Getting to Kanchanjunga: the Bhadrapur flight and the Taplejung drive
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 11 May 2023.
The short version
You fly 45 minutes from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur in the eastern Terai, then drive 6 to 7 hours up into the hills to Taplejung (1,820m), all on Day 2. That day is the one real weather-dependent point of the trip, so we build a spare day into the schedule. At the end, you walk out to the road-head at Khebang below Yamphudin, drive back to Bhadrapur on Day 20, and fly to Kathmandu on Day 21. The flights are included in our estimate.
In and out at a glance
| Day | Leg | How | Ends at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kathmandu to Bhadrapur | 45-min flight | Bhadrapur |
| 2 | Bhadrapur to Taplejung | 6–7 hr drive | Taplejung, 1,820m |
| 20 | Yamphudin to Khebang | Short walk | Road-head |
| 20 | Khebang to Bhadrapur | Full day's drive | Bhadrapur, 93m |
| 21 | Bhadrapur to Kathmandu | Morning flight | Kathmandu |
Kanchanjunga is in Nepal's far east, in Taplejung District. Even with the flight, it takes most of a day to get from Kathmandu to the trailhead, and the trek is long partly because the road-head is several days' walk from the high country at each end.
The flight to Bhadrapur
On Day 1 in Kathmandu we go over the RAP and KCAP paperwork already on file, the gear for the upper sections, and the flight contingency plan for Bhadrapur. On Day 2 a 45-minute flight carries you over the lowland Terai to Bhadrapur.
Bhadrapur is at 93m, so dress for warm lowland air. Your warm layers can stay in the duffel for days yet.
The drive up to Taplejung
From Bhadrapur the road climbs into the eastern hills toward Taplejung. It's 6 to 7 hours. The road runs through the Kanyam tea hills at about 1,600m, rows of bright green bushes curving over the slopes. We took our photos of them on the drive back south in 2023, and it's worth asking the driver to stop for a few minutes.
You arrive at Taplejung, 1,820m, for a guesthouse night. The walking starts the next morning, downhill toward the Tamor valley. Taplejung to Ghunsa covers that first week.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 11 May 2023.
Why there's a spare day
The Bhadrapur flight and the Taplejung drive are the one point of the trip that depends on weather and road conditions more than on your legs. So the schedule has a spare day built in to absorb a late flight or a slow road.
It's a small thing that takes a lot of stress out of the trip. Nobody has to rush the first walking days to make up time, and the rest of the itinerary, with its acclimatization stops, stays intact.
Getting home
Our standard route walks out through Yamphudin, in Limbu country, where proper teahouses return for the first time since Ghunsa. Day 20 starts with a shorter walk to the road-head at Khebang, followed by a full day's drive back down to Bhadrapur.
Day 21 is the morning flight to Kathmandu. Onward international flights usually leave the same day or the next, so if you're booking your flight home, leave yourself some room.
On our 2023 trip the group walked out a different way, via the ridge villages around Suketar and down past Taplejung, then drove south through the tea hills. The last photo of that trip is a highway gantry reading 27km to Bhadrapur Airport. You can see it in our Kanchanjunga Trek journal.
Practical notes
- Domestic flights are included. Our current estimate for Kanchanjunga includes the Kathmandu to Bhadrapur flights both ways. The figure is a placeholder until we confirm this season's fares, so we confirm it in your quote.
- Kathmandu nights aren't included. Hotel nights on Day 1 and Day 21 are on you.
- Pack a light bag for the drive. Water, snacks, sun protection and something to read.
- Keep your passport handy. The first permit check is at Sekathum on Day 5, but it's easiest to have it with you from the start.
The full schedule is in our Kanchanjunga itinerary, day by day and on the Kanchanjunga trek page.
Frequently asked
How do you get to the Kanchanjunga Trek?
By a 45-minute flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur, then a 6 to 7 hour drive to Taplejung (1,820m), both on Day 2 of our itinerary.
Is there a spare day for flight delays on Kanchanjunga?
Yes. The Bhadrapur flight and Taplejung drive are the trip's one real weather-dependent point, so we build a spare day into the schedule.
Where does the Kanchanjunga Trek finish?
At the road-head at Khebang below Yamphudin. You drive back to Bhadrapur on Day 20 and fly to Kathmandu on Day 21.
Are the domestic flights included?
Yes, the Kathmandu to Bhadrapur flights both ways are in our current estimate. Kathmandu hotel nights on Day 1 and Day 21 are not.
How long is the drive from Bhadrapur to Taplejung?
About 6 to 7 hours, climbing from the Terai into the eastern hills.