KBC North South Trek

Nepal welcomes you! When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, a representative will welcome you and take you to your hotel in Kathmandu. Enjoy the opportunity to relax after such a long travel! We'll give you an update on your journey and what to anticipate from the trek this evening.

We take a short (about 50 minutes) flight from Kathmandu to Biratnagar to start the day. After that, we drive to Basantpur, where our trip officially starts. Both parts of the journey are incomparably beautiful: the vehicle drive takes us over an exciting, dangerous mountain road with more than 100 hairpin twists, while the flight provides vistas of our whole trekking trail. The town of Hille will be traversed as we follow the mighty Arun River. At the end of the road, on the ridge above Tanmaya Khola, is Biratnagar. In order to begin trekking early in the morning tomorrow, we will set up camp here for the night.

On this first day of trekking, we will complete roughly seven hours of hiking. Expect to see a lot of other trekkers passing through because the first three kilometers of the trail are shared with main trekking paths that serve the wildly popular Arun and Tamur valleys. After passing Tunde, crowds clear down, and we head to Chainpur, a major shopping post. On our way to Chauki, we will stroll through charming rhododendron forests and tiny towns with breathtaking views of Mount Makalu and Kanchenjunga.

Our trail wanders across the Milke Danda Range, offering us breathtaking views of the mountains of Chamlang, Mera, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga from high points along the route, as well as forests of vividly flowering rhododendron flowers in the spring. Eventually, we will travel to the beautiful town of Gupha Pokhari, where we will set up camp next to a natural pond. We will have plenty of time to explore the village and enjoy our surroundings because we will only be trekking for four hours today.

We have a long day ahead of us, but fortunately it's all downhill. After pausing for lunch in the Gurja Sherpa hamlet, we will travel along the Maihwa Khola and the Tamur Koshi streams to their junction, where we will discover Dobhan's overnight camping location.

Today is the first of three days of trekking through the Tamor Nadi river valley; by the end, we will have ascended about 1,000 metres to reach Sekathum. Due to the monsoon rains, the trail is muddy and soggy as we go into the deep valley. We will trek along the river as it meanders through the bird-filled rainforest! We will have ascended high enough that the road becomes somewhat drier by the time we get at Mitlyng!

Day two of our valley trek continues as we are surrounded by stunning cliffs that intensify the deafening torrent of rushing water in this deep Himalayan river gorge. As we go along the narrow valley, we will pass through patches of dense subtropical forest and observe nearby communities above. Around the time we reach Chirwa, a network of Limbu settlements inhabited by farmers who have been cultivating various grains on the land for thousands of years, the valley finally opens.

We finally get it through the Tamor Nadi valley after five hours of trekking today. Just before Simbuwa Khola, the valley gives path to the Ghunsa River, and we will soon reach Sekathum. A tributary that starts at the Yalung glacier and steadily changing landscape as the valley keeps opening up in front of us mark our goal.

Before we set up camp today, we have a short but steep walk. We will gain about 900 metres in elevation in five hours! When we continue towards Ghunsa, the track becomes substantially narrower, only to widen once more when we approach Amjilassa. As we can see from the homes, attire, and way of life of the natives, we have arrived in the Sherpa and Tibetan region.

Today is a simple trekking day, but a little isolated. We'll be walking through thick forests for four hours, and there won't be any villages in sight. The first village we will come across during the day is Gyabla, where we will set up our camp.

In order to reduce the possibility of altitude sickness, we will walk more slowly as we approach the 3,000-meter elevation threshold. We will walk for five hours to reach Ghunsa, but first we will stop inside the Tibetan village in Phole for lunch. Here, Buddhism flourishes, and a nearby monastery invites us to take a quick break.

Today is the day to relax and rest as we get used to the high altitude we've reached. With lots of opportunities for long, stunning hikes and soaks in hot springs, the Sherpa town of Ghunsa is the perfect place for a day of discovery and tranquilly. Another notable feature of Ghunsa is that it is the final permanent community before north base camp.

We will be trekking through one of the most magnificent glacier valleys in Nepal, if not the whole Himalayas, over the course of the next three days. From Lhonak, we begin the day on the moraine, and we finish at the foot of Jannu Glacier. We will have a direct view of Jannu and the Kanchenjunga massif from this location. As far as trekking paths go, this is off the beaten path. Because of its remote location, we have a high chance of seeing a variety of wildlife, including smaller creatures like hyrax and marmots, blue sheep, ibex, and mountain goats, as well as raptors like eagles, kites, and falcons.

At this high altitude, with the glacial scenery and no nearby towns or homes, the landscape appears barren and bleak. The trail climbs steadily but slowly; we are somewhat slowed down by the high altitude and moraine debris. The trail circles the north side of the glacier, which starts around Ramtangat. We'll set our camp at Lhonak, where the Lhonak and Kanchenjunga glaciers meet, and take in the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

We set out today to explore the Pangpema area of Kanchenjunga's north base camp, which sees very few trekkers. As a result, the going is difficult and there is no clear path! We'll do as much exploring as we can in the glacial region before setting up camp to recover and stay warm.

The same terrain that took us two days to ascent can be covered in seven hours by going downhill from PangPema! Retracing the route to Ghunsa gives us to see things from a different angle.

Today, as we go out from Ghunsa, dense trees of birch, pine, and rhododendron—possibly covered in snow—line our upward route. We'll walk six hours following the paths folks take to get supplies and get around.

This is a difficult part of our journey! The 800-meter ascent to Mirgin La Pass will reward our perseverance with expansive vistas of the Jannu Himal, Mount Makalu, Baruntse, Chamlang Kabru, and Kanchenjunga. After crossing steep slopes, we will eventually descend to Tseram. We'll walk for eight hours in total.

Today, we start early in order to get to Ramche and set up camp. We'll travel back to Yalung Glacier after lunch. This is a strenuous but manageable climb which is only 7 km away and has a 300 m elevation rise. We will be in wonder of the stunning natural amphitheatre created by the mountains of Rohtang and Kabru on the boundary between Nepal and Sikkim at the glacier.

Today, we have seven hours of relaxing walking ahead of us as we make our way to Tortong via the Simbua Khola, passing through rhododendron and pine forests.

Today's seven-hour hike is hazardous and challenging because this section of the route is risk of landslides. We will be relieved to camp at Yamphudim tonight because we also have to deal with the 600-meter ascent to the Lamite pass at 3,500 metres.

Today's trip will take us across two passes and past the picturesque villages of Brahmins and Chhetri. It will take us about seven hours to walk.

With a steep 1,000-meter descent spanning barely 6 kilometers, our final trekking day is lengthy. After lunch in Dobhan, we'll hike a further 8 metres down a winding but fortunately easy path to the settlement. This is the final "long" day of the trip, with seven hours of trekking!

We climb 1,200 metres to Tharpu in four hours to complete our trek. Now is the moment to relish your last mountain sunset and take in your last views of the Kanchenjunga range, which you have just conquered. It's been a long, thrilling journey. After spending so much time with your guides and trekking partners over the past three weeks, now is the time to celebrate.

Although Bhadrapur airport is only 190 kilometers from Tharpu, the trip will take us nine hours. You might wonder why. Our route passes through at least seven tiny ranges, and the 100 hairpin twists from our first trip resurface. As a result, the driver's average speed is below 30 km/h! Although the journey is exhausting, it is rewarding because you can truly appreciate the intricacy of the terrain we have traversed over the past few weeks.

You have the remainder of the afternoon to rest, unwind, or explore the city after our short flight from Bhadrapur back to Kathmandu. Shop, eat, or just get lost in the strange but friendly bustle of one of the most distinctive and historic cities on Earth.

One of the most significant historical and spiritual sites in the world is Kathmandu. As part of a full day of sightseeing, we will see some of the city's more UNESCO-listed sites than any other place in the world. In addition to the "monkey temple" of Swayambhunath and the revered Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, we will travel to Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa in the world. The well-known and historic Durbar Square will also be visible. We will be hosting a farewell meal at a great Nepalese cuisine in town tonight to celebrate an incredible trip.

Today, as our journey together comes to an end, we bid you farewell. We'll drive you to the airport or just bid you farewell so you may embark on your next journey. Don't forget to exchange email addresses with other tour participants! Please feel free to provide your opinions about the trekking experience; we always value your input.