Pikey Peak Trek - 13 Days

On your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be greeted by a representative from the Himalayan Trekkers. You will be then escorted to the respective hotel/resort in Kathmandu and helped in check-in formalities. You can rest and refresh for a bit. 

Depending upon your arrival time, you can opt. for short guided sightseeing. If your arrival makes it by the afternoon, you will be guided to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the valley. It is the biggest stupa in Nepal and one of the biggest in Asia reflecting Mahayana (Tibetan) Buddhism. 

After exploring the peaceful Boudhanath area, we will drive to Pashupatinath Temple which is only minutes’ drive from Boudhanath. Pashupatinath Temple is another world heritage site that is one of the four prominent Hindu sites in the world. The highlight of visiting the temple of Lord Shiva is the evening Aarti ceremony. 

After that, we will drive back to the city center and stroll around the streets of Thamel, the biggest commercial hub of Nepal.

Start the day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel and you will be guided for the full-day Kathmandu sightseeing covering some of the prominent landmarks of Nepal that are also listed as world heritage sites such as Swayambhunath Stupa, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Kathmandu Durbar Square. 

Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the most beloved Buddhist and Hindu sites located at a hilltop overlooking the entire Kathmandu valley surrounded by the high lush green hills. It is one of the oldest sites in Kathmandu that is related to the birth of Kathmandu Valley itself.

Patan Durbar Square is one of the three Durbar Squares in Kathmandu Valley located in the city of beauty called Patan or Lalitpur. Patan Durbar is mostly popular for its artistic side as the complex boasts the Newari architecture in its hundreds of monuments, shrines, temples, and statues. 

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is an open museum of medieval art and architecture with many masterpieces of sculpture, woodcarving, and huge pagoda temples dedicated to many gods and goddesses. It is located 15 kilometers from Kathmandu with a collection of pagoda and shikhara-style temples arranged around a brick and wood palace with fifty-five windows. 

Kathmandu Durbar Square is also known as Hanuman Dhoka Durbar and Basantapur Durbar Square. It is located at the center of the city near to the ancient markets of Ason, Thamel, and Indrachowk which are within the walking distance. It is also a famous hotspot for the locals, especially for youngsters. The durbar complex has wonderful history and history-related monuments. Kumari Ghar – the temple/house of the Living Goddess Kumari, Kasthamandap, the statue of Hanuman, the former royal palace now museum, Kala Bhairav Temple, etc. are just a few of the sites to see here.

Our journey begins with a short domestic flight to Phaplu. As we fly through the mountains, we arrive at our destination that opens up a gateway to the more remote parts of the Himalayas. We begin our hike immediately with a short trek to Salleri and make camp by nightfall.

We set out early heading south towards the village of Dorpu. As the day progresses, we cross a torrid river and then climb to Ghatte Khola. After lunch, we head to a nearby vista point that offers up spectacular views of Mera Peak, Numbur, and Thamserku. We camp for the night at Dandakharka having gained just a couple of hundred meters in elevation.

Those who feel up to it can choose to begin their day with a blessed view of the magnificent Everest and this even before breakfast! It is just a short walk from the camp and there is time aplenty to complete our journey to Jhapre (2820m) where we will rest for the night. An adventurous day awaits us with ridge trails and river crossings with an exciting climb. At Jhapre we will be camping within view of the largest mountains of the Himalayas.

The highest climb of our journey is yet to come, as we quickly ascend almost 1000m through thick forest underbrush and emerge at a ridgeline that provides a consistently amazing view of the surrounding peaks. Upon reaching the Pikey Peak Base Camp, we set up camp and rest for the long day ahead.

While we don’t gain as much elevation as the previous day, we still have an arduous climb ahead of us as the gradient we conquer today is much greater. At the summit of Pikey (4065m), we are rewarded with spectacular views of Everest and the Khumbu Mountains. If we are lucky enough, we may also catch a glimpse of the Annapurnas in the distance. By afternoon, we begin our descent to Jhase Bhanjyang for lunch and then to camp at the foot of the Lamjura La (3530m) .

A more leisurely walk can be expected today. We make our way through mostly plains and down to our camp in the Mopung Valley. We also cross Junbesi on our descent, a village frequented by hikers heading on the main Everest trail from Jiri.

This day is not planned in detail as we would like to allow our hikers to have the flexibility to choose what they would do. Short and long walks are equally encouraged with guides and Sherpas being provided for all groups.

The best and most popular option is to hike up to the Thuptenchholing Gompa, a wonderful spot where 800 monks live in little cottages dotting the hill behind the main Gompa. After exploring the Gompa and its surroundings we will return to our camp at Mopung Valley or Junbesi and spend another night under the sky full of stars. 

After breakfast at our camp in Mopung Valley, we start our trek and pass through the Sherpa Village of Timba. From Timba, we head to Ringmu which leads us to the main trail frequented by hikers taking the path from Jiri to Lukla. Ringmu is another Sherpa community with a rich cultural heritage. It is known for its apple wine and yak cheese. 

From Ringmu, we quickly return to Phaplu on an easy walk via the dense forest and Tak Shindo village.  The trail runs through Himalayan pasture terrain with abundant Himalayan vegetation. Phaplu is a good place to spend the night. On request, a Sherpa cultural show can be arranged here in Phaplu. 

As the trek has come to an end, we will fly to Kathmandu early in the morning from Phaplu enjoying magnificent views of Cho Oyu, Everest, Langtang, and other peaks. Once in Kathmandu, we will drive to the hotel where you will check-in and take a brief rest. The remainder of the day in Kathmandu is on your own. You can stroll around the Thamel, Ason, and Indrachowk markets. In the evening, we will gather at an authentic Nepalese restaurant for a farewell dinner to celebrate the success of the trek.

Concluding the journey, a representative from Himalayan Trekkers will transfer you at the Tribhuvan International Airport 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight back to your home country or onward destination.