About Expedition

Kanchenjunga is the third highest peak in the world and the second highest in Nepal with an altitude of 8,586 meters (28,169 feet). It is a massif mountain with many satellite peaks soaring high from its narrow icy ridges located at the border of Nepal and Sikkim (India), just 46 miles northwest of Darjeeling (India as part of the Great Himalayan mountain range at longitude 27º42′ North and 88º08′ East). Mt. Kanchenjunga has 5 peaks, four of them are over 8,450 meters. Three of these five peaks (main, central, and south) are on the border of North Sikkim of India and Taplejung District of Nepal, while the other two are completely in Taplejung District of Nepal. The true Summit for expedition is 8,586 meters/28,170 feet. The route (North Face) is definitely the safest, but not the easiest.

Kanchenjunga region is also home to the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project run by the World Wildlife Fund in association with Nepal Government. The sanctuary is home to the Red Panda and other animals, birds and plants. India’s side of Kanchenjunga also has a protected park area called the Khangchendzonga National Park.

Kangchenjunga was first scaled on May 25, 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band of a British expedition team. The British expedition honored the beliefs of the Sikkimese people, who treat the summit as sacred. This British expedition team stopped a few feet below from the actual summit. The other expedition parties since then have followed this tradition and none of the expedition teams have summited Mt. Kanchanjunga from Sikkim side till date.

The Japanese expedition team took up the challenge and did expeditions in 1973, 1974 and 1976 during which they climbed Yalung Kang. A German Expedition team climbed Yalung Kang in the year 1975. Similarly in 1977 an Indian army team climbed the Yalung Kang peak successfully.