Pikey Peak Trekking - 10 Days | Nepal Guide

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

Pikey peak trek is the closest alternative to trekking in crowded Everest trail. This is newly introduced and less discovered trekking in Everest region which offers best of Sherpa culture and the Himalayan scenery. While the trek offers a magnificent view of most sought after peaks of Everest, Kanchanjunga, and Makalu, the trail passes through authentic Sherpa villages and monasteries following the beaten trail.Many earlier mountaineers and explorers including ‘Sir Edmund Hilary’ have agreed that the view of Mt Everest from Pikey peak is their favorite. One thing is sure that the 4,067 m peak in the lower Everest region is definitely the best viewpoint to look into Mt Everest and other peaks east of Kathmandu.

02 / WHY GO

The memorable moments

Highlights

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day Day 1: Welcome to Kathmandu! — Flying into Kathmandu, you'll have views over the valley, the Himalaya, and the terraced fields below. After completing customs, a representative will be waiting to greet you outside the airport and to guide you through the initial culture shock of Kathmandu’s narrow, winding streets to your hotel. Once you've settled in, head out and explore the city. Kathmandu Durbar Square is a great place to start your exploration, where you'll walk through narrow alleyways teeming with small shops, ancient temples, and local restaurants. If you want to stretch your legs, Swayambhunath, the white stupa rising above the valley, is the perfect spot to catch the sunset over the valley. In the evening, the tourist hub of Thamel is a good place to grab your first meal, with a variety of restaurants to chose from offering both Western and local Nepali dishes.Overnight: Kathmandu Day Day 2: Explore Kathmandu — Kathmandu has a special atmosphere during the early morning hours when the city is slowly coming to life yet not too chaotic. It's a great time to walk and explore the streets or have a chai overlooking one of the local courtyards or durbar squares. After breakfast, there are then a number of ways you can spend your day given the numerous famous sights around the Kathmandu Valley. You can use this as a free day or we can provide a local English-speaking guide who knows the city well and can explain the history and significance of the sights (along with a private jeep to take you around). Overnight: Kathmandu Day Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Dhap, Trek to Sigane or Jhapre (2920 m) — Depart Kathmandu in the early morning for the long drive to Dhap. You'll follow a Japanese-built road through the mountains to the Sun Kosi river. Then, you'll follow the river until you cross over and climb up to Okhaldhunga. From here, it’s about a 3-hour drive to the trailhead at Dhap. The road from Okhaldhunga is a good blacktop road that climbs from 1560m in Okhaldhunga to 2800m at Dhap. At Dhap, your trek begins. As you near Sigane, you'll see mountains coming into view which you will get to know very well; these are the peaks of the Numbur Himal section of the Himalayan Range. The trail from Sigane follows a road under construction for the ?rst couple of hours. The ?rst village is called Jhapre (2920m). It’s perched above a deep valley with nice views of Everest and Numbur Himal. There are a monastery and Stupa here and this will be your first stop of the trek. Walking time: 4-5 hoursOvernight: JhapreMeals included: Lunch, Dinner Day Day 4: Trek from Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp (11,762 feet / 3,585 m) — Today, you'll get an early morning start with views of Numbur Chuli, Everest, and the eastern Himalayan range. The trail starts on a dirt road for a while and then quickly turns into a gentle uphill climb through pine and rhododendron forests until reaching Bhulbule. You can take a break at the local tea shop there, and then continue on a gentle uphill climb arriving in Lhamuje for lunch. In the spring season, you'll get to experience different species of rhododendron flowers during the walk, along with spectacular views of the Himalayan range. Afterward, the trail begins a series of gentle ups and downs along the ridge that eventually arrives at a pasture where you can see grazing yaks. You'll pass a mani wall and then start climbing a steep uphill zigzag trail in order to arrive in Pikey Peak Base Camp, where you can reward yourself with a visit to the local yak cheese factory. Trekking time: 5-6 hoursOvernight: Pikey Base Camp Day Day 5: Trek from Pikey Base Camp to Loding [2515m], Sunrise at Pike Peak — The trail to the top of Pike Peak starts from behind the lodge and follows a gradual slope to the summit, strewn with prayer ?ags. It’s important to start before dawn to reach the top for sunrise as the views from the top are breathtaking. If the weather is clear you will be rewarded with views from Annapurna to Kanchenjunga, it is truly amazing! From the top of Pike, you head north down a ridgeline which starts as quite flat and gets steeper as you go down through the forest to Jase Bhanjyang, where our crew will have breakfast ready for us. If there is snow you will retrace our steps to Pike BC and take a longer but less steep trail around the mountain to Jase Bhanjyang. You'll enjoy breakfast with the curious yaks at the Jase Bhanjyang yak farm and then continue our walk down to Loding. With our legs rested and our bellies full from a hearty breakfast, we'll start with some steep sections through the forest, contrasted with some sections that flatten out. You'll really take our time on the trail, stopping in at Tamakhani for a cup of tea and the friendly family who live there. Do ask if they have any fresh buttermilk for you to try, locally known as mahi. From here, the trail is a more gradual slope down, all the way into Loding. At Loding, you have two choices for accommodation, both of which are very simple and charming in their own ways. The monastery has dorm-style accommodation which you'll use for groups of 4 or more trekkers. A little further down the trail is a small homestay-style guest house by the river with a couple of rooms. The Tamang family that lives here speaks little English, but are hard-working and very welcoming! Walking hours: 7-8 hoursOvernight: LodingMeals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day Day 6: Trek from Loding to Junbesi, Visit Thubten Choling Monastery — This morning you've got 1 - 2 hours up to the ridgeline above Loding, passing farmhouses, grazing animals and numerous mani walls - piles of Buddhist prayer-inscribed stones marking the trail. You also have great views back up the valley behind you of your you walk down from Jase Bhanjyang yesterday. Your hard work getting up this hill is well worth the effort and you're rewarded by not only another view of Mt Everest (!), but also with one of the loveliest trails in the area. Contouring around the hill the 'Nepali flat' (a little up and a little down) trail goes through the beautiful, dense forest. In the opposite valley, you'll see the Tubthencholing Monastery above Junbesi and its village-like surrounds, which is actually just the domestic quarters of the 500 Tibetan monks and nuns who live at the monastery. You'll arrive at Junbesi in time for lunch. Junbesi is a traditional Sherpa village sitting at an altitude of 2,675 m and is the cradle of Sherpa culture and architecture. The Sherpas regard the Solu Khumbu as Beyul - a sacred valley. In this remote part of Nepal bordering Tibet, Buddhism survives with a deep faith and resonance and is ?lled with Buddhist monasteries. In the afternoon we head up the lovely valley northwards to Thubtencholing, one of the largest Tibetan re-settlements in Nepal. The walk takes a bit over an hour going up and a little less returning. The large monastery here was established by the highly esteemed Trulsik Rinpoche, who fled from the Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet in the 1950s. As one of the few remaining high lamas who was born and educated in Tibet, Trulsik Rinpoche is of immense importance to Buddhism, in particular, the Nyingma sect to which he and the Thuptencholing Monastery belong. The monastery was built in the 1960s as a ‘temporary’ monastery until the Rinpoche could return to Tibet, however it has now been reconstructed as the permanent home of this Nyingma legacy and the Rinpoche’s reincarnate will be on this site, not in Tibet. In addition to the monastery, there is a Tibetan Medical school and hospital, so this is a great chance to learn about this ancient healing art. In the late afternoon, we will return to Junbesi to a hearty dinner in our cozy tea house. Trekking time: 4-5 hours Overnight: JunbesiMeals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day Day 7: Trek from Junbesi to Takasindu (9,616 feet / 2,931 m) — After breakfast, you'll start trekking to Takasindu, one of the best viewpoints of the trek. The trail crosses over the river and takes a left turn toward Salung ridge. From here, you'll have views of Mt. Everest as well as Thamserku and Kusum Kangaru. Then, you'll descend to Ringmo Khola and gradually climb up to Takasindu Pass. A few minutes below the pass, you'll see a monastery where you can have outstanding sunset views tonight (and the sunrise in the morning!).Overnight: TakasinduMeals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day Day 8: Trek from Taksindu to Phaplu (7,874 feet / 2,400 m) — After breakfast, head out on the last day of the trek as you make your way to Phaplu—a scenic little village with a few shops, cafés, and restaurants. A number of different treks end in Phaplu as this is where trekkers catch their flight back to Kathmandu.Overnight: Phaplu Day Day 9: Drive from Phaplu to Kathmandu — At the allotted time this morning, a private driver will pick you up from your hotel for drive back to Kathmandu which takes about 8 - 10 hours depending on traffic. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel and will be able to enjoy the rest of the time at your leisure.Overnight: Kathmandu Day Day 10: Depart Kathmandu — It's time to say farewell to Nepal. Enjoy your last moments in Kathmandu with breakfast in a café, a final stroll through the narrow alleys and temples, and some final souvenir shopping. A driver will be waiting for you at your hotel to take you to the airport for your return flight home. It's best to be at the airport at least two hours prior to departure.

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Welcome to Kathmandu! — Flying into Kathmandu, you'll have views over the valley, the Himalaya, and the terraced fields below. After completing customs, a representative will be waiting to greet you outside the airport and to guide you through the initial culture shock of Kathmandu’s narrow, winding streets to your hotel.+