Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Issue 1 | Page 24

Kanchenjunga
“I love the Kanchenjunga region because there is still so much
exploring to do. Even the main route feels un-trekked”– Jamie
McGuiness, mountain guide.
Accomplished 8,000m mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner
says Kanchenjunga is her favorite place in Nepal, “I love it
because it’s so wild.”
This corner of Nepal is a protected area. The Kanchenjunga
Conservation Area, managed by local and indigenous
communities in partnership with WWF, is one of the least
densely populated in Nepal. It contains tracts of pristine
forests, alpine meadows and high altitude wetlands that are
home to the endangered snow leopard and red panda, and the
vulnerableHimalayanblackbear,cloudedleopardandAssamese
macaque. Like the neighboring Makalu Barun, the region feels
the full force of the monsoon and is consequently bursting with
flora—2000speciesoffloweringplantshavebeenrecordedhere,
andyou’llseesomeoftherichestrhododendronforestsinNepal.
It is a long and challenging trek just to reach the beginning of the
GHT in Nepal near the Kanchenjunga base camp. Starting from
Tumlingtar, you pass through agricultural areas and friendly Rai
and Limbu communities before encountering, lush but steepsided valleys. In these higher reaches you meet the Buddhist
communities of Sherpas, Tamangs and Bhotias, the trading
nomads from Tibet. Further on, the lake-dotted Milke Danda
ridge brings exhilarating views of Kanchenjunga and Jannu.
Makalu and Everest are equally spectacular to the northwest.
This will be enough of a destination for many but for those who
continue, the views just get grander.

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GHT enthusiasts will venture north of Kanchenjunga, past
the base camp at Pangpema, to get as close as they can to the
Jhinsang La, the starting point of the GHT in Nepal. The route
backtracks before heading west in earnest via Olanchung Gola,
the largest of the five stone and wood villages of the Walung
people. Constrained by time, most will bring their adventure to
a close here and head south, while free spirits will bravely cross
the uninhabited Lumbha Sambha towards Makalu.
Kanchenjunga (8,586m), the world’s third highest mountain,
forms Nepal’s eastern border with India’s Sikkim. In Tibetan, the
name Kanchenjunga means‘five great treasure houses of snow’
whichhintsatthemountainspectaclethatawaitsshouldyouvisit
this area.
Fast Facts
r Kanchenjunga is the world’s third highest mountain.
r Pristine forests and wild trails at lower altitudes.
r Stunning big-mountain scenery.
r Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is snow leopard
territory.
r A great destination for exploring.
r For deep blue skies, visit in November.
r For a blooming rhododendron sensation, April is
wonderful.

January 2012 - Issue 1