Kanchenjunga National Park Trek

enquire nowIntroduction to the trek : With its unique location bordering the Kingdom of Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet and West Bengal, what Sikkim lacks in size is made up in the grandeur of its Himalayan Scenery. The melting snow from the peaks cascades down mountain sides to form numerous waterfalls, rivers and valleys! The true grandeur of Sikkim however is to be discovered in the variety of its Himalayan Flora and fauna a world only to be discovered on foot. To the exploring eye a whole world of forms and colors is revealed beneath the green mantle of its forests and amazing peaks. One such pristine trek brings us to Goecha-La which takes us to the base of World’s Third Highest Mountain – The almighty colossal Kanchenjunga- Guardian Deity of the state of Sikkim. Through considered a strenuous trek it offers so much beauty and adventure that it’s considered to be a pride for the trekkers.

In a thousand ages of the Gods I could not tell thee of the Glory of the Himalaya - just as the dew is dried by the morning sun, so are the sins of mankind by the sight of the HIMALAYA"

|| Skanda Purana||

Overview

Your Trek Organizers: Sunshine Adventures have been closely associated with the local NGO’s of Sikkim and the Forest department as the company’s founder was chosen to give a detailed consultancy on the States Ecotourism Policy. This also gave a chance for us to open Sikkim in a sustainable way establishing the ecotourism Directorate of Sikkim. Your trek will be jointly managed by Rangers from the local Conservation NGO , the Sikkim Ecotourism Directorate under the guidance of senior Sunshine staff to bring you an unforgettable experience .

Day 1. Arrival Delhi/ Banglore / Hyderabad for Bagdogra.
Day 2. Trek to Tshoka (3,050m)- 7 hours walking.
Day 3. Trek to Phidang (3,650m)- 4 hours walking.
Day 4. Trek to Dzongri (3,990m)- 4 hours walking.
Day 5. Day walk from Dzongri (3,990m)- 6 hours return.
Day 6. Trek to Onglathang (4,000m)- 6 hours walking.
Day 7. Trek to Goecha la (4,940m) and back to Thangshing- 8 hours walking.
Day 8. Trek to Tshoka (3,050m)- 6 hours walking.
Day 9. Trek to Yuksom (1,770m)- 6 hours walking.
Day 10. Fly from Gangtok to Delhi

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival Delhi/ Banglore / Hyderabad for Bagdogra. Afternnon arrival at Bagdogra airport. Lunch and a Drive to Yuksom (1,770m)- 4 hours driving. Today we drive to Yuksom, the road travels through the heart of Sikkim passing through tea plantations, lush jungle and forests.

Day 2. Trek to Tshoka (3,050m)- 7 hours walking. Today we walk along the valley side crossing several rivers and then climb steeply to Bakhim and little further higher we reach the Tibetan village of Tshoka.

Day 3. Trek to Phidang (3,650m)- 4 hours walking. The trail continues to climb steeply through forests of rhododendron to the alp at Phidang. During the pre monsoon season the walk in the forest is beautiful with many flowering plants.

Day 4. Trek to Dzongri (3,990m)- 4 hours walking. The trail levels off above Phidang before climbing again to the Mon Lepcha pass, from here there are superb views of Pandim. We descend to the open yak pastures of Dzongri where we camp for two nights. After setting up camp and having lunch,we can go for an afternoon walk to a holy Buddhist lake (about 2 hours return).

Day 5. Day walk from Dzongri (3,990m)- 6 hours return. Before dawn we start to climb the hill above the campsite to Dzongri Top for the sunrise view of Kanchenjunga. You will be rewarded with a panoramic view of Kabru (7,353m), Ratong (6,678m), Kanchenjunga (8,534m), Pandim (6,691m) and Narsing (5,825m). Towards the west the Singalila ridge which separates Sikkim from Nepal can also be seen. After breakfast we will go for a walk to the Dzongri la. If the group is feeling energetic, we can continue and complete a circuit back to Dzongri. The trail descends in the direction of the HMI base camp and then we walk down that valley and around back to Dzongri.

Day 6. Trek to Onglathang (4,000m)- 6 hours walking. From Dzongri there is a walk over open hillside before a steep drop to Thangsing in the Prek Chu valley. We descend through rhododendrons, cross the river and walk uphill through a pine forest to Thangsing. After lunch at Thangsing, we continue up the Prek Chu valley with the majestic Pandim towering overhead.

Day 7. Trek to Goecha la (4,940m) and back to Thangshing- 8 hours walking. After an early start, we climb the hill behind the campsite and soon arrive at the beautiful turquoise Lake Samiti (it is no longer possible to camp at the lake). The trail follows the moraine and then descends to the sandy bed of an empty lake at Zemathang. We cross under the shadow of Pandim and then ascend moraine to about 4,710m. After passing a frozen lake which is dotted with snow and ice pinnacles we walk along the path to Goecha la. The pass is bedecked in colourful Tibetan prayer flags and has incredible views of the east flank of Kanchenjunga. The Goecha la is formed by a depression between Pandim and the Kabru spurs. It overlooks the Talung Valley and commands a very impressive view of Kanchenjunga. The descent follows the same trail back to Onglathang. After lunch, we continue on down to Thangsing where we spend the night.

Day 8. Trek to Tshoka (3,050m)- 6 hours walking. Leaving Thangsing we take a different route back avoiding the long climb to the Dzongri plateau. We descend along the Prek Chu river and contour round through the jungle to emerge at Phidang again. From here it is a steep walk down to Tshoka where we spend the night.

Day 9. Trek to Yuksom (1,770m)- 6 hours walking. It is downhill today to the river and then we follow the trail through lush, semitropical forest until we arrive back at Yuksom. We stay in the comfortable Hotel Tashiding tonight. In the afternoon we can explore Yuksom or just relax after the trek. Evening we will have a cultural program by the women saving and credit groups and bid farewell to our staff.

Day 10. Fly from Gangtok to Delhi