Kanchenjunga Short Trek is a petite form of trail that reaches the base camp of the world’s third-highest mountain, Mt. Kanchenjunga, in the wilderness mountain region, an ultimate for trekkers who enjoy solitude in the shortest time. Kanchenjunga is located in the isolated northeastern parts of Nepal, neighbored by Sikkim and 20 kilometers south of Tibet. According to local experts' recommendations and those of our guests, Nepal Mother House has carefully planned the 13-day Short Kanchenjunga Trek, which begins and ends at Suketar.
Mt. Kanchenjunga is one of the fourteen mountains in the world that are more than 8,000 meters (26,247 ft) towering above sea level. Kangchenjunga has the 3rd highest mountain elevation of 8,586 meters, after Mount Everest (8,848.86 m) and K2 (8,611 m). Today’s Kangchenjunga is spelled Kanchenjunga in a degenerate form. It becomes the words KANGCHEN DZO-NGA or KACHENDZONGA, which mean "The Five Treasures of Snows.". There are a series of five peaks above 8,400 meters: the main peak, Kanchenjunga itself (8,586 m), the west summit (8,505 m), the central summit (8,482 m), the south summit (8,494 m), and Kangbachen (7,903 m).
Kangchenjunga Short Trek could be done camping organized only in the past few years, but recently there have been built teahouse entire routes for small groups, where you will stay overnight and take meals in tea houses. This helps the locals empower sustainable eco-tourism and minimize trekking costs. The Kangchenjunga Trekking Routes go through remote Nepalese villages, an eye-catching Himalayan panorama, and forests that are full of life, home to wildlife, naturally appealing views, ancient cultures, and mysterious faith. This is part of the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT), an epic journey of 150 days from east Kangchenjunga to Humla district in the west part of Nepal, approximately 1,700 kilometers away.
This trek begins at Suketar after a 45-minute scenic flight from Kathmandu. As this is a short trek, we are taking a short route to the South Base Camp. Normally, for the Yalung base camp, the trek starts from the south side. But we are driving on opposite sides. After about five to six hours of adventures, jeeps drive along the Tamor Riverbank to Sukathum/Ranipul, where you will stay overnight. Now that the trail goes through the isolated area in the mountains, there are no tea houses or settlements between Ranipul and Tortang, so you must take a packed lunch and enough drinking water for this day.
The next day, you will head onward to the South Base Camp with a breathtaking mountain view in the wide valley at Cheram. Compared to both base camps, Kanchenjunga Base Camp is one of the best places in the region to see Himalayan scenery at a glance in the shortest time. From where can I observe the four peaks of Kanchanjunga and Jannu mountains and natural tranquility? After visiting the Yalung Base Camp (4,500 m) from Ramche, you will follow down to the river bank to the Tortong and then take a short route to the Hellok/Sukathum/Ranipul to catch the jeep to the Suketar, where the trek was started. After collecting lifetime experience on the Kangchenjunga Short Trek, you are staying at Suketar after a 5- to 6-hour drive from Hello/Ranipul and are ready for the Kathmandu flight the next morning.
Kangchenjunga South Base Camp Short Trek presents a worthwhile trek throughout lush, low-lying valleys, up through implausible forests, and into the high alpine pastures and glaciers at the base of the Kanchenjunga. Alongside the trail, you’ll pass through villages inhabited by Chhetri, Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Magar, Sherpa, and Tibetan communities that follow Hinduism and Buddhism.
As this is a recently developed tea house trek, the trail is narrow and has very simple accommodation, which few trekkers visit in this remote region. You can’t expect a variety of meals and fancy attached bathroom accommodation like other popular trekking routes; however, you will have organic hygiene meals and a bed for a good sleep in Mt. Kangchenjunga and a lifetime experience with the real Nepali lifestyle, unique cultures, and amazing landscapes.
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek can be customized as a Heli Trek for 7 to 10 days; visit Sele La Pass (4,290 m), Sinon La (4,440 m), Mirgin La (4,480 m), & Sinelapche Bhanjyang (4,646 m) from Cheram (3,870 m), visit Yalung Base Camp/South Base Camp (4500 m) from Ramche and fly back to Kathmandu by helicopter.
Best Time to Go Kangchenjunga Short Trek
Kanchenjunga Short Trek goes across a huge number of atmospheres and their relevant ecosystems. So it is very tricky to forecast accurate weather at all altitudes throughout the year. If you fly to Bhadrapur, it has an elevation of 91 meters, while Pangpema is 5,143 meters and North Base Camp is 5,388 meters, but in this trek, you will fly to Suketar (2,420 m). You will find different temperatures every day and the weather will be changeable year-round. Autumn (mid-September to November) is the best time for the Kanchenjunga Trek. This time, the weather is neither hot nor cold, with a crystal-clear mountain panorama and a green, full landscape, making it the perfect time for the trek. Likewise, autumn/fall is the festive season for major celebrations like Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath in Nepal.
Similarly, spring is the second most appropriate season for the Kanchenjunga trek due to the best weather for the mountain scenery. During this season, the vegetation in the lower hilly region begins to spring out after a dry and cold winter and the jungle in the high Himalayas is covered full of blooming plants, especially rhododendron and Magnolia with various colors. Spring is called BASANTA RITU Nepali, a full two-month span from March to mid-May. This is the best time for mountaineering and expeditions; you may have time to talk with mountaineers about their climbing experience on this Kanchanjunga Short Trek.
We at Nepal Mother House suggested avoiding the monsoon (usually beginning on June 10th and ending on September 23rd), due to heavy rain and the probability of flooding and blocking the trail by a landslide. During the monsoon, flights to Suketar are often canceled due to poor visibility and unfavorable weather. Despite all this, the rain brings all the plans and greenery to life, making for an unfortunate track but a great scene of the region.
Winter (late November to February) is also not recommended for hiking in Kanchenjunga. The tea houses will remain closed due to the cold in the highland areas, like Lhonak and Pangpema on the north side and Yalung Bara, Ramche, and Oktang on the other side.
How do you access Kangchenjunga Short Trek?
There are many choices of trails for the Kanchanjunga Short Trek. The start point of this trek can be different depending on your trekking dates, trekking duration, and wiling. Kanchanjunga Short Trek itinerary can be adjusted according to your trip schedule, either by air flights or road drive. Here is a short brief about the main access for the trek below:
[1] Kathmandu-Bhadrapur Flight
Taking a 45-minute flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur and driving to Taplejung, the district headquarters, takes almost 8 hours to cross the 245.0-kilometer winding road by regular bus or private Jeep through Kanyam, Final, and Ilam, the most popular tea state of Nepal, before heading to Kanchanjunga South and North Base Camp.
[2] Kathmandu to Taplejung Drive
Despite the long drive to Taplejung from Kathmandu, you have a huge experience of various landscapes in different localities and people's cultures. Previously, the Prithvi Highway connecting to the East-West Highway at Narayanghat (697 km, taking almost 19 hours) was the main access for Taplejung but there is a shorter route to Taplejung via B.P. Highway Khurkot, an 18-hour drive from 637.5 km.
[3] Kathmandu to Suketar Taplejung Flight
Recently, there has been a direct flight by Sita Air and Nepal Airline from Kathmandu to Suketar every day in the morning at around eight o’clock. It takes 45 minutes of scenic flight through the Himalayan scenery. Flying from Kathmandu to Suketar and back to Kathmandu is the most suitable route for the Short Kanchenjunga Trek. Previously, they conducted only a few flights in a week or charter flights due to insufficient passengers.
Likewise, you can also fly from Kathmandu to Biratnagar and drive to Basantapur Take a 5- to 6-hour bus ride, and then walk to Dobhan (2 days) or Taplejung/Suketar (3 days) as an alternative trail. Or Take a 34-minute flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar and walk for 4 days to Dobhan or 5 days to Taplejung.
Need Special Entry Permit for Kanchenjunga Restricted Area
Kanchenjunga Trek goes near the international border, so it is very important due to the politically sensitive area (PSA), thus needing trekking permits to visit. Currently, trekking permits have more to do with conserving the stunning trek route than international disputes. This trek requires two different permits: the Kanchenjunga Restricted Area Permit and the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Permit (KCAP).
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area was established in 1997, The permit can be organized by the Nepal Tourism Board before your arrival, along with your passport details and a picture. And also, it can be bought on the way to Kanchenjunga Short Trek as well. The fee for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Permit is Rs. 2,000 per person.
Likewise, the Kanchenjunga Restricted Area Permit is a special permit to enter the restricted area. This permit can be applied only after the guest arrives in Nepal through an authorized trekking agency, and then the Immigration Office of Nepal will verify the client’s arrival details and visa number before approving the permit.
Requiring Documents for the Permits
- Each of the guest's original passports with a valid Nepal visa.
- Three Photos, which you can send us for online submission.
For the Kanchenjunga Restricted Area Permit on the list, you need a minimum of two people and a professional government trekking guide. It takes a few hours to get a permit and they are asking for your original passport while processing the permits. You don’t need to go while organizing the permit; we at Nepal Mother House will do the process. The trekking permit fees in Nepal are different according to the trekking sector and the length of the trek. The cost of the Kanchenjunga Restricted Area Permit is 20 USD per person for the first four weeks. The restricted area starts in Lelep village on the north side and ends on the south side at Yamphudin. Those two permits are required for Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek and Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek as well.
The permit needs to be entered at a police checking point in the different places throughout the trek, so it is better to keep the permits safe as they will be checked. If you don’t have the correct permit, you might be forced to return.
Physical Fitness Requirement for Kanchenjunga Short Trek
For every trek, physical fitness is the top priority due to several days of hikes in the high Himalayas. This trek is designed as one of the shortest treks in the Kanchenjunga region; you need to have good physical fitness and determination. So, trekkers are advised to take training every few months before the trek. You can go jogging every morning or evening; do regular yoga; go to gyms; do cardiology exercise, go hill hiking with your bag pack; climb stairs; exercise regularly; and eat healthy food. You are strongly advised to consult with the doctor a couple of months before departure from the Kanchenjunga Short Trek if you have pre-existing medical conditions like lung, blood, and heart diseases. Classically, the Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek is organized in 17 days but to make it the shortest, it can be done in 7 days.
Katmandu to Suketar Flight for Kanchenjunga Short Trek
Now, there are direct flights available to Suketar/Taplejung from Kathmandu. Sita Airlines and Nepal Airlines are operating daily flight schedules. It is an enjoyable short flight with a bird's-eye view of 45 minutes by Dornier aircraft. Suketar flights can be conducted from morning to evening on a clear day but sometimes the weather won’t be favorable for good sight, so the flight might be delayed or canceled due to the weather. It is suggested that you add some extra days to cover up in case you do not fly in time. In this situation, you can fly to Bhadrapur instead of directly going to Suketar and driving to Taplejung. The Bhadrapur flight can fly any time from 8 AM to 9 PM, except in exceptional cases.
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