Guide Jacob Kyungai is excellent. Everyone on the team interesting. Including supermodel Heidi Albertsen. But for me the highlight were the two kids on the 45 mile hike: Hansi Mmari and Nicole Wineland-Thomson,
Dreaming of climbing Kilimanjaro is childlike. Full of wonder.
The southeast face of Mt. Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain, can be viewed from the pass, which is also a base camp for those aspiring to scale the mountain. …
The basic itinerary:
Drive from SILIGURI TO YUKSOM
YUKSOM to SACHEN (10 km hike)
SACHEN to TSHOKA (7 km hike)
TSHOKA to DZONGRI (10 km hike)
Rest and hike to DZONGRI LA PASS (4417 m)
DZONGRI to THANSING (10 km hike)
THANSING to GOECHA LA PASS and back (14 km hike)
THANSING to TSHOKA (16 km hike)
TSHOKA to YUKSOM (17 km hike)
Drive back to SILIGURI
vista from Goecha La
Seems it’s impossible to do this trek independently.
But rather than sign on with a company from home, you could simply show up in Gantok or Darjeeling and start asking around the various agencies to join a group that will give you the best rate.
The real experts on this park are Mike Blake and his team at MB Guiding.
If you are looking to organized a guide trip — climbing the Golden Hinde, for example — go with MB Guiding.
If you’ve never been to Strathcona before, easiest access is via the Paradise Meadows trailhead out of Courtney / Comox which gives easy access to the Forbidden Plateau.
Well signed, well organized, well maintained, there are loops of increasing difficulty depending on your time and the weather.
One loop is wheelchair accessible, for example.
There are trails ideal for kids, as well.
Three campsites on the Forbidden plateau are first-come, first-served. Great value at CAD $10 / person / night.
If you want to tent, I’d recommend you head for the furtherest campsite – Circlet Lake.
Today he and his team lead people to exciting destinations, teaching skills along the way: planning, gear, fitness, food, navigation, responding to emergencies, etc.
In a recent podcast interview Andrew explains why he still prefers map and compass, using electronics as a back-up. And you have to believe him since it was sponsored by the Gaia GPS app.
In the Out and Back podcast today, find out how backcountry navigation expert Andrew Skurka uses paper and digital maps, what's in his navigation kit, and the one simple thing people can do to stay found in the wilderness. Tune in with the link below:
Kanchenjunga, the world’s 3rd highest mountain, is on the border of Nepal and India. It’s possible to hike starting from either nation though Sikkim, India is more popular.
Because of Kanchenjunga’s remote location very few trekkers make this trip compared with other high Himalayan peaks.
Trevor and Emma run Cut Lunch Adventures based in Sydney, Australia.
besthike.com 