Mount Kanchenjunga is the third tallest peak in the world after Mt Everest and Mt K2. It is a fact that almost everyone is aware of it. The question here is- Where is Kanchenjunga located?
Trekking and expeditions are the two most popular adventure things to do in the Mountains. Those who already did a trek on this mountain route are already aware of its location. But most people who wish to trek are still unknown about it.
You may have heard somewhere that the Kanchenjunga is located in Nepal at the same time some will argue you by saying it lies in India. So which one is true?
Is the Kanchenjunga Mountain situated in India or Nepal? This article will give you a clear understanding of the location of your favourite mountain (Mt. Kanchenjunga) along with other information.
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In which country is Mount Kanchenjunga located?
The easiest way to gain an idea about “where is Kanchenjunga located” is by knowing its country.
As mentioned before, the location of Kanchenjunga Mountain often confuses, but from today you will be clear about it.
The Kanchenjunga located in both the countries India and Nepal. The centre, primary, and south summits are situated in Nepal, while the north summit lies in India. On the Nepal side, Kanchenjunga is located in Taplejung District and India; it is located in Sikkim.
The mountain is also popular with the name of “Five Treasure of Snow.” It means the mountain consist of five peaks in total. i.e., main, central, south, west, and Kangbachen.
The mountain is covered with snow glaciers filling into a massive chain of rivers in both Nepal and India. The most important rivers are the Sapta Koshi and Tista. Sapta Koshi is on the Nepal side, and Tista is in India.
Kanchenjunga National Park
The National Park of Kanchenjunga is shared between the three countries. i.e., Nepal, India, and Bhutan. The national park covers the 22,000 km². Among them, there are 3,700 km² in Nepal, 14,000 km² in India, and 4,600 km² in Bhutan.
The restricted Kanchenjunga Conservation Area of Nepal lies in the Taplejung district in Nepal bordered by Sikkim in the east and Tibet in the north.
The National park is considered one of the essential environmental sites with unique flora and fauna.
Kanchenjunga National Park is home to thousands of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects. We can see animals like snow leopard, red panda, blue sheep, Himalayan musk deer, Himalayan tahr, cat tiger, Asian elephants, and many more.
Kanchenjunga is a restricted area of Nepal, where you will need a special permit to visit either for a trek or to explore.
How to reach Kanchenjunga?
We can’t directly reach the peak; we need to spend several days to reach there. Trekking and expeditions are the two options to reach Kanchenjunga.
Kanchenjunga Trekking
The main reason for the popularity of this mountain is the trekking trail of Kanchenjunga. Kanchenjunga trekking is one of the popular trekking destinations in the world.
And the trekking to Kanchenjunga is possible from both sides either from India or from Nepal too. However, trekkers often choose to trek from Nepal’s side because of the challenging experience of remote eastern Nepal, excellent mountain views, and its ice-stick glaciers.
To get a glimpse of mount Kanchenjunga from closer, you need to trek several days on mountains. Here are the two itineraries to reach the Kanchenjunga base camp.
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek from Sikkim
If you chose to trek from the India side, you could reach Kanchenjunga Base Camp from Sikkim on five days, and with eight days of the total trip, you can finish your trek.
| Days | Itinerary |
|---|---|
| 01 | Yuksam - Tsokha |
| 02 | Tsokha - Dzongri |
| 03 | Dzongri - Laxmi Pokhari |
| 04 | Dzongri - Bikhbari |
| 05 | Bikhbari - Kanchenjunga Base Camp - Bikhbari |
| 06 | Rest Day |
| 07 | Bikhbari - Bakkhim |
| 08 | Bakkhim - Yuksom |
Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek from Kathmandu
If you choose the trekking from the Nepal side, you can visit two base camps (North and South) of Mt. Kanchenjunga at 21 days.
| DAYS | ITINERARY | ALTITUDE | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 01 | Fly from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur | 920 m | 1 hr |
| Day 02 | Drive to Taplejung | 1,840 m | 6 hrs |
| Day 03 | Taplejung to Chhirwa | 1,270 m | 7 hrs |
| Day 04 | Chhirwa to Lelep | 1,860 m | 7 hrs |
| Day 05 | Lelep to Amjilosa | 2,400 m | 9 hrs |
| Day 06 | Amjilosa to Gyabla | 2,700 m | 4 hrs |
| Day 07 | Gyabla to Gunsa | 3,420 m | 4 hrs |
| Day 08 | Acclimatization day at Ghunsa | 3,430 m | 2 hrs |
| Day 09 | Ghunsa to Kambachen | 4,050 m | 4 hrs |
| Day 10 | Kambachen to Lhonak | 4,750 m | 4 hrs |
| Day 11 | Day Trip to Kanchenjunga North Base Camp(5,140m) and back to Lhonak | 4,750 m | 11 hrs |
| Day 12 | Lhonak to Ghunsa | 3,595 m | 6 hrs |
| Day 13 | Ghunsa to Sele Le | 4,290 m | 4 hrs |
| Day 14 | Sele Le to Cheram | 3,870 m | 9 hrs |
| Day 15 | Trek to Ramche, Trip to Kanchenjunga South Base Camp | 4,580 m | 7 hrs |
| Day 16 | Ramche to Torongding | 3,005 m | 7 hrs |
| Day 17 | Torongding to Yamphuding | 2,080 m | 8 hrs |
| Day 18 | Yamphuding to Khebang | 1,910 m | 6 hrs |
| Day 19 | Khebang to Khamdime | 1,510 m | 6 hrs |
| Day 20 | Drive to Bhadrapur | 920 m | 6 hrs |
| Day 21 | Fly back to Kathmandu | 1,400 m | 1 hr |
Kanchenjunga Expedition
There were four climbing routes of Kanchenjunga Mountain, – three of which are in Nepal (South West, North West, and North East) and one from India (North East Sikkim). The South and North West climbing routes are considered as safest routes to climb it.
The climbing route from Sikkim (North-East) recorded only three successful summits until 2000. So, the Indian government has now banned expeditions to Kanchenjunga. Since 2000, it is closed to climb to the public. Therefore, if you want to climb Kanchenjunga, the only option is to climb via the Nepal side.
Facts of Kanchenjunga Mountains
Known Facts
- Mt Kanchenjunga (8,586 m) is the third highest peak in the world after Mt. Everest and Mt. K2 and the second-highest Nepal peak.
- Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is the second biggest conservation area of Nepal.
- Kanchenjunga Mountain lies about 125 km southeast from towering Mt. Everest.
Unknown Fact
- Until 1852, Kanchenjunga was assumed to be the tallest mountain in the world. Later, The Great Trigonometrical Survey concluded it is Mt. Everest, and the Kanchenjunga is the third one.
- It is a least summited 8,000 meters top after Mt. Annapurna.
Treks to see Kanchenjunga Mountain in Nepal
Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek
The trek will offer you a chance to visit both base camps of Mount Kanchenjunga (South and North) of Nepal, which takes longer days to finish.
Kanchenjunga North Base Camp Trek
You can explore the North base camp of Mt. Kanchenjunga, located at an altitude of 5,140 meters on this trek.
Kanchenjunga South Base Camp Trek
You can explore the South base camp of Mt. Kanchenjunga, located at an altitude of 4,580 meters.
Conclusion
This article probably gives you a clear idea about the location of Mount Kanchenjunga along with various other pieces of information like its unknown facts, climbing routes, trekking itinerary, and many more. If you still have any confusion about where Kanchenjunga is located, please ask us via comment.
