Pike Peak and Dudhkunda LakeSolu Khumbu district

Pikey Peak and Dudhkunda Lake

This trek through the solu (lower) region where the Sherpa people live and farm is a very attractive journey through forest covered hills, terraced fields and villages with plenty of opportunity to visit monasteries (gompas), enjoy the culture and local food, and also see the rhododendron in flower during the spring season. The red rhododendron, or Lali Gurans, is the national flower of Nepal and it's a special sight to see them, and also the magnolia forest, on these lower Himalayan slopes. Since the altitude does not go much above 4000 metres it's a very suitable trek for all ages and types, and a lot quieter than the higher Khumbu region above Lukla.

Pikey Peak at 4065m is a particularly beautiful viewpoint, reportedly a favourite of Edmund Hillary, with a panorama that includes Mount Everest (Sagamartha), Dhaulagiri and Makalu. The summit is an easy one hour walk up from the base camp and covered with prayer flags that adorn the Buddhist shrines (chortens). It is especially beautiful with the colours of sunrise and sunset and many people say the view from here is better than from Kala Patthar above Everest Base Camp. On a clear day you can see all of the eight peaks above 8000 metres which are in Nepal, including Kanchenjunga far to the east. The name Pikey or sometimes Peekeye is derived from the name of a Sherpa clan deity. During the month of July the locals hold celebrations to worship their clan god, the eastern Chaybo Pikey, as Pikey Hlapchen Karbu.

Dudhkunda Lake or Milky Lake at 4600 metres is a sacred place at the base of Nombur Himal (peak). Locally known as “Shoring Yul Lha” or protector of Solu, it has become known by the this lower valley of the Khumbu region. Dudh Kunda Lake is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva and he created the lake by driving his trident into the ground when he was thirsty. Hindus and Buddhists revere this place and believe that taking a dip into the icy cold lake will absolve them from all their sins and bless childless families with children. The lake itself is high and remote and surrounded by natural beauty; there are no tourist lodges up here so this part of the trek is camping. The milky waters of the lake are often covered with ice and surrounded by snow, and the giant snow-covered Nombur towering above is very dramatic and memorable.

Other highlights include:

Junbesi (2700 m) is one of the most beautiful Sherpa villages in the Solu region, with its terraced fields, traditional architecture and cultural wealth. It is also near the famous Thuptenchholing monastery where more than 500 monks study, and which is well worth a visit

Bupsa and Bumburi are the two villages where Moving Mountains Nepal began in the late 1990s when AA founder Gavin Bate met Ang Chhongba Sherpa and they both committed to developing the region together. Here you can see the work of the charity over the past 25 years with schools, monasteries, a clinic and hydro electric power. You will also stay with Geljun Sherpa in his guesthouse which is the base for the charity.

Google Map showing the route.

Dudhkunda Lake

Pikey Peak Summit with view of Everest beyond.

When to go

Spring from March to May is one of the best times with clear mountain views. The weather is warm and sunny with clear skies and daily temperatures of between 10°C to 20°C (50°F to 68°F) and dropping at night. Towards the end of May there will be more rain as the monsoon approaches. 

The monsoon from June to September brings dramatic clouds and a mystical scenery, the lower trails will be slippery and there may be leeches in the forest. Rainfall is fairly predictable around midday, but clear skies in the early morning and evening generally. The temperatures are between 12°C to 25°C (50°F to 77°F).

Autumn from October to November brings beautifully clear blue skies, warm sunny days and cold nights. The average daytime temperature ranges between 10°C to 20°C (50°F to 68°F).

Winter from December to February is colder with temperatures ranging between 5°C to 15°C (41°F to 59°F). It will be freezing at night but winter trekking in Nepal is very rewarding and a lot quieter than other times. Not all lodges are open and the way needs to be taken with caution in case of ice.

General Terrain

The gradient on this trek is not very steep and is mostly on Sherpa trails between the villages with a mix of uphill and downhill. Pikey Peak is not a difficult summit to reach and the terrain is not difficult for walking, and anyone with hiking experience and an active lifestyle should not have a problem. The trail up to the lake is rocky and uneven but not particularly difficult. Most of the trek passes between villages where there is plenty of time to stop at monasteries and lodges and tea shops, the pace is not fast.

Region around Bupsa and Bumburi, villages and paths and terraced fields.

Practicalities

Arriving into Kathmandu we will arrange your airport pick up and transfer to the hotel of your choice, we have a number we can recommend, and after a day of sightseeing around Thamel it is an 8 hour drive by road to Paphlu which is the start of the trek. The trek will be led by one of our Sherpa guides and porters will carry your main bag (either a duffle or a rucksack), and mostly the accommodation is in Sherpa lodges which provide all the meals which are normally traditional fare like dal bhat, rice, potatoes and sometimes meat. In this lower region you are less likely to find western foods but there will be noodles, omelettes, pancakes, bread and fruit, and plenty of chocolate and snacks. Water is best boiled and kept in your bottle, rather than buying plastic bottles, and the lodges will have hot showers and bedrooms with beds, mattresses and some bedding like blankets.

You can bring your sleeping bag or a sleeping sheet or liner and then borrow a blanket. Toilets are mostly Asian style 'long drops' but in the bigger villages you will find flush toilets. You can buy toilet paper but feel free to bring your own biodegradable paper, and do also bring your own sanitary products from home. Everything will be in Nepali rupees so bring local cash in small denominations and expect to spend about £50-£100 for personal expenses like showers, snacks, boiled water and charging. We have a page called Nepal Local Price Guide which will help with figures.  The lodges will have power and often solar panels and batteries with an inverter but they will charge something for you to use a socket. Some of the lower lodges will have wifi and mobile signal, but mostly do not expect to get online. You can buy a local sim card in Kathmandu which will enable you to make calls.

You can leave travel clothes in the hotel or in our office store, and on trek take just a duffle or rucksack for the porter to carry (15kgs is normal) and then a day sack with essentials for the day like a water bottle, suncream, hat, snacks, camera, small first aid kit and any other small items. This may change as the days go by, for example warmer clothing as you go higher, an umbrella if it's likely to rain, a head torch if it's an early start.

We have a page called Nepal Preparation which will help with further information.

We also have a page called Acclimatising Safely which helps give an overview on altitude and how to look after yourself on a high level trek.

Meals

We provide all the meals on trek in the cost of the trip, which is not the case with most tour operators. Meals in lodges are expensive so a trek would require carrying a lot of cash. In our case we budget for three meals a day on trek. Breakfast includes cereal, porridge, or rice pudding and an egg dish with bread or toast. Lunch includes one dish such as fried rice, dal bhat, momos, or pasta. For afternoon tea, you get a hot drink plus biscuits. Dinner is two courses including soup and the main dish chosen by you from the menu. You are allowed one hot drink per meal but we don't cover cans of drinks or extra flasks or cups of hot drinks or alcoholic drinks.

Meals are often vegetarian with meat additions if you want. So a dal bhat can come with or without meat for example. The lodges can cater for people who are intolerant to wheat but you may want to bring your own alternative gluten free products because they are not easy to buy in the rural areas. You can avoid dairy quite easily but vegan diets are a little harder to cater for.

Emergencies

For this trek if there was an emergency which required a quick evacuation to a hospital then a helicopter would have to be called and the guide would help to arrange this with you, having contacted your insurance company. Helicopters are common around the Nepalese trekking areas but obviously they depend on good weather. Mostly someone who is feeling ill from altitude must go down and that is normally done with the help of the staff or sometimes a horse. Locals will also help if the person is not able to be moved, and provide accommodation until help can come. The Solu region is well established with trails and now some new roads, so another option is to get back to Paphlu and take a car back to the capital.

Tipping

There is a full page with tipping advice, but in general for a trip like this a suitable figure would be the equivalent of USD$40 for each porter and $75.00 for the trekking guide. This amount would be split between the group and given at the end in local currency.

What to bring

This is a reasonably low trek with generally warm days and chilly evenings, with the coldest night being the one before going up to the lake. Do bring warm clothes but also shorts and T-shirts and plenty of underwear. It's not possible in general to wash clothes because of the time it takes to dry, but sometimes on a hot day you can dry underwear in time for the next morning. 

We have a page called Kit List for trekking in Nepal which will be helpful with packing. For footwear most of this trek can be done in walking shoes but it's a good idea to have shoes with high ankles and a proper sole (Vibram) for the rocky sections. As for sleeping, you will need a 3 season bag for the camping nights but in the lodges there is also bedding you can use like blankets.