Sikkim – Kangchenjunga Trek

Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: noon, evening. Free meal: morning. Transfer: 4 hrs.
Arrival in Delhi and welcome by our local representative. Then flight towards the east of the country. Arrive at Bagdogra, a small town at the foot of the Himalayan foothills. Transfer by private vehicle to Darjeeling. Nearly a third of the trip is on a beautiful and winding road in the middle of the tea fields.

Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Darjeeling, the tea capital, is known beyond the likes of this drink or connoisseurs of the Himalayas. Perched on a ridge in the middle of the hills, its position allows you to kiss the peaks surrounding areas and offers an ideal access point to the surrounding areas. On this day’s program, visit the Ghiga (Yiga Choeling) Monastery, for an introduction to Buddhism as practiced in this part of India; visit of the Himalayan Mountain Institute created by Tensing Norgay (first mountaineer with Edmund Hillary to reach the summit of Everest, May 29, 1953); visit to the adjacent zoo home to the rarest species of the Himalayas (in conditions very acceptable for a zoo!): leopard snow, wolf, red panda, tiger. Flora also beautiful (depending on the season). Then stop in Tibetan Center (Sikkim being a state welcoming many Tibetan refugees). Free time at the end of the day to stroll through the bazaars.

Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: morning, noon, evening. Transfer: 6 to 7 h.
Road to Pelling, a small hill station built on top of a panoramic hill, near Monastery of Pemayangtse. The road, splendid, crosses tea plantations before diving towards the gorges of the Rangit River. Permit check for Sikkim at Melli. After a few kilometers in the gorges, the road climbs the flanks of Pelling Hill and its rice terraces. Overnight in Pelling.

Positive difference in hight: 150 m. 4:30 walk. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening. Transfer: 1 h 30.
In the morning, short transfer to visit the magnificent Pemayangtse Monastery (1705 BC), "sublime lotus" and perfect ", former royal residence. It is the heart of Buddhist activities in Sikkim and directs all the monasteries of the current nyingmapa (red cups). Built on top of a hill, this is one of oldest monasteries of Sikkim. From here, the panorama embraces all the massif of Kangchenjunga. Close of the monastery, visit the site of Rabdentse, second capital of the ancient kingdom of Sikkim, from 1670 to 1814. Then, visit the Sanga Choeling monastery built in the seventeenth century, which we reach on foot from a starting point not far from Pelling. From the monastery, located on the ridge above Pelling, we have a splendid view of the Kanchenjunga range. After the visit, have lunch in Pelling before take the road back to Nambu. On the road, we pass a checkpoint and enter the national park from Kangchenjunga. Once in Nambu, we start the trekking. At first, we follow a track, then a path that gradually rises amidst the cardamom plantations and other cultivated fields. We drive to the Sengkhola River to reach our first camp. Installation of camp for the night.

Positive difference in height: 600 m. 5 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Early departure of the camp. The day begins with a crossing of the Rimbi Khola by a bridge of bamboo, then climb to the village of Chongri (2186 m). From this small village, we follow a path in the lush vegetation to reach Chuzom, the confluence point between the rivers Shying Khola and Doban Khola (who then form the Rimbi Khola). Lunch break. Then we go up along the Shying Khola. We pass on the other side of the river for a steep climb to Nayapatal. Installation of the camp in a small clearing in the middle of the forest, near a military camp.

Positive difference in height: 1080 m. 6 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Climb in the forest of pines and rhododendrons until Saily Chok (2963 m). The more we ascend towards the ridges, the more the view becomes spectacular. Climb the gentle slope through the pine forest towards from the Singalila Ridge. Continuation of the ascent to Upper Yambong on a path clearing little little of the dense vegetation observed until then. Arrival at the balcony camp of Upper Yambong. Installation near a shepherd’s hut, where we sometimes meet herds of yaks and dzos. Afternoon free to explore the surroundings.

Positive difference in height: 550 m. 5 to 6 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
The route is traced through sparse vegetation of rhododendrons. As and when climb, the view opens onto the mountain range. The landscape becomes more and more stony and the colder climate, especially at this location. In good weather, the day ends beautifully with the spectacular sunset on the Makalu and other high peaks of the Himalayas.

Positive difference in height: 500 m. Negative height difference: 900 m. 6 to 7 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Early departure for the Dapheybir pass to admire the landscape under a morning light. We borrow zigzag path from where we can see the pass in the distance. After a first pass and a short descent, climb at the pass (4500 m), marked by hundreds of prayer flags. Magnificent

panorama until the "8000" from the Everest region. Descent by a path in balcony then by a forest of pines and juniper to the river at Gomathang, then up to the camp at Yangsep, by the river.

Positive difference in height: 500 m. Negative height difference: 200 m. 5 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Contour of the hillside by a path alternating up and down, then crossing a small river to make a final ascent of a pass at 4,310 meters. Beautiful panorama on the slopes of mountains. Continue the hike to Pangding (4275 m), where we set up the tents for the night.

Positive difference in height: 200 m. Negative height difference: 350 m. 5 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Descent to the Bikbari River. As time goes by, the forest of rhododendrons becomes denser. Crossing the river then up gently down to a small pass leading to the vast meadows of Chaurikhang and Dzongri.

Positive difference in height: 200 m. Negative height difference: 350 m. 2 hours walk. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Early morning departure to admire the sunrise from a lookout, located about half an hour from camp. We take a charming path, dotted with prayer flags. Magnificent view on the Kangchenjunga and its neighboring peaks of Rathong (6683 m), Kabru Dome (6604 m) and Forked Peak (6116) m). Back to camp for breakfast. This day is devoted to rest and exploration of plateau of Dzongri, ideal place to live an experience of high Himalayan mountain surrounded by high peaks. For those who wish, it is possible to take a walk with your guide and admire the surrounding peaks from one of Dzongri’s belvederes. Back to camp for lunch. Afternoon free to rest or enjoy the surroundings.

Positive difference in height: 600 m. Negative height difference: 500 m. 7 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
The walking stage starts with the short ascent of a ridge. We follow this panoramic ridge on five kilometers, before descending by a steep ridge to the Praig Chu River. Crossing the river, then climb towards Thangsing, a large green meadow dominated by the southern ridge of Kangchenjunga and the moraines of the Onglaktang glacier. Lunch in Thangsing and continuation to Camp Lamini (4164 m), one pleasant walk with constantly striking views of the Kangchenjunga rising majestically facing us.

Positive difference in height: 650 m. Negative height difference: 850 m. 6 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Very early departure (around 3 am). The climb is a little trying, but the reward turns out, at the end of three hours of effort, exceptional! The Onglaktang Glacier and its moraine lake are beautiful all like the 4000 meters of the southeast face of Kangchenjunga and its hanging glacier. When you return, you must walk to the sumptuous Samiti Lake and the large mountain pasture of Thangsing (about 1 hour and 30 minutes walk).

Negative height difference: 1000 m. 6 hours of walking. Accommodation: tent. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Today, we come back to the river where we take another path, passing through Phedang, a small clearing in the middle of the forest. We descend through a lush forest, magnolias and giant rhododendrons to the tiny hamlet of Tsokha.

Positive difference in altitude: 100 m. Negative height difference: 1,200 m. 5 hours of walking. Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: morning, noon, evening.
Continuing the descent through the rhododendron forest to the suspension bridge overlooking the Praig chu. From there, we take a path waving to the big village of Yuksom. Yuksom is a place emblematic in the history of Sikkim, because the first king was crowned and his throne is still there present. You can walk to Dubde Monastery, the first monastery in Sikkim perched high in full forest. The small sacred lake surrounded by prayer flags emanates a serene atmosphere.

Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: morning, noon, evening. Transfer: 7 h.
We take the road to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. Visit of Tashiding Monastery (1717 BC), another Nyingmapa flagship monastery and one of the most beautiful in the region. Its monuments Buddhists are among the most sacred of Sikkim. Next stop at the Monastery of Kundrak Ling, five kilometers from the small town of Ravangla. Bon religion preceded Buddhism in Tibet. Few of monasteries still practice this ancient religion.

Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: morning, noon, evening. Transfer: 2 hrs.
Located a few kilometers from Gangtok, we visit the beautiful monastery of Rumtek (16th century), marking the seat of Karma Kagyu school, recognizable by their black caps. Ravaged by a fire in the middle of the 20th century, its buildings are recent. The bright colors of all the paintings contrast with those observed in other monasteries. In the afternoon, return to Gangtok. Visit of the Institute of Tibet and Botanical Garden. You can also go to discover the unique monastery of Sakyapa School (white caps) in Sikkim: Ngor Chotshog Gompa, located a short distance from the Botanical Garden.

Accommodation: hotel. Meals included: morning, noon, evening. Transfer: 3 h.
Road to Kalimpong, small town steeped in history on the southern border of Sikkim and housed as Darjeeling on a ridge. It used to be the capital of caravans between Tibet and the Bengal Plain West. The imposing mansions of merchants, some of which were taken over by the British during the colonization of India, testify to its past wealth. In the afternoon, visit the temple of Zangdok Palri and Botanical Center known for its orchids and the making of artisan paper. Then walk in this city, especially to discover the market and its many colorful stalls. undeniably a very interesting place of this trip and ideally placed to make his last purchases of souvenirs.

Meals included: morning, noon. Free meal: evening. Transfer: 3 h.
Road (sometimes bumpy, because works) through the hills of West Bengal. In the afternoon, flight Bagdogra -Delhi. Transit time at Delhi airport, then return flight to Destination with sweet memories,thanks.