketar, the trailhead above Taplejung.
A descent through Limbu villages along the Tamur River, crossing several tributaries, to the small trailside village of Chirwa.
Along the Tamur River through the Kanchenjunga National Park checkpoint at Tapethok and the Tibetan village of Sakathum to Amjilosa.
A shorter day climbing the forested Ghunsa valley, past scattered pastures and waterfalls, to Gyabla.
Through rhododendron and fir forest and the yak pastures of Pholey, a Tibetan-influenced village, before crossing into Ghunsa.
A rest day with a hike up to Lpasan La Monastery above the last permanent settlement on the route.
A landslide-prone stretch along the east bank of the river, with views of Mt. Jannu (7,710m) and its glacier, to the seasonal stone-teahouse settlement of Kambachen.
Through desolate, glacier-carved terrain past Ramtang Monastery and the junction of the Lhonak and Kanchenjunga glaciers to Lhonak.
A moraine-trail hike to Pangpema, the local name for Kanchenjunga's north base camp.
A day exploring the base camp's surrounding ridges for views of Mt. Jannu, Kanchenjunga's north face and Chang Himal.
Retracing the route back down through Lhonak and Kambachen to Ghunsa.
A steep, forested climb away from the Gyabla trail to the isolated, two-teahouse settlement of Sele Le.
A demanding day crossing several high passes, including Mirgin La and Lapsang La (5,160m), with views of Jannu, Makalu and Kanchenjunga, joining the Kanchenjunga south-side trail to Tseram.
An out-and-back day past the Yalung Glacier to Oktang, Kanchenjunga's south base camp, with views of the south face and the Nepal–Sikkim border peaks.
A long descent through pine and rhododendron forest along the Simbua Khola to Torangden.
A difficult, landslide-prone day over Lamite Pass (3,500m) and Dhupi Bhanjyang, descending into farmland at the mixed Sherpa, Limbu, Rai and Gurung village of Yamphudin.
Through Chhetri and Brahmin villages back into more populated country to Khebang.
A long descent via Dobhan to the village of Khandembe.
The final trekking day, climbing to the village of Tharpu for a last vantage point over the Kanchenjunga range.
A long drive back to Bhadrapur to connect with the return flight.
A scenic flight from Bhadrapur back to Kathmandu, with aerial views of snow peaks in clear weather.
Transfer to the airport roughly three hours before your onward flight.
This trip runs on a customizable, on-request basis — choose your own start date and we'll build the group and logistics around it.
Kathmandu → Bhadrapur → Taplejung → Chirwa → Ghunsa → Pangpema (North Base Camp) → Ghunsa → Tseram → Oktang (South Base Camp) → Yamphudin → Bhadrapur → Kathmandu.
Every itinerary can be adjusted for extra acclimatization days, private departures, or combining with another region. Mention it in your enquiry and we'll rework the day-by-day plan accordingly.
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