Mundum Trail
Also known as Mundhum Trek / Salpa-Silichung Kirat Cultural Trail.
Mundum Trail is a moderate 7-12-day homestay/teahouse trek in the Makalu region of Nepal, reaching 4,153 m. It starts at Diktel (Khotang) and ends at Tumlingtar (or Bhojpur on the alternative exit).
Key facts
- Region
- Makalu (Bhojpur, Khotang (borders Sankhuwasabha))
- Duration
- 7-12 days, 4-6 hours walking per day
- Distance
- 76 km
- Maximum altitude
- 4,153 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate — A mid-altitude ridge trek (mostly 2,500-3,500 m, topping out on Silichung peak ~4,153 m) through Kirat Rai homeland with no technical terrain and low AMS risk, but rough rocky trails, long road approaches, and very sparse community-lodge infrastructure that requires flexibility and sometimes camping.
- Trek type
- Homestay/Teahouse, point-to-point route
- Best season
- Autumn (Oct-Nov) and Spring (Mar-May)
- Guide
- Not mandatory
- Restricted area
- No
- Budget cost
- NPR 70,000–125,000
- Comfortable cost
- NPR 125,000–175,000
- Guided cost
- NPR 92,000–280,000
- Getting there
- Kathmandu → BP Highway → Ghurmi → Diktel (bus/jeep, 10-12h, ~265 km) → trek north along the Bhojpur/Khotang ridge → Salpa Bhanjyang/Silichung → descend to Gothe Bazar → Tumlingtar → fly or drive back to Kathmandu. Alternative exit: Hanspokhari → Bhojpur → flight/bus to Kathmandu.
- Altitude sickness
- Low to moderate: the route rides ridges at 2,700-3,450 m with a single optional push to Silichung 4,153 m; serious AMS is uncommon at these sleeping altitudes.
Weather
Eastern mid-hills receive heavy monsoon rain (300-400 mm/month Jun-Sep) with landslides on access roads and leeches on trail. October gives the clearest air for the trail's signature panorama of 30+ peaks from Everest, Makalu and Lhotse to Kanchenjunga. Winter is cold on the exposed 3,000-3,400 m ridge camps but the route stays passable except after fresh snow on Silichung.
Permits
- TIMS Card (status disputed) — NPR 2,000 for foreigners. Where to get it: NTB Kathmandu or via registered agency
Itinerary
- Day 1: Kathmandu to Diktel, 0 h, 1,650 m — Long drive on the BP Highway into the Khotang hills
- Day 2: Diktel to Chakhewa Bhanjyang, 6 h, 2,300 m — First ridge walking; optional side trip to Temke Danda (~3,000 m) viewpoint
- Day 3: Chakhewa to Dhotre, 5 h, 2,752 m — Kirat Rai villages, rhododendron ridgeline, Everest-to-Kanchenjunga skyline in clear weather
- Day 4: Dhotre to Maiyung Danda, 6 h, 3,122 m — Sacred Maiyung Danda ridge, Mundum cultural sites
- Day 5: Maiyung to Rawadhap, 6 h, 3,426 m — High open ridgeline with 30+ Himalayan peaks visible
- Day 6: Rawadhap to Salpa Bhanjyang, 7 h, 3,348 m — Sacred Salpa Pokhari lake and Siddha Thumka Kirat shrine near the pass
- Day 7: Salpa Bhanjyang to Silichung summit and return, 4-5 h, 3,348 m — Silichung peak 4,153 m — trek high point; Everest, Makalu, Kanchenjunga panorama
- Day 8: Salpa Bhanjyang to Gothe Bazar, 6-7 h, 775 m — Huge descent off the ridge into the Arun watershed
- Day 9: Gothe Bazar to Tumlingtar, 3-5 h, 460 m — Warm Arun valley farmland
- Day 10: Tumlingtar to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — 35-40 min flight over the eastern hills