Ghunsa, Kanchenjunga: Village, Altitude and Trek Stop Guide

Why go

Ghunsa is the largest village on the Kanchenjunga Circuit, at about 3,475 m on a flat in the Ghunsa Khola valley, in the upper part of the Kanchenjunga region. Wooden houses with stone roofs, prayer flags and a small monastery stand among larch and fir forest, and the village has lodges, a health post, a conservation area office and a police checkpoint.

Trekkers usually spend at least two nights here: one to acclimatise on the way up to Kambachen, Lhonak and Pangpema, and another on the way back before climbing to Selele for the passes to Tseram. Many families move down to lower villages in winter, when lodges close.

History and culture

Ghunsa is home mainly to people of Tibetan heritage, often described locally as Sherpa or Bhote, who historically traded across the passes to Tibet and graze yaks on the high pastures. Tibetan Buddhist practice shapes village life, with a gompa, mani walls and chortens. In September 2006 a helicopter carrying officials and conservationists crashed near Ghunsa after a ceremony handing management of the conservation area to local communities, killing all 24 people on board; a memorial recalls them.

Things to do in Ghunsa

Acclimatisation hike
Climb a few hundred metres on the slopes above the village for views up the valley, then return to sleep in Ghunsa.
Visit the gompa
Walk up to the village monastery; ask before entering or taking photographs inside.

Weather and the best time to visit Ghunsa

Weather in Ghunsa

Forecast for 3,475 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.

Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.

Best time to visit

Mar-May, Oct-Nov

Jan
Feb
Good month: Mar
Good month: Apr
Good month: May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Good month: Oct
Good month: Nov
Dec

Autumn (Sep-Nov): October and November bring the clearest skies and are the main trekking months; September can still be wet lower down.
Winter (Dec-Feb): December to February is very cold, many upper lodges close and snow can block the high passes.
Spring (Mar-May): March to May is the second season, with rhododendron flowers in the forests and more afternoon cloud.
Monsoon (Jun-Aug): June to August is wet, with leeches, landslides on the access roads and cloud over the peaks.

Where to stay

TeahousesLodges

Several basic lodges; some close in winter.

No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.

Getting there

Drive from Phungling to the Tamor valley road head near Sekathum, then walk three days via Amjilosa and Gyabla.

Nearest hub: Taplejung (Phungling)

jeepPhungling to Sekathum, about 5-7 hours on a rough road.
trekSekathum to Ghunsa in about 3 days, overnighting at Amjilosa and Gyabla.

Boundary: Government of Nepal, Survey Department (2020). Peak data: Wikidata.

Permits and fees

Restricted-area permit

This part of the Kanchenjunga region is a restricted area. You need a restricted area permit, issued only through a registered trekking agency for trekkers with a licensed guide, and a Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry permit.

Kanchenjunga restricted area permit (Taplejung): Arranged by a registered agency through the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu.
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area entry permit: Checked on the trail; check the current fee.
Guide rule: Restricted-area trekkers must go with a licensed guide; group-size rules have been reported to change, so check the current rule.

Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Department of Immigration, Nepal: trekking route and permit fee.

On the trail

On the Kanchenjunga Circuit (North and South Base Camps).

Previous stop:: Gyabla
Next stop:: Kambachen (north) or Selele (towards the Sele La passes)
A typical day:: From Gyabla about 4-6 hours and 700-800 m of height gain through forest via Phale.

Practical tips

Above about 3,000 m, a widely used guideline is to raise your sleeping altitude by no more than about 500 m a day and to rest every 3 to 4 days; know the signs of acute mountain sickness and descend if they get worse. This is general information, not medical advice.
Mobile signal is patchy; some lodges offer paid satellite Wi-Fi.
There are no ATMs beyond Phungling; carry enough Nepali rupees for the whole trek.
Ask before photographing people and walk clockwise around chortens and mani walls.

Treks through Ghunsa

The north-west face of Kanchenjunga and the Kanchenjunga glacier seen from Pangpema.

Kanchenjunga Circuit Trek (North and South Base Camps)

A three-week restricted-area trek in far eastern Nepal that reaches both Kanchenjunga base camps, Pangpema in the north and Oktang in the south, joined by the Sele La pass crossing.

Days: 20 days
Maximum altitude: 5,143 m
Difficulty: Challenging

Questions about Ghunsa

How high is Ghunsa?

About 3,475 m according to Wikipedia; trek itineraries give figures from 3,400 to 3,595 m. Altitude sickness becomes a real risk from here up.

How many days is Ghunsa from Taplejung?

Usually one day by jeep to Sekathum and three days on foot via Amjilosa and Gyabla.

Do I need a permit for Ghunsa?

Yes. Ghunsa is in the Kanchenjunga restricted area, so you need a restricted area permit through a registered agency and a conservation area permit.

More in Kanchenjunga Region

All of Kanchenjunga Region

Viewpoint · 5,140 m

Nearby

National park or conservation area

Kanchenjunga Region

A remote trekking region below the world's third-highest mountain, with Limbu and Sherpa villages, two base camps and a restricted-area permit.

Ghunsa