Kanchenjunga Expedition – Explore the Five Treasures of the High Snow

The Kanchenjunga Expedition is an amazing journey. If you’re a climber who loves the excitement and adventure associated with climbing, well Kanchenjunga Expedition is the one for you. During the journey, you don’t just get to climb the mountains, you also get to explore the area around the mountain by going on Kanchenjunga trek. Kanchenjunga is one of the most difficult mountains to climb, as the expedition requires the climbers to make their way through snow, icefall and glacier, which often hang on their own. This is a trip for a true enthusiast.

About Mount Kanchenjunga

Mount Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world, with a height of 8586 m. It lies on the border of India and Nepal, towards the eastern part of the country. Mount Kanchenjunga is a part of Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, which is one of the most diverse protected areas when it comes to the large population of rare flora and fauna that consider the area their home. Many people fail to realize this but Mt. Kanchenjunga isn’t just a plain mountain. It is actually a massif with five peaks on it. These peaks are named Kanchenjunga Main, Kanchenjunga Central, Kanchenjunga South, Kangbachen, and Kanchenjunga West, which is also known as Yalung Kang. The highest among them is Kanchenjunga Main. When climbers go for an expedition on the massif, their target, generally, is to reach the top of Kanchenjunga Main. The word Kanchenjunga is a derivative and a combination of four Tibetan words, all of which roughly translate to the five treasures of the snow.

 

According to legends, five treasures are buried within the mountain, and at the time of the apocalypse, these treasures will reveal themselves and help the humans survive. These are salt and grain, gold and precious stones, ammunition, sacred scriptures and medicines – everything that a human needs to survive and stay safe.

 

Another legend says that the mountain is actually the home of the goddess Yuma Sammang. She is also regarded as Mother Earth or simply Mother by people belonging to the Limbu community. Speaking of the history of the Kanchenjunga Expedition. There are 4 main routes that lead the climbers to the top of the peak. Three of them are in Nepal, and one happens to be in India. There have been successful attempts to climb Kanchenjunga from the Indian side, but the government closed the route quite some time back.

 

So, the only way to reach the top of Kanchenjunga is from Nepal’s side. The first attempt to climb Annapurna was made in the year 1905, and it was made by Aleister Crowley. They reached up to the height of 7600 m, after which they were forced to return. This attempt was considered noteworthy as Crowley wasn’t just climbing the mountain, he was literally paving a route for the climbers after him to make their way to the top. The first successful attempt to reach the top of Kanchenjunga was made in the year 1955 by the English mountaineers Joe Brown and George Band. They followed the same route that Crowley had discovered.  Till 2014, the mountain had been climbed 28 times. And sadly, around 20% of all the climbers who tried ascending the mountain died on the trip.

Kanchenjunga Expedition – The Journey

Kanchenjunga Expedition is a 52 days long journey, and during this time, the mountaineers perform core climbing for a period of 28 days. The remaining days are spent trekking on the Kanchenjunga trek route and acclimatizing. Kanchenjunga Trek which starts from Suketar, takes the climbers all the way up to Kanchenjunga Base Camp. The journey can be made in a helicopter, but trekking and acclimatizing during the process is crucial as it helps the body of the mountaineers adjust to the surrounding environment.

 

Before and after the climbing process, you spend a period of almost 20 days on the route. During the journey, you come across all the natural spectacles, whose beauty is sure to fascinate you. Kanchenjunga trek is a journey that truly prepares you for climbing. Though it may not be as excruciating as the core climbing process, it’s a tough one. Needless to say that nothing prepares you for the astounding sight that you get to experience from the top of the mountain. You will be able to oversee all the major mountains on the eastern part of the country, including Mt. Everest and Lhotse, and more.

 

Now though the time taken by the climbers to reach the peak of Kanchenjunga from the base camp and back is marked at 28 days, it’s just an estimation. A lot of times, the flow of the ascent and the descent depends on the weather. Meaning that if the weather is too harsh or unpredictable, the climbers are forced to wait for it to get normal or stable enough so that they can go on towards their destination. Carelessness and haste can have cruel consequences on the health of the alpinist, often resulting in death. So many climbers have attempted to climb this mountain successfully, however, they have failed miserably. Some of them were lucky enough to be rescued, but the rest could never return to their friends and family.

 

When it comes to mountaineers’ death while on the peak, it can be noticed that a lot of them perish at the time of descending, rather than ascending. The main reason behind that is the cruel atmosphere. By the time the climbers reach the top, their body is already worn down, and a lot of them even suffer the results of lack of oxygen. It’s horrible to even imagine the conditions of their demise.

 

If you’re someone who is into challenges related to mountaineering, well, you should definitely try the Kanchenjunga Expedition. The trip is not just excruciating, but also full of fun, allowing you to have a deep insight into nature. Thanks to Kanchenjunga trek which is a significant part of the overall journey. You will absolutely love the experience altogether, as you prepare yourself for the ultimate glory that the climbers experience as they reach the top of the mountain.