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Unique treks along
rarely visited trails can be found in the far
east region of Nepal. The breathtaking scenery
of rhododendrons in bloom on the hills and
ridges along the way is one of the main
attractions in this area. Different species of
birds can be seen everywhere here while deer and
wild sheep are occasionally spotted roaming
along the hills. The ethnic groups of Kirant,
notably the Rais and Limbus, called this region
their home. Among the popular trekking areas
here are the Kanchenjunga area, Milke Danda and
Jaljale Himal. Since this area is less explored,
it has not been developed to cater for
independent trekkers and group trekking must
make sure that they are fully sufficient.
To get to the
trekking areas, the starting points for treks in
this far east region are at Basantapur,
Taplejung and Tumlingtar. Driving for at least
sixteen hours will take you to Basantapur from
Kathmandu. Trekkers have the choice to either
use the scheduled bus services or arranging
private transport since there is no tourist bus
services to Basantapur. Another method is to fly
to Taplejung or Tumlingtar from Kathmandu. The
journey will take about fifty minutes from
Kathmandu or about twenty minutes from
Biratnagar to Taplejung.
Since most of the
trekking area lies within the Kanchenjunga
Conservation Area, a permit is required for
entry. Tourists arriving via Kakarbitta border
point must first travel to Kathmandu to obtain
the trekking permits since the government
immigration office at Kakarbitta does not issue
the required permit. Trekkers are usually
advised to arrange their trek through a
government recognized trekking agency which are
usually known for their reliability.
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