The Hiking World

Mountain guide · Peak · 2026

Kangchenjunga

A complete guide to the peak, from an adjudicated evidence sheet. Sourced or not recorded — never estimated.

Kangchenjunga massif from orbit

This is a guide to the peak, not a trail record. Passes, lakes, forts, and base-camp walks stay on trail pages.

Quick Facts

Origin & Geology

  • Formation / geology

    Himalayan orogen — Indian Plate thrusting into Eurasia (range-level). Peak-specific stratigraphy not extracted this pass.

    en.wikipedia.org · verified 2026-09-21

  • Name origin

    Tibetan gangs chen mdzod lnga: the five treasures of the high snow (salt, gold, turquoise and precious stones, scriptures, armour or ammunition, grain and medicine, in Lhopo belief).

    en.wikipedia.org · verified 2026-09-21

  • Cultural history

    Sacred in Nepal and Sikkim. 1955 first-ascent party stopped short of the true summit by promise to the Chogyal of Sikkim. Indian side is off limits to climbers. Adjoining Khangchendzonga National Park is UNESCO World Heritage (2016).

    en.wikipedia.org · verified 2026-09-21

Climbing History

First ascent recorded above. No further sourced milestones this pass.

Success & Statistics

Pros / Cons

Generic editorial notes. No peak-specific crowding, cost, or hazard claim is invented here.

For

  • A named summit is a distinct objective from any related walking approach.
  • Elevation, range, location, and first-ascent facts appear here only when the evidence sheet cites them.

Against

  • Altitude, weather, and terrain can turn a day. Hazards belong on the trail record where we hold them — not as invented peak-specific warnings here.
  • Permits, fees, and route grades stay Unverified on this page until an official source is cited. This is not a route plan.

Logistics

  • Best season

    Nepal DoT royalty seasons: spring, autumn, winter/summer (schedule effective 1 Sep 2025). Typical expedition windows are not separately certified here.

    tourismdepartment.gov.np · verified 2026-09-21

  • Routes and grades

    Unverified

  • Permit

    Nepal side: DoT mountaineering royalty for foreign climbers, peaks over 8000 m except Everest and Manaslu — USD 3,000 spring, USD 1,500 autumn, USD 750 winter/summer per person (effective 1 Sep 2025). Confirm live. Indian side off limits to climbers (Wikipedia).

    tourismdepartment.gov.np · verified 2026-09-21

  • Fitness

    Unverified

These are expedition-grade mountaineering objectives, not trekking peaks; no trail record is implied.

Also in this desk: Mountain guides · Himalayan altitude · How we verify.