Where you sleep on the Kanchanjunga Trek: teahouses, lodges and camps
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 1 May 2023.
The short version
On the Kanchanjunga Trek you sleep in teahouses from Mitlung to Ghunsa, in basic seasonal lodges at Khambachen and Lhonak, and in camps from Cheram through Ramche to Tseram. Teahouses return at Yamphudin for the walk out. Our kitchen crew cooks wherever a lodge kitchen can't, and every meal on the trek is included. It asks for some flexibility above Ghunsa, where hot showers aren't a nightly thing, and in return you sleep in some of the least visited high country left in Nepal.
All 20 nights on the trek
| Night after | Place | Altitude | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | Taplejung | 1,820m | Guesthouse |
| Days 3–7 | Mitlung, Chirwa, Sekathum, Amjilosa, Gyabla | 921–2,730m | Teahouses |
| Days 8–9 | Ghunsa | 3,595m | Teahouse |
| Days 10–11 | Khambachen | 4,050m | Basic lodge |
| Days 12–13 | Lhonak | 4,780m | Camp / basic lodge |
| Day 14 | Ghunsa | 3,595m | Teahouse |
| Day 15 | Cheram | 3,870m | Camp |
| Day 16 | Ramche | 4,580m | Camp |
| Day 17 | Tseram | – | Camp |
| Day 18 | Torontan | 2,995m | Camp / teahouse |
| Day 19 | Yamphudin | 2,080m | Teahouse |
| Day 20 | Bhadrapur | 93m | Guesthouse |
That's 20 nights on the trek, all included in our estimate along with every trek meal. Kathmandu hotel nights on Day 1 and Day 21 aren't.
Teahouses up to Ghunsa
For the first week, from the Tamor valley up the Ghunsa Khola, you stay in teahouses along the standard route. They're simple village lodges: a bed, a dining room, a hot meal. In Ghunsa, the hub village, hand-painted guest house and trekking-shop signs line the stone walls.
You sleep in Ghunsa three times: on arrival, on the rest day, and again on Day 14 coming back down from Lhonak. It's the closest thing to a base on this trip.
Basic lodges at Khambachen and Lhonak
Above Ghunsa lodging thins to basic seasonal lodges. At Khambachen (4,050m) you spend two nights, with a rest day between. On our 2023 trip the rooms there were a row of painted wooden lodge rooms, and it was cold enough at breakfast that the whole group stood outside them in down jackets.
Lhonak (4,780m) is the staging point for Pangpema, and the itinerary lists it as camp or basic lodge. You sleep there twice, before and after the Pangpema day.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 1 May 2023.
Camps around the Sele La
From Lhonak through Ramche our kitchen crew covers the camp-supported stretch, and the camp nights are Cheram, Ramche and Tseram, plus Torontan, which can be camp or teahouse. This is where facilities are sparsest on the whole route. There's no village between Ghunsa and Cheram, and Ramche sits high in the Yalung Glacier's valley.
The crew cooks, so meals keep coming whatever the lodging. An assistant guide also joins above Ghunsa for the upper sections.
Food the whole way
All meals on trek are included: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Expect dal bhat, soups, noodles and hot drinks. In the teahouses the lodge kitchen cooks. Higher up, our kitchen team steps in wherever a lodge kitchen can't.
What to expect, honestly
- Showers. Don't expect a hot shower every night above Ghunsa.
- Cold nights. Several nights are above 4,000m. That's why our Kanchanjunga packing list asks for a -20°C sleeping bag and insulated camp trousers.
- Group size. We cap Kanchanjunga at 6 trekkers, smaller than Manaslu, because lodge capacity above Ghunsa is thin.
- Back to comfort. Yamphudin on Day 19 brings proper teahouse comfort back for the first time since Ghunsa.
Compared with Manaslu
On the Manaslu Circuit you sleep in a teahouse or basic lodge every night, never a tent, which we describe in teahouse life on Manaslu. Kanchanjunga keeps that for the first week and the last few days, but the high middle of the trek leans on our crew. If you've done Manaslu, you'll find Ghunsa familiar and Ramche much wilder.
For the whole route, read our Kanchanjunga itinerary, day by day, or see where each night falls on the trek page.
Frequently asked
Is Kanchanjunga a teahouse trek or a camping trek?
Both. Teahouses run from Mitlung to Ghunsa and again from Yamphudin. In between there are basic lodges at Khambachen and Lhonak and camp nights at Cheram, Ramche and Tseram, supported by our kitchen crew.
Are meals included on the Kanchanjunga Trek?
Yes, all trek meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lodge kitchens cook where they can, and our kitchen crew covers the rest.
Are there hot showers on the Kanchanjunga Trek?
Don't expect one every night above Ghunsa. The trek asks for some flexibility up there.
How many nights do you spend in Ghunsa?
Three: on arrival (Day 8), on the rest day (Day 9) and on the way back down from Lhonak (Day 14).
Why is the Kanchanjunga group size capped at 6?
Because lodge capacity above Ghunsa is thin. It's smaller than our Manaslu cap of 8.