Trek to Kangchenjunga

Altitude 5,147m/16,560ft
Duration 30 Days
Grade: Strenuous
A journey through remote, high-mountain terrain, visiting the north and south base camps of the world's 3rd highest mountain
Introduction
At 8,586m, Kangchenjunga is the world's 3rd highest mountain. Located in the far north eastern corner of Nepal, on the border with Sikkim, the surrounding region is less accessible than the Khumbu or Annapurna circuit and still sees few Western visitors.
Kanchenjunga has a special place in the hearts of British climbers and explorers. From Douglas Freshfields initial circumnavigation in 1899, the first ascent in 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, to the ground-breaking ascent of the North Ridge, by Doug Scott, Pete Boardman and Joe Tasker in 1979 - many chapters in British climbing history have been dedicated to "Kangch". Together with the huge bulk of Jannu, Chang Himal's imposing North Face and the impenetrable ridges of Ratong, the mountain vistas on this trek are every bit as impressive as the peaks in the Everest region.
Our itinerary approaches the North Base Camp first, trekking through deep ravines, forests of bamboo, rhododendron and larch pine to the Tibetan village of Ghunsa and the high mountains. We take care to spend time acclimatizing around Ghunsa and Kambachen, before continuing along the Kanchenjunga Glacier to spend a night at Pangpema, base camp on the north side. The views of Jannu, Kanchenjunga and Chang Himal are jaw dropping.
Then we cross the Mirgin La (4,550m) to Tseram. It is much more logical to cross the pass from north to south and this part of the trek is simply superb. Magnificent scenery and interesting walking, which is reminiscent of the Lake District! By now we're well acclimatized, and can enjoy the gentle walking up to Oktang and the awesome views of Ratong, the Kabru Peaks and the South Face of Kanchenjunga. We exit the mountain via an esoteric route, travelling through villages where the locals rarely see trekkers. Expect to be the focus of much attention! This is a long and committing trek in a region with little infrastructure. The trails are at rough and undulating, at times exposed and there are landslides to cross. Therefore to join this trip you need to be an experienced mountain walker, mentally prepared for consecutive days of tough trekking in an extremely remote part of the Himalayas.
Trekking to the North Base Camp first, then crossing the Mirgin La from North to South to then visit the South Base Camp is, in our opinion, the best way of doing this trek.
The trip is open to everyone - however you do have to be an experienced mountain walker - and be prepared and fit enough to walk each day and ready for adventure! The schedule allows for acclimatisation and exploration along the way.