Limbu Cultural Trail is a newly developed trekking trail on the hills of Taplejung. This trek offers to observe the culture, tradition, livelihood and lifestyle of Limbu Community. We can see the farm of cash crops, Cardamom along the trail. Diverse flora and fauna, untouched natural landscapes and beauty, cultural performances like music and dances, Tongba (local alcoholic beverages), etc. are the major attraction of this trail.
Limbu Cultural Trail is a newly developed trekking trail on the hills of Taplejung. This trek offers to observe the culture, tradition, livelihood and lifestyle of Limbu Community. We can see the farm of cash crops, Cardamom along the trail. Diverse flora and fauna, untouched natural landscapes and beauty, cultural performances like music and dances, Tongba (local alcoholic beverages), etc. are the major attraction of this trail. The warm welcoming of the Limbu people, meals with them at the teahouse lodge or Homestay, participating in their regular activities and hiking on the trail in the community offer the best experience of trekking in this region. The trek starts from Suketar and passes the beautiful villages of Lalikharka, Kande Bhanjyang, Simbu Phumpe Danda, Mamankhe and Tellok. Mamankhe is the village which is dominated by Limbu Community having Limbu Museum and Culture Center.
Highlights of Trek
| Duration | 13 Nights/ 14 Days |
| Grade | 2 |
| Maximum Elevation | Deurali (2,600m) |
| Mountains | Mt. Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Mt. Kumbakarna (Jannu, 7711m). |
| Rivers | Tamor River, Kabeli River |
| Forests | Rhododendron, Juniper, Larch, Pine Forests |
| Flights | Kathmandu (KTM) – Bhadrapur (BDP) – Kathmandu (KTM) |
| Landscapes | Hills, Grasslands Plateau, Basins, Valleys |
| Accommodation | Star Category hotels in Kathmandu, Tourist standard lodges/teahouse lodge in Trekking |
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Upon arrival at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, transfer to the hotel. After some refreshment, there will be a short briefing about the trek regarding the schedule, required trekking gears, services, and facilities we provided during the drive and trekking areas.
The rest of the time is free for trekking preparation.
Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 02: Half-Day Sightseeing Tour and Trek Preparation.
After breakfast, proceed for a half-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu City including the World Heritage Sites. It includes a tour of two sites among below:
- Pashupatinath Temple - the Temple of Lord Shiva situated on the bank of the holy Bagmati River. The temple is listed on a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu Durbar Square) - an ancient durbar (palace) with its numerous old palaces, temples, and pagodas, the Temple of Living Goddess “Kumari”, and the Kasthamandap Temple, which is believed to be constructed from the wood of a single tree from which Kathmandu derives its name.
- Bouddhanath Stupa- an ancient colossal stupa and the center of Tibetan Buddhism in the world
- Swayambhunath Stupa - the oldest Buddhist stupa of Nepal and has numerous shrines and monasteries on its premises. It is also known as the “Monkey Temple”!!
- Patan City - a city of 55 major temples, 136 Buddhist monasteries, and famous for the production of Thangka and Paubha Paintings.
- Narayan Hiti Palace Museum
- National Museum
The rest of the day is free for trekking preparation, such as trekking gear shopping, packing on a duffle bag, etc.
Eve: Trip briefing followed by welcome dinner at Authentic Nepali restaurant with cultural program.
Overnight at Hotel in Kathmandu. (B, D)
Day 03: Fly to Bhadrapur – 45 min and drive to Ilam (1,250m/4,100ft) – 95 km/ 3 hours
Timely, check out from the hotel and transfer to Kathmandu Domestic Airport to board an onward flight to Bhadrapur, Jhapa.
Upon arrival in Bhadrapur, meet the awaiting vehicle and start to drive to Ilam Bazar via Mechi Highway. En route, stop at Kanyam to explore the beautiful tea garden. Later, continue to drive through pristine landscapes of sloped tea gardens, thick natural forests. Upon arrival in Ilam Bazaar, check into the hotel and the rest of the time is free to stroll around Ilam Bazaar.
Overnight at Hotel in Ilam Bazaar. (B, D)
Day 04: Drive to Suketar (2,420m/7,938ft) – 158 Kms/5 hours
After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and start driving towards Suketar of Taplejung via Phidim. The scenic drive offers the breathtaking and magnificent sceneries of the snowcapped White Mountains and lush green hills. With sufficient stops and rest for the acclimatization, we will make a flexible journey to Taplejung Bazar (1,820m/5,970ft) From Taplejung, we will drive uphill towards Suketar (2,420m/7,938ft).
Overnight at the hotel at Suketar. (B, L, D)
Day 05: Trek to Lali Kharka (2,265m/7,430ft) – 4 hours
Early morning, start trek to Lali Kharka for about 4 hours. The trail gradually ascends to Deurali (2,600m) and descent to Lali Kharka through dense forest.
Overnight at teahouse lodge at Lali Kharka. (B, L, D)
Day 06: Trek to Kande Bhanjyang (2,129m/6,983ft) - 5 hours
The trail continues descent to Simbu Village (1,845m) and further down to Phawa Khola. Crossing the river, the trail ascends through the forest and reaches Kande Bhanjyang. Homestay facilities are available at Kande village. The rest of the time is free to l explore the village.
Overnight at Homestay at Kande Bhanjyang. (B, L, D)
Day 07: Trek to Phumphe Danda (1,858m/6,095ft) - 6 hours
After breakfast, start trek to Phumphe Danda for about 6 hours. Crossing Sincheburi Bhanjyang, the trail descends to Khesewa (2,120). The trail passes through numerous villages and valleys. We will trek along the Kabeli River with a magnificent view of the Mountains. We will enjoy the hospitality of Homestay at Phumphe Dande.
Overnight at Homestay at Phumphe Danda. (B, L, D)
Day 08: Trek to Mamankhe ( 1,785m/5,855ft) - 3 hours
This day, we will have an easy trek to Mamankhe which is about 3 hours. Leaving Phumphe Danda, the trail descents to Khaksewa Khola and further ascent to Mamankhe. We will explore the village of Mamankhe, visit Limbu Museum and Culture Center. In the evening, local people will perform cultural programs such as singing, dancing, etc. We will explore the cuisine of the local community.
Overnight at Homestay at Mamankhe. (B, L, D)
Day 09: Trek to Tellok (1,500m/4,920m) - 7 hours
Descending to the Kabeli River, the trail further ascends to Ekchana Bhanjyang (2,070m). Then, it will enter the new valley and reach Khebang village (1,910m). Passing through Pedang (1,670m), the trail will descend to Kabeli River. Crossing the Kabeli River, we will trek towards Tellok (1,500m).
Overnight at teahouse lodge at Tellok. (B, L, D)
Day 10: Trek to Suketar - 7 hours
Early morning, start trek towards Suketar. Leaving Tellok, the trail will ascend to Kande Bhanjyang (2,129m) and retrace the route to reach Suketar. Upon arrival in Suketar, check into the Lodge. In the evening, we will have a farewell program with the trekking support team.
Overnight at teahouse lodge at Suketar. (B, L, D)
Day 11: Drive to Bhadrapur
After breakfast, check out from the lodge and start driving to Bhadrapur via Mechi Highway enjoying the view of green hills, snow-capped mountains, rivers, tea gardens, and daily activities of the locals throughout the ride.
Overnight at a hotel in Bhadrapur. (B, L, D)
Day 12: Fly back to Kathmandu – 45 mins
Timely checkout from the hotel and transfer to Bhadrapur Domestic Airport to board an onward flight to Kathmandu to about 45 mins with the pleasant view of Himalayan Ranges including Kanchenjunga-Makalu-Everest-Rolwaling-Langtang massif.
Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu. (B, L, D)
Day 13: Contingency Day
If the plan goes smooth with the flight on require day/time, this day will be a free day in Kathmandu for leisure activities or sightseeing tours (on your own), last-minute shopping, bag packing, etc. On request, we will arrange a sightseeing tour of Kathmandu.
Eve: Group Farewell dinner at authentic Nepali Restaurant in Kathmandu.
Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu. (B, L, D)
Day 14: Final Departure
Timely transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport to board an onward flight to home country 3 hours earlier to the scheduled flight departing time. We wish you a happy journey during your flight from Nepal to your home country with the hope to see you on your next visit to Nepal.
(Meals Included: Breakfast)
Team Member
- All arrival and departures transfer will be assisted by the Tour Escorts.
- All the sightseeing tours in Kathmandu will be accompanied by an experienced English Speaking Tour Guide or any other language specialist on demand.
- During the trekking, a government-certified Trekking Guide will be with the group for the trek arrangements.
- One local guide to interpret languages with the local community.
- On a trek, porters will carry a duffel bag of 2 porters and ranges up to a maximum of 30 Kg/ 60 lbs. Guests are expected to carry only a small rucksack while walking to carry all the essentials such as water bottles, extra jackets, cameras, pack lunch, etc.
Transportation
- All arrival and departure transfers, ground transport will be provided an A/c private vehicle.
- Round Trip of Kathmandu/Bhadrapur/Kathmandu on a domestic flight.
- Drive from Bhadrapur-Suketar and Suketar-Bhadrapur will be on a private 4WD Jeep.
- (If you wish to use the local transport, there will be changes on the time and the stopover location than mentioned above. This will be the customized trek, so the final itinerary will be prepared according to the demand of trekkers.)
Accommodation & Food
- For four nights in Kathmandu, there will be star-categorized hotels depending upon the choice of guests.
- Welcome and farewell dinner in Kathmandu
- At Ilam, Suketar, and Bhadrapur, there will be tourist standard hotels which are based on availability)
- During trekking, we provide accommodation service on-mountain teahouse lodges or Homestay operated by the local community. Timing for breakfast, lunches, dinner can be more or fewer changes due to the availability of lodges or the guest preferences.
- There will be a fixed menu for meals i.e. Nepalese Meal Set (Dal Bhat) in some places.
- Guests having any specific meal dietary requirements should inform us in advance.
- Meals are listed as above in Itinerary. (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Itinerary
We request you to view the Itinerary and information herein as a guideline. The information provided in the itinerary is to the best of our knowledge, marginal variances in the actual distances and altitudes are possible. Weather conditions, roadblocks, local political conditions, flight cancellations, mechanical breakdowns, or other such unforeseeable circumstances can lead to a change in itinerary or means of transport.
Insurance
It is important to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy against illness, hospitalization, flight delays, loss of luggage, cancellations, and amendments due to weather conditions, political disturbances, or natural calamities as well as emergency helicopter evacuation. Before purchasing Travel Insurance, please ensure that the policy covers adventure activities and or trekking activity at around 2,500m.
Fitness
The trek is easy to trek all groups of trekkers as well as for beginners. This trek involves walking 5-6 hours daily while ascending whereas, on returning, the trek will skip one camp). Previous walking experience at high altitudes is beneficial. The highest altitude that we attain on this trek is 2,600m/8,528ft (Deurali). Physical fitness is essential & previous walking experience outdoor is essential.
Basic infrastructure
The trekking area may lack an electricity facility and telephone network. We recommend you carry additional batteries for Cameras, or a solar power bank to charge smartphones.
