Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek
Maximum Altitude : 5400 meters
Duration of Trek : 17 days camping
Day to day Itinerary
DAY 01 : TAPLEJUNG – THEMBEWA 1880m
After a one and a half hour flight from Kathmandu, we start the trek by walking along a rhododendron clad ridge, past Deorali Khola, forests and fields to the large Limbu village of Thembewa.
DAY 02 : THEMBEWA – KESWA 1960m
We pass through the villages of Shimu and Pokara, and past a swimming hole, before reaching Khunjar, a Limbu village at 1700m. The next village on the trail is Bhanjyang, a Gurung community at 2120m, where there are good views of Kangchenjunga and Kyabru. We are now in the Kabeli Khola valley and heading towards our overnight stop, Keswa.
DAY 03 : KESWA – MAMANKE 1810m
We see several waterfalls, streams and the site of a landslide on the way to the picturesquely named village of Fun Fun. After this we cross a saddle and proceed upwards through forests and past another waterfall. Descending again, we cross a suspension bridge into Mamanke, a thriving Limbu village with shops and a large school. The local teashops here serve ‘tongba’ a heady beer which is drunk through straws !
DAY 04 : MAMANKE – YAMPHUDIN 1690m
Today begins by climbing a ridge and dropping to Tenguwa Khola, before a very up and down section of the trek, where we cross several streams by ‘rock-hopping’. We climb to Yamphudin, a mixed community of Sherpas, Limbus, Rais and Gurungs. Portions of this village were washed away by the flood in 1989. This is the last permanent village we will see for more than a week !
DAY 05 : YAMPHUDIN – CHHITRE 2750m
We cross the Omje Khola on bamboo poles and follow the course of the river upstream. Passing behind a ridge, we then head uphill and zigzag to Darachuk. Next we keep climbing to a col before following the Omje Khola upstream and crossing a log bridge into Chhitre, a clearing in the forest with a single bamboo shelter.
DAY 06 : CHHITRE – TORONTAN 2990m
Walking through pine and rhododendron forest, we come to Lamite Bhanjyang (3410m), woth views of Jannu. Next we negotiate a steep set of ‘switchbacks’ downhill and take a more gentle trail through damp, orchid-filled forests. We follow the Simbua Khola upstream and camp in a clearing beyond the Torontan caves.
DAY 07 : TORONTAN – TSERAM 3870m
The day starts amid rhododendron forests to two Goths, at Tsento Kang and Watha, before reaching a Buddhist shrine in a cave, where a streak of dark stone is believed to represent a snake. This shrine is the boundary of a sacred part of the valley, beyond which the killing of animals is prohibited. Next we climb to Tseram, a large flat meadow with a single house. This is the junction where you branch off to the Yarlung glacier.
DAY 08 : TSERAM – RAMCHE 4620m
The trek starts today with a climb through forests and the peaks of Rathong and Kabry loom at the head of the valley. The trail climbs onto moraine at the foot of the Yarlung glacier and then we climb alongside moraine to a lake at Lapsang (4430m), before ascending to another lake and a large meadow at Ramche, dominated by the spectacular Rathong Peak.
DAY 09 : RAMCHE – YARLUNG GLACIER 5400m
We follow the stream alongside the moraine for a long distance before climbing onto the moraine itself. Here there is a fine view of the south face of Kangchenjunga. There is a chorten here, which is a landmark for excellent views of Jannu.
DAY 10 : YARLUNG – RAMCHE
This is the reverse of Day 09.
DAY 11 : RAMCHE – TSERAM
This is the reverse of Day 08
DAY 12 : TSERAM – LAMITE BHANJYANG
This is the reverse of Days 07 and 06. We camp in thick forest at Lamite Bhanjyang.
DAY 13 : LAMITE BHANJYANG – YAMPHUDIN
This is the reverse of Day 05
DAY 14 : YAMPHUDIN – MAMANKE
This is the reverse of Days 04 and 03
DAY 15 : MAMANKE – KESWA
This is the reverse of day 02
DAY 16 : KESWA – LALI KHARKA (2220m)
DAY 17 : LALI KARKA – TAPLEJUNG.
For further information regarding this tour please contact us.
Vast reams of material have been written on Nepal over the years, in particular over the past fifty years with the successful summit of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The past twenty has slowly seen Nepal become a well recognised holiday destination. 
