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At 28,169ft (8586m) Kangchenjunga in far north-eastern Nepal is the world's third highest peak. It's a huge, spectacular mountain with five tops and five glaciers dominating a spur from the main Himalayan axis. The trek to its base via the Nepalese foothills has been described quite simply as the most beautiful walk in the world. This book is a guide to that trek. It describes the trails, villages and views, gives a potted history of some of the mountains, and adds background interest for anyone planning to visit the area. It's a sparsely populated region with a greater sense of isolation than in the more popular areas of Nepal. The trails are rougher, the facilities more primitive and the routes less well defined, offering a different kind of experience to that of the more mainstream routes and with the undisputed scenic grandeur for which Nepal is famous. The author describes three possible approach routes and two link routes, with two main destinations, both in spectacular locations.
Preface Introduction Trekking Kangchenjunga On Trek Trekking Seasons Pre-Trek Preparations Pre-Trek Health On-Trek Health The First Aid Kit Equipment Check-List Getting There Permits and Visas Environmental Considerations Cultural Interaction Maps Nepal - Facts and Figures Time in Kathmandu The Treks Table of Route Summaries Trek 1: Kangchenjunga North Base Camp Kathmandu to Basantpur and the Trek to Dobhan Kathmandu to Basantpur Basantpur - Door Pani - Chauki Chauki - Gupha Pokhari - Buje Deorali Buje Deorali - Gurja - Dobhan Tumlingtar to Dobhan Tumlingtar - Chainpur Chainpur - Chitlang Chitlang - Milke Danda Milke Danda - Dobhan Dobhan to Pangpema Dobhan - Mitlung Mitlung - Sinwa - Chirwa Chirwa - Tapethok - Sokathum Sokathum - Amjilassa Amjilassa - Gyapra Gyapra - Phole - Ghunsa Time Spent in Ghunsa Ghunsa - Khambachen Time Spent in Khambachen Khambachen - Lhonak Lhonak - Pangpema Time Spent at Pangpema Pangpema to Ghunsa Trek 2: Ghunsa to the Valley of the Simbua Khola Ghunsa - Mani Bhuk Mani Bhuk - Tseram Trek 3: Kangchenjunga South Suketar to Ramze and Oktang Suketar - Pakora Pakora - Yampung Yampung - Mamankhe - Yamphudin Yamphudin - Omje Khola Omje Khola - Lamite Bhanjyang - Torontan Torontan - Tseram Tseram - Ramze Ramze - Oktang Ramze to Suketar Dobhan to Basantpur Dobhan to Tumlingtar Kangchenjunga From Sikkim Sikkim Treks The Singalila Ridge The Goecha La Appendix A:Climbing Kangchenjunga Appendix B: Useful Addresses Appendix C: Trekking Agencies Appendix D: Glossary Bibliography
A lifelong passion for the countryside in general, and mountains in particular, drives Kev's desire to share his sense of wonder and delight in the natural world through his writing, guiding, photography and lecturing. Spending several months each year among various high mountain regions researching guidebooks, makes him The Man with the World's Best Job; a title he aims to keep by remaining active for another 100 years at least. Kev has enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Cicerone since the 1970s, producing walking and trekking guides to the Pyrenees, Alps and Himalaya, as well as walking guides for Kent, Sussex and the Cotswolds and he has several more books in the pipeline. A frequent contributor to outdoor magazines, he also writes and illustrates brochures for national tourist authorities and travel companies. When not away in the mountains, Kev lives with his wife in a small cottage among what he calls 'the Kentish Alps' with unrestricted walking country on the doorstep. But he also travels throughout Britain during the winter months to share his love of the places he writes about through a series of lectures. Check him out on www.kevreynolds.co.uk
'Kev Reynolds, probably the most authoritative and prolific British author to walking guidebooks outside the UK, has produced yet another excellent addition to his series of trekking guides to Nepal. After a succinctly written introduction covering preparation, necessary bureaucracy, history plus environmental and cultural considerations, he details treks in daily stages to the North Side Base Camp, South Side Base Camp and the 'high level' link between the two. ... Whilst the delights of these treks shine through the prose, it is nice to find no exaggerated sales talk. From the beginning, Reynolds is at pains to point out that trekking in Nepal can be far from a bed of roses and that this particular adventurous journey can bring more hardship and potential danger than most of the country's well-known alternatives. ... However, those who manage to 'survive the ordeal' are sure to have a marvellous experience and find Kangchenjunga - A Trekker's Guide a very worthy companion.' (Lindsay Griffin, High) 'Kangchenjunga is the easiest of the big Himalayan summits to see... The perfect double cone of the topmost ridge is supported on either side by a retinue of snow peaks, each high enough to entice you to come closer. That is exactly what Kev Reynolds does in this guide. He describes three approach treks from the south west, the longest round trip being about twenty days. This is not the Nepal of leapfrogging trek groups, lodges and tourists' stops. It is isolated country with deep valleys, lush at first and arid higher up. The highest point reached is Pangpema at 5140m. Kev Reynolds does his usual thorough job of preparing the trekker. He covers health, equipment, journeys, permits and visas and includes valuable appendices. There is also all the climbing history and cultural guidance you could want.' (Sir John Johnson)
