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| Jannu and Sobidonge at sunset from above Kangbachen |
For details of the first part of our journey do visit https://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2019/12/kangchenjung-north-base-camp-pangpema.html
This is the second and final part.
November 16 2019 Ghunsa to Kangbachen 11.5 km
We left Ghunsa at 7.30 am on a cold morning with the temperatures well below zero Celsius. Ghunsa must be one of the coldest places in the Himalaya with an altitude of only 3415 metres primarily due to the limited sunshine hours just five and a half hours in November. The trail travelled north past the hospital and in around 45 minutes reached a log bench with prayer flags. For most of the way the trail meandered through rhododendron forests which would be a riot of flowers in the spring season April - May. It then dropped to a landslide section in 15 minutes and then skirted the river. Looking up due east in about an hour and a half we could see the peak of Khabur above us. The trail then crossed a second landslide section in about 2 hours with a log bridge across a stream.
The trail then climbed up for about 15 minutes and reaches a stone resting spot - the trail then goes down to the river and finally the sun hit us at 9.55 am at long last after the freezing morning walk. There is another landslide area next to the river and in front a sharp needle like rock peak dominates the skyline. The trail now enters a beautiful forested glade and then descends to another landslide area - ahead you can see a small tea shop at Rampuk Kharka proudly designated as the Yangjom Hotel with black tea and noodles available. On our way back though it was closed as the season had almost ended. From here the trail started to climb again through forest for about 40 minutes and then reaches the Thulodunga shrine to Shiva - below a massive boulder.
There is a flat camping spot next to the road here. The trail now leaves the forest and enters the scrub region. There are regular snow pole markers now in red black and yellow which will prove very useful when the path is snowed over. In 15 minutes from the Tholodunga shrine you cross a wooden bridge and then climb steadily till you reach a point where you can see a large suspension bridge over the Ghunsa Khola. The views of Jannu, Sobidonge and Khabur are staggering from here and get better as you cross the bridge and walk up to Kangbachen 20 minutes from here.
The mountain views around Kangbachen are amazingly good in all directions. There is no Nepal Telecom connectivity here. There are a number of good lodges in Kangbachen – the best being the Kangchenjunga White House run by Nupu Sherpa where we stayed. Dal Bhat veg is Rs 650 and Black Tea Rs 100.
Ghunsa to Tea shop at Rampuk Kharka 3765 metres 27 42 35 N 87 57 53E 3 hrs to 3 hrs 30 min Rampuk Kharka to Kambachen 4061 metres 27 44 13 N 87 58 24 E 2 hrs to 2 hrs 30 min
November 17 2019 Day walk to Jannu View Point and Jannu Base camp 4550 metres 11 km round trip
This was a marvelous day with a great walk around 6-6.5 hours up and down. All through the walk we saw behind us the Sharpu peaks numbered 1 to 6 and in front getting larger and larger.
Jannu and next to it Sobidonge and Khabur. As you near the Base Camp you can see the long ridge connecting the conical snow peak of White Wave to Jannu – a very impressive sight.
In about 2.5 to 3 hours you reach a temple built by the Limbu tribe who come up to these heights once a year to worship Shiva and Mount Jannu. There is a small building here where they stay when on pilgrimage.
The trail continues pass the temple and reaches a ridge from where you can look down directly on the massive Jannu glacier - we saw a powder snow avalanche coming down in front of us. Below Jannu there was a huge icefall. This walk is possibly one of the major highlights of this trek and should not be missed.
November 18 2019 Kangbachen to Lhonak 10 km
We left Kangbachen at 7.40 am and walked the first hour along the river climbing gently uphill and gaining altitude along the way. In about 75 minutes we reached the first landslide area - all along this route the snow poles are visible at strategic intervals. The trail then climbs up and reaches a small clearing at around 4300 metres. Then in about two hours from Kangbachen we reached a major landslide section. There is a beautiful waterfall above the landslide. The sun reached us here for the first time at 9.40 am. The snow poles show an upward climb to a very treacherous looking scree and landslide slope where you have every possibility of slipping down and tumbling to the bottom. Some of our trekkers had a very difficult time crossing this section including rockfall. The rest of our group took the rock and river route below jumping from boulder to boulder which is possibly the lesser of the two evils. To ensure that trekkers do not take the upward crossing over the scree slope we closed the trail with rocks and boulders on our way back. After this section, the trail is mainly through boulders and rock to rock climbing upwards - in some sections there is a trail in others there are only rocks and the snow poles for directions. This walking can get quite tiring after some time. In one hour or so from this landslide zone you finally reach a broad pleasant maidan with peaks to the east and north. We found a herd of blue sheep grazing peacefully in the warm autumn sunshine and 15 minutes further up we came to the tea shop of Ramdang surrounded by the peaks of Tangkongma, Pathibhara, Merra, and Drohmo. It was a beautiful location but unfortunately the tea shop had closed the day before and the owner had descended to Ghunsa. Peakfinder app identified the tip of Kangchenjunga from Ramdang as well. From the tea shop the trail remained fairly level for about half an hour and then started to climb again - Wedge Peak, Kirat Chuli, Nepal Peak and Pathibhara peak came into view. The trail then reached a bluff high above the Lhonak glacier in about 90 minutes from the tea shop, from where the trail swung left skirted the hill and descended to a small wooden bridge across the river. From here the lodges of Lhonak are 20 minutes.
It was the end of the season and we met two lodge owners who were planning to go down to Ghunsa after closing their lodges. We stayed at the newish Lhonak Guest House which had clean rooms and an indoor toilet. There was an impressive sunset in the evening over Merra peak, Wedge peak or Chang Himal and Nepal Peak with a herd of blue sheep that came down just in front of our lodge to graze.
There is no Nepal Telecom connectivity here. Dal Bhat Rs 750 Black Tea Rs 90.
Kangbachen to Ramdang Tea shop 4588 metres 27 77 37 N 88 01 00 E 3.5 to 4 hours Ramdang Tea shop to Lhonak 4770 metres 27 47 26 N 88 2 8 E 2 hours
November 19 2019 Lhonak to Pangpema to Lhonak 15.4 km round trip
Caution: Though some guide books mention that it should take around 3.5 hours to Pangpema from Lhonak and 2.5 hours back I feel that this timing is not possible for normal trekkers given the state of the trails and the long landslide sections where most of the walking is over scree, rubble and crossing boulders. This may have been possible before the Nepal earthquake damaged the trails and made this route fairly difficult. There are some narrow exposed sections as well where you need to tread cautiously.
We had decided to stay in Pangpema but unfortunately the tea shop owner and his assistant had shut shop and descended to Ghunsa on November 17th 2019 when we were at Kangbachen. We never met them on the way down – if we had we might have convinced them to come back for a day! So if you plan to stay in Pangpema do schedule your visit before November 12th -15th to be on the safe side.
We left Lhonak at 6. 35 am - the temperature was around -8 Celsius - we walked up a broad maidan climbing steadily reaching 5000 metres in 1.5 hours - we are now at the edge of the glacier and Nepal Peak Wedge Peak and the Twins dominate - the trail enters a landslide section in 15 minutes and then descends into a narrow meadow after this there is a long and unstable landslide area once again including a steep climb on rubble. This continued for another hour until we descended into an inviting grassy meadow and we could see the trail clearly winding around the valley towards Pangpema which was still not visible and neither was Kangchenjunga. However it is still another hour to 1.5 hours to Pangpema from here. Kangchenjunga finally reveals herself almost at Pangpema and the massive north west face is surrounded the satellite peaks Nepal Peak, Nepal Gap, The Twins, Kangbachen peak and Wedge Peak or Chang Himal.
The famous mountain photographer Vittorio Sella had climbed a grassy terrace about 200 metres higher than Pangpema from where he shot his famous panorama but today due to the earthquake landslides this has disappeared and the hillside above shows no trails other than rocks and landslide debris. If you can stay in Pangpema it is possible the next day to climb Drohmo Ri a trekking peak around 5800 metres and descend to Lhonak the same evening.
This should be the plan if the Pangpema tea shop is open. If you
are camping then the camping crew will provide tents and meals so you are not
dependent on the tea shop. It is really a magically location so a night here is
more than advisable.
Lhonak to Pangpema 5140 metres 27 47 16 N 88 6 36 E 4 to 5 hours Pangpema to Lhonak 3 to 4 hours.
November 20th 2019 Lhonak to Kangbachen to Ghunsa
It is possible to do a double march and reach Ghunsa by evening. The timings would be - Lhonak to Ramdang tea shop 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min; Ramdang to Landslide area 1 hr; Landslide area to Kangbachen 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min.
Kangbachen to Rampuk Kharka tea shop 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min; Rampuk Kharka to Ghunsa 2 hrs to 2 hrs 15 min.
November 21st 2019 Ghunsa to Gyabla
With an early start it is possible to continue to Amjilosa the same day making it an 8-9 hour push. We stopped at Gyabla as we had two long days before this. We did get a faint one bar Nepal Telecom signal at Gyabla but it was often too faint and indistinct . The timings are - Ghunsa to Phale 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min; Phale to Gyabla 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min.
November 22nd 2019 Gyabla to Amjilosa
We left Ghunsa at 7.30 am on a cold morning with the temperatures well below zero Celsius. Ghunsa must be one of the coldest places in the Himalaya with an altitude of only 3415 metres primarily due to the limited sunshine hours just five and a half hours in November. The trail travelled north past the hospital and in around 45 minutes reached a log bench with prayer flags. For most of the way the trail meandered through rhododendron forests which would be a riot of flowers in the spring season April - May. It then dropped to a landslide section in 15 minutes and then skirted the river. Looking up due east in about an hour and a half we could see the peak of Khabur above us. The trail then crossed a second landslide section in about 2 hours with a log bridge across a stream.
The trail then climbed up for about 15 minutes and reaches a stone resting spot - the trail then goes down to the river and finally the sun hit us at 9.55 am at long last after the freezing morning walk. There is another landslide area next to the river and in front a sharp needle like rock peak dominates the skyline. The trail now enters a beautiful forested glade and then descends to another landslide area - ahead you can see a small tea shop at Rampuk Kharka proudly designated as the Yangjom Hotel with black tea and noodles available. On our way back though it was closed as the season had almost ended. From here the trail started to climb again through forest for about 40 minutes and then reaches the Thulodunga shrine to Shiva - below a massive boulder.
There is a flat camping spot next to the road here. The trail now leaves the forest and enters the scrub region. There are regular snow pole markers now in red black and yellow which will prove very useful when the path is snowed over. In 15 minutes from the Tholodunga shrine you cross a wooden bridge and then climb steadily till you reach a point where you can see a large suspension bridge over the Ghunsa Khola. The views of Jannu, Sobidonge and Khabur are staggering from here and get better as you cross the bridge and walk up to Kangbachen 20 minutes from here.
The mountain views around Kangbachen are amazingly good in all directions. There is no Nepal Telecom connectivity here. There are a number of good lodges in Kangbachen – the best being the Kangchenjunga White House run by Nupu Sherpa where we stayed. Dal Bhat veg is Rs 650 and Black Tea Rs 100.
Ghunsa to Tea shop at Rampuk Kharka 3765 metres 27 42 35 N 87 57 53E 3 hrs to 3 hrs 30 min Rampuk Kharka to Kambachen 4061 metres 27 44 13 N 87 58 24 E 2 hrs to 2 hrs 30 min
November 17 2019 Day walk to Jannu View Point and Jannu Base camp 4550 metres 11 km round trip
This was a marvelous day with a great walk around 6-6.5 hours up and down. All through the walk we saw behind us the Sharpu peaks numbered 1 to 6 and in front getting larger and larger.
Jannu and next to it Sobidonge and Khabur. As you near the Base Camp you can see the long ridge connecting the conical snow peak of White Wave to Jannu – a very impressive sight.
In about 2.5 to 3 hours you reach a temple built by the Limbu tribe who come up to these heights once a year to worship Shiva and Mount Jannu. There is a small building here where they stay when on pilgrimage.
The trail continues pass the temple and reaches a ridge from where you can look down directly on the massive Jannu glacier - we saw a powder snow avalanche coming down in front of us. Below Jannu there was a huge icefall. This walk is possibly one of the major highlights of this trek and should not be missed.
November 18 2019 Kangbachen to Lhonak 10 km
We left Kangbachen at 7.40 am and walked the first hour along the river climbing gently uphill and gaining altitude along the way. In about 75 minutes we reached the first landslide area - all along this route the snow poles are visible at strategic intervals. The trail then climbs up and reaches a small clearing at around 4300 metres. Then in about two hours from Kangbachen we reached a major landslide section. There is a beautiful waterfall above the landslide. The sun reached us here for the first time at 9.40 am. The snow poles show an upward climb to a very treacherous looking scree and landslide slope where you have every possibility of slipping down and tumbling to the bottom. Some of our trekkers had a very difficult time crossing this section including rockfall. The rest of our group took the rock and river route below jumping from boulder to boulder which is possibly the lesser of the two evils. To ensure that trekkers do not take the upward crossing over the scree slope we closed the trail with rocks and boulders on our way back. After this section, the trail is mainly through boulders and rock to rock climbing upwards - in some sections there is a trail in others there are only rocks and the snow poles for directions. This walking can get quite tiring after some time. In one hour or so from this landslide zone you finally reach a broad pleasant maidan with peaks to the east and north. We found a herd of blue sheep grazing peacefully in the warm autumn sunshine and 15 minutes further up we came to the tea shop of Ramdang surrounded by the peaks of Tangkongma, Pathibhara, Merra, and Drohmo. It was a beautiful location but unfortunately the tea shop had closed the day before and the owner had descended to Ghunsa. Peakfinder app identified the tip of Kangchenjunga from Ramdang as well. From the tea shop the trail remained fairly level for about half an hour and then started to climb again - Wedge Peak, Kirat Chuli, Nepal Peak and Pathibhara peak came into view. The trail then reached a bluff high above the Lhonak glacier in about 90 minutes from the tea shop, from where the trail swung left skirted the hill and descended to a small wooden bridge across the river. From here the lodges of Lhonak are 20 minutes.
It was the end of the season and we met two lodge owners who were planning to go down to Ghunsa after closing their lodges. We stayed at the newish Lhonak Guest House which had clean rooms and an indoor toilet. There was an impressive sunset in the evening over Merra peak, Wedge peak or Chang Himal and Nepal Peak with a herd of blue sheep that came down just in front of our lodge to graze.
There is no Nepal Telecom connectivity here. Dal Bhat Rs 750 Black Tea Rs 90.
Kangbachen to Ramdang Tea shop 4588 metres 27 77 37 N 88 01 00 E 3.5 to 4 hours Ramdang Tea shop to Lhonak 4770 metres 27 47 26 N 88 2 8 E 2 hours
November 19 2019 Lhonak to Pangpema to Lhonak 15.4 km round trip
Caution: Though some guide books mention that it should take around 3.5 hours to Pangpema from Lhonak and 2.5 hours back I feel that this timing is not possible for normal trekkers given the state of the trails and the long landslide sections where most of the walking is over scree, rubble and crossing boulders. This may have been possible before the Nepal earthquake damaged the trails and made this route fairly difficult. There are some narrow exposed sections as well where you need to tread cautiously.
We had decided to stay in Pangpema but unfortunately the tea shop owner and his assistant had shut shop and descended to Ghunsa on November 17th 2019 when we were at Kangbachen. We never met them on the way down – if we had we might have convinced them to come back for a day! So if you plan to stay in Pangpema do schedule your visit before November 12th -15th to be on the safe side.
We left Lhonak at 6. 35 am - the temperature was around -8 Celsius - we walked up a broad maidan climbing steadily reaching 5000 metres in 1.5 hours - we are now at the edge of the glacier and Nepal Peak Wedge Peak and the Twins dominate - the trail enters a landslide section in 15 minutes and then descends into a narrow meadow after this there is a long and unstable landslide area once again including a steep climb on rubble. This continued for another hour until we descended into an inviting grassy meadow and we could see the trail clearly winding around the valley towards Pangpema which was still not visible and neither was Kangchenjunga. However it is still another hour to 1.5 hours to Pangpema from here. Kangchenjunga finally reveals herself almost at Pangpema and the massive north west face is surrounded the satellite peaks Nepal Peak, Nepal Gap, The Twins, Kangbachen peak and Wedge Peak or Chang Himal.
The famous mountain photographer Vittorio Sella had climbed a grassy terrace about 200 metres higher than Pangpema from where he shot his famous panorama but today due to the earthquake landslides this has disappeared and the hillside above shows no trails other than rocks and landslide debris. If you can stay in Pangpema it is possible the next day to climb Drohmo Ri a trekking peak around 5800 metres and descend to Lhonak the same evening.
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| Image courtesy himalayan info.org click to see full screen |
Lhonak to Pangpema 5140 metres 27 47 16 N 88 6 36 E 4 to 5 hours Pangpema to Lhonak 3 to 4 hours.
November 20th 2019 Lhonak to Kangbachen to Ghunsa
It is possible to do a double march and reach Ghunsa by evening. The timings would be - Lhonak to Ramdang tea shop 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min; Ramdang to Landslide area 1 hr; Landslide area to Kangbachen 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min.
Kangbachen to Rampuk Kharka tea shop 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min; Rampuk Kharka to Ghunsa 2 hrs to 2 hrs 15 min.
November 21st 2019 Ghunsa to Gyabla
With an early start it is possible to continue to Amjilosa the same day making it an 8-9 hour push. We stopped at Gyabla as we had two long days before this. We did get a faint one bar Nepal Telecom signal at Gyabla but it was often too faint and indistinct . The timings are - Ghunsa to Phale 1 hr 15 min to 1 hr 30 min; Phale to Gyabla 3 hr to 3 hr 30 min.
November 22nd 2019 Gyabla to Amjilosa
If you leave
early enough e.g. 7 am it is possible to go from Gyabla to Sekathum in one long
8-9 hour day.
We left Gyabla after a very comfortable and pleasant stay at the Hotel Shinjino including the first hot bath after leaving Kathmandu ! The timings on the downward journey are :
Gyabla to Dhangyam 2 hrs to 2 hrs 15 min
Dhyangyam to Kabita Tea Shop 1 hr 45 min to 2 hours
Kabita Tea Shop to Amjilosa 20-25 min down.
November 23rd 2019 Amjilosa to Sekathum
We left Gyabla after a very comfortable and pleasant stay at the Hotel Shinjino including the first hot bath after leaving Kathmandu ! The timings on the downward journey are :
Gyabla to Dhangyam 2 hrs to 2 hrs 15 min
Dhyangyam to Kabita Tea Shop 1 hr 45 min to 2 hours
Kabita Tea Shop to Amjilosa 20-25 min down.
November 23rd 2019 Amjilosa to Sekathum
It is
easily possible to go to Taplethok from Amjilosa again in an 8-9 hour day -
leave early by 7 am if you plan this.
We left Amjilosa at 7 45 am after light rain at night. The timings on the downward trip are :
Amjilosa to Lamatar 2 hr to 2 hr 15 min
Lamatar to Sekathum 2 hr 15 min to 2 hr 45 min.
November 24th 2019 Sekathum to Taplethok to Suketar
We left Sekathum at 8 am
Sekathum to Pipaldanda 1 hr 20 min
Pipaldanda to Taplethok 1 hr 15 min
Taplethok to Suketar by jeep 4 hours with stops
We left Amjilosa at 7 45 am after light rain at night. The timings on the downward trip are :
Amjilosa to Lamatar 2 hr to 2 hr 15 min
Lamatar to Sekathum 2 hr 15 min to 2 hr 45 min.
November 24th 2019 Sekathum to Taplethok to Suketar
We left Sekathum at 8 am
Sekathum to Pipaldanda 1 hr 20 min
Pipaldanda to Taplethok 1 hr 15 min
Taplethok to Suketar by jeep 4 hours with stops
We stayed
at Suketar but Taplejung is only 20 minutes from here by jeep.
November 25th 2019 Suketar to Ilam
Suketar to Phidim 2.5 hours
Phidim to Ilam 2 hrs 15 min.
November 25th 2019 Suketar to Ilam
Suketar to Phidim 2.5 hours
Phidim to Ilam 2 hrs 15 min.
It is possible to go to Bhadrapur on the same day and get a
flight if you are going back to Kathmandu
November 26th 2019 Ilam to Bagdogra (India) 3.5 to 4 hours – we exited via the Indian border Kakarvitta and went to Bagdogra airport near Siliguri from where we took connecting flights out to Kolkata/ Delhi.
November 26th 2019 Ilam to Bagdogra (India) 3.5 to 4 hours – we exited via the Indian border Kakarvitta and went to Bagdogra airport near Siliguri from where we took connecting flights out to Kolkata/ Delhi.
Timings - For good walkers willing to do 7-8 hours walking per day it is possible to do this trek in 15-16 days Kathmandu to Kathmandu - if you are combing the trek with south base camp look at around 21 days or so using jeeps both for entry and exit.
For more information on our treks and photo workshops do visit www.southcol.com
For more photographs of the Himalaya do visit www.sujoydas.com
I am also trying to write something..i was hoping if you could help me on it ...happy holidays
ReplyDeleteThanks Sujoy. Good Read!
ReplyDeleteThanks KS
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