Bokta (6,143 m) stands at the southern edge of the Kanchenjunga massif, above the Yalung glacier, and it is one of the least-attempted permitted peaks in Nepal. It was opened by the NMA in 2002 and receives a handful of parties in a good season — several times fewer than Island Peak sees in a single week.
Getting there is most of the trip. A flight to Bhadrapur in the far south-east, two days of driving up through the tea hills of Ilam to Taplejung, and then seven days of walking over ridge after ridge to Yamphudin, Tseram and Ramche beneath the south face of Kanchenjunga.
The climb itself is graded PD+ — glacier travel, a fixed snow and ice slope and a short exposed summit ridge — and the reward is a summit looking straight into the 3,000 m south wall of the third-highest mountain on earth.
The Climb at a Glance
| Summit | 6,143 m |
| Grade | PD+ — glacier travel, fixed snow and ice slope, short exposed ridge |
| Duration | 24 days Kathmandu to Kathmandu |
| Base camp / high camp | 4,900 m / 5,400 m |
| Approach | Seven days on foot from Taplejung |
| Summit success rate | Around 65 to 75 percent |
| Permits | Kanchenjunga restricted area — minimum two trekkers |
| Price | From USD 5,450 per person |
We run it as a 24-day expedition. It follows the Kanchenjunga South Base Camp trek as far as Ramche before turning onto the glacier.
The Approach
Seven days of walking, and it is not the kind of approach that follows a valley — the trail crosses a succession of ridges, so the profile is a sawtooth of climbs and descents rather than a steady gain.
| Stage | Ground |
|---|---|
| Bhadrapur to Ilam to Taplejung | Two days of driving through the tea hills |
| Taplejung to Yamphudin | Four days over Lali Kharka, Khesewa and Mamankhe |
| Yamphudin to Tseram | Two days up the Simbua Khola through red panda forest |
| Tseram to Ramche (4,610 m) | Into high pasture, with an acclimatisation day at Oktang |
| Ramche to base camp (4,900 m) | Onto the Yalung glacier |
Accommodation is simple teahouses and homestays from Taplejung to Tseram — basic, family-run and often just a room in someone's house. Above Tseram there is nothing, so the trip is fully camped from there.
The Climb
A puja and climbing skills training day at base camp, then high camp at 5,400 m and the summit day: glacier travel roped, a fixed snow and ice slope, and a short exposed summit ridge.
The climbing is not hard for the grade. The reasons people turn back are weather, snow conditions on the fixed slope, and the cumulative fatigue of a seven-day approach — which is worth taking seriously when you plan your fitness.
Permits and Logistics
- The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area is a restricted region and requires a restricted-area permit issued through a registered agency, with a minimum of two trekkers and a licensed guide.
- The NMA climbing permit for Bokta is separate and also included.
- Patchy NTC coverage in the villages as far as Yamphudin and nothing above it — roughly a week out of contact.
- No charging above Tseram, so bring two power banks.
- The walk out goes back down the Simbua Khola to Yamphudin over two days, then by jeep to Taplejung on the road that now reaches the village — which saves three days compared with retracing the whole approach.
See our restricted-area permits guide and the Kanchenjunga South guide.
What It Costs
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 climber | USD 6,650 |
| 2 to 4 | USD 6,160 |
| 5 to 7 | USD 5,830 |
| 8 to 10 | USD 5,670 |
| 11 to 14 | USD 5,530 |
| 15 and over | USD 5,450 |
The price reflects the length of the approach and the fact that everything above Tseram is carried, rather than any unusual technical demand.
What Is Included
- Airport transfers, a briefing, permit and equipment-check day in Kathmandu.
- Kathmandu–Bhadrapur return flights and ground transport via Ilam and Taplejung.
- Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast, and teahouses and homestays from Taplejung to Tseram.
- Full camping support above Tseram, with base camp (4,900 m) and high camp (5,400 m), mess, kitchen and toilet tents and a cook crew.
- Three meals a day throughout.
- Kanchenjunga restricted-area permit, conservation area permit and the NMA climbing permit for Bokta.
- A government-licensed climbing guide and climbing Sherpas above base camp.
- Group climbing equipment and fixing of the snow and ice slope.
- A puja and climbing skills training day at base camp, plus a reserve day.
- Porter transport, NMA garbage deposit, summit certificate and all taxes.
What Is Not Included
- International flights and the Nepal entry visa fee.
- Travel insurance covering mountaineering to 6,143 m, with helicopter evacuation and repatriation.
- Personal climbing equipment, available to rent as an add-on.
- Personal clothing and a sleeping bag rated to -20 °C.
- Porter services for your personal duffel.
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
- Snacks, bottled water, hot showers, Wi-Fi, charging and drinks.
- Laundry, phone calls, souvenirs and personal expenses.
- Tips for the guide, climbing Sherpas, cook crew and porters.
- Extra accommodation or transport caused by flight delays at Bhadrapur, weather or an early descent.
