If you are looking for a remote trekking experience in Nepal with fewer trekkers and a high mountain setting, the Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek is a good choice. Located in eastern Nepal, the trek takes you to the south side of Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. The highest point of the trek is Oktang Viewpoint at 4,730 meters, where you can get close views of the Kanchenjunga and the surrounding peaks.
The Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek starts with a flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, followed by a drive through Birtamod, Fikkal, Kanyam, and Ilam. From Ilam, the road continues towards Phidim passing through green hills, small villages, terraced fields, and cardamom farms along the way. The actual trek starts from yamphuding, passing through Limbu and Rai settlements. The trail then climbs towards Lasiya Bhanjyang before descending into the Simbuwa Khola valley and continuing to Tortong.
From Tortong, the trail follows the Simbuwa Khola and climbs through moss covered pine and rhododendron forests to Cheram. After an acclimatization day in Cheram, the route continues towards Ramche through open and rocky terrain along the Yalung Khola valley.
From Ramche, you will hike to Oktang Viewpoint early in the morning, where you get close views of the south face of Kanchenjunga and the surrounding peaks. After returning to Cheram, the trail heads downhill through meadows, forests, villages, rivers, and terraced farmland. The trekking ends in yamphuding, followed by a 4WD drive back towards Bhadrapur and then a flight back to Kathmandu.
If you are planning the Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek, the main thing is having a reliable team for a remote route where services are limited.
Note: For those who have time and looking for challenging trek check our Full Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek
After breakfast, you will take a flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur in Jhapa. The flight takes about an hour. From Bhadrapur, you will drive through Birtamod, Fikkal, and Kanyam before reaching Ilam. The scenery changes from the flat lowlands to green hills and tea estates along the road. If you reach Ilam early enough, you can walk around Ilam Bazaar and visit a nearby tea garden. Otherwise, you drive onward from Ilam to phidim and spend the night there.
Next, you’ll leave Ilam or Phidim and drive by 4WD jeep towards Yamphuding, a village in the southern Kanchenjunga region.The road becomes rougher after Phidim, passing through Limbu and Rai villages, terraced fields, forests, and cardamom farms. Yamphuding is the starting point for the Kanchenjunga south base camp trek. Overnight stay in Yamphuding.
You will begin the first day of trekking. The final destination of today’s trek is Tortong. The trail takes you through terraced farmyards and lush forest before reaching the small village of Mamankhe. From there, you’ll climb towards Lasiya Bhanjyang and then descend into the Simbuwa Khola valley. You’ll cross a small wooden bridge and continue through the forest to reach Tortong. Overnight stay in Tortong.
Today, after having breakfast, the trek continues along the Simbuwa khola. The trail climbs through moss covered pine and rhododendron forest, passing anda phedi and several streams along the way. As you gain altitude, the valley opens up and you will get to witness Kabru and rathong ranges. Cheram is the small, beautiful village and the main stop before heading higher towards Ramche and Yalung Glacier.
You will use this day to let your body adjust to the higher altitude before heading above 4,000 meters. You can take a short hike around Cheram, walk through the nearby valley, and spend some time exploring the area. You can also talk with local people, learn about their daily life, and see some of the local customs and traditions.
After leaving Cheram, you’ll walk towards Ramche through rocky and open terrain. The trees start fading as you climb higher. The trail follows the Yalung Khola valley. Along the way, you’ll get closer views of the Yalung Glacier and the mountains around the valley. Overnight at Ramche.
Today is the highlight of the trek because you get to see a close-up view of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain. Early in the morning, you’ll hike to Oktang Viewpoint to see the south face of Kanchenjunga and the surrounding peaks. You can also catch the sunrise over the mountains. After spending some time at the viewpoint and taking in the views, you’ll retrace your steps back to Cheram for the night.
You’ll start descending from Cheram towards Torangding. The trail heads downhill through open meadows before entering the forest as you reach a lower altitude. Continue through the forest and small settlements until you reach Torangding, where you’ll spend the night.
Along the way to Yamphuding, you will pass through small villages, rivers, terraced farmland, and lush greenery. As you descend to the lower altitude, the weather becomes warmer. The trail has long downhill sections, so take care of your knees and watch your footing. The trekking part ended from here. Overnight stay in Yamphuding.
Today you will drive back from Yamphuding to Bhadrapur by 4WD jeep. Depending on your flight schedule, you may stop overnight in Ilam. Along the way, you can enjoy the tea gardens and hill views around Ilam.
After breakfast, you’ll drive to Bhadrapur Airport for your flight back to Kathmandu. Once you arrive in Kathmandu, your Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek comes to an end.
Kanchenjunga south base camp trek is considered “moderate to challenging”. The difficulty depends on your physical fitness, previous trekking experience, and how well your body adjusts to the altitude.
You will walk for several hours a day on uneven trails, with steep climbs, rocky sections, and higher altitude above 3,000 meters. So, it is better to prepare your body before the trek rather than start training after you arrive in Nepal.
The best season for Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trekking is autumn ( September, October and November) and spring ( March, April and May). In spring, the skies are clear and the temperature is comfortable for walking. You can also see rhododendrons blooming along the trail. In autumn, the weather is clear after the monsoon, so you can get better mountain views and dry trekking conditions. It is also the festival season in Nepal, so you get to experience Dashain, a 15 day and Tihar, a five day celebration.
The required permits for the Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek are:
We will process both permits for you once you book the trek. For the permit process, you need to provide a scanned copy of your passport and a passport sized photo.
For travel insurance, make sure your policy covers high altitude trekking and emergency evacuation, as the trek reaches 4,730 meters at Oktang Viewpoint.
You will get three meals a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner at local teahouses along the trail. The food is simple but filling. Breakfast usually includes tea or coffee with eggs, bread, or porridge. Dal bhat( rice with lentils and vegetables) is the most common meal for lunch and dinner, along with noodles, soup, fried rice, potatoes, and other local dishes. Some teahouses cook meals on a wood stove, so you get a taste of the food prepared in local homes. Drinks, snacks, and personal food are not included in the package.
For accommodation, you will stay in small local teahouses and lodges. There won’t be luxury hotels on the trail. Rooms usually have two beds or mattresses, blankets, and shared toilets. The dining room is often the main common area, and some lodges use a wood stove to keep it warm. Around Ramche, accommodation is even more basic and limited.
From above 2,500 meters, the risk of altitude sickness starts to increase, and this trek reaches up to 4,730 meters at Oktang Viewpoint. You will experience symptoms such as headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea, or loss of appetite. If you notice any of these symptoms, take them seriously and tell your guide instead of trying to push through them.
Here’s how you can help prevent it:
