Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek - 19 Days

Main Highlights of Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek

• Jannu Viewpoint (4,420m): A mesmerizing panorama of Jannu (Kumbhakarna), one of the world's most technically demanding peaks.
• Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (Pangpema, 5,143m): A high-altitude sanctuary offering awe-inspiring views of the sprawling Kanchenjunga massif.
• Tamo La (Altitude unknown): A scenic mountain pass with sweeping vistas of the lush Ghunsa Valley below.
• Selele La (4,355m): Crossed in deep snow, leaving the views to our imagination—though they were surely spectacular.
• Mirgin La (4,633m): A breathtaking high pass framing panoramic views of Jannu and the distant Makalu.
• Unnamed La: A mysterious, undocumented pass—absent from maps and online resources.
• Sinelapche La (4,700m): The crown jewel of an exhausting day, rewarding us with unmatched views of Kanchenjunga, Rathong Peak, Kabru, the Yalung Glacier, and countless other giants.
• Kanchenjunga South Base Camp (Oktang Viewpoint, 4,730m): A stunning vantage point, though landslides now block access to the historic base camp itself.

Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Overview

The Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek has been ranked by many trekkers as the best trekking route in rural Nepal, an extensive trek going deep into the remote mountain ranges on Nepal’s border with Sikkim and Tibet. The trail explores the area around Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world. You will see a wide range of scenery, from lush tropical jungle through to rhododendron, chestnut, and oak forests, and then, at higher altitudes, into the alpine zone. You will see a range of Nepalese culture and lifestyles, from Rai and Limbu to Tibetan Buddhist villages. The Kanchenjunga region offers unbelievable trekking, and now, in addition to the traditional full camping trek style, it’s possible to do a teahouse trek to the region as well. Here is all you need to know!

The trek around Kanchenjunga north and south Base Camp can be done entirely as a basic teahouse trek in September-October-November and March-April-May. Kanchenjunga is the third-highest mountain in the world at 8586 m/28,169 ft and is on the border between Nepal and Sikkim (India). Wilderness Excursion’s trekking itinerary to Kanchenjunga only covers the trekking routes in Nepal on this site. The usual trekking destinations are the viewpoints near the climbing base camps on the south and north sides of this massive mountain; traversing between the north and south base camps is also highly enjoyable, making for a very pleasing wilderness experience. The Kanchenjunga Trekking Trail is not formed by tracks of the Everest and Annapurna regions, though tracks are being rapidly improved up the north side. If you are grateful for a stone hut, a wooden bed, evening Daal Bhat, and daily rough country, you will greatly enjoy this remote trek.

Only about 1,000 trekkers a year trek this place, compared to over 35,000 in the Everest Region of Khumbu, so it is possible to walk blissfully all day and see nobody else. Most people you will meet will be in camping groups, but you may meet some small private groups of teahouse trekkers with their guides and porters. Note that there is considerable exposure on many of the tracks, so don’t go if you have vertigo or a fear of heights. This matrilineal Limbu (‘the bearer of bows and arrows’) homeland is not highly populated, particularly on the south side, and the people follow animist, Buddhist, and some Hindu beliefs. Phale and Ghunsa on the northern side are uniquely Tibetan in architecture and religious practice, but surprisingly, the general lack of outward religious signs that characterize the Khumbu region, for instance. There is a focus on tongba, a local drink: warm millet beer served in brass-decorated wooden pots with a straw. The Kanchenjunga Trek can be done entirely as a lodge trek in September-October-November and in March-April-May. At the start and end of these periods, there may be some lodges closed, particularly at higher altitudes. Always inquire before relying on these notes. There are toilets in nearly all places, and phone access is limited on the south side. Wilderness Excursion provides tents just in case the lodges are closed, with light meals.

The Kanchenjunga range consists of five individual peaks, of which Kanchenjunga II is the highest among them. People from the Kanchenjunga Region believe this mountain is sacred, as well as the five treasures of snow in the form of gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books on each different summit. Joe Brown and George Band, part of the British expedition team, first conquered the summit of Kanchenjunga in 1955. The entire range generates four different glaciers, which result in a couple of famous rivers for rafting in Nepal. This is basic Kanchenjunga information. Now, let us discuss a bit about the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trekking, which is conducted in the state of Kanchenjunga, Nepal. The first thing foreigners need to know is that trekking in Kanchenjunga is declared a restricted area trekking region in Nepal with a strict policy of controlled tourism, which clearly states that one needs to obtain a special restricted area permit as well as be accompanied by a Nepali citizen before trekking in Kanchenjunga. Since trekkers possess special permits, there is no necessity for a Trekker's Information Management System (TIMS) card, although a conservation area project entry permit card is mandatory to obtain. If trekking the Kanchenjunga Circuit were on one’s to-do list, then it would be fruitful to obtain information about Kanchenjunga.

A teahouse-based trek to Kanchenjunga is now encouraged and promoted. The government of Nepal is emphasizing the development of infrastructure in Kanchenjunga to support the local economy and its involvement in the tourism sector. Trekking in Kanchenjunga can be one of the most adventurous treks, with close interaction with Tibetan refugees whose settlement is along the Kanchenjunga Circuit.

Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek Itinerary and Distance – How long does it take to complete it?

Formerly, a traditional Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek used to last for 21 to 28 days, depending on the route chosen, a distance of approximately 215 KM long. Now, with the development of roads in rural areas of Nepal hence the route is getting shorter every year. So, the itinerary and length of the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek in the present days lasts 18 to 19 days, though some expert hikers can complete the trek within 16 to 17 days.

The Kanchenjunga Trek itinerary starts with a flight to Bhadrapur from Kathmandu, then a long drive to Taplejung, the former typical trek's starting point. Trekkers ascend through diverse landscapes to reach the Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (Pangpema) and the South Base Camp before descending through different villages and passes like Sele La to return to Taplejung and drive back to Bhadrapur to catch the flight to Kathmandu. But now, there is a gravel road beyond Taplejung to Sekethum, which provides a trekking start point.

Our 19-day standard itinerary first goes to the north base camp (Pangpema), then turns toward the south to Oktang – also called Okharthanfg. Here is a tour that first goes to South Base Camp and then to North Base Camp, which concludes via Ghunsa – Sekethum – Kanyam, which is a famous Tea garden in Nepal.

Outline Itinerary

Day 01: Fly to Bhadrapur and drive to Taplejung (2400m): Drive by Public Jeep.

Day 02: Drive to Hellok and Trek to Yasang: 6 to 7 Hours.

Day 03: Trekking from Yasang to Totong.

Day 04: Trekking from Tortong to Charam (Also spelled Tseram).

Day 05: Rest and acclimatization day at Cheram

Day 06: Trekking from Cheram Ramche (Alo called Ramchaur).

Day 07: Excursion to Kanchenjunga South base Camp (Oktang) – Cheram (retrace)

Day 08: Trekking from Cheram to Selele Camp

Day 09: Trekking from Selele Camp to Ghunsa via Selele Pass

Day 10: Trekking from Ghunsa to Khambachen.

Day 11: Trek from Khambachen to Lonak (also spelled Lhonak)

Day 12: Excursion to Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (5140 m).

Day 13: Trek from Lhonak to Ghunsa.

Day 14: Trek from Ghunsa to Amjilosa.

Day 15: Trek from Amjilosa to Sekathum

Day 16: Drive from Sekathum to Kanyam - The crown jewel of Ilam.

Day 17: Short drive from Kanyam to Bhadrapur – flight to Kathmandu.

Day 18: A Buffer day for unforeseen obstacles in case.

For those with a shorter time, check out our 15-Day Short Kanchenjunga North Base Camp Trek.  And an extension version toward Makalu Base Camp traverse Lumba Sumba Pass. 

A typical day in the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek

In the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek, your typical day starts with a hot cup of tea in the teahouse, followed by a simple trekking breakfast before leaving for the trailhead. The paths are long and varied, winding through terraced fields, dense forests of rhododendron and oak, and remote villages where life feels untouched by modernity. We will walk five to seven hours a day, with steady ascents and descents that may test your stamina. We have a lunch break at around 11:30 or 12:00 PM at a teahouse or a scenic spot, often enjoying spectacular views of snow peaks. Afternoons bring more trekking, sometimes crossing suspension bridges or climbing toward higher ridges. By late afternoon, we reach the next stop for the night stay in a teahouse provides warmth and basic comforts. Evenings are spent sharing hearty meals, chatting with locals or fellow hikers, sharing your experience, and preparing for the next day. The routine blends physical challenge with cultural immersion, all against the backdrop of the mighty Kanchenjunga massif. Before going to bed, your Kanchenjunga trek guide from Wilderness Excursion briefs you next day's tour plan.