Our trip began auspiciously - we were treated to views of Kanchenjunga over North Bengal from the train itself!
The trek began on Sunday morning, with a short walk from Yuksom(1780m) to Sachen. This was the second major bridge we crossed that day. Notice how the vegetation changes over the next few days.
On day two, we trudged uphill to Tsokha (3048m), via Bakhim, where we stopped for this view and had an aerated beverage that had also come up the hill the same way - my last caffeine for the next 6 days.
Kanishka and Ranjita with the prayer flags and the Rathong valley at the back.
I pose in my shirt-sleeves, while I still can..
We finally arrive in Tsokha and greet the High Himalaya. The peaks of Pandim, Jopono and Tenzin Khang keep us company for the majority of our days. Tsokha is a small Tibetan resettlement and the only human habitation after the trailhead at Yuksom.
Cabbages were in season in Tsokha. Our socks were knocked off for a bit when one of the locals started speaking to us in fluent Kannada (she was Tibetan from Mysore)
Summer in Yuksom, late autumn in Tsokha, mid winter up ahead.
Will they, or won't they?
We crossed this small lake to attempt a visit to the local monastery (closed). Whatever else you do, don't buy the dried-beans snack (imported from Thailand) in Tsokha.
On day 3, after an even steeper slog, we come to Phedang (3760m), which is technically an alp. Here is where the rich and famous trekkers stop for a tea break, using tables and chairs carried by their porters for the purpose. We just used the facilities and moved on.
Day 3 ended in Dzongri (3950m). The others woke up early on Day 4 to see the sun rise, which was the point of going to Dzongri, but I had the mother-of-all caffeine-withdrawal altitude-induced headaches and slept in. Woke up refreshed in two hours, and made it up the ridge to Deorali.
Deorali top, looking back and consolidating..
More of Deorali, setting up for the view from the front..
Ranjita at Deorali
The other side of the view from Deorali. Kanchenjunga is in the clouds on the left, but Pandim and others are clearly visible.
Same picture with some cropping.
Start of the descent from Deorali to Kokchurong. My knees almost gave up..
The finest day of hiking...everbody agrees
The vegetation changes. It's mostly rhododendrons and rust-coloured shrubs now. We are over 4000m
The clouds clear and Kanchejunga comes into view.
Panoramic shot of Pandim, Tenzin Khang and Jopono, our guardian angels
Posing with Mt. Kanchenjunga.
Mt Narsingh, playing hide and seek.
I could not stop taking pictures of this beauty.
Mr. Rikin Gandhi if you please..
You should have figured out which one this is by now.
Rikin caught in the act of stopping and actually looking at the views. A first for somebody who was always an hour and a half ahead of the pack.
The clouds roll in
But not before I sneak in a pose..
That's more like it...
Alternate spellings include Kangchen Dzö-nga, Khangchendzonga, Kanchenjanga, Kachendzonga, or Kangchanfanga
Mt Pandim
Sam Nam Subba, our expedition cook, Kanishka, Ranjita and Yangden Subba, our guide
I have a hideous hat, but I still got sunburnt.
Prek Ch(h)u valley. Ch(h)u in Tibetan, Dzongkha, Lepcha and Bhutia means water. Our campsite, two days on, at Lamune, is barely visible at the head of the valley
Tenzin Khang and Jopono
Pandim again
and again..on Day 5. We stayed the previous night in Thangsing, and saw a beautiful sunset, which you can catch in Kanishka's pictures
Walking from Thangsing to Lamune on Day 5, I could not stop looking up and almost sprained my ankle a couple of times.
Kangchenjunga literally means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over 8,450 m. The treasures represent the five repositories of god, which are gold, silver, gems, grain, and holy books.
It is also called Sewalugma in the Limbu language (on the Nepali side) and is considered sacred in the Kirat religion, which is mentioned in the Yajur Veda and the Mahabharat.
Mr and Mrs
We camped that afternoon at Lamune (just over 4000m). I did not get any brownie points from our guide for asking why we were not camping further down with the others. A huge windstorm blew away many tents there on the next day, vindicating him fully.
Three of the five peaks of Kanchenjunga (Main, South and Central) are on the border between North Sikkim, India and Taplejung, Nepal. The other two are entirely in Nepal.
On the Indian side, we were trekking through the Khangchendzonga National Park. Trekking in the park requires registration with the local police and an Inner Line Permit for foreigners.
His Highness Sir Tashi Namgyal, the Maharaja or chogyal of Sikkim "although junga had no meaning in Tibetan, it really ought to have been Zod-nga (treasure, five) Kang-chen (snow, big).."..he agreed that it was best to leave it as Kangchenjunga, and thus the name remained so by acceptance and usage.
Ftom 1838 to 1852, Kanchenjunga was believed to be the highest mountain in the world.
Sublimation rising from Kanchenjunga.
Panoramic shot of Pandim and friends on our way to Samiti Lake that afternoon
New peaks come into view. Need more research here
Mt Kabru and its siblings are now visible
Yangden, Rikin, Ranjita and Kanishka take a break before heading down to Samiti Lake
Panoramic view of the approach to Goecha La (La means pass in Tibetish). Trail is clearly visible on the right. Looks deceptively easy!
Same picture with cropping.
Approach to Samiti Lake (4200m), sublim(e)ation from Kanchenjunga at the back.
Mt Pandim is really twins! The Sikkimese name for Samiti Lake is Sungmoteng, and like all water bodies in S. Asia, it is considered holy.
Prayer Flags and the approach to Goecha La
It was bitterly cold at 2pm. Should have given us a premonition of what it would be like next day at 4am.
On Day 6, the sunrise sneaked up on us before we could make it to the top. Here's a panoramic shot, just shy of our last gaspish effort to the viewpoint at 5000m.
View from the top of the world at 5000m. The actual pass is 2.5kms further away and lower.
Mt. Tenzin Khang from the view point.
It was bitterly cold and I was literally wearing everything I carried on the trek.
Even Mr. Superman had trouble smiling at the top
A little madness in the spring is even wholesome for the king.
After our return from the viewpoint on Day 6, and a light breakfast, we headed down to Kokchurong (3500m) and witnessed a yak hunt on the way.
The views still kept coming...
.. and our guardian angel was now behind us. The summit of Kanchenjunga is considered sacred by the Sikkimese and out of respect to their beliefs, all expeditions stop a few feet before the actual summit.
Our (not so small) entourage. (L to R). Back: Sam Nam, Prasad. Front: Rikin, Buddha Bir, Ningma, Yangden, Shambhu, Kanishka, Ranjita.
Same group, minus Ranjita, plus suave Mr. B. S. Subba, the department of tourism in Yuksom, and a superb trek organizer. I put my camera away on Days 7 and 8, where we retraced our path downhill.
The trip ended as auspiciously as it began, with more fabulous views of Kanchenjunga from Darjeeling. We stayed at Kurseong for the night at Kanishka's aunt's charming old bungalow in the hills and flew back to Bangalore from Bagdogra the next day.
