Accommodation During Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

Introduction

As a hardcore adventurer, if your next destination is the Kanchenjunga Region, then I reckon you might be curious about the types of food and accommodation available during the Kanchenjunga Base Trek (also known as the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek). I can understand it's obvious, and everyone should always be aware of the accommodation facilities of the place you're heading to while planning the trip.

Without a proper place to sleep and eat, your journey will be beyond demanding. Yes, adventure is all about leaving your comfort zone and taking risks in nature for a beautiful reward in the end. However, it doesn't mean that it has to be extremely hard, and you must embrace the suffering in the wild.

Kanchenjunga Trek is already considered a challenging trek in Nepal due to its long duration of 22 days and altitudes. Without a shadow of a doubt, you'll experience difficulties while hiking anyhow. However, our goal should be to avoid tough circumstances as much as possible during the trek.

So, don't worry if you're struggling to find information regarding this matter so far. You've come to the right place, and through this blog, today, you'll have enough details about what kind of food and accommodation options are available for you along the trail during this adventure.

Accommodation During The Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

Speaking of accommodation during the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, you will find limited tea houses along the route. However, you can't expect the standard hotels.

First of all, we need to understand the meaning of a tea house. Don't confuse it with a hotel. It's even smaller than a lodge.

A tea house is usually a kind of small and simple guest house operated by the locals. It has four to five rooms with two or three twin beds inside.

Most tea houses do not have an attached bathroom inside the room. They have two to three shared bathrooms, instead.

In case of the Kanchenjunga Trek, it is currently not that highly commercialised trek, despite offering the real beauty of Nepal's Himalayas. Consequently, it is viewed as off-the-beaten-path due to fewer crowds on the trail, and all the tea houses along the way are also very basic.

They provide you with a clean mattress, bed sheet, pillow, and blanket. However, as I've already stated that the trek is currently not highly popular, they just provide limited stuff in the room, especially blankets. Therefore, it'll be much better if you carry your sleeping bag for an overnight stay, as sometimes they can't provide you with an extra blanket.

These tea houses have a dining hall where a heater is available for warmth. All trekkers gathered there to feel the warmth, along with dinner and share their experiences with each other.

Regarding the food, it is provided according to the menu. But you can't find the variety of foods on the menu here like in the other commercialised treks in Nepal, such as the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek, etc.

Just basic and local foods, such as dal bhat, chowmein, momo, noodles, and some other items. Additionally, the food options on the menu are almost the same everywhere along the trail.

Kanchenjunga Trek Accommodation Option

On your first day, you'll fly to Bhadrapur on an early morning flight and upon landing there, you will drive straight to Taplejung by public vehicle via Nepal's most famous tea garden in Illam. After a day-long drive of around 8 to 9 hours, you'll finally reach Taplejung by the evening.

Accommodation In Taplejung

In Taplejung, there are proper hotels available for food and accommodation. They have the facility of a private bathroom in the rooms and other modern amenities, such as electricity, internet, and a hot shower.

Nevertheless, we advise you to have dinner and breakfast at the same hotel where you are staying. Otherwise, the hotel owner will charge an extra amount of about USD 10 to the room cost.

Accommodation In Chiruwa

On the second day, your trek officially begins, and your destination for an overnight stay is Chiruwa. Here, you can have a private room if the tea house where you are staying isn't fully packed at the moment, which costs around NPR 200 to 300 per person.

But you don't expect to have an attached bathroom in a room. After Taplejung, just know that it's not possible to find such a facility anywhere along the trail.

Accommodation In Lelep

There are a few guest houses in Lelep. All are quite nice. Room prices and other facilities are the same as in Chiruwa.

Accommodation In Amajilosa

In Amajilosa, there are two tea houses available. Among them, one is newly built and has better facilities to offer, and the other is at the end of the village, which is a bit noisy place.

In terms of the room cost, it is similar to Chiruwa. Apart from this, the views of the mountains from the hotel here are outstanding.

Accommodation In Gyabla

There are currently three tea houses in the area, offering basic facilities with hygienic food. The structure of these tea houses is like a hut. The cost is also the same as the other places.

Accommodation In Ghunsa

The entire area is inhabited by the ethnic group, Tamang, and it's among the biggest villages on the Kanchenjunga Circuit Trail. You will find a total of nine tea houses here.

Ghunsa is the place where most trekkers choose to stay for another day, too, to acclimate their bodies during this trek. The room price is also similar here.

Accommodation In Khambachen

Here you'll find four tea houses. All are operated by the locals, and the facilities are relatively nicer here, with skilled chefs for kitchen work. You'll get a triple room at NPR 800 to 1,000, whereas the cost for a single and double room is lower.

Accommodation In Lonak

Lonak is considered the most remote area on this trekking trail. You will find some small huts for accommodation here. Some trekkers who carry set up their camp for an overnight stay, and those who don't have camping equipment, stay at Lonak Guest House.

You can get a room here for NPR 500 per person. They offer only four double rooms with minimal capacity. Anyway, they have maintained hygiene in their service for guests.

The next day, you will hike to the Kanchenjunga North Base Camp (Pangpema), and there is also a hut available for accommodation, costing almost the same price per person as in Lonak. Nevertheless, due to a lack of cleanliness, most trekkers return to Lonak for an overnight stay.

Accommodation In Sele Le

Sele Le is among the toughest parts of the Kanchenjunga Trek. There are only two small huts available in the name of a tea house here. These tea houses have five rooms and cost NPR 500 per person.

Accommodation In Cheram (Tseram)

Like in Sele Le, there are also two tea houses available for an overnight stay. The cost of the room is NPR 800. The next day, you will visit the Kanchenjunga South Base Camp from here and again return.

Accommodation In Tortong

In Tortong, there are also two tea houses available, like in Cheram and Sele Le, with basic food and accommodation facilities. The room cost is also similar.

Among these tea houses, the one on the left and the one of the tea houses in Yamphudin are run by the same owner. Accordingly, if you stay at the tea house on the left, you'll benefit from a discount when you reach Yamphudin and stay at the tea house owned by the same person.

Accommodation In Yamphudin

As we hike down to lower altitudes, the more standard hotels and tea houses we can find. Yamphudin is another larger settlement at lower elevations on this trail, where all the tea houses offer double or triple rooms for around NPR 500. These tea houses also have a four-bed dormitory room for a group at an affordable price.

Accommodation In Khebang

Khebang isn't a larger settlement like Yamphudin. Thus, there are not many tea houses available. Just a few with basic facilities and room costs NPR 300 to 500.

Accommodation In Hapukhola

Accommodation in Hapukhola is also almost the same as Khebang. The guesthouses, their facilities, and room charges are very similar to Khebang.

Accommodation In Bhadrapur

Bhadrapur is a well-developed town in Nepal. Here you can easily find a hotel from standard to mid-range. You can have multiple accommodation options here, with room costs ranging from USD 15 to 25, as well as a variety of food options on the menu at every hotel.

Electricity During The Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

Tea houses on the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek generate electricity from local hydropower in the region, and some have installed solar panels to get the power. Just don't worry, even though you may find it hard to charge your gadgets, you can still get the chance to charge them during this trek.

However, there are no charging plugs in every room at the tea houses along the trail. Thus, you will need to charge your electric devices at the reception desk, which costs you approximately USD 2 to 3 per charge.

What we'd like to suggest is that it will be much better if you carry a power bank with you for this journey. Also, bring an extra battery for your camera if you're more into professional photography.

Caption: Small teashops along the Kanchenjunga trek route.

Internet Service During The Kanchenjunga Trek

The internet is a luxury here on the Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek. At the lower altitude locations, you might get a chance to connect to the internet.

However, you cannot expect good and fast service, and the hotel owner might also charge you some amount for its use. Just know that you'll stay completely out of contact with the outer world and your beloved people for around 15 days during this adventure.

Telephone During Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trekking

Once you land at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, you can buy a SIM with your valid passport at the airport. Nepal's biggest telecommunication service providers, NTC and NCELL, have quality network coverage.

So, you can issue either one of them. Nevertheless, I highly recommend that you issue an NTC SIM, as it has good service in a remote location. But, no matter how good the service is, it's only good at lower elevations in the Kanchenjunga Region.

For use at high altitudes, you'd better get a satellite phone. It'll help you in emergency cases during this trip.

Camping Option During The Kanchenjunga Trek

Camping was the only option few years back during trekking to Kanchenjunga, Few years now we have teahouses and homestays on the trail. However still camping can be done throughout the trek. If you want to enhance your adventure and stay in tents it's possible in Kanchenjunga region.

We, the Hiking Bees, also arrange camping trips to the Kanchenjunga Base Camp if you wanna experience a real kind of adventure. For this type of journey, we provide you with porters and cooks along with a professional trekking guide.

They'll carry all the necessary stuff that would be enough for 22 days. Anyways, you can do this trek entirely as a camping trip, or combine camping with tea house stays. Whatever you prefer, we can organise it accordingly.

How To Choose The Best Accommodation During The Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek

It's critical to know how to choose the best accommodation during the Kanchenjunga Trek when planning this adventure. However, for your kind information, I'd like to share something extra before I dive into this matter directly. 

The thing is, it's mandatory to hire a local and experienced trekking guide for this trek, as the entire trail is considered a restricted area by Nepal's government. That means you aren't allowed to enjoy the journey here alone. Furthermore, there must be at least two people in your group, excluding the guide. 

For a professional guide or anything related to a trekking program, we, the hiking bees, are 24/7 available here. Our office is currently located in Thamel, Kathmandu. We can arrange your program to make your journey hassle-free. 

Therefore, you don't need to worry about finding proper accommodation. We'll book your stay at the tea houses along the Kanchenjunga Trek route, as well as transportation, a guide, and other services.