Kanchenjunga Trek

Dzongri - Kanchenjunga Trek (15 Nights/16 Days)

Delhi-Bagdogra - Darjeeling, Darjeeling - Yaksum, Yaksum - Tsoka, Tsoka - Dzongri, Dzongri - Thangshing, Thangshing - Lam Pokhri - Thangshing, Thangshing - Samiti, Samiti - Gocha - La, Samati - Thangshing, Thangshing - Tsoka, Tsoka - Yaksum, Yaksum-Gangtok, Gangtok -Rumtek Monastery-Kalimpong, Kalimpong-Baghdogra- Delhi. 

Arrive Delhi. Meet, assistance on arrival and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Transfer to domestic airport to board flight for Bagdogra. Meet at airport and transfer to Darjeeling - 04 Hrs. drive. On arrival check in hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Morning halfday city tour of Darjeeling visiting Himalayan Mountaineering institute, Himalayan Zoo, Tibetian refugee centre and Tea gardens. Overnight at hotel.

Depart for Yaksum - 1770 Mts. In Yaksum who wish could walk up Dubdee monastery above the village. In autum the magenta orchid pleione praecox can Br seen in flowers on the trees around the monastery. Overnight in camp.

On the first day we walk along the valley side crossing several small rivers over bridges In the autum maples make a fine display of colour across the river. After crossing the Prek Chu, we climb steeply to reach the village of Bakhim - 2790 mts, from where there is a fine view looking back down the valley with ridge upon ridge of forested hills disappearing into the haze. A further climb of one hour brings us up to the fairly new Tibetan village of Tsoka. Overnight in camp.

We climb through thick forest of rhododendron and fir, festoonned with lichin and moss, which gives it a truly magical air. At Phedang there is a large grassy clearing surrounded by rhododendrons and clematis Montana climbing everywhere. A steep climb from Phedang brings us out of the forest at a vintage point where we get our first really good views of the main peaks of the Kanchenjanga range. From here the trail is quite easy continuing through shrub rhododendrons to Dzongri. Overnight in camp.

After breakfast we set of climbing steadily to another ridge 4250 Mts. passing herds of Yak among scrub juniper and rhododendrons, which are mixed and burnt as incense by the local Buddishts. The trail then drops down through seas of rhododendrons. After a steep descent we cross the Prek Chu again in to the mixed forest and climb to our camp site at Thangshing. Overnight in camp.

We have a rest day in Thangshing and the more energetic can take a long day walk to Lam Pokhri Lake - 4420 Mts. This will help acclimatization considerably. Overnight in camp.

Follow an easy trail up the valley through low scrub, with Thangshing peak, Khang and Pandim to the right, and Kanchenjanga and Gocha peak ahead. A steep climb takes us over an old Glacial moraine, and then down to lake Samiti - 4270 Mts. Overnight in camp.

A free day to explore the region; most people will probably want to climb to the Gocha-La pass quite a tough walk which is well rewarded by some of the finest views of the Kanchenjanga range; those who do not want to go all the way to the pass can go as far as they want and then return to the camp. Overnight in camp.

After a free morning for further exploration, we walk back to Thangshing, an easy day which provides a buffer in case of bad weather. Overnight in camp.

We return to Tsoka by a lower path avoiding Dzongri. Overnight in camp.

We walk back to Yaksum following roughly the same route as on the way up. Overnight in camp.

Breakfast in camp. Depart for Gangtok. Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel. Depart for Kalimpong via Rumtek. Overnight at hotel. 

We drive down from Kalimpong to Baghdogra, an then fly to Delhi. Meet on arrival. Farewell dinner in Delhi. Transfer to airport for return flight.