Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)
Curated schematic — not walking distance. Pin-to-pin OSM named-waypoint line from Phungling via Ghunsa to Pangpema, 64.7 km. Not a summit line to Kangchenjunga. Vertical figures are a GLO-30 sample of those pins, not a walking profile. typicalDays 22 is the published 20–25 day window (typical, not a statute).
Byline
- The Hiking World editorial · author
Desk byline for seed records. Named surveying editors replace this once a trail is verified.
Figures marked provisional are seed data and still need verification. Source and last-checked date sit under each cited value.
Altitude weather delta
High 5,134 m minus low 1,778 m is 3,356 m of relief on this record. A standard tropospheric lapse of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m implies about 21.8 °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 · 2026-09-10 · provisionalISA 6.5 °C / 1,000 m · wikipedia.org · 2026-09-10
Editorial v1 · Provisional catalog
- SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade)
- 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
Log in to view the elevation profile
Curated schematic from named OpenStreetMap nodes (ODbL). The line is pin-to-pin, not a walking path. 2-D length is labelled schematic — not walking distance. Ascent, descent, and high/low points are Copernicus GLO-30 samples at those vertices only (copernicus-dem:glo-30) and remain provisional. Water, permits, and hazards were not taken from OSM tags and must be verified.
No single connected Kangchenjunga Base Camp hiking relation resolved on 2026-09-11 (east-Nepal OSM is thin). Geometry is an ordered pin-to-pin line through OSM-resolved named nodes: फुङलिङ → घुन्सा → Pangpema. 2-D length 64.7 km is schematic — not walking distance. Operator leads of about 200 km and about 220 km disagree with each other and with this schematic; both are Unverified cross-checks, not this DataPoint — the disagreement is shown, not silently picked. osmRelationId is unset. Never graduate to verified without a single connected OSM hiking relation.
The end pin is Pangpema hamlet (602755973, OSM ele 5,140 m), not Kangchenjunga the 8,586 m summit. Phungling is the Taplejung district town (old_name Taplejung); the district admin relation was not used as a pin.
typicalDays 22 is the published typical 20–25 day window, not a DataPoint — that range is shown, not silently picked. A spring/autumn walking-season stamp was not taken from an official page this pass.
GLO-30 high 5,134 m / low 1,778 m are a 3-vertex sample (OSM Pangpema ele=5,140 m). Cumulative DEM ascent 3,356 m is pin-to-pin, an under-count versus a 20–25 day walk; do not treat it as that figure. High point left as Copernicus.
Water was not mapped to named WaterSource points (no honest atFraction). Teahouses and camps exist on published descriptions; they were not positioned from an official named list this pass.
Water
No water sources recorded.
Permits & fees
- Permit
- RAP (Taplejung) + Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry
Log in to view cost, booking, and issuer
Getting there
Sourced legs to the Phungling (schematic 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 · 2026-09-11 · official · 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.
Trailheads
- Phungling (schematic start) car-free: unknown
- Pangpema (schematic end) car-free: unknown
Log in to view trailhead transit detail
Hazards
- Extreme altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,134 m on this 3-pin sample (OSM Pangpema ele 5,140 m). This is a serious high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
- Restricted-area RAP is required for Taplejung Phantanglung wards 6–7 (Pangpema sits in Phaktanglung-06), Mikwakhola ward 5, and Sirijunga ward 8 (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-11). Issued through a registered agency, not self-issued.
- Remote east-Nepal corridor with limited rescue. Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry applies on this itinerary.
Questions
Do I need a permit for Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)?
A permit is required for Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema): RAP (Taplejung) + Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry. Cost, booking, and issuer stay behind the login gate on this page.
When is the best time to hike Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)?
On this record the best season is: Widely described spring / autumn; not a park statute.
How difficult is Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)?
Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema) is graded SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2. A sourced hazard on this record: Extreme altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,134 m on this 3-pin sample (OSM Pangpema ele 5,140 m). This is a serious high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
How long is Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)?
This figure is 64.7 km (provisional): a schematic straight-line estimate between waypoints — not a measured walking distance; published figures are the better guide. See /guides/how-long-is-the-trail
How do I get to Kangchenjunga Base Camp (Pangpema)?
The record’s base start is Phungling (schematic start). A primary gateway on the record is Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Trailhead transit notes are not included in this public FAQ.
Related trails
- Ala-Kul Lake Trek · Same collection
- Alta Via 1 · Same collection
- Everest Base Camp Trek · Same collection
- Fishermen's Trail · Same collection
- GR20 · Same collection
- Inca Trail (Classic 4-day) · Same collection
Featured in
Related links
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — trekking permits (RAP table)ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-11 · official · provisional
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — park entry fees (Kanchenjunga Conservation Area)ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-11 · official · provisional