The Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary takes you to the third highest mountain on Earth, after Everest and K2. and is known as “the mountain of the Five treasures in the snow” they are gold, silver, gems, cereal, and the sacred books; according to Kirant tradition. The mountain is 8,586 m high and surrounded by mountain range consisting between 6,600 and 8,000 m high; the four most important ones are Sinioulchu Peak, Jannu Peak, North Kabru Peak, and South Kabru Peak.
The Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary route is also frequented by travelers who wish to appreciate the most beautiful views of Darjeeling, the Indian hill town at about 2100 meters. Many routes in mountains have been unexplored by alpinists due to the difficulty of gaining access to the mountains, such as Sikkim and the Green Lake which were approved as new routes to explore recently. One of the greatest advantages of Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary route is that despite being difficult to reach from India or Nepal, the area has managed to retain its natural beauty.
The first thing you need to understand is the necessary permits for going through Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary route, which mostly have to do with conservation of the natural life in the mountain rather than international affairs. There are two main permits that need to be processed, the Kanchenjunga Restricted Area Permit at the beginning of the tour and the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Permit that accounts for a 2,000 square km of wild life that need to be protected from extinction like the snow leopard or the red panda. As these permits will be checked by police checkpoints along the route, the overall cost is about $30.
Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek begins
There are approximately 11 routes established by explorers (primarily Indians) that establish the approved routes to pass the Kanchenjunga pass. It will start at Kathmandu specifically at Tribhuvan airport, after which a new flight will take you to Biratnagar. Next flight is from Biratnagar to Suketar, during your flight to Suketar, you can enjoy the view of Kanchenjunga from a distance, then after arriving at Suketar, you will begin Kangbachen, trek through slippery terrain, and after some time, the first base camp will be installed in a nice landscape.
The next stop is Khesawa, a small village nestled in the corner of a col. The trail to this point is steep and the road is narrow. After passing through this checkpoint, the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary continues toward Mamanke, which offers an incredible view and a camping site to pitch a tent. The next day you will have to cross a river and continue for approximately 2 hours in order to reach Sherpa Gaun, this is a village with an ancient Buddhist and Tibetan tradition with friendly people and once you reach this point you will set your next base camp here, and take rest for the day.
The next day involves a hard and strenuous on your Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary. You must be up very early to cross a river surrounded by rocks and woods to get to a bamboo forest that ends up in Lamite Bhanjyang, a common settlement for alpinists. Here you will descend gently to Torontan, the place which will serve as the base camp for the trip.
In the morning, you will climb 3,900 meters to the Tseram stop, which will not be as difficult as the previous one, but be careful as the ramp still offers challenges. The point to be noted here is the detour from the route itself to the viewpoint of Oktang, but it is a detour that must be taken to enjoy the view of the Kangbachen, the Jannu and to see the South view of the Kanchenjunga.
The next section of Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary route requires strength, as you face three continuous cols of 4,000 meters or more, the Sinelapche, Mirgin, and Sinion. Then you descend to Ghunsa, a town at nearly 3,470 m, where you will find a few houses and a monastery. As you continue through Lhonak, you will pass yaks’ grazing areas and you might even see a leopard of the snows, an animal that is unique in Asia.
You will reach the highest point in your Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary after this checkpoint, which is 5,000 meters above sea level. Here you will find a sanctuary with a magnificent view of the landscape. Take a rest here as the route to home begins the next day.
The way back is easier, but there are few checkpoints, so you will have to walk continuously all day to reach each one before nightfall. In a 4 day journey from Pang Pema to Ghunsa, you will pass through Amjilessa, Tapethok, and Mayam. After Mayam, the next stop will be Suketar and then the flight back to Biratnagar or Bhadrapur and Kathmandu. Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary route is long and requires high resistance and strength skills to endure the 20 days from Kathmandu, so it is necessary to come prepared and with a lot of resources to be able to fully enjoy the journey and make it a memorable one.
Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Kathmandu to Bhadrapur (Flight) to Ilam (Drive)
Ilam – 1677 m / 5501 ft – 5 hrs
Day 2: Ilam to Taplejung (Drive)
Taplejung – 1820 m / 5971 ft – 5 hrs
Day 3: Taplejung to Chirwa
Chirwa – 1270 m / 4166 ft – 6 hrs
Day 4: Chirwa to Lelep
Lelep – 1860 m / 6102 ft – 7 hrs
Day 5: Lelep to Amjilosa
Amjilosa – 2510 m / 8234 ft – 5 hrs
Day 6: Amjilosa to Gyabla
Gyabla – 2730 m / 8956 ft – 4 hrs
Day 7: Gyabla to Ghunsa
Ghunsa – 3595 m / 11794 ft – 4 hrs
Day 8: Acclimatization Day
Ghunsa – 3595 m / 11794 ft – 4 hrs
Day 9: Ghunsa to Kambachen
Kambachen – 4100 m / 13451 ft – 4 hrs
Day 10: Acclimatization Day
Kambachen – 4100 m / 13451 ft – 4 hrs
Day 11: Kambachen to Lhonak
Lhonak – 4785 m / 15698 ft – 4 hrs
Day 12: Day Trip to Kanchenjunga North Base Camp
Lhonak – 4785 m / 15698 ft – 8 hrs
Day 13: Lhonak to Ghunsa
Ghunsa – 3595 m / 11794 ft – 7 hrs
Day 14: Ghunsa to Sele Le
Sele Le – 4390 m / 14402 ft – 5 hrs
Day 15: Sele Le to Cheram
Cheram – 3870 m / 12696 ft – 8 hrs
Day 16: Day Trip to Kanchenjunga South Base Camp
Cheram – 3870 m / 12696 ft – 6 hrs
Day 17: Cheram to Torongding
Torongding – 2080 m / 6824 ft – 4 hrs
Day 18: Torongding to Yamphuding
Yamphuding – 1980 m / 6496 ft – 8 hrs
Day 19: Yamphuding to Khebang
Khebang – 1910 m / 6266 ft – 4 hrs
Day 20: Khebang to Khamdime
Khamdime – 1500 m / 4921 ft – 4 hrs
Day 21: Khamdime to Bhadrapur (Drive)
Bhadrapur – 93 m / 305 ft – 10 hrs
Day 22: Bhadrapur to Kathmandu (Flight)
Kathmandu – 1300 m / 4265 ft – 50 minutes
