Mt. Kanchenjunga Expedition

Mt. Kanchenjunga Expedition (8,586m)

The second highest Himalaya peak of Nepal and third after Mt. Everest and Mt. K2 in the world, Mt. Kanchenjunga (8586m) is located in the eastern part of Nepal. The name “Kanchenjunga” is delivered from the Tibetan word  'Kanchen' and 'Dzonga'  translated means "The Five Treasures of the Great Snows", as it contains five peaks, Kanchenjunga I (8586m), Kanchenjunga West (8505m), Kanchenjunga South (8494m) and Kangbachen (7903m).  The treasures represent the five repositories of God, which aregold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books. 

Kanchenjunga is located on the border between Nepal and Sikkim and it is very remote attracting relatively few trekkers and therefore it retains much of its pristine beauty, mystery and charm. Mt. Kanchenjunga due to its beauty and size is considered a sacred by local Sikkimese people. With 4 ridges radiating in X pattern almost symmetrically from the main summit aesthetically Kanchenjunga is a beautiful mountains visible from many places with a famous view from Tiger Hill in Darjeeling, India.

Three of the five peaks (main, central, and south) in Kanchenjunga are on the border of North Sikkim district of Sikkim, India and Taplejung District of Nepal, while the other two are completely in Taplejung District. Nepal is home to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project run by the World Wildlife Fund in association with Government of Nepal. The sanctuary is home to the Red Panda and other montage animals, birds and plants. India's side of Kanchenjunga also has a protected park area called the Khangchendzonga National Park.

Kanchenjunga was assumed to be the highest mountain in the world until 1852, and only after the British Great Trigonometric Survey in 1849 Mt. Everest (known as Peak XV at the time) was crowned the highest and Kanchenjunga the third-highest. Kanchenjunga was first climbed on May 25, 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, of a British expedition team. As a respect to the beliefs of the Sikkimese, who hold the summit sacred, they stopping a few feet short of the actual summit and this has developed to a tradition followed by successful summit parties since then. Kanchenjunga is called Sewalungma in the local Limbu language, translates as 'Mountain that we offer Greetings to'. Kanchenjunga or Sewalungma is considered sacred in the Kirant religion.

Kanchenjunga Expedition is an enormous mountain mass, and many satellite peaks rise from its narrow icy ridges. The Expedition is the most easterly of the great 8,000 meter peaks of the Himalaya. The climb is technical, even along the normal route but it is extremely interesting to climb with technical and intricate mixed rock and ice climb to the North Col followed by a not too technical steady 1500m ascent to the summit. The section past North Col in Kanchenjunga Expedition is exposed to the weather. The views are stunning both from the Base Camp as well as during entire climb of this Climbing Higher Peak.

In the Kanchenjunga Expedition, the west summit, Yalung Kang, is 8420m high and some people classify it as a separate 8000m peak. Three first Westerner to explore Kanchenjunga was the British botanist JD Hooker, who visited the area twice in 1848 and 1849. Exploration of the Skim, side of the peak continued with both British and pundit explorers mapping and photographing until 1899 in Kanchenjunga. In that year a party led by Douglas fresh field made a circuit of Kanchenjunga and produced what is still one of the most authoritative maps of the region. The Japanese now took up the challenge and mounted expeditions in 1973, 1974 and 1976 during which they climbed Yalung Kang. A German Expeditionclimbed Yalung Kang in 1975, and in 1977 an Indian army team mounted the second successful expedition to the main peak of Kanchenjunga.

Climbing Route:

The access trek from Suketar to the Base camp is also interesting due to its remoteness, the cultures inhibiting the area and a very rare endemic flora with 30 varieties of rhododendrons and 69 varieties of orchids. In Kanchenjunga Expedition the North Face route is definitely the safest, although not the easiest. Climb of Kanchenjunga begin from a charming base camp in the meadows of Panorama at 5,180 m. First challenge is to fix lines up 900 m of intricate mixed climbing to the North col. This provides the most challenging climbing of the expedition. Once creating a lifeline to and from the North Col you can begin the long process of establishing three camps up the long and complicated North ridge. Using Sherpa support and oxygen, you can move at a systematically slow velocity higher and higher up the mountain. This is a highly satisfying climb for the expert Climbers.

Kanchenjunga Expedition Base Camp Service:

• Everest Expeditions Nepal provides very professional, supportive and friendly mountaineering logistic services from Kathmandu to the ABC as well as during the climb. Our objective is to ensure a good quality, supportive, safe, friendly, stress free and comprehensive service to maximize summit opportunity.

• We provide a comprehensive service organizing all necessary permits, and climbing documentation, travelling logistics including airfares, ground transportation, porters, and other individual services required by mountaineers. On the track to the ABC we organize logistics for provision of all required accommodation and food.

• In the Base camp our cook and helpers will prepare and serve three delicious freshly cooked and plentiful meals a day and will ensure that hot and cold drinks are available 24hrs a day.

• In the Base Camp we provide spacious expedition quality personal tents for all our clients both with full board or base-camp service only.

• In the base camp we also provide dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet facilities and portable shower facilities and tent accommodation for our staff. We also have a comprehensive First Aid Kit available to our clients.

• In the Base Camp we provide access to communication including satellite telephone and internet access, and solar panels to charge your batteries

Kanchenjunga Expedition Full Board Service:

• For full board clients we provide personal tent and food, which will be prepared in high camps by their climbing Sherpa. We provide UHF/VHF hand held radios on the mountain to maintain communications between ABC and high camps. 

• Full board with us means a provision of a personal climbing Sherpa to each individual climber, who will help the clients to reach the summit. Personal climbing Sherpa will set up camp 1, camp 2 and camp 3 and required bivvy including food provisions, fuel and oxygen and will guide and assist the client on the summit day. There are no commercial expeditions on Kanchenjunga so your climbing Sherpa with cooperation of other clients climbing Sherpas will set-up fixed ropes to North Col.

Approaches to ABC:

• There are two Base Camps to climb Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga North Base Camp on Kanchenjunga Glacier and South Base Camp on Yalung Glacier. The access to both camps is from Suketar (2400m), the town with closest airport to the mountain with flights to Kathmandu. Suketar is also last town accessible from Kathmandu by the road. The route from North Base Camp via the North Col is the Normal route. It is not the easiest by it is the safest route with least objective danger.

• Kanchenjunga is the most remote of all 8000m peaks in Nepal, and the trek to the North Base camp from Suketar takes about 11 days along Ghunsa Khola valley; it is 80km long gradual hike from 900m to 5100m, so it is a very nice way to relax and acclimatize to start the climb on the strong foot. Suketar is located at 2400m, so first day is a long downhill of 1500m, which has to be climbed on the return way.

Climbing Routes:

• The normal route via North Col and North face is definitely the safest but it is technical climbing. It will definitely not be suitable for an inexperienced climber but it is a delight for technical climber. The scenery is phenomenal all the way from the Base Camp overlooking the Kanchenjunga glacier, Kanchenjunga I and Kang Bachen.

• The climb is challenging but very interesting. The most difficult section is to the North Col of about 500m of mixed ice and rock climb, where our climbing Sherpas will establish fixed rope route from just above 6500m to 7000m on the Col, a bee-line to take gear up safely. Once on the North Col the climb is along the ridge and the North face. The climb becomes less technical but very exposed to the weather.

• From the Col the climb is typically done with 3 camps or bivvies moving up slowly to the summit.

Kanchenjunga Expedition Spring 2016 Itinerary

Mar30/Day 01:Arrival in Kathmandu Airport and transfer to Hotel(1350m)

Mar31/Day 02-03:Rest and prepare day for assignment & briefing.

Apr02/Day 04:Fly from Kathmandu to Biritnagar( Suketar) (2300m) or Drive from Kathmandu to Biratnagar by tourist vehicles which takes about nine hours and then transfer to hotel.

Apr03/Day 05:Trek from Suketar to Phurumbu (921m), which takes about four hours overnight in the camp.

Apr04/Day 06:Trek from Phurumbu to Chirwa(1270m) via Timor river which takes about five hours overnight in the camp

Apr05/Day 07:Trek from Chirwa to Sekarthum(1660m) via Ghusna River which takes about six hours, overnight in the camp

Apr06/Day 08:Trek from Sekarthum to Amji-Lhasa(2510m), which takes about five hours and over night in camp.

Apr07/Day 09:Trek from Amje Lhasa to Gyabla(3450m),which takes about six hours overnight in the camp

Apr08/Day 10:Trek from Gyabla to Ghunsa(3595m),Which takes about Five hours overnight in the camp

Apr09/Day 11:Trek from Ghunsa to KhamBachen(4095m),which takes about five hours and overnight in camp.

Apr10/Day 12:Rest day in Khambachen for acclimatization , overnight in the camp

Apr11/Day 13:Trek from Khambachen to Lonak(4785m) which takes about five hours and over night in the camp

Apr12/Day 14:Trek from Lonak to Pangpema(5100m) , which takes about five hours overnight in the camp

Apr13/Day 15:Pangpema (5100m)Base camp Established and necessary Preparation,

Apr14/Day 16-45:Climbing Period.(summit period for Kanchenjunga 8586m)

May13/Day 46:Preparation to returning (Cleaning up Base Camp)

May14/Day 47:Trek from Kanchenjunga Base Camp to Lonak(4785m), which takes about five hours over night in Camp.

May15/Day 48:Trek from Lonak to Khambachen(4095m), which takes about five hours over night in camp.

May16/Day 49:Trek from Khambachen to Ghunsa,(3595m) which takes about four hours, and over night in camp.

May17/Day 50:Trek from Ghunsa to Sekarthum(1660m) which takes about six hours over night in camp.

May18/Day 52:Trek from Sekarthem to Chirwa(1270m) that takes about five and half hours over night in camp.

May19/Day 53:Trek from Chirwa to suketar(2310m) which takes about six hours and then over night in lodge.

May20/Day 54:Fly from Biratnagar to Kathmandu and transfer to hotel (1350m).

May21/Day 55:Full day sightseeing and shopping in Kathmandu, farewell dinner party in the evening and overnight in the hotel

May22/Day 56:Final Departure or alternatively join other program.