Kanchenjunga Base Camp

10 daysBest: Apr–May, Oct–NovAdventure#trek#expedition#mountains

Trek to the world's third-highest peak

Why this weekend?

KBC trailTso Lhamu lakeGlacier views

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The day-by-day plan

Days 1-2 · The approach
- Gangtok
- Lachen drive
- Acclimatisation
Days 3-7 · The high trek
- Yumthang
- Thangu
- Green lake
- Base camp
- Descend
Days 8-10 · The return
- Return treks
- Gangtok
- Departure

Geography & terrain

Kanchenjunga Base Camp lies in the North Sikkim district of Sikkim at about 5,140 m, 160 km from Gangtok and 220 km from Siliguri — the expedition base of the world's third-highest peak, its glaciers and the high valleys set on the border of Nepal and Tibet.

History & culture

The peak's story runs with the 1955 first ascent by the British expedition of Joe Brown and George Band — the mountain of the five treasures of the local belief, with the base camp's history of the mountaineering expeditions and the region's trade routes of the past; the route's modern role in the trekking of the north Sikkim (the green lake valley and the glaciers), with the restricted-permit rules of the region, gives the Kanchenjunga BC its expedition character.

Where to stay

Budget

₹1,000–2,500/night

Mid-range

₹2,500–5,000/night

Comfort

₹5,000+/night

Things to do

Great peak
Glacial valleys
Alpine meadows
Green lake
High passes

Eat & drink

Momos
Thukpa
Gundruk (fermented)
Kinema curry

Getting there

Fly: Bagdogra (IXB) — 124 km / 4 hr
Train: New Jalpaiguri (NJP) — 125 km
Road from Bagdogra / NJP: 4–5 hr to Gangtok
Getting around: Shared taxis — Sikkim's carpool culture

Budget snapshot

Total: ₹47,000–95,000 (10 days)
Per day · Stay: ₹1,000–5,000/night
Per day · Food: ₹600–1,000
Per day · Transport: ₹1,200–1,600
Per day · Activities: ₹2,000–2,400

Month by month

Jan · Snow: −5–8°C · Snow rain
Feb · Snow: −3–10°C · Snow rain
Mar · Good: 2–14°C · Light rain
Apr · Best: 7–20°C · None rain
May · Best: 12–25°C · None rain
Jun · Good: 16–30°C · Moderate rain
Jul · Monsoon: 18–28°C · Heavy rain
Aug · Monsoon: 17–27°C · Heavy rain
Sep · Best: 14–26°C · Moderate rain
Oct · Best: 8–20°C · None rain
Nov · Cold: 2–14°C · None rain
Dec · Snow: −2–9°C · Snow rain

Practical info

Language: Nepali; Hindi/English common (English understood in tourist spots)
Best window: Apr–May, Oct–Nov
Connectivity: Patchy on high roads — offline maps essential
UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops

Practical tips

The season (Apr–May, Oct–Nov) holds the trekking windows
The permits run the Sikkim's restricted-area rules
The altitude asks the graded acclimatisation

Frequently asked questions

What is Kanchenjunga Base Camp?

The high base of the world's third-highest peak in north Sikkim.

What is there to do?

The high trek and the glacier views.

How long is the visit?

A ten-day expedition.