We leave Lhonak at first light, when the air is still and the peaks are clearest. The trail follows the grassy ablation valley beside the Kanchenjunga Glacier, climbing gradually with a few short steep steps over loose moraine. The gain is only about 360 m, but at this altitude every step counts, so the pace is slow and steady with frequent water stops.
Pangpema is a series of grassy terraces where climbing expeditions pitch their base camp in spring. In front of you the north face of Kanchenjunga rises more than 3,000 m in walls of ice and rock, with Jannu's rear side, the Twins and the long ridges towards Sikkim around the head of the glacier. On a good day you can sit for an hour, eat a packed lunch and watch avalanches peel off the face.
Cloud usually builds by late morning, so we turn back around midday and descend to Lhonak for the night. Anyone showing signs of altitude sickness, such as a worsening headache, vomiting or unsteadiness, turns back with a staff member at once.
Good for
- Photographers
- Solo
- Groups
Questions travellers ask
Can I sleep at Pangpema?
There are no lodges at Pangpema. Climbing expeditions camp there, and some camping treks do too, but teahouse trekkers sleep at Lhonak and walk up and back in a day.
How hard is the day to Pangpema?
The distance is about 8–10 km return with roughly 360 m of ascent, which is moderate on paper. At 5,000 m it feels hard, and loose moraine needs care. Most people take 3–4 hours up and 2–3 down.
What will I see from Pangpema?
The north face of Kanchenjunga at 8,586 m, the Kanchenjunga Glacier, the Twins, Tent Peak and the rear of Jannu. The best light is early morning, before cloud builds around midday.
