Trip Details

  • Destination: Nepal
  • Trip Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Trip Style: Camping Trek
  • Transport: Public Vehicle & Flight
  • Food: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Lodge & Camping
  • Group Size: 16
  • Max Elevation: Lumba Sumba Pass (5177m)

Highlights

  • Exploring some of the remote regions of Nepal.
  • Panoramic views of Kanchanjunga, Makalu and Kumbakarna range.
  • Exploring some of the captivating villages of Chirwa, Lelep, Gola, etc.
  • Encountering some of the endangered animals.

Description

Lumba Sumba Pass Trekking is an incredible adventure leading you to the eastern border of Tiber- China. This trek sits in the remote range at the end of Nepal Himalaya which was only opened in 2012. T takes trekkers from Kanchenjunga to Makalu region via the Lamba Sumba Pass.
 
The highest point of the trek is at Lumba Sumba Pass. It sits at an altitude of 5117 meters above sea level. The trek rewards some of the best scenery of mountains, hills, glacier rivers, green valleys, captivating villages, and the unique culture and tradition. It is also a unique venture to the unknown hidden valley of Walungchung and Gola. These sit closer to the eastern border of Tibet- China. 
 
Lumba Sumba Pass Trek is rich in flora and fauna. The route follows some of the best preserved protected areas. The Kanchanjunga Conservation Area and Makalu Barun National Park offer trekkers with some of the rare protected plants and animals. During the trek, you might also get to witness, Red Panda, Snow Leopards, and several other endangered species.
 
The 19 days Lumba Sumba Pass Trek starts from a short drive from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur. Lumba Sumba Pass Trek is a teahouse and camp trek. It is a moderate trekking destination to enjoy the spectacular mountain views such as Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga range.
 
Autumn and spring can be the ideal choice for trekking to the Lumba Sumba Pass. However, monsoon and winter can be a good alternative if you want a thrilling experience. So if you are ready for an adventurous trip, you can join us at Mount Mania.
 
 

19 Days Lumba Sumba Pass Trek Itinerary

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Today is the first day of your Lumba Sumba Pass Trek. you will arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport. Our representative from Mount Mania will greet you as you reach the airport.

You will take a domestic flight to Bhadrapur now. Bhadrapur sits in the far east side from the Kathmandu valley. It will take you around 45 minutes to reach Bhadrapur Airport from Kathmandu. You will take off with the panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains and reach Bhadrapur.

Flight Duration: 45 minutes

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Hotel
  • Altitude: 3000m

You will drive towards Illam today. Illam is a famous hill town for tea and tea garden. You will have the view of Kanchanjunga towards the far north as you reach Illam. After exploring the culture of eastern people, you will drive towards Sukhetar.

Sukhetar is a village in Taplejung. Today you will drive for about four hours to reach the Suketar village from Illam. The drive today will lead you towards the farm villages and town. You will drive through a rough road and cross the Kabeli Khola. You will finally reach Sukhetar village in Taplejung after crossing the river.

Overnight in Taplejung. 

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Hotel
  • Altitude: 1820m

Lumba Sumpa Pass Trek will officially start today. At first, you will trek towards Mitlung from Sukhetar. Mitlang is a farm village that sits at a height of 921 meters. You will take a downhill route to Mitlung. Walking further will take you to Pawa village. You will have your lunch in the village. You will walk along the bank of the Tamor river and reach Mitlung.

A 40 minutes walk from Mitlung to Furuba is beautiful. The trail takes an uphill route for about half an hour. And then Ulnus and Schima forest to reach Siwa Bazaar. You will walk towards Tawa village. The route involves an uphill walk from the village. You will then walk towards Thiwa village. You will take a downhill route from the village to reach your final destination at Chirwa. Chirwa is a moderate size village with people of different ethnic groups.

Overnight at a lodge in Chirwa.

Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
  • Altitude: 1270m

The trail today involves walking along the river bank of Tamor river. At first, you will head towards Sukathum village. Sukathum is a small woodland village by the river bank. The route then involves walking through Ulnus tress passes. From here you will reach towards a big landslide area. It will take you around half an hour to cross this.

You will walk through beautiful cardamom gardens to reach Tapethok. Tapethok sits at the height of 1340 meters. You will have your lunch here. Tapethok is a small market with some tea and coffee shops. After having your lunch, you will take an uphill climb towards Pembu. Lelep is two and a half hours away from Pembu. From Pembu, you will finally reach Lelep.

Overnight in a tented camp at Lelep.

Trekking Duration: 5-6 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 1860m

The trek today involves walking along the dense forest. The forest offers you with the natural habitat of different wild species. You can witness some wild animals such as red panda, musk deer, snow leopards, etc if you are lucky. On crossing a suspension bridge, you will walk towards the pine forest.

After walking for about half an hour through the forest of pine, you will reach a monastery. You will descend towards Gowatar which will take you around half an hour. Gowatar is a small settlement that sits at the height of 1800 meters. On walking further from Gowatar, you will come across two spectacular waterfalls which are about 100 meters tall. The route will then take you to Phedi. You will cross the Tamor river and ascend towards Chautaro. 20 minutes walk from Chautaro will take you to Illa Danda. Illa Danda offers trekkers with the panoramic views of snowy mountains and Tamor river.

Overnight at a tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 2051m

Today you will walk through Ulnus and rhododendron forest for the first hour. Then you will cross a suspension bridge which will take you to dense bamboo woods. Many trekkers refer to it as the habitat of the red panda.

As you walk, you can also have some sight of red panda too. After walking for about three and a half hours from Illa Danda, you will trek towards Maguwa. Maguwa lies at the height of 2423 meters where you will have your lunch. From there you will walk through Ulnus and maple forest towards the big landslide. Be careful while crossing the landslide area. One and a half hours walk from there will take you to Selep Kharka.

Overnight at tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 2525m

Today you will have to walk for a longer period of time. You will the route along the bank of Tamor river. The route will take you to Jongim at 2641 meters. Jongim is flat land where snow-clad hills surround the area. Another 40 minutes involves walking through the rhododendron forest. You will then cross a suspension bridge.

From the bridge, you will take an uphill walk towards Ramite at 2685 meters. After crossing Ramite, you will come across a beautiful waterfall along the way. A 45 minutes walk from the waterfall will give you the first glimpse of Olangchung Gola. Olangchung Gola is a beautiful Sherpa village. The village consists of a 465-year-old monastery with a golden monastery.

Overnight at a tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 7-8 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 3208m

Today is the rest day for acclimatization. Acclimatization is usually a free day to explore around the area before you climb further to a higher altitude. It helps you to adjust to the surrounding environment and reduce the problem of altitude sickness.

You will have a day to explore the captivating villages of the region. The houses there are usually built with stones. People here are mostly Tibetan influenced and follow Tibetan life and culture. The locals are mostly engaged in activities such as trading items from Tibet and Nepal.

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 3208m

From today, you will have to walk in a complete wilderness. You will come across several piles of stones that act as sign points to show you directions.

You will walk pine and rhododendron forest. On walking for about two and a half hours from the forest, you will reach to Jadak. Jadak is a village in the region standing at an altitude of 3636 meters. You will stop there to have your lunch. You will walk on a snowy trail from there. Three hours walk from Jadak will take you to the camping site at Upper Langmale.

Overnight at tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 3893m

Today you will lead towards Tamor Khola. You will take an uphill climb for about 3-4 hours to reach Lumba Sumba. You will walk through the forest of rhododendron, pine, oak and Mongolia trees.

The route then involves a downhill trail to Dinsangba Khola. You will walk through several yak pastures known as Kharka towards the large green valleys. You will follow the northwest direction of the flowing stream through a high rocky cliff edge. Walking further will take you to an icy pond from there, you will climb towards the northern ridge top of the Lumba Sumba Pass. The pass sits in the highest point of the entire journey. It will provide you with an incredible experience of higher elevation.

On reaching the top, you will witness some of the magnificent views of the mountains. Such as Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Kumbakarna Himal along with beautiful Kanchenjunga range.

Trekking Duration: 7-8 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 4748m

After conquering the Laba Sumba Pass, you will head down towards a wide valley. The trail passes through several yak pastures to reach Chauri Kharka. Chauri Kharka is about 3-4 hours walk from Lumba Sumba Pass Trek. It sits at the height of 4598 which is the highest camping site in the entire journey.

As you reach Chauri Kharka, you will stay overnight in a tented camp. 

Trekking Duration: 4 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 4598m

The trek today is a downhill walk from the Chauri Kharka. After a tiring walk for three days, you will finally head down towards civilization. The weather becomes much warmer as you take a gradual descent.

You will then take a small climb and then a normal walk towards the alpine forest. A walk for about 4 hours from there will take you to Thudam. Thudam is a beautiful village with Tibetan influenced villagers. It is a moderate size village with stone houses and pine woods.

Overnight at tented camp. 

Trekking Duration: 6-7 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 4500m

After exploring the remote village of Thudam, you will walk towards Kharka today. The path involves walking along the banks of Chujung Khola. The trail awards you with the amazing views Makalu range.

The path to Kharka will take you through small bushes and bamboo groves. The route is also famous as the habitat of Red Panda. So, if you are lucky, you may witness Red Panda. You will then walk downhill towards isolated yak herders camp at Kharka.

Overnight at tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 5-6 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 2677m

You will start with a short climb to a village today. The village sits on the mid hills above the Arun Valley river. You will then descend towards a muddy trail to reach the Arun river. After crossing a bridge, you will take an uphill walk towards the village of Lhomi. The village will then lead you to Chyamtang.

Chyamtang is a Sherpa village. You can find several small houses in the village. Overnight you will stay at a tented camp in Chyamtang.

Trekking Duration: 5-6 Hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 2229m

You will walk through rhododendron forest today. The journey will be quite easy. You will visit the popular places for birding as you reach the Arun valley. Arun valley is a home to different species of bird.

Two and a half hours walk from Chyamtang will lead you to Glimber village. The village sits at an altitude of 1585 meters. You will have your lunch in the village. You will reach Hatiya after three hours walk from Glimber village. Hatiya is a small village where Bhote people live in. It is the entry point to Makalu National Park.

Overnight at a tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 5-6 Hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 1595m

To reach Gola, you will have to walk alongside the Arun river. You will reach a confluence of Arun and Barun rivers after walking for about two hours from Hatiya. You will have your lunch near the river confluence. You will proceed towards Gola after having your lunch.

Gola is the final destination of the day. On walking 2 and a half hours after your lunch will take you to the camping site at Gola.

Overnight at a tented camp.

Trekking Duration: 6 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Tented Camp
  • Altitude: 1128m

The trek involves walking through the lowland of paddy fields. After a short descent, you will have to take a short climb again. You will reach Pathibhara after two hours walk from Gola. Pathibhara is a small Gurung village in the region. It consists of small tea shops with some hotels and lodges. You will have your lunch there.

The trail then passes through agricultural lands and small settlements. You will reach Hedangna Gadi after about three hours walk from Pathibhara. Gadi is a historically significant place where Nepal Army fought. It is a small village market with some schools, health posts, and police station. 

Trekking Duration: 7 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
  • Altitude: 1179m

On the last day of your trekking journey, you will descend towards Num from Hedangna. You will walk downhill for about an hour to reach the Arun river. You will cross the river. After crossing the river, you will take an uphill climb towards the Num village. Num is a large village that sits on the ridge top overlooking the hills of Makalu area. And also, Jaljala Himal in the north.

From Num, you will drive towards Kadhbari. Kadhbari is the headquarter of Sankhuwasaba district. From there you will head towards Tumlingtar with the scenic views of eastern Nepali villages.

Trekking Duration: 4-5 hours

  • Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
  • Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
  • Altitude: 1572m

You will head towards the Tumlingtar airport after having your breakfast. You will take a domestic flight from Tumlingtar to Kathmandu. After 45 minutes you will reach Kathmandu airport. On reaching the airport, you will see our representative waiting for you.

Flight Duration: 45 minutes

  • Altitude: 1320m

What to Expect

Cost Includes

  • Airport Pickup and Drop
  • Camping and Teahouse accommodation during the trek
  • Three meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) during the trek
  • Local Bus Ticket (Bhadrapur to Taplejung)
  • Flight Ticket (Kathmandu to Bhadrapur)
  • Local Bus Ticket (Num to Tumlingtar)
  • Flight Ticket (Tumlingtar to Kathmandu)
  • English Speaking Trekking Guide with Insurance, Transportation, Food and Accommodation
  • Porter with Insurance, Transportation, Food, and Accommodation
  • Use of sleeping bag & Duffel bag (if you don’t have your own, To be return after trip completed)
  • Cooking Staff and Helper 
  • All Camping equipment like Tents and Kitchen equipment
  • All Necessary Trekking Permits (Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Permit, Kanchenjunga Restricted Permit, Makalu Barun National Park, Barun Valley Restricted Permit)
  • Daily seasonal fresh fruits after dinner 
  • A first aid kit carried by the guide (Oximeter to measure your oxygen and pulse in high altitude) 
  • All Government and Local taxes

Cost Excludes

  • International Flight Ticket and Nepalese Visa Fee
  • Hotel & Meals in Kathmandu
  • Extra night accommodation in case of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the trek (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
  • Personal expenses (WiFi, Phone calls, Laundry, Bar bills, Battery Recharge, Water, Shower, and Tea / Coffee)
  • Other costs not mentioned in 'Cost Includes' section
  • Travel and Rescue Insurance
  • Tips for Guides, Porters, and Helpers