How to go to Kanchanjunga?
Kanchanjung is a very remote Himalayan region in the eastern part of Nepal. It is connected by rough roads and flights with urban Cities such as Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Dharan, Ilam, etc. Overland transportation to this trekking departs from different parts of eastern Nepal, but flight operates only from Kathmandu to Suketar at Taplejung. Nepal Airlines schedules 3 days of flights per week, but it is always unsure. The other flight companies do not operate their flight schedule to Suketar airport. So, most travel companies offer it by driving from Kathmandu to Taplejung or flying in and out from KTM to Bhadrapur and then driving Jeeps to Sekathum. Comfortable transportation access is more difficult in remote parts of the Himalayas in Nepal.
You must have an overnight at Ilam Kanyam or Phiddim while you fly for Trekking. Direct driving from Bhadrapur to Sekathum is impossible in a day. After the trek, driving directly from Yamphudin to Bhadrapur is possible. You must overnight somewhere or at Birtamode and drive away to Bhadrapur, about 35 minutes for the flight to Kathmandu.
Accommodation & Meals
Kanchanjunga region is also updating a lot for basic accommodations. The dining room is heated by burning yak dung. In some parts, they provide very nice rooms with attached bathrooms and hot showers. In a few places, there are still very normal accommodation facilities.
We will provide 3-time meals in a day on the trekking (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) as well as hot drinks like tea, coffee, and boiled water for drinking or filling water bottles….. Etc. But we won’t provide lunch and dinner during your stay in the city.
Drinking Water
Travelers should be very aware of drinking water in Nepal. Travelers are not completely adapted to digesting direct, normal spring water due to bacteria. So, we recommend drinking mineral water or boiled water. Also, you can use some purifier tablets such as chlorine tablets for purifying water on the trekking. We strongly recommend mineral water in the city area and purified or boiled water in the trekking.
Difficulty
Trekking in Kanchenjunga is considered a part of an adventure trip. There are steep ascends and descends and many passes, lots of ups and downs, high mountains, Glaciers, Rivers, and waterfalls. We have to sleep several nights above 3500m, and some days trekking will be more than 9 hours long in a dried and highlander landscape. Kanchenjunga trekking is fully mixed with nature, Culture, and adventures.
Permits & Regulations
You need to have a special permit (restricted permit) for the Kanchenjunga Trekking. There should be a minimum of 2 trekkers in a group. Permits won’t be issued for single persons or individual trekkers.
Kanchenjunga Restricted Permit: USD 10 per week
There is also Rs. 3000 entry fee for the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area project
Personal equipment list:
Good walking boots, a pair of track shoes and slippers to wear in the camp in the evening or when the boot is wet.
Warm jacket (Fibers fill or down should be adequate.)
A Rainproof jacket with a hood or poncho.
Woolen shirts and thick sweaters or fleece jackets.
Thin and thick trousers.
Trousers for higher up in the mountains in the morning and at night. Windproof/ waterproof trousers are necessary during treks going above 3000mtr.
Thermal underwear (These are excellent for sleeping at night)
A tracksuit for wearing in camp. 2 pairs of loose-fitting long shorts/ skirts. 1 lightweight long-sleeved –shirt is particularly suitable for avoiding sunburn.
A woolen or warm hat to wear in the morning and at night. Sunhat and ensure it has a wide brim to cover the face and neck.
A pair of gloves and good sun/snow glasses (warm and normal ones)
A Pair of thin and 2 pairs of thick warm socks, Underwear, a buff, and hankies as you need.
Necessary personal items if you are a woman.
Accessories
Duffle bag or kit bag to carry gear while trekking, sleeping bag. Small rucksack to carry personal requirements for the day, e.g. toilet paper, camera, film towel, soap, etc. Water bottle. Snow glasses and sunglasses, 2-4 large plastic bags to separate clean clothes from dirty ones. Headlamp with spare batteries, Snow gaiters, sun cream, personal medicine, lip guard, toothbrush, towel, reading materials, camera, game items (optional), notebook, rubber band, pen and pencil, a diary, a pocket knife, trekking map, passport copies.
Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness (acute mountain sickness) is difficulty sleeping, dizziness, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting, etc. It affects mountain climbers, hikers, and skiers because of lower air pressure and lower oxygen levels. It occurs as the result of failure to adapt to a higher altitude. It happens most often in the brain or the lungs after the fluid begins to leak from the blood vessels.
When the fluid collects in the brain, you initially get headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, a desire to lie down and do nothing, and a decrease of consciousness, and the problem with balance coordination is called high–altitude cerebral edema (HACE). If the fluid is collected in the lungs, you become breathless and dry, and an irritative cough begins, coughing up blood, discoloration of the skin, and chest tightness is called high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE).
Prevention
To prevent acute mountain sickness, we have to follow fundamental gravity habits such as patience, consistency, and discipline in the mountain. Avoid rapid altitude gaining, drink enough water or fluid, acclimatize to adjust the body at a higher altitude, avoid alcohol, eat regular meals, get higher and sleep at lower altitudes, and avoid high altitudes if you have heart and lung disease. The main treatment for acute mountain sickness is to stop climbing and descend to a lower altitude if the symptoms occur. If the person is seriously sick or cannot bring him/her lower altitude by walking and carrying, then we need a helicopter charter for quick evacuations.
Challenging day through the alpine terrain ascend to Nango La Pass (4,820m), offering stunning views of the Kanchenjunga region. Cross the Yangma Samba Khola and descend to Ghunsa, a picturesque Sherpa village with better accommodations.
