Pikey Peak Trek
Everest from the Sherpa hills
- 9 days
- Moderate
- From $3,200
- Duration
- 9 days
- Walking grade
- Moderate
- Highest point
- 4,065 m
- Best months
- Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov
- Starts and ends
- Kathmandu
For travellers who want Everest views and Sherpa culture without the crowds or the altitude.
- Sunrise over the Everest range from Pikey Peak
- Thubten Chholing monastery at Junbesi
- Sherpa hill country few trekkers see
- Moderate altitude, a good first Himalayan trek
Pikey Peak is a sacred hill in the Sherpa country south of the Khumbu, and a fine place to watch sunrise on Everest. Few trekkers come this way.
There are no mountain flights. You drive from Kathmandu into the Solu hills and walk from Phaplu, through forest and Sherpa farmland, to the village of Junbesi and on up to the peak. It is a short trek at moderate altitude, which makes it a good choice for a first Himalayan walk, for a winter trip, or for anyone who wants to see Everest without the crowds of the Khumbu.
The walk runs through rhododendron forest and through Junbesi, home to the monastery of Thubten Chholing. You spend two nights there before going higher, then sleep one night below the peak and climb it at dawn, with a long line of the Himalaya in front of you.
The comfort here is different from the Khumbu. In Phaplu you stay in a heritage house with private rooms; in Junbesi and below the peak, in the best of the simple teahouses. The highest night is at 3,640 metres, and the day you climb the peak is long, so come with good walking legs.
Pikey Peak Trek: the route
5 places · starts and ends in Kathmandu
Your journey at a glance
Choose a day
Highest night 3,640 m at Pikey Base Camp · highest point 4,065 m
Way upWay backPositions are approximate; peaks are shown for orientation.
Pikey Peak Trek, day by day
-
Day 1 Kathmandu Luxury hotel Arrival 1,400 m
Your host meets you at arrivals and drives you to your heritage hotel in Kathmandu. You have the afternoon to rest, then a short briefing and gear check with your guide. In the evening you eat with a Kathmandu family, an easy first taste of Nepal and its food.
- Getting there
- Arrival
- Sleeping altitude
- 1,400 m
- Where you stay
- Heritage luxury hotel in Kathmandu (Dwarika's or similar)
- Meals
- Dinner
-
Day 2 Phaplu Heritage house Drive 7–8 h 2,413 m
A long day on the road, leaving early in a private vehicle. You drive east out of the valley, along the Sun Koshi river and up into the Solu hills, through terraced farmland and small bazaar towns. It takes seven to eight hours with stops. Phaplu is a small town in the hills, and your night is in a heritage house with private rooms.
- Getting there
- Drive 7–8 h
- Sleeping altitude
- 2,413 m (+1,013 m)
- Where you stay
- Heritage guesthouse, private rooms
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Days 3–4 Junbesi Best teahouse 3–4 h · 9 km 2,675 m
A gentle first walk through forest and farmland, over a forested ridge, and down into Junbesi, a Sherpa village of white houses beside a river. The second day is for acclimatisation and the monastery: a walk up to Thubten Chholing, home to a large community of monks and nuns, and a climb onto the ridge above the village before returning to sleep low.
- Walking
- About 3–4 h, 9 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 2,675 m (+262 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 5 Pikey Base Camp Best teahouse 6–7 h · 13 km 3,640 m
The big climb of the trek. You leave early and climb through rhododendron and pine forest, which flowers red and pink in spring, out onto open grassy ridges with views across the Solu hills. The settlement at Pikey Base Camp is a few herders' huts and simple lodges below the peak. Arrive in the afternoon, eat early and go to bed.
- Walking
- About 6–7 h, 13 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 3,640 m (+965 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 6 Pikey Peak · Junbesi Best teahouse 7 h · 15 km 2,675 m
A very early start, by head torch, for the climb to the summit of Pikey Peak at 4,065 metres, hung with prayer flags. As the sun rises it lights a long line of the Himalaya, with Everest and Makalu on the horizon. After breakfast it is a long descent back through the forest to Junbesi.
- Walking
- About 7 h, 15 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 2,675 m (−965 m)
- Where you stay
- Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 7 Phaplu Heritage house 3–4 h · 9 km 2,413 m
A shorter walk back over the ridge to Phaplu, retracing your first day through the forest and farmland. You arrive early in the afternoon at the heritage house, with time for a hot shower and a long, quiet evening. It is a peaceful place to end the walking.
- Walking
- About 3–4 h, 9 km
- Sleeping altitude
- 2,413 m (−262 m)
- Where you stay
- Heritage guesthouse, private rooms
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 8 Kathmandu Luxury hotel Drive 7–8 h 1,400 m
The long drive back to Kathmandu, down from the hills and along the river valleys, with stops on the way. You reach the hotel in the late afternoon, in time to rest before a last dinner in the city.
- Getting there
- Drive 7–8 h
- Sleeping altitude
- 1,400 m (−1,013 m)
- Where you stay
- Heritage luxury hotel in Kathmandu (Dwarika's or similar)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
-
Day 9 Departure Departure
A last breakfast in Kathmandu and a private transfer to the airport, timed around your flight. If you are flying late, your guide can fill the hours with a last walk in the city.
- Getting there
- Departure
- Meals
- Breakfast
Walking times are typical at an unhurried pace and include rests; your guide adjusts each day to the group and the weather.
Is this journey for you?
- Walking
- Five to seven hours a day, sleeping as high as about 4,000 metres.
- Fitness
- Regular exercise and some hill walking before you come.
- Altitude
- You sleep as high as 3,640 m, with acclimatisation built into the route. We send a health questionnaire and talk it through before you book.
- Terrain
- Forest trails and farm paths through the Solu hills, then open grassy ridges and a steep final climb to the summit of Pikey Peak.
The practical details
Where you stay
Named lodges or similar, confirmed in your proposal.
- 2 nights
Luxury hotel
Heritage luxury hotel in Kathmandu (Dwarika's or similar)
Kathmandu
- 2 nights
Heritage house
Heritage guesthouse, private rooms
Phaplu
- 4 nights
Best teahouse
Best available teahouse, private room, often with shared bathroom
Junbesi · Pikey Base Camp
Best time for the Pikey Peak Trek
- JanJanuary: Good. Cold and clear; snow can close high passes.
- FebFebruary: Good. Cold and clear; snow can close high passes.
- MarMarch: Best. Spring begins: clear mornings, rhododendrons in bloom lower down.
- AprApril: Best. Peak spring season: warm days, flowers, busier trails.
- MayMay: Good. Warmer and hazier, with afternoon cloud as the monsoon nears.
- JunJune: Not recommended. Monsoon: rain most afternoons, leeches low down, mountains often hidden.
- JulJuly: Not recommended. Monsoon: heavy rain and frequent flight cancellations.
- AugAugust: Not recommended. Monsoon: heavy rain and frequent flight cancellations.
- SepSeptember: Good. Monsoon clears late in the month; lush valleys, some cloud.
- OctOctober: Best. Peak autumn season: clear views, festivals, busier trails.
- NovNovember: Best. Clear, stable and cooler; quieter after mid-month.
- DecDecember: Good. Cold, clear and quiet; short days at altitude.
Seasons for this journey: Spring, Autumn, Winter. Choose a month for what to expect.
Comparing prices for the Pikey Peak Trek?
Cheaper treks are usually group departures. Ask any operator:
- Is the guide yours alone?
- Yes. Only your own party travels together, never a group departure.
- How many guides and porters?
- A senior guide and a porter for every two guests.
- Are altitude checks written down?
- Twice a day above 3,000 m, with bottled oxygen on every high route.
- What if someone needs evacuating?
- A standing helicopter agreement, and insurance confirmed before you travel.
Included
- Himkora Host, plus a senior guide and a porter for every two guests
- All hotels and lodges as described
- All meals, including dinners in the cities
- Local fees
- Porters, private vehicles and every transfer
- Down jacket, sleeping bag and a Himkora duffel on loan
- Treated drinking water every day on the trail
- Twice-daily oxygen and pulse checks, and a full first-aid kit
- Guided sightseeing in Kathmandu as described
- The Himkora Care Standard, in full
Not included
5 items
- International flights
- Nepal visa (US$50 on arrival for 30 days)
- Travel insurance with evacuation cover (required)
- Gratuities and drinks
- Wi-Fi, charging and hot showers where lodges charge for them
Before you go
Permits we arrange for you
- Local municipality fees where charged
We need a scan of your passport photo page and one passport photo about six weeks before travel. Permit fees are included in your price.
Visa and insurance
- Most nationalities get a Nepal tourist visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport, or online in advance. Check the Department of Immigration before you travel.
- Travel insurance is required. It must cover trekking to at least 5,000 m and helicopter evacuation; we check your policy before departure.
How we manage altitude
- Above 3,000 m, sleeping altitude rises by about 500 m a night (never more than 700 m, and then next to a rest day), with acclimatisation days built in.
- Your guide checks blood oxygen and pulse twice a day and carries bottled oxygen and a full medical kit.
- Guides always have the authority to descend, and we hold a standing helicopter-evacuation agreement in Kathmandu.
Getting ready
- Walking grade: Moderate. We send a training plan with your proposal.
- Talk to your doctor or a travel clinic about altitude medication and vaccinations at least six weeks before you travel.
- We send a health questionnaire before booking and talk it through with you.
Mountain flights
- Your itinerary ends with a night in Kathmandu. If delays run on, we can arrange a helicopter (at cost).
- Domestic baggage is usually limited to about 15 kg including your cabin bag; extra can stay at your Kathmandu hotel.
Weather
- Days are usually bright and mild in season; nights drop below freezing above about 4,000 m.
- Afternoon cloud is normal; mornings bring the clearest views.
We provide
- A Himkora duffel for your porter to carry (up to 12 kg per guest)
- Down jacket and sleeping bag rated to −20°C, on loan
- Water purification, first-aid and the Care Standard kit
You bring
- Broken-in walking boots and four pairs of trekking socks
- Layers: base layers, fleece, waterproof shell jacket and trousers
- Warm hat, sun hat, gloves, sunglasses (category 3 or 4) and sunscreen
- Daypack (25–30 litres), refillable bottles, headtorch
- Personal medicines, and a copy of your insurance policy
A full packing list comes with your proposal.
Money
- Your journey is paid in advance, so you only need cash for drinks, souvenirs and tips.
- Nepali rupees are best on the trail; there are ATMs in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lukla and Namche.
Connectivity and tipping
- Most lodges have Wi-Fi, often slow and sometimes paid; mobile data works in many villages. Your guide carries a satellite messenger.
- Gratuities are not included and are always your choice. We send guidance for guides, porters and drivers with your pre-departure notes.
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Questions guests ask
More answers on our questions page, or write to hello@himkora.com.
How much does the Pikey Peak Trek cost?
From $3,200 per person, for two travelling privately, $2,750 per person for four and $5,050 if you travel alone. The price includes guiding, porters, accommodation, meals and permits as listed. Your proposal gives one clear price for your dates.
How many days is the Pikey Peak Trek?
9 days as we have planned it, from your arrival in Nepal to your departure. Because it is private, we can add rest days or extra nights, or shorten it if you have less time.
How difficult is the Pikey Peak Trek?
We grade it moderate. Five to seven hours a day, sleeping as high as about 4,000 metres. Regular exercise and some hill walking before you come.
How high does the Pikey Peak Trek go?
The highest point is 4,065 m, and the highest night is at 3,640 m. The itinerary includes acclimatisation days, and your guide checks your oxygen levels every morning and evening.
When is the best time for the Pikey Peak Trek?
The best months are March, April, October and November. See the month-by-month guide above for the rest of the year.
Which permits do I need for the Pikey Peak Trek?
You will need: Local municipality fees where charged. We arrange all of them for you and include the fees in your price.
Is every journey private?
Yes. You travel only with the people you choose, on your dates. Your guide, porters and vehicles are yours alone, and the route can be adjusted before or during the journey.
What is included in the price?
Your Himkora Host and senior guide, porters, every hotel and lodge named in the itinerary, meals as listed, domestic flights, permits, park fees and private transfers. International flights, your Nepal visa, travel insurance, drinks and gratuities are not included.
How do deposits and payment work?
A 30% deposit confirms your journey, and the balance is due 90 days before travel. Your proposal sets out the full price and the cancellation terms before you pay anything. Our full booking terms are on the Booking terms page.
How fit do I need to be?
Each journey has a walking grade, explained on its page. Before you book, we send a short health questionnaire and talk through your walking history. If a route isn't right, we will say so and suggest one that is.
How do you manage altitude?
Above 3,000 metres our itineraries raise sleeping altitude by about 500 metres a night, never more than 700 metres and then only next to a rest day, with acclimatisation days built in. Guides check blood oxygen and pulse twice a day, carry bottled oxygen on high routes, and always have the authority to turn back.
Do I need special travel insurance?
Yes. Your policy must cover trekking to the highest altitude on your route (up to 6,000 metres on our high journeys), emergency medical treatment, helicopter rescue and repatriation. We check it before you travel.
What if flights to Lukla are delayed?
Mountain flights depend on the weather, and in busy months they may leave from Ramechhap rather than Kathmandu. Every Everest itinerary keeps a spare day in Kathmandu after the Lukla flight, so a weather delay doesn't cost you any of the trek. If delays run on longer, a helicopter can be arranged at cost.
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