Kangchenjunga North and South Base Camps Nepal - Part II by Ashesh Ambasta

 

9/11/2024: on Selele La (4,480m), the first of the three passes enroute to Tseram. 
From left to right: Back row: Deepak, Ashesh, Pravin, Daniel & Purno;  Front row: Bhuvan & Bhakto

Ashesh Ambasta is a seasoned trekker and photographer who has done a number of treks with South Col Expeditions.  In late October and November 2024, Praveen Gupta, Deepak Chandnani, Daniel Bayer and Ashesh trekked to both the north and south base camps of Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, from the Nepal side. In this evocative account with wonderful images Ashesh shares  their experience of this outstanding trek still relatively unspoilt. 

The first part of his journey to the north base camp Pangpems  is documented here   https://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2025/05/kangchenjunga-north-and-south-base.html

Here is the second and final  part to the south base camp  Kangchenjunga, Oktang. 

For more photos of the trek do visit https://photos.app.goo.gl/QPHbCH7XxFn9Q29d8

The other side of Kanchenjunga from Oktang

8/11/24: Selele (4,250m): The camp site is ideally located in a bowl, surrounded by hills on three sides. A small stream cuts through the campsite. Today, there was bright sun and no wind, both welcome from the coldness of Lhonak and Ghunsa.

Kangchenjunga North and South Base Camps Nepal - Part I by Ashesh Ambasta

6/11/24: On the slopes of  Drohmo Ri  at 5,281m):  It was thrilling to track the route taken by Pete Boardman, Joe Tasker, and Doug Scott who had made a successful bid in 1979. Here, I've traced the West Wall going up to the North Col (the site of Camp 3), the North Ridge leading to the “Croissant” and further up, to the “Pinnacles”, and the final push to the Summit.

Ashesh Ambasta is a seasoned trekker and photographer who has done a number of treks with South Col Expeditions.  In late October and November 2024, Praveen Gupta, Deepak Chandnani, Daniel Bayer and Ashesh trekked to both the north and south base camps of Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world, from the Nepal side. In this evocative account with wonderful images Ashesh shares  their experience of this outstanding trek still relatively unspoilt. The first part of  their journey to the north base camp Pangpema  is documented here.

 For more photos of this trek do visit     https://photos.ap .goo.gl/QPHbCH7XxFn9Q29d8

28^th October – 14^th November 2024

For those accustomed to the relative comforts of the Everest and Annapurna circuits, be warned.  The lodges are rudimentary at best and, in places, downright crummy. The food is largely basic and passable.  And, if you plan to cover both the North and South base camps, as we did, it’s a long grind of about 18 days through steep ascents and descents at high altitudes.  But, if you love the peace and tranquillity of the mountains and detest hordes of trekkers jostling you on the trail, all this pales into insignificance.  The sheer grandeur of the peaks that tower over you at the two base camps and the breath-taking panorama on the approach marches are incomparable.  I have done countless treks in Nepal, but this easily stands out as among the best for the beauty, magnificence, and diversity of the terrain. 

Sikkim | Phoktey Dara Trek November 2020 with South Col Expeditions

Kangchenjunga range from Rinchinpong/Kaluk West Sikkim 

 The Chiwabhanjan  Phoktey Dara Trek October 30th to November 8th 2020

October 30th 2020

After more than ten months since our last trek in December 2019, a South Col Expeditions team took a leap of faith and with proper protection and sanitization against covid 19 decided to do a small trek route in West Sikkim. The route popularly known as Phoktey Dara offers a dress circle view of Kangchenjunga and three other 8000 metre peaks Everest, Lhotse and Makalu. The route straddles the border of India and Nepal. After navigating the airports of Calcutta and Bagdogra with double masks, shields and sanitisers, we started around 1.40 pm in the afternoon from Bagdogra airport. The city traffic was heavy and we got to Sevoke and the Coronation bridge in about an hour. 

 Soon the Teesta was next to us but the Teesta dam project had changed the entire complexion of the river. It was now a silent reservoir, eerie and still. Nothing moved nothing stirred. There were no rapids no noise of the river rushing down from the high glaciers making its way to the plains of Bengal. The environmental degradation due to the Teesta project will definitely have a lost lasting impact on this region and unfortunately we could not prevent it. Soon after Rambi Bazar we entered the landslide zone and the road was ravaged after the monsoon. Going was slow and traffic also heavy. Finally around 3.50 pm we entered Teesta Bazar and crossed the bridge and headed to Melli passing the Kalimpong turn off. We crossed the Melli bridge in ten minutes and showed our Sikkim Tourist registration cards at the check post. There was no other covid related checking like temperature or any other self declaration. Sikkim does not require any covid negative certificate at present. The road from Melli to Jorethang which used to be a beautiful drive along the Rangeet has also been badly damaged by landslides- it took us an hour to reach Jorethang around 5.10 pm and we decided to stop by the Legship bridge for a quick meal for of delicious momos and soup.  We left Joretang at 5.30 pm in the dark and headed up to Reshi - on our right higher up we could see the lights of Namchi. Sikkim has a very strong electrification programme and I believe almost all villages big or small have now been given electricity. Around 7 pm we finally entered Rinchinpong and were greeted by an incredible sight - it was full moon night Lakshmi Purnima and the moon was shining bright and clear on the Kangchenjunga range from our lodge room - the Ghonday Resort. In front were the twin towns of Gayzing and Pelling brightly illuminated with flickering lights and the headlamps of the passing jeeps. It was an amazing view and the clarity after the monsoon was also incredible.

Bagdogra to Melli 2 hours 25 min; Melli to Jorethang 1 hour; Jorethang to Rinchinpong/ Kaluk 1 hour 30 min.

Green Lakes Trek Zemu Valley | Sikkim

Photo from the Zemu Valley with the peaks courtesy www.himalayan-info.org

The north east  base camp of Kangchenjunga in the Zemu Valley has been "out of bounds" due a rigid permit system imposed by the Government of India and Sikkim. However, if you can manage the hassles associated with getting the permits then it is one of the most rewarding walks in the Himalaya. South Col  has trekked this route twice the last time in October 2014. The details of the route are below:

October 27^th 2014 Gangtok to Lachen 2750 metres 6-7 hours

We left Gangtok on a sunny autumn morning with Kangchenjunga floating in the clouds. The road followed the North Sikkim highway and we followed the valley of the Teesta river all the way to Chungthang where the permits were checked. Travelling along this road I thought of the early pioneers like Paul Bauer, Douglas Freshfield, and Vittorio Sella who has walked along Teesta valley on their way to Lachen. We stayed the night at the very luxurious and comfortable Apple Orchard Hotel.

October 28^th 2014 - Drive Lachen to Zema and then trek Zema to Tallem 3250 metres  4½ hrs.

 The morning was cold and cloudy and the group had breakfast at Apple Orchard at 8 AM and left by 9.30 AM.  There was a problem with one of our vehicles so we walked part of the way until Zema.  There was another problem at Zema about the weight of porter loads but this was also sorted out. We left Zema at 10.30 AM after receiving Khadas for our full group.   The trail went down from Zema to the river and there were a lot of landslides to be crossed on the trail in the first two hours – the upper trail has been damaged by landslides and the current lower trail follows the Zemu Chu river. In many sections there is no trail and the path requires clambering from boulder to boulder using both hands. There is a steep section like a chimney which needs to be climbed up with cascading water spraying the trekker from a nearby waterfall.  We stopped for lunch around 1.20 PM in a clearing near the river. There is a proper trail after lunch which climbs above the Zemu Chu through some very pleasant forest of ferns and rhododendrons. Just before the camp site of Tallem, the trail passes through a large meadow which at this season had plenty of dried flowers. It would have been a spectacular site in summer. Tallem was reached around 3 PM – the walk took 4½ hours with a half hour lunch stop. The weather remained cloudy in the evening with low mist covering the tree tops.

Kangchenjunga White House | Khambachen Nepal

Nupu Sherpa who runs the lodge

A South Col group trekked the Kangchenjunga North Base Camp in November 2019. One of the nicest lodges we stayed in was the Kangchenjunga White House run by Nupu Sherpa. The lodge has some very nice clean cottage rooms, a sunny and warm dining area and  is a good base to visit Jannu Base Camp and the surrounding valleys. We stayed for two nights which is also useful for acclimatisation but a third night maybe on the way back is also an option if you have days to spare.

Kangchenjunga North Base Camp Trek Pangpema | Route and Timings Part II

Jannu and Sobidonge at sunset from above Kangbachen

A South Col team trekked to Kangchenjunga North Base Camp Pangpema in November 2019.
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.

Kangchenjunga North Base Camp Pangpema Trek | Route and Timings Part I

A South Col Team trekked the North Pangpema Base Camp of Kangchenjunga in November 2019. The details of the trek with day wise itinerary and timings are below.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The start of both the north base camp trek and south base camp trek had rough jeepable roads for fair weather use. For our detailed post of these roads do visit  http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2019/12/kangchenjunga-trek-nepal-north-and.html
• Lodges are available on the trek but these are basic below Ghunsa and also have few beds. In case you are a large group (8-10 persons) during season time April and October  you may be better off camping. Above Ghunsa the quality of the lodges improve dramatically and is some of them you can get attached toilets. There are also many more lodges.
• Phone connectivity is there in some of the locations – only Nepal Telecom not Ncell.
• There is no wifi available on the route excepting at Ghunsa Hospital.
• The trekking numbers are also  low – from the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Project records for 2019 I found that the spring season March to May 2019 had 202 trekkers while the autumn season September until 20^th November 2019 had 634 trekkers out of which October alone had 407 trekkers. In comparison the Everest route has around 45,000-50,000 trekkers in a year!
• The approach from Kathmandu is usually through Bhadrapur airport a 45 min flight and then a long drive from Bhadrapur to Taplejung. There is an airport at Suketar but the thrice a week Nepal Airlines flight is not very regular and is often cancelled.
• There has been a lot of changes in the routes mentioned in the guide books some due to landslides and some new trails being developed and the guide books need updation e.g. Lelep often mentioned as a night stop is not required to be visited any more there is a direct trail now to Sekathum so do not follow the guide books blindly.

Kangchenjunga Trek Nepal | North and South | Road Construction

The Kangchenjunga group including Jannnu on the left and Kabru in front seen from a ridge above Ilam on the drive to Taplejung

A South Col team recently did the Kangchenjunga trek in Nepal in November 2019. A detailed day by day schedule and route will follow on this blog but in this post we deal with the roads now being used  on the approach to the Kangchenjunga trek.

We found that dirt track roads suitable for four wheel drive vehicles have been built on the approach to both treks north and south. These roads  are fair weather - hence it is doubtful if during heavy rain in the monsoon months they would be clear for traffic. However, we were informed by our jeep drivers that from middle October to middle May these roads are operating and can be used by trekkers to shorten their treks by 2-3 days. The journey, of course, like most Nepal dirt track roads is bone rattling but it does shorten 2 days walking into a four hour jeep journey.

Short 3-5 day Treks in the Indian Himalaya

Stok Kangri range from the Delhi to Leh flight

Rumtse to Tso Kar  / Ladakh  4 days
The popular trek crosses some high passes and then comes to Tso Kar Lake from where there is a motorable road to Leh. It is also possible to extend this trek further to Tso Moriri by adding three days to the trek. The route is Rumtse 4325m - Kyamar 4055m- Tisaling 4215m- Ponganagu 4500m-Tso Kar. The best season for this trek is July to August. You should acclimatise in Leh for two days before starting out and you need to carry full camping gear, tents and food.

The shores of Tso Kar lake, Ladakh

Indrahar Pass  / Himachal 5 days
This trek starts from Mcleodganj crosses the Indrahar Pass 4300 metres and then ends at Machetar which is a four hour drive from Chamba. The route is Mcleodganj 1650m-Triund 3000m- Lahesh Cave 3600m- Indrahar Pass 4300m- Laka Got 3850m- Chata Kuarsi 2200m-Machetar 1950m. The best season would be April-May and again September to November. You need to carry your own camping gear, tent and food.


Rupin Valley Himachal  5 days
The scenic Rupin valley is a very under trekked area which is  a pity as it offers a lot in terms of fast flowing rivers, bird life, mountains and lush forests.  The route is Netwar 1350m- Sewa 2025m- Jakhu 2600m- Camp below Rupin Pass 3500m- Rupin Pass 45400m- Kanda 3425m- Sangla 2675m. The best season would be April-May and again September to November. You should carry camping gear and food.

 Tunganath and Chandrashila / Uttarakhand  3 days
This is probably the shortest and most popular of all the easy treks in the Garhwal but with a great view from the top. The route would be Ukhimath 1300m - Deoria Tal 2100m- Chopta 2900m- visit Tunganath 3685m and Chandrashila 3900m- Dugalbitta 2347m.

Late afternoon Sandakphu - Jannu and Kangchenjunga

Sandakphu West Bengal  4 days
Though a jeepable road goes to Sandakphu it still remains a popular trek especially with first timers. It is possible to combine this with Phalut and make it a seven day trip. There are different route options but the most popular one is Manebanjan- Tumling-Jaubari-Gairibash-Kalapokhri-Bikebhanjan-Sandakphu-Rimbick.  This is one of the few locations which has views of four of the five highest peaks in the world – Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Kangchenjunga. . The best time would be March to May and again October to December. You can stay in the home stays/bungalows on the way.

Shang Sumdo to Stok Village Ladakh  4 days
This trail crosses two 4950 metres passes before descending into Stok village. The route is Leh-Shang Sumdo- Shang Phu- Gangpoche-Mankarmo-Stok. It walks in the shadow of Stok Kangri and the other peaks of the range like Golep Kangri, Matho Kangri, Pyramid etc. A good season is July to September but there may be many stream crossings in July - September would be better if you want to avoid the crossings. A detailed itinerary is here  http://sujoyrdas.blogspot.com/2019/08/ladakh-shang-sumdo-to-stok-across-shang.html

For more information on trekking in the Himalaya do visit www.southcol.com

For my photographs on the Himalaya do visit www.sujoydas.com

Vittorio Sella | Mountain Photographer

Jannu from Chunjerma

Today 28th August 2017 is the 158th birth anniversary of the great mountain photographer Vittorio Sella. 

Vittorio Sella  was an Italian photographer and mountaineer, who took photographs of mountains which are regarded as some of the finest ever made. 

Sella was born in Biella in the foothills of the Alps and acquired his interest in Alpinism from his uncle, Quintino Sella. He made a number of significant climbs in the Alps, including the first winter ascents of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa, and the first winter traverse of Mont Blanc. He took part in several expeditions further afield, including three to the Caucasus (where a peak now bears his name), to Mount Saint Elias in Alaska, to the Rwenzori in Africa, and the 1909 expedition to K2 and the Karakoram. The latter three expeditions were in the company of Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi. Sella continued to climb into his old age, and made his last attempt on the Matterhorn at seventy six. The attempt failed when one of his guides was injured in an accident.

The high quality of Sella's photography was in part due to his use of 30×40 cm photographic plates, in spite of the difficulty of carrying bulky and fragile equipment into remote places. He had to invent equipment, including modified pack saddles and rucksacks, to allow these particularly large glass plates to be transported safely. His photographs were widely published and exhibited, and highly praised; Ansel Adams, who saw thirty-one that Sella had presented to the US Sierra Club, said they inspired "a definitely religious awe". Many of the photographs he took were of mountains which had not been previously recorded and so have historical as well as artistic significance; for example by recording the retreat of glaciers in the Rwenzori mountains in Central Africa.

Sella died in Biella in 1943. His collection of photographs is now managed by the Sella Foundation (Fondazione Sella) in Biella. Some pictures of Sella are exhibited in the Museo Nazionale della Montagna "Duca degli Abruzzi"in Turin. [ From Wikipedia }

Some of Sella's photographs are below: 

Siniolchu and Little Siniolchu from the Zemu Valley 1899

Muztagh Towers Karakoram

Siniolchu Zemu Valley 1899

Camp Zemu Valley 1899

Glacier near Mont Blanc

Chardon Glacier 1888

In the words of Ansel Adams “Knowing the physical pressures of time and energy attendant on ambitious mountain expeditions, we are amazed by the mood of calmness and perfection pervading all of Sella’s photographs. In Sella’s photographs there is no faked grandeur; rather there is understatement, caution, and truthful purpose… Sella has brought to us not only the facts and forms of far-off splendours of the world, but the essence of experience which finds a spiritual response in the inner recesses of our mind and heart.”

Useful Links:

http://www.sujoydas.com/SujoyDas/Vittorio-Sella

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/02/pioneering-photographers-vittorio-sella/

Green Lakes Trek in North Sikkim

Off limit to trekkers for many years and rigidly controlled by a permit system, few have made it to the north east base camp of Kangchendzonga. I was fortunate to make two visits to Green Lakes, once way back in 1987 along with an Assam Rifles expedition to Kangchenjunga and again in 2014 leading a South Col trek to the Zemu Valley. These photographs are from the 2014  trek to this magical valley! For a route of this trek do visit http://www.southcol.com/treks-nepal/green-lakes-trek-in-north-sikkim/

The north east face of Kangchenjunga from above the Green Lakes Base Camp

The forest between Jakthang and Yabuk

Siniolchu as seen from my tent at Rest Camp

Walking from Rest Camp to Green Lakes

Langpo Peak

The Zemu Glacier

The Twins at the back and Tent Peak in front

Useful Links

http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/The-Green-Lakes-Trek-in-North-

http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/The-Forests-of-the-Zemu-Valley/

http://www.outlooktraveller.com/photo-features/sikkim-kanchenjunga-base-camp-trek-in-pictures-1007363  

Green Lakes Trek: Panorama from Rest Camp

South Col Expeditions trekked the route to the north-east base camp of Kangchenjunga in the Zemu Valley, North Sikkim. Here is a video from  our Green Lakes trek which gives a good idea of the terrain and the vews




Green Lakes is controlled by a strict permit system which some times takes months to get. However, those who are tenacious enough to follow this up usually get the permit and will be rewarded with a superb trek through pristine country.

The forests of the Zemu valley are quite amazing as are the mountains.

This was my second visit to Green Lakes after 1987 and I was saddened to see that the fair size pool of water had now dried up and become a small muddy pond.

For more information on the Green Lakes trek please visit the following links

http://www.southcol.com/treks-nepal/green-lakes-trek-in-north-sikkim/

http://www.sujoydas.com/SujoyDas/The-Green-Lakes-Trek-in-the-Ze/

http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/The-Forests-of-the-Zemu-Valley/

Kangchenjunga and Makalu | Sixty Years since the First Ascent

Kangchenjunga as seen from above Green Lakes in the Zemu Valley, North Sikkim

It is sixty years since the first ascent of Kangchenjunga in 1955. Kangchenjunga was first climbed on 25 May 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band, who were part of a British expedition followed by Norman Hardie and Tony Streather the next day. They stopped short of the summit as per the promise given to the Chogyal that the top of the mountain would remain inviolate. But the route from the Zemu valley shown in this photograph remained unclimbed until an Indain expedition led by Col "Bull' Kumar summitted the peak from the north east spur in 1977. This was only the second ascent of the mountain. This was the same difficult route that had beaten the Germans under Paul Bauer in 1929 and 1931. But, as far as I know, the east face direct route on Kangchenjunga is still waiting  for world class alpinists. This may remain one of the last great unclimbed faces in the Himalaya!

Makalu as seen from the Rhenjo La pass above the lakes of Gokyo

It is sixty years since the first ascent of Makalu in May 1955.A spectacular mountain it is not seen very often from the Everest region. Makalu was first climbed by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy on May 15th 1955. They were part of a  French expedition led by Jean Franco. Franco, G. Magnone and Sardar Gyaltsen Norbu summitted  on May 16th 1955  followed by Bouvier, S. Coupe, Leroux and A. Vialatte on the 17th May. This was an amazing achievement at the time to have the majority of expedition members summit, especially on such a difficult peak. Prior to this time, summits were reached by 1-2 people at most with the rest of teams providing logistical support before turning around and heading home. The French team climbed Makalu by the north face and northeast ridge, via the saddle between Makalu and Kangchungtse (the Makalu-La), establishing the standard route. The trek to Makalu base camp from Tumlingtar is a route which is also not very popular in the Nepal Himalayas mainly due to the long approach to the mountain. 

Das Studio | Darjeeling

For many years now, one studio is Darjeeling has been at the forefront of mountain photography in the region. Durga Das Pradhan,  who is now in his eighties and is still active in running the studio spoke to me in Darjeeling a few months ago.

From large format film cameras to 35 mm single lens reflex models to digital cameras and D-SLRs and now phone cameras, Das Studio has seen them all.

When I was a boy in Darjeeling, a daily visit to Das Studio was a must. I would stand before the photographs of  the great mountains and look in awe at those wonderful pictures. Many were to places I have never been to like Everest Base Camp, Kala Pattar, Poon Hill, neighbouring Sandakphu and Phalut, Dzongri and many more. And as I looked I imagined that I would be there one day!

The postcard section was a great attraction and over the years I built up an album of Das Studio postcards. I have that green album even today - dog eared but treasured.

Durga Das Pradhan was and still is a wealth of information on everything photographic. While we were chatting this March, he suddenly mentioned some huge Ansel Adams prints which he had seen in the USA. " For tonal quality you can't beat large format film" he said " hopefully film is making a comeback." In his heart Durga Das is still a "film man".

Ratna Das Pradhan, son of Durga who now lives in Australia  writes this about Das Studio on  his web site www.ratnapradhan.com :

"Our firm, Das Studio of Darjeeling, was established by my grandfather Thakur Das in 1927 at Mount Pleasant Road, a site near the present day bazaar. When the opportunity presented itself, he expanded his business and moved into shops in Commercial Row  (Nehru Road). In 1949 he scraped together a down payment to purchase the premises that housed Whiteaway Laidlaw, a haberdashery. 

He made the move to 15 Nehru Road in 1950. The history of the the family business is an interesting one not only to us family members, but also for the long time permanent residents of the town and the surrounding Tea Plantations.  

Darjeeling being a tourist destination and an escape for many plains dwellers during the scorching summer months meant many a visitor came to Darjeeling regularly during the hot Indian summer. 

Das Studio was always a familiar meeting place as the visitors strolled along Nehru Road to Chowrasta and a walk along the Mall to savour the cool Himalayan evenings. In a manner of speaking, the story of Das Studio has been somewhat linked with social history of Darjeeling, in that the business provided a popular social hub for visitors as well as the locals."

Sadly given the present situation of Darjeeling that is all changed.

Some photos from the Das Studio archives are below:

For more information on the history of Darjeeling and this historic studio visit https://www.facebook.com/DasStudio.Darjeeling?fref=ts 

Green Lakes| The Forests of the Zemu Valley

In November 2014, a small team from South Col Expeditions trekked the Zemu Valley in North Sikkim.  Other than the spectacular mountain views which surrounds the valley on all sides, I found the forests to have an amazing wealth of plant life. This short photo essay shows  the forests of the Zemu Valley :

For more photos of the Zemu Valley and the Green Lakes trek do visit

http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/The-Forests-of-the-Zemu-Valley

http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/The-Green-Lakes-Trek-in-North-/

Nicholas Roerich and his love affair with Kangchenjunga

Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) is best known as a painter but he was also a prolific writer. He produced five books the most famous being Altai Himalaya and Shambala.

Roerich was also predominantly a "mountain artist" and I have been quite surprised to see the number of paintings he did of Kangchejunga and the Himalayan ranges from Darjeeling and also Kalimpong. After a long expedition in Asia from 1923 to 1928, the Roerich family settled in Darjeeling and it was during this time that most of these paintings were done. Roerich later moved to Naggar near Manali in Himachal Pradesh and passed away there in 1947.

Some of his most outstanding works on Kangchenjunga are below:

Many of these works are available as prints on the internet. Do visit http://www.roerich.org/gifts-prints.php

Green Lakes Trek: North Sikkim, Outlook Traveller April 2015

The photo essay below was published in Outlook Traveller April 2015 issue.

For the full essay please do visit http://www.sujoydas.com/SujoyDas/The-Green-Lakes-Trek-in-the-Ze/

For more details about the Green Lakes trek do visit  www.southcol.com and for photographs of the Himalaya do visit www.sujoydas.com

The Green Lakes Trek in the Zemu Valley, North Sikkim

A team from South Col Expeditions, trekked to the north east base camp of Kanchenjunga in the Zemu Valley  in October-November 2014. Here is  the day wise  description of the route and the trek schedule:

THE ROUTE

Day 1: Gangtok to Lachen by road 

The drive from Gangtok to Lachen takes around six hours with a lunch stop at Mangan or Rang Rang Bridge.

 Day 2: Lachen (2700 m) to Zema by road and then trek to Tallem (3250 m) (5–6 hours)

The road continues along the North Sikkim Highway to Zema for half an hour. From Zema, take the trail west along the right bank of the Zemu Chu through landslide debris and boulders which can be quite difficult. After around three hours of walking, the boulders end and there is a clearing which serves as a lunch stop near the river. The trail then leaves the valley and climbs steeply through the forest to reach Tallem in about an hour.

Day 3:  Tallem to Jakthang (3430 m) (3 to 4 hours) 

This is a short day and Jakthang is reached by lunchtime. Soon after leaving Tallem, cross the Lhonak Chu on a temporary log bridge and then follow the path along the river for an hour. The path then climbs through the forest for an hour until a saddle is reached from where the trail drops for about half an hour and crosses two small streams. It then levels off and enters the clearing of Jakthang with a ruined hut which can be used for cooking and shelter.  

 Day 4: Jakthang (3430 m) to Yabuk (4040 m) (41/2 to -51/2 hours)

 Follow the trail out of Jakthang along the river for about twenty minutes. The path then climbs to a small saddle where there is an indistinct trail going to the right to Muguthang. Do not take this right fork but instead  go left and down to a stone bridge over the river which is visible  from the top. From the bridge follow the well defined trail through rhododendron forests climbing gently for about two hours with the Zemu Chu on your left. The path then leaves the river and makes a sharp ascent for about an hour and reaches a broad meadow at the edge of the tree line with a ruined double storied hut which is Yabuk.

Day 5: Acclimatization day at Yabuk (4040m)  

You can spend the rest day walking up the valley, bird watching or just lazing at camp.  

 Day 6: Yabuk (4040 m) to Rest Camp (4500 m) (4-5 hours)  

From Yabuk walk across the meadow and then start climbing to a small pass at the head of the valley which should take about seventy five minutes. From the pass the first view of the Zemu peaks are visible. Fifteen minutes later you reach a broad meadow which is Sona Camp. The trail then climbs for an hour and reaches a broad river bed covered with white stones. From here a climb across scrub and dwarf rhododendron forest for another hour reaches a clearing with some ruined stone shelters which is the Rest Camp across the valley from Siniolchu.

 Day 7: Rest Camp (4500 m) to Green Lakes (5050 m) (4 to 5 hours)  

The trail to Green Lakes is often indistinct and a guide who has trekked this route before is essential.  Leave the Rest Camp walking through scrub and moss with your feet often sinking into the brush. In 30 minutes you will reach a river bed with some streams flowing across. Cross the river bed and reach a grassy meadow in about ninety minutes. The path then climbs gently before reaching another river bed which you should follow for around 30 minutes. Another level meadow is reached and at the end of the meadow is the Zemu glacier just below,  a fascinating view point. Swing sharp right at this point and again navigate through brush/grass/scree on a faint trail for an hour walking to the end of the valley which is the Green Lakes camp.

Day 8: Rest Day at Green Lakes 

Spend the day lazing in the sunshine and watching the peaks. The more intrepid can climb the hill behind the camp for about an hour or so to come to a high point with magnificent views both towards Kangchenjunga as well as down the valley. The Zemu Gap that links the Zemu valley to the Talung valley is clearly seen from this high point.

 Day 9: Green Lakes (5050 m) to Yabuk (4040 m) (5-6 hours)

It is possible to make the march from Green Lakes to Yabuk in one day, as the trail is mostly downhill. More intrepid trekkers and porters could try to reach Jakthang on the same day.

 Day 10: Yabuk (4040 m) – Tallem

The march down to Tallem would take about five hours and drop in altitude is welcome.

Day 11: Tallem to – Lachen (2700 m) (3 hours) trek and then to Gangtok by road

From Tallem retrace your steps to Zema, which is the road head.  Have an early lunch in Lachen and then drive back to Gangtok the same day and reach in time for dinner.

It is possible to do the trek in 10 days Gangtok to Gangtok if you skip the rest day at Green Lakes.

For more photographs of the Green Lakes trek do visit  http://www.sujoydas.com/Sikkim-Himalaya/The-Green-Lakes-Trek-in-North-/