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I did the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek with a porter/guide in November 2023 and this is a daily summary of my trek. I have also written blogs about Planning the Kanchenjunga trek, the Tea Houses on the Kanchenjunga trek, Day Hikes on the Kanchenjunga Trek and Hiking Times.
Contents
Map of the Kanchenjunga Trek
8 September 2023 - Training for the Kanchenjunga Trek
I did training hikes on the South West coastal path in Cornwall to prepare for my Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek. There is a path just minutes away from our house and it provides excellent training as it has a lot of ascent and descent.
I had regularly walked this path but on September 8th I put my left foot too close to the path edge and twisted my ankle. For the next five weeks I had to have regular treatment from a chiropractor and could only do limited walking on country roads.
That wasn’t good fitness training! The chiropractor felt that I should postpone my treks until the following year as 35 days of trekking would be too much for my ankle. Ten days before my departure date I was able to resume walking on trails and build up my fitness a bit. I decided to go to Nepal and try to do the Kanchenjunga and Langtang treks.
24 October 2023 - Flight from London to Kathmandu
I had booked my flight with Qatar Airways in February, departing London on 26 October and arriving in Kathmandu on Friday 27 October. The flights to Nepal had become expensive since Covid and I was pleased to have got a relatively good deal.
In August it suddenly occurred to me that I would be arriving in Kathmandu on a weekend as the weekend in Nepal is on Friday and Saturday. The Department of Immigration issues the trekking permits for restricted areas like Kanchenjunga and their website showed the office closes in the early afternoon on Friday and reopens on Sunday.
My flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur was booked for early Sunday morning and for various reasons I didn’t want to postpone this flight. This meant that I had to fly out to Kathmandu earlier and it cost an extra USD 370! An expensive mistake and I also had to pay for 2 extra night’s accommodation in Kathmandu.
Lani kindly drove me to Heathrow, which is a four hour drive from our house. The flight took off on time and the flight was as pleasant as it could be in economy class!
25 October 2023 - Arrival in Kathmandu
The plane landed in the late afternoon and I managed to buy the visa and get through Immigration very quickly. I was very happy when my 2 bags quickly appeared on the carousel. I always worry about losing luggage and the problems that would involve. I carry my hiking boots in my hand luggage as it would be very difficult to find comfortable replacement boots in Thamel.
Last year I stayed at Hotel Thamel House which had only opened a year ago. It was at a very good rate of $50 a night and I was upgraded to a spacious room with a balcony. Unfortunately this year the room rate had doubled so I had to look elsewhere.
The new Everest Boutique Hotel in Thamel had been recommended on the Tripadvisor forum and I had booked a room with a balcony for $50 a night. I was very happy with my room and the hotel. Unfortunately it will probably become more popular and the room rates will increase.
26 October 2023 - Trekking Permit & Monkey Temple
At 09.00 I met the owner, and his partner, of the trekking agency (Enjoy Nepal Treks). I had to pay for the Kanchenjunga trek and give them my passport so they could obtain the trekking permit from the Immigration Department. I was concerned because the Immigration Department was only open for 2 hours due to the festival of Dashain.
The Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek is in a restricted area and at least 2 foreigners must trek together. A solo trekker can circumvent this rule by submitting someone else’s passport (with a valid visa in it) to Immigration. They will then issue a “Ghost Permit” for someone you will never trek with.
One of the reasons that I selected Enjoy Nepal Treks is that their website stated they could obtain “Ghost Trekking Permits” for solo trekkers. I had to pay for 2 trekking permits for Kanchenjunga costing $60 each plus a $35 fee to cover Enjoy Nepal Treks' extra work.
I was very happy when Enjoy Nepal Treks called me a couple of hours later to say they had obtained the permits and wanted to return my passport. Luckily they had a contact in Immigration or they may not have succeeded. There was a long line up of people trying to obtain permits during the two hour opening period.
The ghost permit was for a young Indian lady who I never met! When on the trek the standard ploy is to state at the permit check points that your trekking partner became sick and had to turn back. I have never heard of a problem arising from doing this.
During my meeting with Enjoy Nepal Treks I checked if my porter/guide would carry a duffel bag like most porters do. I was informed that my porter/guide was more of a guide and would need a rucksack.
The guide (Jiwan) was therefore quickly summoned to the hotel so we could go around the shops in Thamel to select a rucksack. Jiwan was 47 years old and seemed very pleasant.
I wanted the largest rucksack possible as I also had a tent and air mattress. The largest rucksacks in Kathmandu are 90 litres and I bought one for NPR 4,500 ($35). It seemed that it would be large enough if my tent was strapped to the outside, which was what I did last year for the Makalu base camp trek (see my blog Planning the Makalu Base Camp Trek).
In the afternoon I took a taxi over to the Monkey Temple. I would usually have walked but I was still a bit concerned about my ankle. I have been there 3 times before and the last time was a year ago. However, it is always a pleasant outing and good to get off the busy streets of Kathmandu.
27 October 2023 - Patan & Bouddhanath
Last year I spent half a day in Patan and really enjoyed it. It is possible to walk on the streets without worrying about being hit by motorcycles and cars. I no longer enjoy walking around Kathmandu as there is just too much traffic and very few sidewalks.
Unfortunately Kathmandu has been spoiled in the 30 years since I first went there. In 1994 I felt safe cycling around Kathmandu and the surrounding villages. I wouldn’t dream of doing that now and would have difficulty in finding my way around.
I therefore decided to visit Patan’s Durbar Square again and walk around the streets and temples to the south and north of it.
I visited the residence of the Kumari (living Goddess) of Patan for the first time. It is easy to visit her in a room in her squalid “palace” whereas it is difficult to see the Kumari of Kathmandu. It is sad to see a young girl cooped up and it can’t be a nice life.
Afterwards I took a taxi from Patan to Bouddhanath and circumambulated the famous stupa numerous times. It is an atmospheric place and fantastic for people watching.
28 October 2023 - Packing & Durbar Square
I spent the morning buying a few things for the trek and packing my rucksack. The porter/guide carries up to 15 kilograms but the owner said that I could exceed that. Unfortunately my tent and air mattress were bulky and weighed 4 kilograms. I took the tent in case the tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek were full.
I planned to spend 2 nights at Kanchenjunga north base camp at Pangpema, which is at an altitude of 5,140 metres. At night it is very cold there and in the past there has been a lack of blankets.
Last year I was cold when camping in Lower Dolpo with my -13 centigrade Rab sleeping bag. I therefore bought a new and expensive Mountain Equipment -30 centigrade down sleeping bag that weighs 1.5 kg. Unfortunately it is bulky and takes up a lot of space in the rucksack.
In the afternoon I walked to Durbar Square in Kathmandu. The buildings in Durbar Square are in much better shape than when I was last there. However, they are still repairing some buildings that were badly damaged by the 2015 earthquake.
Durbar Square is always very busy with locals and tourists. I prefer Patan’s Durbar Square which is quieter and in better condition.
29 October 2023 - Kathmandu to Taplejung
I had arranged with my guide (Jiwan) to meet me at my hotel at 06.00 and then to find a taxi to take us to the airport. I was a bit concerned about finding a taxi at that time.
However, the evening before the flight Enjoy Nepal Treks' owner recommended that I leave for the airport at 05.00. That seemed way too early since the flight was at 07.40. We compromised with a time of 05.45 and the owner kindly said that his partner would bring Jiwan to my hotel and help obtain a taxi.
I should clarify that my personal arrangement with Enjoy Nepal was just to provide a porter/guide for $25 a day, obtain the permits and arrange the flight to Bhadrapur.
The itinerary for the trek, the ground transportation, my meals and my accommodation was my responsibility and the costs for my account. That is what I wanted rather than a more expensive full service trek package. Enjoy Nepal Treks could have provided a full service package if I had requested it.
I got up at 05.00 and by the time I got to the hotel reception at 05.45 Jiwan had already found a taxi. At that time of the day there was hardly any traffic and I arrived at the airport at 06.15. It was way too early and we couldn’t even check in! Any way better safe than sorry as I didn’t want to miss my flight.
I made sure that I got a front seat on the left side when checking in so I would have good mountain views. Our flight was slightly delayed and my guide and I arrived at Bhadrapur at 09.15. It is a small airport and in front of it is a large parking area for taxis. There is a sign showing the fixed price per destination and the cost to Taplejung, where the Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek starts, was NPR 20,000 ($150).
We were allocated a driver who had a Datsun hatchback. I was initially sceptical that a saloon car would make it but Jiwan assured me it would be fine. I hadn’t realised that the road to Taplejung was tarred. I had thought the road would be horrendous like the access road for last year’s Makalu base camp trek.
It was a 9 hour drive to Taplejung. It wasn't a safe drive on the winding and mountainous roads as the driver took too many risks when overtaking. On the way we passed the tea plantations at Ilam. Ilam is very popular with Nepali tourists and the viewpoints are commercialised and tacky.
A few sections of the road were in poor condition but not too bad. We stopped on the way for breakfast and lunch and arrived at Taplejung in the dark at around 18.30. Some trekkers break up this journey by spending the night in Ilam. I just wanted to get it over and done with.
The hotels in Taplejung used to be awful but I had found good Google reviews for 3 hotels. We went to all 3 of these hotels. They looked fine but they were all busy with pilgrims. It was probably due to Dashain. As the pilgrims wake up at around 04.00 to go to the temple I knew I would have a very disturbed night's sleep at these hotels.
I was about to give up and choose one of those three hotels when Jiwan suggested trying the nearby Hotel Blue Star. He had stayed there before and said it was okay.
I was sceptical but went to have a look. I decided to stay there as only 1 other room was occupied and it seemed quiet. The bonus was that it was only R1,000 ($7.50) per night for a room with an attached bathroom whereas the other hotels cost around R4,000 ($30).
30 October 2023 - Taplejung to Chirwa
It was surprisingly quiet during the night and I had a good night’s sleep. I had fried rice for breakfast as there was very little else on offer. All the food at the hotel was cheap and the dal bhat for dinner only cost NPR 200 ($1.50).
Jiwan informed me that the first day of my planned Kanchenjunga Base Camp trek, from Taplejung to Chirwa, was along an unpleasant and dusty road. He suggested that we take a shared jeep instead.
Luckily I had done my homework and I knew there were 2 jeep tracks to Chirwa. Jiwan was referring to the eastern “road” that goes via Lingkhim. I planned to walk along the quiet western jeep track via Mitlung. I had considered taking a jeep but time wasn’t an issue.
We started walking at 08.30 and had to first walk up to the centre of Taplejung. Taplejung looked to be a nice enough town. From there we walked on rough jeep tracks mainly. Fortunately there was very little traffic on this "road" and it was a pleasant walk.
We descended about 1,100 metres to the village of Mitlung where we had dal bhat for lunch. It again only cost R 200 ($1.50). There were 2 French trekkers (father and daughter) there and they were the only trekkers we saw on the trail that day.
We continued walking on to the village of Sinwa in very hot weather. Jiwan was really suffering from the heat. He was wearing long trousers and had his personal backpack on his front and my rucksack on his back. I think tomorrow he will put his pack on top of mine like I had suggested at the start of the day!
My plan had been to stay at Sinwa but Jiwan continued walking on to Chirwa. I didn’t say anything as I was happy to do this. This meant ascending 300 metres and walking almost another 3 hours.
We reached Chirwa (1,185 metres) at 17.00 and the first tea house was more or less full with 5 trekkers. They had one spare room but it didn’t look great.
We therefore went across to the only other tea house and it was empty. It was a basic tea house but better than the ones on last year's Makalu Base Camp trek. There were plenty of spiders in the communal toilet but they weren’t large.
It was a hard first day of trekking with 8 hours of actual walking in hot and sunny conditions.
31 October 2023 - Chirwa to Sekathum
I had another good night's sleep and I was finally over the jet lag. The bill for dinner, breakfast and the room was only R1,470 ($11) of which R500 was for the room.
Jiwan and I started hiking from Chirwa (1,185 metres) at 08.30. For the first three hours we were in the shade which made it easier. The trail and scenery were very pleasant. It is now possible to go by jeep from Chirwa to Sekathum but I was pleased to be walking.
It took us 4.5 hours to hike to the village of Sekathum (1,650 metres). This was our intended destination for tonight but we hiked on for another 30 minutes to the tiny settlement of Itahari. The next tea house was a 4.5 hour walk away and we were too tired to walk there. My leg was also hurting a bit from yesterday’s long walk and my lack of fitness.
There were only 4 simple and clean rooms in the tea house. Some Nepali men who live in the UK passed by and I had a good chat with them. A Greek trekker and his guide came to stay later on and we were the only 2 trekkers staying at the tea house. He seemed to be smoking a foul smelling cigar but it turned out to be weed.
1 November 2023 - Sekathum to Thangyam
The tea house was expensive and the cost for all meals and lodging came to R2,900 ($22). They didn’t have a menu so I didn’t know the prices until I settled the bill.
We set off from Sekathum (1,650 metres) at 07.45 and the trail immediately ascended steeply. After a while we crossed a suspension bridge and then followed a path constructed along the side of the mountain and just above the river. It was a proper trail today as the jeep track has ended.
We hiked 850 metres up to the village of Amjilosa (2,498 metres) and it took us 4 hours. We had a lunch of dal bhat there. As it had to be freshly cooked the lunch took an hour.
There are 2 tea houses at Amjilosa and we had lunch at the basic older one. I had a look at the rooms and they were gloomy and had several beds in each room. The owners told me that a week ago both the tea houses were full and trekkers were sleeping in the dining rooms. I was very glad that I hadn’t started the trek any earlier.
The Greek trekker’s guide had told us that there was a new lodge at Thangyam (2,405 metres) which was another 2 hours along the trail to Kanchenjunga Base Camp. We therefore decided to make our way there as it was too early to stop at Amjilosa and I wasn’t impressed with the tea house.
The lodge at Thangyam was very nice and cost R500 per night. It was constructed in 2019 but because of Covid was only opened last year. The guy running it spoke perfect English and was very welcoming. He gave me a corner room as requested.
There was a fancy menu with western dishes but I stuck with Dal bhat! This was the first tea house which had a menu. There was a really good shower room, although there was only cold water. I had my first shower for 4 days and it was my last one until I got back to Taplejung on 16 November!
The Greek trekker and the French father and daughter were also staying at the tea house. The Greek was pretty stoned as he was smoking weed and drinking Tongba! He was about 50 years old. He irritated me as he played music on a blue tooth speaker whilst walking. This was his first visit to Nepal and thought he knew a lot about Nepal but he was often wrong.
The French trekkers’ guide told me that one of his trekkers on the Kanchenjunga trek had to be evacuated last year due to altitude sickness. He then told me that they had only spent 1 night at Khambachen (4,145 metres) whereas the norm is 2 nights. I told him that and he didn’t like it.
Later I was speaking to the French father and he was concerned about altitude sickness as he had suffered from it before. When he told me that he was only spending 1 night at Khambachen I strongly advised him to spend 2 nights.
I couldn’t understand why they were only spending 1 night there as they had more days than me for their Kanchenjunga trek. The guide didn’t like me interfering. I was pleased that when I last saw the French trekkers at Lhonak they told me they had spent 2 nights at Khambachen.
A noisy Nepali family was staying at the tea house and spent the evening dancing around a fire outside. Thankfully the manager got them to be quiet and go to their rooms at 21.00.
I slept well but started to feel a bit cold in the early morning as the tea house is at 2,400 metres. I had been using the tea houses' duvets so far with my silk liner sleeping bag. I hadn't yet used my new Mountain Equipment -30 centigrade sleeping bag that cost £650. I thought it would be too warm at lower altitude on the Kanchenjunga trek. I will use it tonight as I will be sleeping at 3,200 metres and it will be even colder.
2 November 2023 - Thangyam to Phale
My stay at Thangyam cost R1,470 ($11) and my lunch on the trail was R250 ($2). Therefore when taking into account the $25 cost of my porter/guide the total cost for the day was only $38.
We started walking at 07.45 on a steep trail that ascended 300 metres to the tea houses at Gyabla (2,725 metres). Gyabla is a very pleasant spot and we must have spent an hour there. There are 2 or 3 tea houses and one of them is large and modern.
We continued walking up to Phale (3,215 metres) and I met a young Nepalese woman coming down the trail. She told me that she was a guide for a group of German and Canadian trekkers doing the trek to Kanchenjunga Base Camp. They had been staying in Ghunsa, which is where I am going tomorrow.
She said that a guy working at the Sherpa Guest House in Ghunsa had followed her to her room and forced his way in. He then tried to rape her but she managed to fight him off. The owner of the tea house wouldn't take any action. So she found a temporary guide for her group whilst she was hiking back down to report the matter to the police.
We arrived at Phale at 13.30. The few other trekkers on the trail had just finished having lunch there and were walking another 1.5 hours on to Ghunsa. I was in no rush and decided to stay in a simple, but clean, tea house. I ended up being the only trekker in Phale for the night.
Another reason for spending the night there was for acclimatisation as Phale is at an altitude of 3,215 metres. As I was planning to climb Drohmo Ri East (5,935 metres) from Kanchenjunga north base camp I needed to be better acclimatised than most trekkers.
Phale is an interesting local village with a monastery. It is a Buddhist settlement and probably the most authentic village on the Kanchenjunga circuit.
I had a late lunch of dal bhat in the tea house’s Tibetan kitchen. I tried Tibetan butter tea for the first time and didn't like it. I had enough dal bhat for 1 day and ordered vegetable fried noodles for supper.
Two dogs at the neighbouring tea house were barking incessantly all evening. Luckily they stopped at 22.15 so I could sleep. There was a cow, with its bell clanging, by my room during the night but it was a pleasant sound.
During the night the temperature dropped to 5 centigrade in my room and 2 centigrade outside. It will get a lot colder as I ascend to Kanchenjunga Base Camp! I was warm in my new sleeping bag.
3 November 2023 - Phale to Ghunsa
There was no rush in setting off today as my next stop was Ghunsa which was only a 1.5 hour walk away. At 07.00 we walked over to the nearby monastery where the monks had started praying. The monastery is only 50 years old and there are 4 Tibetan monks living there.
The scenery on the walk to Ghunsa (3,415 metres) was stunning. The trail runs along the river. The foliage on the larch trees had turned golden and there were snow capped mountains in the background.
My guide had reserved a small detached hut with an attached toilet at the Peaceful Guest House. It cost R800 ($6) per night and had free charging of electrical devices. I had a very poor dal bhat for lunch and it was by far the worst of the entire trek.
I found out later that there was a large group of 16 Italian trekkers arriving the next day. I don’t like busy tea houses and groups can be very noisy. Also the Peaceful Guest House has a lot of bedrooms but the dining room is small. I therefore decided to move to another smaller tea house with a similar detached hut the next morning. It was recommended to me by 2 Spanish trekkers.
I could have hiked 600 metres up to a viewpoint this afternoon. However, I didn't as my hip was hurting a bit due to my lack of fitness. Instead I wandered around Ghunsa in the afternoon.
The southern section of Ghunsa is the trekkers’ section and there are a lot of lodges. The northern section is the older section for the locals. There is a medical centre in the northern section which was meant to have internet. Unfortunately it hasn’t worked for over a year and it doesn’t seem that it will be fixed for a long time.
Ghunsa is the largest village on the Kanchenjunga trek. There is a lot of decent accommodation and even a cafe serving cake. Ghunsa is the place to have a hot shower.
4 November 2023 - Ghunsa
The temperature in my room dropped down to zero centigrade in the night and the outside water pipe froze. I was warm in my sleeping bag.
The other guests (3 Chinese, 3 Japanese and 2 Israelis) were all having their breakfast at 07.00 so I had ordered my pancakes for 07.30. The other trekkers were very friendly but the Chinese were noisy.
I moved over to the other tea house after breakfast. They prepared a packed lunch for Jiwan and myself and we walked up a trail towards the Nango La (pass) that goes on to Olangchung Gola. We reached 4,810 metres before I decided to turn around.
My hip was still hurting a bit and I didn't want to overdo it. I had also developed a sore throat and runny nose last night. We therefore only walked for about 4 hours in total and it was at a slow pace.
5 November 2023 - Ghunsa to Khambachen
I walked up to Khambachen (4,145 metres) today. The walk took 6 hours and I found it hard going. Initially it was cold and icy in places. Then the sun came out and it warmed up. The trail was very scenic. There were a few landslides that had to be crossed. We stopped for dal bhat at a very basic tea house on the way.
I stayed at the Khambachen Lodge and got the last detached hut for R700 ($5) per night. There are 4 of these huts plus rooms in the main building. The only downside is that the dining room is small and gloomy.
A week ago it was so crowded that the neighbouring White House tea house in Khambachen had to put up large tents for the porters and guides. Many trekkers had to sleep in the dining rooms of the lodges.
What a difference one week makes. There were now very few trekkers doing the Kanchenjunga trek and I could choose which lodge to stay in and even be fussy about selecting rooms. Just the way I like it!
I walked over to the White House lodge. The owner was very friendly and spoke English well. He gave me a free cup of tea and afterwards I ordered more tea and cake. The White House has a good reputation for its food.
The White House’s dining room is much nicer than that of the Khambachen Lodge. It is large and bright. However, its cottages are attached and would be noisier than the detached cottages of the Khambachen lodge. I also think that groups tend to stay at the White House.
At the Khambachen lodge there were 4 French trekkers, 2 Spaniards, 3 English women and myself. The French didn’t speak much English but it was enjoyable talking to the others.
The three English women were going to do the difficult Lumba Sumba trek after going to the north base camp. They had a team of porters waiting for them back at Ghunsa. I was intrigued to discover that I had followed one of the women’s blogs before. I found out later that they completed the trek successfully.
I slept well and the temperature in my room dropped to -4 centigrade. My sleeping bag coped well with the cold.
6 November 2023 - Khambachen & Jannu Viewpoint
I stayed at Khambechen for 2 nights to acclimatise to the altitude. Most trekkers do this and aid the acclimatisation process by walking up to a viewpoint of Jannu mountain. It is a very scenic walk and well worth doing even if you are already acclimatised.
We set off at 07.30 to walk to the view point. Initially it was cold but after 15 minutes the sun came over the mountain and warmed things up. Soon I was taking layers off as it was too warm.
We were walking right into the sun and it was blinding. They have laid a path of rocks up to a Hindu shrine near the viewpoint. Unfortunately it hasn’t been laid well and a lot of the rocks are loose. I was wearing boots but was still concerned about twisting my ankle again.
It took us about 3 hours to reach the Hindu shrine where we had our packed lunches of 2 chapatis and an egg. Afterwards we continued on for another 20 minutes to reach the top of the moraine of the Jannu glacier. We reached a height of 4,606 metres and there were fantastic views of the glacier, Jannu and other peaks.
There were only 2 other trekkers at the lodge that night. They were 2 retired Germans, a doctor and a teacher. The doctor spoke good English and we got on very well. I ended up staying at the same lodge as them a few more times. The White House was also quiet as only 4 French trekkers were staying there.
7 November 2023 - Khambachen to Lhonak
Jiwan and I hiked for five and a half hours from Khambachen (4,145 metres) to Lhonak (4,792 metres). Initially it wasn't particularly scenic but the scenery soon improved.
We reached a large landslide area and there was a sign warning about falling rocks. In the middle of this area was a waterfall and we had to cross an ice and snow covered river. Jiwan found a good route across and it wasn't too much of a problem crossing the river.
Since falling on ice last year on the Makalu base camp trek I have been very wary of ice. Actually the biggest danger from ice is on the floors of the tea houses’ toilets. You definitely don't want to fall there!
We reached a basic tea shop at Ramtang at 11.25 and had an excellent vegetable noodle soup for lunch. It was much better than the noodle soups on the Makalu base camp trek. It has been a very pleasant surprise that all the accommodation and food is far superior to that on the Makulu base camp trek.
We reached Lhonak at 13.45. I chose the Kanchenjunga Guest House as no other trekkers were staying there and they had attached huts. I took an end unit as usual. The toilet was just a long drop but it was fine. I was pleased to discover that this lodge was one of the few that could charge electrical devices. It was also free for guests!
There are several tea houses at Lhonak, more than at Khambachen for some reason. There seemed to be about 15 trekkers at the other lodges. A week ago it was very busy, like at Khambachen, and all the lodges were full. My tent would have proved useful then but so far it has just been extra weight for Jiwan to carry.
8 November 2023 - Lhonak
It was -6 centigrade in my room last night but again I was warm in my sleeping bag. What I dislike is the cold in the mornings. My hands become cold and sore after washing my face, brushing my teeth and packing up.
The fires in the dining rooms of the tea houses on the Kanchenjunga trek are never lit in the morning. The best place for breakfast is in the kitchen if you are allowed in. You normally are if the tea house isn’t busy. As I was the only trekker there I had my coffee and porridge by the fire in the kitchen and my hands soon thawed out.
Most trekkers doing the Kanchenjunga trek spend 2 nights at Lhonak. After the first night they walk to the north base camp at Pangpema (5,140 metres) and then return to Lhonak for the night.
I intended to spend 3 nights at Lhonak as I wanted to sleep at Kanchenjunga base camp and ascend Drohmo Ri East (5,940 metres) the next day. I intended to acclimatise for 2 nights at Lhonak before going to Kanchenjunga base camp and then spend another night there on my way back.
To improve my acclimatisation I walked up the east side of the Lhonak glacier today. The map actually shows the path to be on the west side of the glacier. However, I had read on another blog that there was a better path on the east side.
The lodge owner confirmed that the east path was best and offered to show us the way as he was visiting a mountaineering camp further on. He was too fast for me but we kept up with him long enough to be sure we were on the right route.
There was one slightly tricky section early on that went across large boulders. Then we came across a small bridge consisting of 3 icy logs. The blogger had commented on this and said he had crawled across!
I was a bit cross as I had mentioned this to Jiwan and he assured me it would be alright. Anyway the river level wasn’t too high and Jiwan found a way across without using the bridge.
We walked up to the ridge of the moraine and reached an altitude of 5,124 metres. I could see the confluence of the Chabuk and Chijima glaciers. I could also see the tents of the mountaineering expedition that were at this confluence.
There was little point in going further so we turned back. There was a cold wind on the way back. The entire walk took us almost 6 hours.
Before we had set off I had asked the owner of our tea house to radio the tea house at the north base camp to let them know we wanted to come tomorrow and stay for 2 nights. When I returned from my hike the owner told me that the people running the small tea house at Kanchenjunga north base camp were walking down to Lhonak.
I met them at Lhonak and they said they were going to Ghunsa for 5 days for the festival of Tihar. Unfortunately I couldn't persuade them to return and open up the basic tea house at base camp for me. I was very disappointed as it meant I would have to go to Kanchenjunga base camp as a day trek instead and wouldn't be able to go up Drohmo Ri East.
There were only 6 other foreign trekkers at Lhonak tonight and they all decided to stay at the same tea house as me! They were the 2 Germans and 4 French trekkers that had been at Khambachen during my second night there. Luckily they all spoke English well and I got on particularly well with the Germans.
9 November 2023 - Lhonak to Pangpema & Back
I had an early breakfast at 06.00 as I was doing the long day hike to Kanchenjunga's north base camp at Pangpema. Clouds tend to roll in around midday and obscure the peaks. I wanted to get there before that occurred. I ate in the warm kitchen with the 2 Germans as the dining room was freezing. The outside temperature was about -9 centigrade.
The previous evening the Germans had ordered Sherpa stew for breakfast. I had decided to try it and ordered it instead of my usual porridge. The sherpa stew certainly makes a good and filling breakfast. Fortunately the 4 French trekkers had breakfast slightly later as there wasn't much room in the kitchen.
Jiwan and I set off at 06.30 and followed the west bank of the Kanchenjunga Glacier up to Kanchenjunga's north base camp. The scenery was very impressive. We had to walk steeply up and down a couple of landslide areas. We reached Kanchenjunga's north base camp at 11.00 and stayed there for 75 minutes admiring the views of Kanchenjunga and other peaks. The weather was clear and sunny like it was for the entire Kanchenjunga trek.
We were the first people at Kanchenjunga base camp and it was fairly peaceful for half an hour. Then the other foreign and Nepali trekkers arrived. There were the usual over the top celebrations and silly photo shoots.
There was a very small tea house plus 4 tents at Kanchenjunga base camp. Three of the tents would accommodate 2 people in each tent and the fourth larger tent would accommodate a lot of people. However, as I expected the tea house was closed.
On the way back down to Lhonak we stopped at a makeshift tea shop in a tent and had dal bhat for lunch. We arrived back at Lhonak at 16.00. It was a long and tiring day.
In the evening I went to warn a group of 8 trekkers with Project Himalaya that the tea house at Kanchenjunga north base camp was closed. I did this as I had trekked in Lower Dolpo with Project Himalaya last year and was aware they were doing the Kanchenjunga trek. They said their guide had contacted the owner and he had promised to return to open it up for them.
When I told the owner of my tea house this he just laughed and said he doubted that the Kanchenjunga base camp owner would return. It turned out he was right. It was surprising as about 30 trekkers and their guides and porters had wanted to stay there that night. The tea house would have made a lot of money, although I am not sure that there would have been room for all of them.
A Swiss woman also stayed at the tea house tonight. She was part of a mountaineering expedition and had come down due to a weather warning. Her colleagues were following her down tomorrow. Luckily it turned out to be a false alarm and the weather stayed fine.
10 November 2023 - Lhonak to Ghunsa
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It was an 8.5 hour walk, and a 1,400 metre descent, back down to Ghunsa from Lhonak. This included a 1.25 hour stop at Khambachen for dal bhat. Everyone says this is a long and tiring day and it was.
I stayed at the Mountain River View Side Lodge again. The only other trekker was a 66 year old Nepali trekker who had lived in London for 3 years. We had a good chat at dinner time.
Unfortunately I arrived too late to have a shower. There is free electricity charging in the rooms. I made sure that all my electrical devices were fully charged as I was told that there wouldn’t be another opportunity for 5 days.
11 November 2023 - Ghunsa to Selele High Camp
Jiwan and I left Ghunsa (3,415 metres) at 08.15. The mornings in Ghunsa are cold as the sun doesn’t reach the valley until late. After half an hour we reached a sunny and warm clearing in the forest and we took off a few layers of clothing.
It was a steep 600 metre climb to a small tea shop at 4,010 metres and it took 3 hours. It was mainly through forest, although there were clearings at times that enabled us to look down on Ghunsa and Phale.
The forest had ended by the time we reached the tea shop. We were joined by the 2 Germans and 4 French trekkers and we lay on mats in the sun for an hour whilst dal bhat was cooked for our lunch.
As we were waiting for our lunch 2 Australian trekkers came from the east side. We started talking and after a while I realised it was Sue and Howard Dengate who provide very useful trekking information on their website. They are now in their mid 70’s and have done many adventurous treks. It was great chatting to them for half an hour.
After lunch it was a further 1.75 hour walk to the Selele high camp (4,200 metres) where there are 2 tea houses. Both of them are reasonable and fairly new. I went to the upper tea house as the 4 French trekkers were staying in the lower tea house. The Germans joined me a bit later on.
We sat in the kitchen until the dining room’s fire was lit at around 16.30. This is the usual time that the lodges on the Kanchenjunga circuit trek light the fire in the dining room. Normally no more wood, or dried dung, is put on the fire after about 19.00. This encourages trekkers to go to bed shortly after 20.00!
There were 2 sections to the tea house and I had the newer wing to myself. It was very quiet as a result. The toilet floor was becoming icy in the afternoon and by the evening we were told not to risk using it!
12 November 2023 - Selele High Camp to Tseram
It was a tough 7 hour walk from Selele high camp (4,200 metres) to Tseram (3,868 metres). There were 3 passes to cross and we had to ascend 450 metres to reach the first pass known as the Mirgin La (4,645 metres).
The weather was clear until the first pass and we had good views. I was pleased the weather had stayed clear for us. As we descended the first pass the clouds started to roll in and blocked our views for the next 2 passes. It didn’t clear until we began the final 600 metre descent to Tseram.
The 6 other trekkers had taken packed lunches. We hadn't as we had been told there was a small tea house on the way. Unfortunately it was closed but Jiwan had brought several packets of biscuits. I devoured 2 packets.
We were fortunate that there was virtually no snow. It would have been an exhausting walk in snow over the rough terrain.
One of the better tea houses at Tseram was closed as the owner was ill. Another was taken over by an Alaskan couple and their entourage of 17 porters and guides! They should have been camping with that many support staff.
That left the oldest tea house for myself, the 2 Germans and 4 French trekkers. The tea house was very basic so I pitched my tent and kept my belongings in my bedroom for safekeeping. As the owner of this tea house was sick, Jiwan cooked for everyone and the food was delicious.
13 November 2023 - Tseram to Ramche
I had a good night's sleep in my tent. Jiwan kindly helped me pack away the tent in the morning. I left Tseram (3,868 metres) at 07.40 and hiked for 3.5 hours up to Ramche (4,610 metres). It was a 750 metre ascent. The mountain scenery was absolutely stunning the entire way.
A British father and his son were the only trekkers staying at Ramche the previous night. I met them whilst they were walking back down to Tseram. They were friendly and warned me that Ramche was very cold at night and that the tea house was very basic.
There are 2 tea houses at Ramche but the new tea house was closed. That left a very basic tea house with cow dung drying on the walls. The dining room was mainly constructed of clear plastic. It was very warm in the sun but I knew it would be freezing at night as there was no fireplace.
I put my luggage in a dark and basic bedroom and then had a quick lunch of omelette and chapatis. As the weather was still clear we decided to try walking up to the Oktang viewpoint near the south base camp of Kanchenjunga.
It took 1 hour 20 minutes to reach the Oktang viewpoint and we were very fortunate that the weather was clear. The British trekkers had informed me that it had clouded over at 12.30 the previous day, but there was very little cloud when we left Oktang at 14.15.
At the viewpoint we had great views of the 3 peaks of Kanchenjunga, the other mountains and the glacier. We walked a bit further northwards along the ridge of moraine towards the south Base Camp for Kanchenjunga. Unfortunately, the path to Kanchenjunga's South Base Camp is blocked by a landslide.
Most people think that the views from Kanchenjunga's North Base camp are much better than from Oktang. I disagree and prefer the south side. It was the best day of my Kanchenjunga trek.
When I got back to Ramche I decided to pitch my tent. The French and Germans had arrived but they decided to go to the Oktang viewpoint the next morning. That suited me as I wanted to get ahead of the French trekkers and stay in tea houses with fewer trekkers.
There was an amazing sunset over the mountains and we all stayed out in the cold to watch it. Jiwan ended up cooking supper again as the owner was apparently feeling sick. I was concerned that the owner had cooked my lunch but there was nothing I could do about that now.
The food was fantastic and the portions were huge. It was a cold evening and by 20.00 everyone went to bed. The warmest place had been the kitchen whilst supper was being cooked over a roaring fire. I kept going in to warm up.
14 November 2023 - Ramche to Tortong
It was a cold night and all the condensation on my tent froze. I tried packing up the tent before breakfast but my hands became too cold when trying to remove the ice. I managed to thaw out my hands in the kitchen where Jiwan was cooking breakfast for everyone.
Everyone was having Sherpa stew except me. I had chapatis and omelette. When I saw the sick lodge owner put his dirty hands on my chapatis I wished that I had ordered the Sherpa stew as well! I was concerned I would get sick but fortunately I didn’t.
The sun came out early at 07.15 but it wasn't strong enough to melt the ice on my tent. Jiwan kindly scraped it all off and packed up my tent.
We left Ramche at 08.30 and got back to Tseram at 10.45. I had an early lunch of vegetable fried noodles and Jiwan had dal bhat. It was far too early in the day to stop walking. I also wanted to get ahead of the French trekkers who I knew would be spending the night here.
We started walking again at 11.45 and followed the river down to Tortong (2,980 metres). It took 3.5 hours on a path that descended through forest most of the way. We descended a total of 1,600 metres today.
There are 2 tea houses at Tortong and I ended up staying at a tea house where the British father and son were staying. I thought I had selected a quiet room but there were 4 young and noisy Nepali boys in the room below me. I therefore moved my sleeping bag to a vacant room and had a good night's sleep.
15 November 2023 - Tortong to Kengsra
A new trail was constructed in 2019 on the Kanchenjunga Circuit trek that avoids the large landslide at Yamphudin. It goes directly west of Tortong (2,980 metres) and follows the river (Simbuwa Khola) down to Hellok (1,700 metres). I had passed Hellok on the second day of the trek, although I was on the other side of the river.
The first section of the hike was through virgin forest and there were absolutely no settlements for 5 hours. After a while the forest changed from large trees to bamboo. It is red panda territory but we didn't see any. I was concentrating more on my foot placement as the terrain is difficult.
On the way Jiwan found 2 ticks on his clothes. I was going to remove my trouser leggings as it was hot but left them on to protect against ticks. It is the first time I have come across ticks in Nepal.
After 5 hours we reached a new tea house at Kengsra (2,268 metres). We had descended over 700 metres from Tortong. In reality it was a lot more as the trail went up and down. They call it Nepali flat! It had been a very tough hike. Everyone I have met who has done it felt the same way.
We had dal bhat for lunch at Kengsra and asked the helpful tea house owner to try and arrange a shared jeep from Hellok to Taplejung the next day. Unfortunately there were not any shared jeeps the next day as it was a holiday (Diwali/Tihar).
As a result we arranged for a private jeep to come from Taplejung the next morning and take us back there. The cost was R15,000 ($115) for the 3 to 4 hour very rough jeep ride from Hellok to Taplejung. We decided to stay at Kengsra for the night and then walk 3 hours to Hellok the next day to meet the jeep.
When we arrived at Kengsra it was very hot and sunny. However, by 14.30 the sun went down behind the mountains and it really cooled down. The British father and son (35 years old) arrived soon afterwards and also decided to spend the night there.
Jiwan and I had flights booked from Taplejung to Kathmandu on 19 November. As we hadn’t stayed the night at the Kanchenjunga's North Base Camp it was now possible for us to fly one day earlier.
I asked Jiwan to contact Enjoy Nepal Treks to see if our flights could be changed. I was keen to get back a day earlier as I was starting the Langtang trek on 21 November and needed time to wash clothes. I also fancied sleeping an extra night in a good hotel!
There is a very limited Nepal Telecoms signal at Kengsra and you can only get the signal with an older type phone. Jiwan borrowed the lodge owner’s phone and managed to arrange for the flight to be changed. There was no extra cost for me but it cost an extra R2,560 ($20) to change Jiwan’s ticket.
In the evening we sat outside by a fire and celebrated Diwali with a freshly slaughtered chicken and locally brewed Rakshi. The British son and his guide had far too much Rakshi and felt it the next morning! Fortunately I found the Rakshi tasteless and I stopped the tea house owner from continually refilling my mug.
Usually tea houses use wood very sparingly. However, wood was plentiful here and we had a roaring fire all evening.
16 November 2023 - Kengsra to Taplejung
We left the tea house at 08.15 and a few minutes later passed another new hotel on top of the hill but it was closed. The terrain was much easier after Kengsra. There were many settlements and lots of cardamom plantations. We walked slowly and it took us 2.5 to 3 hours to reach Hellok.
On the way Jiwan spoke to the driver who was coming from Taplejung. He was intending to pick up a person who was seriously sick from drinking too much the previous night whilst celebrating Diwali.
Jiwan told the driver that I would have to authorise this. I told Jiwan that I wasn't keen as I envisaged the sick person vomiting in the jeep as the road is very rough.
We had a very good dal bhat at a home stay in Hellok and at 13.00 the jeep arrived. The driver wasn't friendly and ignored me. The family of the sick man offered to pay half the cost for the jeep and they insisted he had to sit in the front.
I didn’t agree to this and was still concerned that the sick man would be vomiting in the jeep. In the end the family of the sick man agreed to pay the driver R20,000 to take the sick man. The driver agreed, although it was Jiwan and I who had arranged the jeep.
So at 14.00 I didn't have any transport to Taplejung. Jiwan contacted the lodge owner at Kengsra who was very annoyed with the driver for reneging on the agreement. He arranged for another jeep to come to pick us up for R15,000. However, the jeep was at Taplejung and it would take another 3 to 4 hours to reach us.
I decided to walk half an hour down to Ranipur to meet the jeep there. I waited in a tea house for the jeep to arrive and fortunately there was wifi. The first time for 2 weeks.
Whilst waiting for the jeep the British father and his son arrived at the tea house. The father had found a tick on his body that morning at Kengsra and was very worried. There was an ominous red rash where it had been and that can be a sign of Lyme disease.
I was surprised when the 2 Germans arrived about 17.00. It was good to see them again. They had trekked from Tortong to Hellok in 1 day. A very hard hike and the one German looked very tired.
The jeep finally arrived at 18.00. We drove in the dark and arrived at the Hotel Blue Star in Taplejung at 21.30. When we stayed there at the start of our Kanchenjunga trek the hotel was empty and quiet. It was therefore a shock to see that the hotel was packed with families and was very busy.
We stayed as Jiwan had made a reservation. It was too late to look around for another hotel and most of the hotels in Taplejung are full at this time of year. I knew that the other guests would be going to the temple at around 04.00 and I was certain that they would disturb me.
I thought we might be too late for dinner but everyone at the hotel, including young children, were waiting for dal bhat to be served. The dining room was full so we ate after the other guests at about 22.30. It was a very long day. As I expected my sleep was then disturbed at 04.00 with all the people setting off for the temple.
17 November 2023 - Taplejung to Bhadrapur
Jiwan arranged for another jeep to take us on the 8 to 9 hour journey to Bhadrapur airport. The cost was R20,000 ($150) which is what I paid when driving from Bhadrapur to Taplejung.
We left at 08.30 and after an hour had excellent mountain views back to Kanchenjunga. We stopped for lunch and had a good dal bhat for R200 ($1.50). This is the local price and so much cheaper than on the trek.
We arrived at Bhadrapur at 17.30 and spent a night at a small hotel by the airport. It was quiet until 22.30 when several Nepali arrived singing loudly!
18 November 2023 - Bhadrapur to Kathmandu
The departure time for our flight to Kathmandu was 09.00. We left the hotel at 07.35 and it was only a 5 minute walk to the airport. Jiwan got me a front seat on the right hand side of the plane so I could enjoy the views of the Himalayas again. The plane was only 30 minutes late.
The small domestic arrivals area at Kathmandu airport is always crowded and chaotic. I was relieved when my bag appeared and we then took a prepaid taxi to the Everest Boutique Hotel. I thanked Jiwan for the trek. We were meeting again on 21 November to do the Langtang and Gosainkund/Helambu treks.
I didn’t have a booking for a room but got a room with a balcony which is what I wanted. I immediately started washing clothes in the sink and hung them out to dry on the balcony. I didn’t use one of the cheap laundry services in Thamel as I was concerned they might damage my trekking clothes.
It was good to be back in a comfortable hotel with a clean bathroom. I had 3 nights of comfort and good food before starting the Langtang trek on 21 November!