Pikey Peak Trek – 9 Days

Most probably, you will fly down to Nepal’s only international airfield, Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Many airlines serve the country, including the national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation. When flying from the west to Kathmandu on a clear day, you will see the close succession of Western Himalayas and the three peaks of the Ganesh Himal that dominate the Kathmandu Valley. Coming from the east, you can see eight-thousand meters peaks like Kanchenjunga, Cho Oyu, and Everest.

Once you arrive, our representatives from SheNature will pick you up and take you to your hotel. Later, if you wish, we will take you for a quick tour of Kathmandu’s heritage sites. Likewise, if you need to do some last-minute shopping for the trek, you’ll head to Thamel.

Pikey Peak Trek travel begins early in the morning as you will be on the road for 8-9 hours. After a hearty breakfast, you’ll begin the drive on the newly opened B.P. Highway. Driving along the banks of Sunkoshi and Tamakoshi for 5 hours will take us to a quiet little town called Ghurmi. After devouring wholesome Dal Bhat here by the riverside, you will continue uphill through rhododendron forests to reach Dhap Bazaar.

Today, you will trek on a relatively easy but off-beaten trail for 5-6 hours to reach Japre. But before that, you can go for a short hike to a nearby viewpoint to watch the sunrise. Viewing the sunlight paint Cho Oyu, Lhotse and Mera Peak orange will be the highlight of the day. After breakfast, you will begin the day’s adventure from a ridgeline south of Dhap. As you pass through traditional villages, orchid gardens, and rhododendron forests, the landscape changes more frequently. Following two hours of a downhill trek through pine and rhododendron forests, you will reach the Sigane village. Here, peaks of the Numbur Himal section will grant you some outstanding views.

The track from Sigane follows a road under construction at first. So, it can be a little muddy and slippery. After three hours of a gentle trek through Sherpa and Magar villages, you will finally reach Japre. As the village is perched above a deep valley, you can bask in the views of Everest, Numbur, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, and Tsumsherko mountains! you can also visit the ancient monastery and stupas here before ending the night.

We will start the day super early to catch the sunrise once again. After relishing the beautiful views, we will continue the day’s trek on the dusty, graveled path for some time before trekking uphill through pine and rhododendron forests. After 2.5-3 hours of ascending, we will stop at BhulBhule village for a short tea break. Here, the path splits, and we will take the right turn towards Pikey Peak. The trail becomes increasingly steep before reaching Lhamuje, where we will stop by for lunch. From here, the narrow track opens out to reveal a wide yak pasture. After trekking past the long Mani wall and a forested trail for over 3 hours, we will reach our destination for the night—Pikey Peak Base Camp. Interestingly, there are only 4 households here.

In the evening, we will go to a nearby cheese factory for some refreshments. If the weather is exceptionally clear, we will climb the Pikey Peak on the same evening for a stunning sunset view.

Finally, the most expected day of the trek arrives! From the Pikey Peak Base Camp, the climb to the majestic Pikey Peak is short, but you will start early. After gradually trekking along the steep trail for about an hour and a half, you will reach the top of the summit. From here, we can watch the sun gradually rise from the back of the mountains. You will also be rewarded with panoramic views of the eight-thousanders like Everest, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Annapurna 1 and Cho Oyu among other equally beautiful peaks. After spending some time at the top and capturing the moments through cameras as much as possible, you will trek down.

To return, we will trace a ridge line that starts from the summit for two hours. It is flat initially but increasingly steepens as you head towards the Jase Bhanjyang forest. After a delicious meal here at a teahouse, you will continue our downhill trek towards Junbesi, which includes some steep forested sections. This route joins the Everest Base Camp trail coming from Jiri. Next, you will continue downhill gently alongside Mani walls and Chortens to reach Junbesi, a traditional Sherpa village. Here, you’ll devour flavorful yak dairy products and enjoy the night views of Numbur Himal.

After several days of trekking up and down, we deserve some relaxation, don’t we? However, it doesn’t mean we will laze around and sleep in. We will make the most out of the day by exploring around Junbesi, the cradle of Sherpa architecture and culture. After traversing a circuitous road that passes through barley fields for a while, we reach the Thupten Chholing Monastery. It is a retreat monastery and community established by Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche in the 1960s. Here, we can witness the chanting of Mantra and other ceremonies, receive blessings, and interact with nuns and monks. Other than that, we can chill at the yak pasture, try traditional bamboo weaving, and mingle with the local Sherpas and try their cuisine. We will once again spend the night in Junbesi.

Today is the last day of actual trekking during the Pikey Peak Trek. After breakfast, you will hit the trail bound for Phaplu. After continuing down alongside Jubesi Khola (river) for some time,  you will cross the river at the lowest part of the town on a steel suspension bridge. Next, the route climbs through the forest up to Salung. From here, you can once again marvel at the views of Everest, Makalu, and the valley. You can stop for a break at the small village of Ringmo, famous for its apple orchards and apple wine. A brief climb from here will take us to Taksindu La, famed for its scenic views and ancient monasteries. A trek through a forested trail will now lead us to Phaplu finally. Here, you can visit the Chiwong Gompa, renowned for the Mani Rimdu festival.

Today, you bid goodbye to the short but eventful Pikey Peak Trek. You can either opt to travel by road like before or fly this time. Phaplu houses one of the few domestic airports in the region, from where we can catch a direct flight to Kathmandu. You can spend the evening at one of Kathmandu’s heritage sites, followed by a farewell dinner.

Pikey Peak Trek finally ends on the ninth day. The trek may end, but the joyful memories will forever be etched in our hearts. Representatives from SheNature will transfer you to the airport for your flight home. If you want to extend your stay in Nepal and embark on other adventures, we will be pleased to customize a new itinerary for you.