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Of all the world's great
peaks,, Kanchenjunga is perhaps the least known;
the third highest in the world at 8,598m, it
sits astride the Nepal/Sikkim border only a few
miles from Tibet. This route was opened to the
trekkers in 1988, though people have trekked in
the area in connection with mountaineering
expedition since the turn of the century.
Kanchenjunga is along way from Kathmandu and the
nearest road and airports are along way from the
mountains. Our long trek here climbs from the
intensively cultivated hillsides of the Nepal
Midlands, populated by the Rai and Limbu tribes,
towards the peaks of Jannu and Khabru and the
great wall of Kumbakarna, Kanchenjunga and
Rathong, passing on the way through some of the
finest high mountain scenery anywhere. Until
very recently this was a restricted area, so
this is an ideal trek for those who already know
Nepal and want to get away from the better known
areas and visit a remoter part where few
foreigners have penetrated.
We fly from Kathmandu to Biratnagar and transfer
to Basantapur on the same day. The trek begins
with our first camp at Chauki then trek through
Gyabla, and ascend to the higher camp at Pang
Pema (5120m) and camp at Lhonak. The trek
concludes at Suketar via the descent from Omje
Khola, from where we fly back to Kathmandu. |
