Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition (8586 m)-51Night/ 52Days

Mount Kanchenjunga (8586m) Expedition Cost, Detail Itinerary, and Climbing Route Map:

The third highest mountain in the world, situated in province no.1, Taplejung of Nepal stands at towering 8586m tall. It has five peaks: Main peak (8586m), Central (8482m), South (8494m), West Yalung Kang (8505m) & Kangbachen (7903m). In the early days, Mt. Kanchenjunga is assumed to be the highest mountain on the planet. But British infantry officer William Lambton measured by the Great Trigonometrical survey concluded that Peak XV is higher than the Kanchenjunga peak. later on, Peak XV was named Mt. Everest. After several calculations and measurements, in 1856, Mount Kanchenjunga was named the third highest mountain in the world. The area is complex in the landscape with beautiful low valleys to higher hills and then snow-covered peaks with deep valleys. The high mountains which are built of compound rocks of Neoproterozoic to Ordovician age, that is 445million to 1 billion years ago.

In 1985 May 25, the British expedition successfully climbed Kanchenjunga but stopped short of the summit because they had promised Chogyal of Sikkim that the top would remain intact. Hence, every climber who ascends Kanchenjunga mountain follows this tradition. There are a total of four routes: 3 routes from the Nepal side and 1 route from the Sikkim side, India. In 2000, the Indian government banned climbing from their route. So, for the moment people can climb only from the Nepal side.

Kanchenjunga is a Tibetan name translating it means ” The Five Treasures of the High Snow”. “Kam” meaning Snow, “Chen” meaning Great, “Mzo” meaning Treasure, and “Inga” meaning Five. Lhopo people who are local in the Kanchenjunga area believe that treasures are hidden inside those five domes of snow and would reveal themselves when the world is in peril. The Treasures Comprises Gold, Turquoise, Sacred Scriptures, Salt, Grain, and Medicines.

Limbu people who are also habitats of Kanchenjunga believe that the mountain is the abode of an omnipotent goddess called Yuma Samman. That’s why they pray and worship to this mountain every year.

It has been believed that there is a valley hidden on its slopes, a valley of immortals. This story goes well with the Sikkim people, Nepal people, and  Tibet people. For Tibetans, the valley is known as Beyul Demoshong. In 1962 Tulshuk Lingpa, a Tibetan monk-led 300 monks towards snow slopes in the hope of opening the gate to Beyul Demoshong.

There are four ridges from which four glaciers flow. They are Zemu in the northeast, Talung in the southeast, Yalung in the southwest, and Kanchenjunga northwest.  Kanchenjunga conservation area was established in 1998. The total area of the conservation is 2035 sq. kilometers. It lies in the Taplejung district.

Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition History: 

William Woodman Graham together with two swiss climbers explored the area and climbed Kabru.  Aleister Crowley, in 1905 who led a team to climb Mt. Kanchenjunga was forced back by an avalanche after three helpers were killed. It is estimated that some of the group’s members should have reached the height of approximately 7600m.In 1907, two Norwegian climbers almost reached the summit (50-60 ft below the summit) before they were turned back by the stormy wind.Jon Brown and George Band in 1955 May 25 summited the Mountain Kanchenjunga for the first time. Hence after several expedition groups and individual climbers do ascent every year.

Major Peaks Nearby Mount Kanchenjunga (8586m) :

There are dozens of high mountains surrounding Mt Kanchenjunga. Some of them are:

– Kumbhkarna Himal: 7710m

– kanbachen Mountain: 7903m

– Nepal Peak Mountain: 7168m

– Mt. Kirat Chuli: 7365m

– Jhingshang Himal: 7483m

– Ohmi Kangri: 6829m

Climate & Geography of  Mount Kanchenjunga Region:

The climate in this region can be divided into 6 categories, from Tropical to Trans-Himalayan high Pastures:

i.) Tropical: Below 1000m

ii.) Sub-tropical: 1000-2000m

iii.) Temperate Zone: 2000-3000m

iv.) Alpine Zone: 4000-5000m

v.) Meadows and Arctic Zone: above 5000m

People in Mount Kanchenjunga Region:

Lhopo people are the main ethnic group of people living in the Kanchenjunga area. The slightly lower part of the region is the habitat of the Rai and Limbu people. Rai and Limbu people are rich in culture and bravery. There are many Rai, Limbu people recruited in British Army of Gurkha Regiment.

Flora & Fauna in Kanchenjunga Region:

There are several highly endangered species of animals, including Snow Leopards, Red Pandas, and several mammals eg. Lynx, Asian Black Bear, Grey Wolf,  Dhole, Assam Macaque, Himalayan musk deer, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Tahr, Mainland Serow, Himalayan Goral, Wooly Hare, Horseshoe bat, Himalayan mouse-hare, black lip pika, etc. There are over 110 species of birds found in this area, 33 different types of mammals, 11 species of butterflies, 3 kinds of reptiles. Hunting is banned here. Some of the birds you can spot in this area: Golden Eagle, Eurasian, Griffon, Himalayan Griffon, Blood, Impeyan, Kalij, Koklass, Pheasants, Himalayan snow cooks, crimson horned pheasant, etc. Rhododendron & Himalayan Blue pine can be seen covering the forest.

Trekking Routes in Kanchenjunga:

There are several trekking routes opened in this region, eg. :

i.) Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek

ii.) Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, etc.

Risk Factors While Climbing Mount Kanchenjunga (8586m):

– Seracs, Crevasses & Shifting blocks of Ice

– Avalanche & Icefall

– Cold

– Strong wind

-High Altitude sickness, etc.

Equipment/ Gears for Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition (8586m):

• ICE AXE (A GENERAL MOUNTAINEERING ICE AXE):

The size of Ice axe according to the person’s height:

Up to Height 5 ft 2” : 50cm ice axe

Height 5ft 3” to 5ft 5” : 55cm ice axe

Height 5ft 6” to 5ft 9” : 60cm ice axe

Height 5ft 10” to 6ft : 65cm ice axe

Height 6ft plus: 70cm ice axe

• CRAMPONS:

We recommend Modern steel 12-point Crampons with anti-balling plates. we don’t recommend 10-point aluminum single-piece rigid crampons.

• ACCESSORY CORD: 40ft of 6mm (to be used for Prussiking and climbing rigging)

• CARABINER SYSTEM: 

2 Large oval wire gate carabiners

2 Smaller wire gate Carabiners

1 Large pear-shaped  locking screwgate Carabiner

1 Large locking Carabiner (can be auto-locking)

• ALPINE CLIMBING HARNESS:

– must fit all of your clothing

– should have adjustable leg loops and waist belt

– can separate at the legs and with the belay loop

– we don’t recommend the “doubling back” feature at your waist

• BELAY DEVICE:

– We recommend a modern tube-style belay device

– We don’t recommend super-specialized belay devices (super-specialized belay device doesn’t accept a wide variety of rope diameters)

– we suggest Black diamond Guide ATC or Petzl Reverso

• TREKKING POLES:  We recommend collapsible Trekking/ Skiing poles with snow baskets and three-section varieties.

• ASCENDER: According to your dominant hand- left or right. Must be of good quality.

Clothing For Mount Kanchenjunga Climbing (8586m) ;

• BASELAYERS TOPS & BOTTOMS:

– 2-3 Lightweight base layer Pants ( non-cotton fabrics or merino wool or polyester)

– 2-3 Long Sleeve shirts

– A long sleeve sun shirt ( Light-colored, hooded, and made of merino wool or polyester)

• TREKKING PANTS: We recommend  1-2 lightweight nylon or synthetic fabrics trekking pants. Simple one fine
• SOFTSHELL PANTS: we recommend stretchy, comfortable, and non-insulated that should fit comfortably with or without your baselayer bottoms.
• HARDSHELL PANTS: We recommend non-insulated, fully waterproof shell pants that must fit comfortably over baselayer bottoms and softshell pants. Full-length separating side zipper recommended.
• SOFTSHELL JACKET: we recommend breathable but wind and weather-resistant hooded jackets. The jacket must fit well over mid-layer top and baselayer top
• MIDLAYER TOP: We recommend a midweight or lightweight, form-fitting grid fleeces layer for use over a baselayer. Hooded is recommended and fleece generally provides a warmth-to-weight ratio. So, it’s good.
• HARDSHELL JACKET: We recommend a non-insulated, fully waterproof shell jacket. Durable three-layer fabric with a hood and must fit comfortably over your baselayer. mid-layer, softshell, and lightweight insulating layer as well. We recommend a helmet-compatible hood
• INSULATED HOODED JACKET: we recommend light down or synthetic hooded (Synthetic insulation does retain warmth when wet whereas down feathers are more comfortable for packing and light-weighted)
• INSULATED DOWN PARKA: We recommend heavily insulated with high-quality down fill with a weight between 1.5 to 2.5 ponds and with hood.
• EXPEDITION DOWN PARKA: We recommend this down parka must be in excellent condition and fully baffled. Nixon Down Wash gives maximum loft to the down parka, so we recommend checking whether it is recently cleaned up.
• EXPEDITION DOWN PANTS: we recommend heavily insulated down pants comfortably fitting over all other inner layers. Thus down pants must be weatherproof.
• DOWN SUIT: This down suit is optional to Down Parka & Down Pants. You can have either Down Parka plus Down Pants or Down Suit.
• INSULATED SYNTHETIC PANTS: We recommend synthetic insulated pants with full-length separating side zips. We don’t recommend ski pants.
• LIGHTWEIGHT LINER GLOVES: We recommend lightweight woolen or synthetic liner gloves with a comfortable fit and lighter colors that absorb less sunlight and offer UV protection.
• INSULATED SHELL GLOVES: we recommend a pair of warm shell gloves with a durable leather palm.
• EXPEDITION MITTENS: We highly recommend expedition-rated mittens with an insulated removable liner and the warmest model available.

HEADWEAR FOR MOUNT KANCHENJUNGA EXPEDITION ( 8586m):

• CLIMBING HELMET: we recommend a lightweight climbing-specific helmet that must comfortably fit over your hat or balaclava and the headlamp must be able to strap securely to the outside rim of the helmet.
• BUFF: we recommend a good quality UV Buff which can be used for a multitude of purposes.
• SUN HAT: We recommend baseball caps or sombrero-style sun hats.
• BALACLAVA SYSTEM: We recommend one heavyweight and one lightweight which can be comfortably layered together
• WOOLEN SKI HAT: We recommend no-cotton wool or synthetic hat which covers ears comfortably
• FACEMASK: we recommend neoprene models
• GLACIER GLASSES: We recommend high-quality glacier glass with full coverage of eyes and across the nose.
• SKI GOGGLES: We recommend high-quality goggles for sun and wind protection at higher altitudes with no more than 30% VLT (Visible Light Transmission). And if possible with photochromic models which is ideal for light changing conditions.
• NOSE GUARD: We recommend bringing a nose guard for better protection of your nose while being at a high altitude.
• HEADLAMP: We recommend an LED outdoor headlamp of 200-300 lumens of output. Please add some spare batteries. And it’s recommended to choose with weather-resistant models
• DOWN SLEEPING BAG (-20 degree Fahrenheit ): We highly recommend a down-filled sleeping bag of good quality.
• DOWN SLEEPING BAG (-40 degree Fahrenheit): we highly recommend a down-filled sleeping bag of a good quality
• 70 LITER CLIMBING PACK: We recommend Light and Simple with crampon and ice axe attachment points.
• 30-45 LITER TREKKING PACK: We recommend with an internal frame, Light and simple Pack
• FOAM PAD: We recommend as per your body length
• INFLATABLE SLEEPING PAD: We recommend a full-length sleeping pad. And please bring along the valve repair & body patch kits.
• SPOON: We suggest a longer spoon stem which can help eat while wearing gloves and it’s better made of durable hard plastic or anodized metal
• MUG: We recommend 12 to 20 OZ capacity with insulated outdoor-style having a removable lid and spill-resistant
• POCKET KNIFE: Should be medium-sized, Simple, and light
• PEE BOTTLE: 1L – 1.5 Liter either collapsible or hard-sided gene model
• BOWL: We recommend a two-cup capacity packable bowl with a lid like a Tupperware
• PEE FUNNEL FOR WOMEN: We recommend practicing it before the expedition starts
• WATER BOTTLE PARKAS: We recommend bringing two fully insulated water bottle parkas with a zipper opening
• WATER BOTTLE: We recommend you bring two water bottles with a wide mouth made of BPA-free plastic (Co-polyester) with a capacity of 1-1.5 liter each. We don’t recommend water bags or bladder bags which has tendency to freeze at a higher elevation.
• THERMOS: We recommend vacuum-insulated thermos with wide-mouthed and with a capacity of 1 liter
• TRASH COMPACTOR BAGS: We recommend three plastic garbage bags or a reusable waterproof pack liner to use as waterproof packsack liners
• TOILETRY BAG: To keep tissue paper, toothbrush/paste, wet wipes, shampoo, soap, etc. For females, it is recommended to prepare enough numbers of feminine hygienic products.
• WATER PURIFIER: Steri-pen or Aquamira drops. Four to six liters of water every day for personal consumption.
• SUNSCREEN: We recommend four to five ounces of 5 plus SPF sunscreen. Don’t forget to check the manufacturing date because the SPF effectiveness fades away over a time duration.
• LIPSCREEN:At least 30 plus SPF lip screen with the newest manufacturing date.
• PERSONAL FIRST-AID KITS (small one): With painkillers (Tylenol, Ibuprofen), First-aid tape, moleskin, antiseptic wipes, Pepto Bismol, Cipro (500mg), Metronidazole, Diamox, Z-pack, etc.
• PERSONAL PRESCRIPTION: We highly recommend bringing Personal Prescriptions along with you.
• Furthermore, we suggest you bring Hand Sanitizer, Face mask, Hand & Toe warmer, Power bank or Solar charger, extra batteries, etc.
• Travel clothes while in the city

OPTIONAL: Snacks, Dry fruits, a journal, a tablet, earphones, books, etc.

Best Time To Climb Mount Kanchenjunga (8586m):

Spring Season (March-April-May)  & Autumn Season (September- October- November). In these two seasons, the Climbing window opens up. In these months nature awakens making the lower parts greenery with beautiful waterfalls. At this time the weather is mostly clear with blue sky and not so cold with the least snowfall.

• Spring Season: March- April- May
• Autumn Season: Sept-Oct- November

How Long Does It Take To Climb Kanchenjunga Mountain (8586m)? :

Well, climbing a high mountain is a long and gradual process, and it may vary on weather conditions and physical strength. And Mt. Kanchenjunga is not an exception. In general, it takes around Thirteen to Fourteen days to reach Kanchenjunga Base Camp after spending a few days in Kathmandu. And at the Kanchenjunga Base Camp, you’ll spend around six weeks on Training, Proper  Acclimatization,.Rotation to the higher camps & Final Summit Push. One of the intentions of staying at Kanchenjunga Base Camp for so long is getting used to cold weather, harsh environments, and being familiar with the mountain you are going to the summit. However, the Kanchenjunga Climbing Itinerary may differ according to the weather conditions and climbers‘ adaptation to the environment and other issues. So, overall in general it takes 8 to 10 weeks (55days to 70 days) for the whole process of the Kanchenjunga Expedition.

Why Should “Apex Nepal Treks” Be Chosen For Kanchenjunga Expedition?

Best Time To Climb Mount Kanchenjunga (8586m):