Kangchenjunga Base Camp
OSM hiking route Kangchenjunga Base Camp, Nepal (100.18 km line). out-and-back; one-way 100.18 km, round-trip 200.36 km in prose. Permits are the headline (official NTB/NTNC 2026-09-21). Vertical figures from the Wave N GLO-30 resample.
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Distance 100.18 km Reported · Ascent provisional (DEM sample) · High point provisional (DEM sample) · 20d · SAC T3 · Challenging (OSM mountain_hiking)
Cite this record
The Hiking World, Kangchenjunga Base Camp, read 2026-10-15, https://www.thehikingworld.com/trails/kangchenjunga-base-camp
How we verify · last checked 2026-10-15
Byline
- The Hiking World editorial team · author
Figures marked provisional are seed data and still need verification. Source and last-checked date sit under each cited value.
Forecast at page generation, 2026-11-04T22:08:38.875Z
Representative point on Kangchenjunga Base Camp: 27.535°, 87.918°, about 5161 m. A forecast, not a trail-surface reading.
At generation: -12°C, Mainly clear.
- 2026-11-05 Mainly clear, -13–-4°C
- 2026-11-06 Light snow, -13–-4°C, 0 mm
- 2026-11-07 Light snow, -16–-5°C, 1 mm
Source Open-Meteo. Mountain weather changes with elevation and aspect.
Life-safety notices on this page come from the issuer.
Sourced record
Verified and reported stay in separate blocks. A section with no source is left out. How we verify.
Verified
Dated primary or official source.
Access
An official permit entry is recorded for this trail. The tariff stays on the permit record.
Department of Immigration · source · checked 2026-10-12
Reported
Named secondary source, including OpenStreetMap. Not a verified official figure.
Distance and elevation
The stored line is OpenStreetMap relation 12664915, 100.18 km. That is the Facts distance for this record, not a second measurement.
OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), relation 12664915 · source · checked 2026-09-21
Maps
Geometry © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL, relation 12664915.
OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), relation 12664915 · source · checked 2026-09-21
Permits and fees are shown once, from the permit record.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Altitude weather delta
High 5,161 m minus low 1,425 m is 3,736 m of relief on this record. A standard tropospheric lapse of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m implies about 24.3 °C cooler at the high point than the valley, all else equal.
That is a model (International Standard Atmosphere environmental lapse), not a forecast and not a trail-closure. Wind, snow, and storms stay in Hazards.
derived:lapse-rate · read 2026-09-10 · provisionalISA 6.5 °C / 1,000 m · wikipedia.org · 2026-09-10
Map loads when this section is on screen.
GeoJSONLine download is the stored OSM geometry, simplified. It is not a surveyed GPS track. GPX · GeoJSON
Catalog entry
Challenging (OSM mountain_hiking)
- SAC T3
- Demanding mountain hiking. Exposed sections possible; hands may be needed for balance.
- YDS Class 2
- Class 2. Simple scrambling, occasional use of hands.
Where the walking ends
This record covers the walk to Pangpema (Kangchenjunga Base Camp) (5,140 m). Beyond that, the continuation is mountaineering, which we do not map as a trail — it needs ropes and high-camp mountaineering on Kangchenjunga — not a trail.
Source: ntb.gov.np · checked 2026-09-17
We have not verified the technical section. Where hiking ends · Walk-up & trekker summits
Stored distance is 100.18 km. The chart axis follows the DEM sample (93.79 km), not the published line length.
Ingested from OpenStreetMap relation 12664915 (ODbL). The mapped line is that geometry. Distance, ascent, descent, and high/low points are the Wave N evidence-sheet figures (adjudicated 2026-09-21). Permits are official-sourced; geometry stays OSM-provisional. Water was not mapped to named WaterSource points.
OSM 2D length is 100.18 km (OSM line, ODbL, relation 12664915, lastVerified 2026-09-21). Provisional — OSM line, no official kilometre. Out-and-back: the published figure is the one-way 100.18 km; round-trip is about 200.36 km in prose only. ⚠ Incomplete geometry: 2 components with a 1,107 m gap. Distance stays provisional. ⚠ secondary: operator itineraries cite about 200 km. Cited km is not this figure. Replaces the 2026-09-11 pin-to-pin schematic. Out-and-back: publish one-way. disjoint:2 gap 1,107 m — keep provisional. Not a summit line.
typicalDays 20 is the published typical window (operator, secondary), not a figure and not implied by the OSM kilometre.
High 5,161 m is Copernicus GLO-30 (lastVerified 2026-10-15), verified on the walked OSM line. Low 1,425 m is the same DEM resample, verified. Landmark Pangpema 5,143 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,161 m is the walked line — not Kangchenjunga 8,586 m).
Taplejung Phantanglung Rural Municipality wards 6–7, Mikwakhola ward 5, and Sirijunga ward 8 are a Restricted Area. NTB trekking-permit table (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21): USD 20 per person / week for the first 4 weeks, then USD 25 per person / week. Restricted area: Department of Immigration RAP is issued through a registered agency, not self-issued; minimum two trekkers, solo prohibited (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21). Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry is a separate reported figure, not verified on a park fee page this pass (Nepal Tourism Board park-entry table, https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/park-entry-fees, checked 2026-09-21). The amount stays on the reported permit row.
Water
No water sources recorded.
Permits & fees
Conditions, fees and rules change. Confirm with the issuer and local authorities before you go. This is a reference, not a substitute for local advice. Terms
- Permit
- RAP (Taplejung) + Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry
Permits and fees for this year · Permit cost
Permits and fees
We are not the issuer. Fees and rules change — confirm with the issuer before you pay. Issuer page.
Quota / restriction: Taplejung row: USD 20/week for the first 4 weeks, then USD 25/week. immigration.gov.np table, read 2026-10-12.
| Permit | Cost | Quota / restriction | Issuer | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Area Permit (Kanchenjunga)Verified | USD 20 / week (first 4 weeks) | Taplejung row: USD 20/week for the first 4 weeks, then USD 25/week. immigration.gov.np table, read 2026-10-12. | Department of Immigration | Issuer page | Verified 2026-10-12 vs Department of Immigration |
| Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCAP)Reported | Not recorded | — | Not recorded | Issuer page | read 2026-09-24 |
Hazards
- Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,161 m on this line (Pangpema 5,143 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,161 m is the walked line — not Kangchenjunga 8,586 m)). This is a high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
Getting there
Sourced legs to the Phungling (OSM line start) base start station — where this trail record begins. This is not a route planner: durations are approximate and marked provisional until an official transport page confirms them.
Road · Kathmandu (KTM) → Phungling / Taplejung
Tribhuvan International Airport is the usual international air gateway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribhuvan_International_Airport, checked 2026-09-11, CC BY-SA). Road continues to Phungling (Taplejung). RAP is agency-issued in Kathmandu before travel (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-11).
ntb.gov.np · read 2026-09-11 · provisional
Taplejung restricted-area RAP plus Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry (NTB tables, checked 2026-09-11). Amounts are on the trail permit record.
Plan from your location
Type a city, then pick a match. These links open external search tools — they do not fetch fares or timetables.
Getting there car-free
- OSM line start: car-free flag unknown.
- OSM line end: car-free flag unknown.
Trailheads
- OSM line start car-free: unknown
- OSM line end car-free: unknown
Questions
Do I need a permit for Kangchenjunga Base Camp?
A permit is listed as required for Kangchenjunga Base Camp: RAP (Taplejung) + Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry. Status: Reported. Confirm with the issuer before travel.
How much is the Kangchenjunga Base Camp permit?
Restricted Area Permit (Kanchenjunga): USD 20 / week (first 4 weeks) (Department of Immigration, verified 2026-10-12). Status: Verified.
Kangchenjunga Base Camp permit quota and booking
Taplejung row: USD 20/week for the first 4 weeks, then USD 25/week. immigration.gov.np table, read 2026-10-12.
When is the best time to hike Kangchenjunga Base Camp?
On this record the best season is: Mar–May and Sep–Nov (NTB / NTNC walking season, checked 2026-09-21).
How difficult is Kangchenjunga Base Camp?
Kangchenjunga Base Camp is graded OSM sac_scale: mountain_hiking · SAC T3 · YDS 2. A sourced hazard on this record: Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,161 m on this line (Pangpema 5,143 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,161 m is the walked line — not Kangchenjunga 8,586 m)). This is a high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
How long is Kangchenjunga Base Camp?
The length on this record is 100.18 km (reported). Published figures may differ. See /guides/how-long-is-the-trail
How do I get to Kangchenjunga Base Camp?
The record’s base start is Phungling (OSM line start). A primary gateway on the record is Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Trailhead transit notes are not included in this public FAQ.
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Featured in
- Permit & season calendar
- Where hiking ends: walk-ups, scrambles & mountaineering
- Base camp treks: how far you actually walk
- Difficulty scales and surface
- Seasonality on the catalog
- Water sources on the catalog
- How permit systems work
- How to read an elevation profile
- Car-free and transit access
- Government fees and operator markup
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