Only Everest and K2 are taller than Kanchenjunga (8586m), the massive block of rock and ice that straddles the border between Nepal and Sikkim in India. There have been relatively few attempts to climb this mighty mountain, partly because Kanchenjunga is worshipped as a tutelary spirit by the Sikimese. The first serious attempt to conquer the peak was the 1905 expedition led by the occultist Aleister Crowley, but a British team finally gained the summit in 1955. Even today, most expeditions stop just below the summit as a gesture of respect.
The foothills of Kanchenjunga have been open to trekkers since 1988, but permit restrictions mean that it's only possible to walk here as part of an organised trek arranged through an agency. There are two main approach routes to Kanchenjunga. The trek to the south base camp starts from the airstrip at Suketar( near Taplejung), taking two weeks to climb to the Yalung Glacier and return. The difficult 18-day trek to the north base camp can be started from Basantapur (near Hile) or, on a shorter route from Suketar, for the ultimate in Kanchenjunga experiences it is possible to combine these two treks by crossing the Mirgin La (4663m) or the Lapsang La (5160m) to make a neat three-week-plus loop.
The Kanchenjunga area is the homeland of the Limbu People, who speak a language related to Tibetan and follow a mixture of Buddhist, Hindu and animist beliefs.
