Makalu to Kanchenjunga Trek at a glance
How the grades compare across routes: Nepal trek difficulty grades explained.
Overview
The Makalu to Kanchenjunga Trek links two of Nepal's most remote eastern regions along the line of the Great Himalaya Trail. It starts from the Arun valley below Makalu, climbs through the Lhomi villages of Hongon and Chyamtang to the summer settlement of Thudam, then crosses the Lumba Sumba pass (about 5,160 m) into the upper Tamor valley.
On the far side, Olangchung Gola is an old Tibetan trading village with a long-established monastery, a reminder that these valleys once carried salt and wool across the border. The route then crosses the Nango La to Ghunsa and finishes with the high country of the Kanchenjunga north side, Khambachen, Lhonak and Pangpema, before walking out to Taplejung.
This is a long expedition-style trek rather than a teahouse route. Several sections have no lodges and need tents, the trail beyond Chyamtang is overgrown in places and hard to follow, and two restricted areas mean the trip has to be arranged through a registered agency with a licensed guide. In return it crosses country that very few trekkers see, with almost no other groups. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can explain how they supply the camping sections and which direction they prefer.
🌟 Trail Highlights
- Lhomi villages of Hongon and Chyamtang in the upper Arun valley
- The summer settlement of Thudam below the Lumba Sumba
- Crossing the Lumba Sumba pass between Makalu-Barun and Kanchenjunga country
- Olangchung Gola, an old Tibetan trading village with a monastery
- The Nango La crossing to Ghunsa
- Pangpema, the Kanchenjunga north base camp, at the end of the traverse
Makalu to Kanchenjunga Trek itinerary
- Day 1
Fly Kathmandu to Tumlingtar
A short flight to Tumlingtar, the airstrip on the Arun river. Your crew meets you and prepares supplies for the camping sections.
- Day 2
Drive up the Arun valley
Drive north along the Arun towards Bhotkhola as far as the road allows, then walk the last stretch to camp.
- Day 3
Walk to Hongon
Climb through farmland and forest to Hongon, a Lhomi village above the Arun.
- Day 4
Hongon to Chyamtang
Traverse the hillside to Chyamtang, the main Lhomi village of the area.
- Day 5
Rest day at Chyamtang
A rest and supply day before the least-used section of the route.
- Day 6
Chyamtang to Thudam Kharka
The trail beyond Chyamtang is overgrown in places and hard to follow; your guide leads through forest to a kharka (pasture) camp.
- Day 7
Thudam Kharka to Thudam
Climb to Thudam, a small summer settlement close to the Tibet border.
- Day 8
Rest day at Thudam
Acclimatise before the pass and rest the crew.
- Day 9
Thudam to the Lumba Sumba camp
Climb through pastures to a camp below the pass.
- Day 10
Cross the Lumba Sumba to Langmale
An early start for the pass at about 5,160 m, then a long descent into the upper Tamor headwaters to camp at Langmale.
- Day 11
Langmale to Olangchung Gola
Follow the river down past yak pastures to Olangchung Gola.
- Day 12
Rest day at Olangchung Gola
Visit the monastery and the old stone houses of this former trading village.
- Day 13
Olangchung Gola to the Nango La camp
Climb steadily to a camp below the Nango La.
- Day 14
Cross the Nango La
Cross the pass at roughly 4,780–4,820 m and descend towards the Ghunsa valley to camp.
- Day 15
Descend to Ghunsa
Reach Ghunsa, the main village of the Kanchenjunga north side, with lodges and a health post.
- Day 16
Rest day at Ghunsa
Rest and acclimatise before the high north side.
- Day 17
Ghunsa to Khambachen
Walk up the Ghunsa Khola past landslide zones to Khambachen, below Jannu.
- Day 18
Khambachen to Lhonak
Climb along the Kanchenjunga glacier moraine to Lhonak.
- Day 19
Day trip to Pangpema
Walk to Pangpema, the north base camp at about 5,143 m, facing the north face of Kanchenjunga, and return to Lhonak.
- Day 20
Lhonak to Ghunsa
A long descent back to Ghunsa.
- Day 21
Ghunsa to Amjilosa
Descend through forest along the Ghunsa Khola.
- Day 22
Amjilosa to the road and Taplejung
Walk down to the road head and drive to Taplejung.
- Day 23
Taplejung to Kathmandu
Drive to Bhadrapur or Suketar for a flight to Kathmandu, depending on schedules.
- Day 24
Spare day
For a closed pass, a slow trail section or a cancelled flight.
This trek climbs above 3,000 m, where the pace of the climb matters. See our guide to altitude sickness on Nepal treks for how to prevent, spot and respond to it.
Best time to trek
The best months for the Makalu to Kanchenjunga Trek are Apr–May, Oct–Nov.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
How does it compare with other routes? See our month-by-month guide to trekking in Nepal.
Permits & costs
- Permit & park fees
- US$80 + NPR 7,000 per person (≈ US$125 in total)
- Area
- Restricted: a special permit is required
- Guide day rates
- $30–$35 per day, set by the guides below
- A restricted-area permit for each district: the first half of the route, up the Arun and over the Lumba Sumba on the Bhotkhola side, lies in Sankhuwasabha's restricted zone, and the second half, from Olangchung Gola through Ghunsa to Pangpema, in Taplejung's. Each is billed separately at USD 20 per person per week for the first four weeks, then USD 25 per week. With roughly two weeks in each, this itinerary is costed at USD 80.
- Makalu-Barun National Park: NPR 3,000 (about USD 19), for the Sankhuwasabha section.
- Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Permit: NPR 2,000 (about USD 13), for the Taplejung section.
- TIMS card: NPR 2,000 (about USD 13). The Lumba Sumba Pass trek is on the Nepal Tourism Board's list of routes that need one, along with a licensed guide.
- Only a registered agency can apply for the restricted permits, and a licensed guide has to accompany you; solo applicants have been accepted since 22 March 2026.
- Fees change; confirm current rates before you travel.
Every fee and rule, trek by trek: our guide to Nepal trekking permits. Which routes need a licensed guide: do you need a guide to trek in Nepal? What a day rate covers, tips and flights: how much a trekking guide costs in Nepal.
Getting there & back
The trek starts with a flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar in the Arun valley, followed by a drive north as far as the road reaches towards Bhotkhola. It ends at Taplejung in the far east; from there you drive to Bhadrapur for a flight to Kathmandu, or use the small Suketar airstrip when flights run. Both ends depend on mountain roads and weather, so keep spare days.
📸 Trail Checkpoints & Scenery Gallery
Makalu to Kanchenjunga Trek FAQs
How is this different from the Kanchenjunga Circuit?
The Kanchenjunga Circuit loops from Taplejung around both base camps. This route arrives from the west instead, starting in the Arun valley below Makalu and crossing the Lumba Sumba and Nango La passes before reaching Kanchenjunga's north side, so it covers far more remote ground and far fewer villages with lodges.
Is the Lumba Sumba pass difficult?
It is a long, high day at about 5,160 m, usually without technical sections but often on snow in the upper part. The harder challenge is the remoteness: long camping stretches, overgrown trail beyond Chyamtang and few places to resupply.
Do I need to camp?
Yes, for much of the route. Some villages have homestays or basic lodges, but the sections around Thudam, the Lumba Sumba and the Nango La need tents, a cook and porters. Expect your agency to supply a full camping crew.
Which permits do I need?
Two restricted-area permits, one for the Sankhuwasabha side and one for the Taplejung side, plus the Makalu-Barun National Park and Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry fees and a TIMS card. Only a registered agency can arrange the restricted permits, and a licensed guide must accompany you.
When should I go?
April to May and October to November. Snow can close the passes outside those months, and the monsoon makes the lower forest sections slippery and full of leeches.
How fit do I need to be?
Very fit, and experienced with multi-week treks. Days of six to eight hours are common, several of them over rough or unclear trail, and there is little chance to shorten the route once you are past Chyamtang.
Can I walk it in the other direction?
Yes. Many operators run it from Kanchenjunga westwards to Makalu as part of the Great Himalaya Trail. Starting in the Arun valley, as here, lets you begin lower and gain height more gradually before the first pass.
Guides who lead the Makalu to Kanchenjunga Trek
Every one of them is licence-verified by our compliance team. Open a profile to read about them, then send your dates — they reply to you directly with their own price.
