A quiet week in Lower Solu, walking through rhododendron forest and yak pastures to a sunrise on Pikey Peak (4,065 m), where Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Kangchenjunga line the horizon, then down to the Sherpa village of Junbesi and the monastery of Thupten Chholing.
A quiet week in Lower Solu, walking through rhododendron forest and yak pastures to a sunrise on Pikey Peak (4,065 m), where Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, Cho Oyu and Kangchenjunga line the horizon, then down to the Sherpa village of Junbesi and the monastery of Thupten Chholing.
Pikey Peak is a grassy summit in the hills of Lower Solu, south of the Everest region, and one of the best viewpoints in eastern Nepal. From its prayer-flagged top at 4,065 m the Himalaya stretches from Kangchenjunga in the east past Makalu, Everest and Lhotse to Cho Oyu, with Numbur and the Rolwaling peaks closer in. It is said to have been Sir Edmund Hillary's favourite view of Everest.
The trek starts with a long drive from Kathmandu down the Sun Koshi valley to Dhap, a roadhead in the Solu hills. From there we walk along forested ridges to Jhapre and up through rhododendron, pine and yak pastures to the lodges at Pikey Base Camp. Before dawn the next day we climb to the summit for sunrise, then walk down to Junbesi, a Sherpa village of stone houses and a gompa in a wide green valley.
The itinerary keeps the altitude gain gradual, with only one night above 3,000 m, and gives you a full day in Junbesi. That day we walk up to Thupten Chholing, a large monastery founded by Trulshik Rinpoche after he left Tibet, where several hundred monks and nuns live and study. The last walking day follows the valley down to Phaplu and its airstrip, and we drive back to Kathmandu the next day.
This is a lodge trek on village trails that sees far fewer trekkers than the Khumbu. Teahouses are simple, family-run and welcoming, and you walk through Sherpa and Rai villages where trekking is still a small part of life. In spring the forests below the summit are full of flowering rhododendrons.
Pikey Peak suits anyone who walks regularly and is happy on hills for five or six hours a day. There is no technical ground, but the trails are steep in places, the climb to the summit starts in the dark and in the cold, and the descent to Junbesi after the summit makes a long day of seven to eight hours. Altitude is modest, with one night at 3,640 m and a high point of 4,065 m, but some people still feel mild symptoms at base camp. Train for six weeks before you go: long walks with hills or stairs, ideally two days back to back, plus some cardio such as cycling or running. The drives at each end are long and bumpy, so it also helps if you do not suffer badly from motion sickness.
We leave Kathmandu early by jeep and follow the Sun Koshi river east, stopping for lunch on the way, before climbing into the Solu hills on a rough road to Dhap. It is a long day on the road, and you arrive in time for dinner and an early night at the teahouse.
Our first walking day follows forested ridges and passes small farming villages and terraced fields. The trail is mostly gentle, with short climbs and descents, and ends at the scattered lodges of Jhapre. On a clear afternoon you get your first sight of the high peaks to the north.
We climb steadily north along the ridge through rhododendron and pine forest, passing yak herders' huts and open pastures. The trail gains over 800 m, so we take it slowly. The lodges at Pikey Base Camp sit just below the summit, with views of the Himalaya at sunset if the sky is clear.
We set off by head torch for the climb of an hour or so to the prayer flags on Pikey Peak, arriving for sunrise over Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Everest and the peaks to the west. After breakfast back at base camp we descend through forest and pasture to Junbesi, a Sherpa village of stone houses in a broad valley. It is the longest day of the trek.
A rest day in Junbesi with an easy walk up the valley through pine forest to Thupten Chholing, a large monastery where several hundred monks and nuns live and study. If you arrive at prayer time you can sit quietly at the back of the hall. We return to Junbesi for lunch, and the afternoon is free to look around the village gompa.
Our last walking day takes us out of the Junbesi valley through farmland and villages to Phaplu, a small town with an airstrip and the district hospital, next to the district headquarters at Salleri. In the evening we celebrate the end of the trek with the crew.
We leave Phaplu early for the long drive back down to the Sun Koshi and on to Kathmandu, arriving in the evening. We drop you at your hotel.
Permits we arrange: TIMS card, local_area_permit
There are no flights at the start. The drive from Kathmandu to Dhap is about 240 km and takes seven to eight hours, down the Sun Koshi valley and up into the Solu hills, with the last stretch on rougher mountain roads. The drive back from Phaplu is longer, often nine to ten hours. We use a private jeep. If you would rather fly back, there are scheduled flights from the Phaplu airstrip to Kathmandu; the flights are weather-dependent, and we can book one at extra cost.
You sleep one night at Pikey Base Camp, 3,640 m, and reach 4,065 m on the summit before descending to Junbesi at about 2,700 m. Mild headaches or poor sleep at base camp are possible. Drink plenty of water, walk at an even pace and tell your guide if you feel unwell. If anyone has more than mild symptoms at base camp, we skip the summit and descend.
Pikey Peak lies outside Nepal's national parks and conservation areas when you start from Dhap, so you do not need a Gaurishankar or Sagarmatha permit on this route. You need a TIMS card, which since April 2023 is issued only through a licensed trekking agency to trekkers travelling with a licensed guide, and a local area entry permit for the Solu trails. We arrange both. Bring your passport and two passport photos.
There are no ATMs on the trail; the nearest are in Salleri and Phaplu at the end of the trek. Bring enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for drinks, snacks, showers, charging and tips. Lodges at Jhapre and Pikey Base Camp are basic, with solar power and limited charging, so carry a power bank. Mobile signal is patchy but available in many villages.
We leave base camp around an hour before sunrise to reach the top as the light comes up. It is usually below freezing and can be windy, so wear your down jacket, hat and gloves and carry a head torch. The trail is a steady grassy climb with no exposure, but it can be icy after snow. Your guide decides on the morning whether conditions are right.
At Thupten Chholing and the gompa in Junbesi, remove your shoes before entering prayer halls, walk clockwise around stupas and prayer wheels, and ask before taking photos of monks, nuns or the inside of temples. A small donation is welcome.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Down jacketWe provide
On loan; you will want it on the summit at dawn
Waterproof shell jacket
Fleece or synthetic mid layer
Two or three base layer tops
Merino or synthetic
Trekking trousers
Thermal leggings
Warm hat and sun hat
Warm gloves
Trekking socks
Three or four pairs
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots
Light shoes or sandals for the evenings
Sleeping bag rated to about minus 10 CWe provide
On loan
Day pack of 25 to 35 litres
With rain cover
Duffel bag for the porterWe provide
Keep it under 10 kg
Trekking polesRent locally
Useful on the long descent to Junbesi
Head torch with spare batteries
Needed for the pre-dawn summit climb
Two water bottles
One litre each
Water purification tablets or filter bottle
Sunglasses with UV protection
Power bank
Charging is limited at Jhapre and base camp
Sunscreen and lip balm
Personal medicines, blister plasters and motion sickness tablets
The drives are long and winding
Hand sanitiser and toilet paper
Passport and two passport photos
Needed for permits
Travel insurance details
Nepali rupees in small notes
No ATMs until Phaplu
On a clear morning you can see five of the world's 8,000 m peaks: Kangchenjunga, Makalu, Lhotse, Everest and Cho Oyu, along with Numbur and the peaks of the Rolwaling and Khumbu. Everest is about 65 km away to the north-east. Sunrise is the clearest time; cloud often builds by mid-morning.
It is a moderate trek. Most days are four to six hours on village trails and forest paths. The summit day is the longest, with a pre-dawn climb of around 400 m and then a long descent to Junbesi. There is no technical climbing.
Much less than on the Everest or Annapurna treks. You spend only one night above 3,000 m, at Pikey Base Camp, and the summit is 4,065 m. Mild symptoms are possible at base camp, and your guide watches for them.
Yes, it is a good first Himalayan trek for anyone who is reasonably fit, as long as you are comfortable with long days on your feet and basic lodges.
Family-run teahouses with simple twin rooms and shared toilets. Lodges in Junbesi and Phaplu are more comfortable, with hot showers. At Jhapre and Pikey Base Camp they are basic, cold at night and run on solar power.
The outward drive to Dhap cannot be replaced by a flight. On the way back you can fly from Phaplu to Kathmandu instead of the long drive; flights are weather-dependent, so we recommend a spare day before your international flight if you choose this.
October and November give the clearest mountain views. March to May is also good, with rhododendron forest in flower in March and April, though haze can soften the views later in spring. Winter is possible but cold at base camp, and the June to September monsoon brings cloud, rain and leeches.
It is in Solukhumbu district, in the lower Solu hills south of the Khumbu, but it does not enter Sagarmatha National Park. You see Everest from a distance rather than walking towards it, and you avoid the Lukla flights.
Pikey Peak Trek
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