Kanchendzonga-Kasturi Trek

Taking in care that the Kanchendzonga trek you walk almost the same way up and down, here you have an option that, adding only two days, avoids repeating the same way up from Thangshing, making it more varied and interesting, especially at the end in the important Monastery of Thashiding, the holiest of Sikkim.

The Kanchenjunga, the “Nepalese” name as we more commonly know it, is called Kanchendzonga in Sikkim. It is the third highest mountain in the world and is a large massif with five main peaks, hence its name, which can be roughly translated as “the five snow treasures”.

The tour travels north from Yuksom, which is considered the heart of ancient Sikkim. You will walk throughout a spectacular and practically unaltered nature, from the dense forests of the first stages to soon reach the alpine areas that here are located above 4000 meters of altitude, ending up surrounded by glaciers in the Goecha-La pass, from where the view of the Kanchendzonga is impressive. Small temporary settlements and villages will welcome us as we advance through an area of ​​clear Buddhist influence, as in fact all of Sikkim is, with some small isolated monasteries and temples.

On the way down, we take the detour from Thangshing that goes to the beautiful lakes of Lam Pokhari and the Kasturi valley, gradually losing height and returning to the tropical forests to reach the village of Labdang, the first in several days, and finally to the Tashiding monastery. From there, we will return by road, in a short way, back to Yuksom, where a well-deserved rest awaits us.

Here there are practically no lodges to accommodate hikers, so this trek is done in full camping, although there may be a cabin, or a small Bhati that can give us shelter at some point.

As always, we put here what we consider to be the minimum days for the trek, both in the itinerary on foot, as well as the days that are needed to reach the starting point and return. But, naturally, we recommend that you add some more days if you can, to rest back from the trek and take the opportunity to visit Sikkim a bit, even if it is only going to its capital, Gangtok.

Located, along with Darjeeling, on this small wedge between Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan, Sikkim was the last state to be part of the Indian confederation and still maintains a strong personality. It is considered part of what is known as “Greater Tibet”, that is, those territories that share the same Tibetan culture, with Buddhism being its main religion. The oldest population group is the Lepchas, followed by the Tibetan Bhutias, but from the 19th century, there were migratory movements from Nepal, becoming the majority population group and Nepali is the main and official language of Sikkim.

The populations are at a certain height, often in steps between two valleys, far from the mighty and unpredictable rivers, so that all of them have impressive views. Winding roads but in good condition make their way through these valleys and mountains, where sometimes you have to go down to the bottom of the valley to cross to the other side of the river and ascend again until you find this destination that we saw so close in the other side of the valley. And as you have guessed, the orography of Sikkim and Darjeeling is complicated, marked by two large rivers, the Teesta and the Rangit, the latter also marking the border with West Bengal before joining the Teesta and Rongpu.

STARTING AND FINISHING IN KOLKATA OR DELHI (optional)

FULL TRIP according program
 

PRICE INCLUDES
·       Welcome on arrival in Bagdogra

·       All road transfers by private vehicle

·       English speaking guide throughout the trip in Sikkim and Darjeeling

·       Inner Line Permit in Sikkim

·       All special permits needed

·       2 nights of accommodation with breakfast in Yuksom

·       All meals

·       Lodging in a tent and three meals a day during the trek according to the detailed program

·       Material transport service during the trek

·       Sleeping bags (if you want)

·       Entrance to the National Park

·       All the entrances to the monuments and necessary tickets

·       All government taxes and VAT

·       Wages, food and accommodation, expenses, and insurance for all staff

PRICE EXCLUDES
·       Flight from/to your origin point

·       India Entry VISA

·       Lunch & Dinner (except indicated)

·       Tips to staff

·       Phone calls, internet connection or any other personal expense

·       Medical and/or travel insurance.

·       It’s convenient to get a trek insurance for India (better including helicopter rescue)

·       In general, any concept not specified in this programme, as well as any need for personal assistance in other matters out of the programme

·       No additional costs due to flight cancellations, weather conditions, road closures, etc.

Starting and finishing in Kolkata or Delhi
 

PRICE INCLUDES
·       Welcome on arrival in Kolkata or Delhi

·       All transfers in Kolkata or Delhi by private vehicle

·       English-speaking escort

·       Flight Kolkata/Delhi to Bagdogra roundtrip

·       2 nights of accommodation with breakfast in Kolkata or Delhi

PRICE EXCLUDES
·       Lunch & Dinner in Kolkata or Delhi

·       Tips to staff

* The indicated price is the price per person in US dollars for a group of 6 travelers as described in the program.
We can customize your trip with no problem.
Contact us to request the dossier with detailed information and the complete price table and ask us any questions you may have.

NOTES ABOUT YOUR SIKKIM TRIP

Due to being a border area, Sikkim is a special surveillance state and there are some parts of its territory that cannot be visited by foreigners. There are other sensitive areas, included in this program, which require a minimum group of two people to be visited, travel through an official agency with a guide, as is your case, and have a special permit that we take care of processing. Of course, do not forget to always carry your passport with you, as it can be required at any time.

The Kanchendzonga Trek is within a restricted area and can only be done with a minimum group of two people with a guide.

This program starts and ends at the Bagdogra airport (IXB), since you can buy flights from your point of origin to there. Your flight should arrive in Bagdogra in the morning and your return flight should leave in the afternoon.

However, you also have the option of spending a night in Delhi or Kolkata before and/or after your Sikkim trip. We can take care of it if you want.

(You can check if you have the option to fly to Pakyong Airport (PYG), near Gangtok, although it is unlikely)

DO YOU WANT TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRIP?

This program is designed with the number of days we consider the minimum to make the trip comfortable and safe, but it is always a good idea to add a day if it fits you in terms of calendar and budget.

Like all our itineraries, the itinerary can be customized and adapted to your taste, needs and preferences.