ChallengingKangchenjunga North to South Base Camp Trek
At a glance
- Trip Start: Kathmandu
- Trip End: Kathmandu
- Trek Start: Taplejung
- Trek End: Taplejung
- Maximum Altitude: 5183m
- Group Size: 4-16
- Accommodation: Teahouse / Homestay
- Meals: Standard
- Service: Full board
- Accommodation Info: 4 night Hotel & 19 night Teahouse
Just below the looming Mt. Kangchenjunga (8586 m), lies the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area. Spread in an area of 2035 sq. km, the area is made up of alpine grass lands, rocky outcrops, dense temperate and sub-tropical forests, and low river valleys with the Kangchenjunga as its crown.
Situated in north eastern Nepal in Taplejung District, the conservation area is bordered by the Tibet Autonomous Region-China in the north, Sikkim-India in the east and Sankhuwasabha District in the west.
In 1998, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and WWF Program together launched the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Project to implement biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
During the spring season, the area has an excellent display of flowering rhododendrons, orchids, lilies, primula and many other flowers. The lowlands are full of tropical hardwoods. These get replaced by oaks and pine as the elevation increases. Further higher is the vegetation including larch, fir and juniper up to the tree line. Kangchenjunga Conservation Area harbors rich diversity of wildlife including the endangered snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, and red panda. Other animals in the area include the blue sheep, and many others. Impheyan pheasant, red-billed blue magpie, shy drongo are some of the many birds found in the area.
The conservation area has a lot of ethnic diversity and culture. As the original settlers of the Upper Tamur Valley, the Limbu are the dominant ethnic group in the lower regions. The Sherpa/Lama people are in the higher altitude where they arrived from Tibet more than four hundred years ago. There are lots of Monasteries, chhortens, temples, prayer-walls which become the icons of the conservation area’s cultural heritage.
For an excellent view of the Mountain Kangchenjunga, you should reach the North base camp where a place called Bangpema is the excellent point for observation of the mountain. To make a circular trek you will have to pass through the Celele Pass at an altitude of about 4000 m to drop to Tseram from where you head toward the South base camp, another excellent observation point of Mt. Kangchenjunga. Kangchenjunga which lies in the far eastern boarder line of Nepal and Sikkim. It has been well known being visible from Indian summer resort of Darjeeling. It was opened for the trekkers recently and fewer trekkers are regulated each year.
