Arun Valley and Milke Danda Trek are situated in some of the country’s remotest areas. Foreign trekkers seldom visit the trekking trails here. The trails here are relatively new as a result. Therefore the area still preserves much of its cultural and natural beauty.
Arun valley and Milke Danda are situated along the base of the Kumbhakarna range in eastern Nepal. This trek gives you some spectacular views of the different mountains in the eastern part of Nepal such as Mt. Makalu, Mt. Kanchenjunga, and Mt. Kumbhakarna.
This Arun Valley and Milke Danda trek start after a scenic flight to Tumlingtar that will give you the first glimpses of the mountains on Nepal’s eastern side. You will drive from Tumlingtar to Chinchilla, which is a quaint subtropical town. You will then walk along the river Arun passing through several farm villages along the way.
Finally, you should hit the higher Jaljala and Milke danda areas. You can get spectacular views of the Kumbhakarna Himal range and Mt. Everest from Milke Danda.
In this trek, you can go trekking through some rhododendron forests. These forests are home to a number of animals including Civet, Cat, Fox, Wolf, Antelope, Musk deer, Snow leopard, and Red panda. So, you will also have some chances to get some views of those creatures.
This trek which lies away from the busy hum of other famous Nepal treks. The friendly locals of this town, its unique climate, camping in these villages and the spectacular views of the mountains make this trek very enjoyable.
Arun Valley and Milke Danda Trek Highlights
- A scenic 40-minute flight from Kathmandu back and forth to Tumlingtar.
- Trekking in the alpine woodland of Rhododendron.
- Have a chance to catch sights of rare animals such as Civet, Cat, Fox, Wolf, Antelope, Musk deer, Snow leopard, and Red panda.
- Trek in the less traveled, isolated, and off-the-beaten-path.
- Wonderful mountain views such as Makalu, Mt. Kumbhakarna and Mt. Kanchenjunga.
- Visit some small, isolated villages such as Jalaija, Mike Danda, Nundhaki, Dhap, Apung, etc.
- Create wonderful memories of friendly locals and make friends.
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Today you will take a flight to Tumlingtar which is the first day of Arun Valley and Milke Danda Trek. The Tumlingtar altitude is only 950 meters. This is 450 meters below the Kathmandu Valley Altitude.
You will take a bus to Kathmandu Airport’s domestic terminal and head out to Tumlingtar on an approximately 40-minute flight. Different snow-capped peaks can be seen from Langtang on the flight to Mt. Everest, Makalu & Mt. Kanchenjunga.
Tumlingtar Airport is located on a shelf over the Arun River. Our trekking crew and porters will meet you at the airport. Through the airport, you can see a distant view of Mt. Makalu.
You will be going out to a camp overnight in a Tumlingtar village. Also, you can go for a walk around the surrounding villages during the evening period.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
The second day trip to Chinchilla begins with a fun 5-6-hour drive along with the farm fields and village. This day you will gain an altitude of 900 meters as Chinchilla is 1800 meters above sea level.
When you leave Tumlingtar, a gentle uphill road leads to Khadbari. Along the way, you will be surrounded by the Sal (Shorea-Robusta) subtropical forests. Until you enter Khadbari you must pass a few more farm fields along the way.
Headquarters of Sankha Sabha is Khadbari. It’s a relatively large town village with a busy bazaar. The Saturday market is especially busy.
The path from Khadbari to Manebhanjan village has a couple of uphills and downhills. The road hasn’t pitched as you drive along the dirt road and climb a ridge to reach Chinchilla village.
There is plenty of fertile farmed land, lush green forest, thick undergrowth and a range of species of ferns. Chinchilla is a small farm village with spectacular views of Mt. Makalu 8,463 m and the Kumbhakarna mountain range. This village has roughly 10-12 houses roughly.
Time: 4 to 5 hours
The trek from Chinchilla to Mamakhe has some gentle climbs and downhills. This day you will cross an altitude of 1870 meters after 4-5 hours of trekking.
After Chinchilla, the trekking path leaves Makalu’s main road. This is not a path but very common among western trekkers. So the trail is pretty new. You must walk through farm fields and rural villages before arriving at Mamakehe’s overnight camp.
Time: 4 to 5 hours
On your way to Barabise, you will walk through a cool thick forest of bamboo. You can notice a variety of streams too. If you come here during the monsoon season the number of streams is higher.
The path has many downhills as you descend in Barabise to an altitude of 1200 meters. You can also visit farms before you reach Barabise.
The average trek would be 4-5 hours daily. Barabise is a wonderful small village with roofed houses with thatch. The village lies in a location more or less subtropical but next to a river.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
The Barabise route heads towards the north. You will be leaving the river behind at Barabise along the way. Almost all the way to Deorali, you can ascend gently across farm terraces.
This day you will achieve an altitude of 600 meters, as Deorali is 1800 meters high. After a 5-6 hour trek you will reach Deorali for an overnight camp.
In Deorali, a cool breeze blast because as compared to previous regions in the trek you can sense the temperature being cooler.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
The trek continues through more mountainous areas from Deorali to Apung. You are just going to meet a few farm villages. The walk takes place in a thick forest full of Rhododendron, Magnolia, and Oaks, as well as other alpine plants.
Apung has an elevation of 1930 meters. So, the walk has sloped very gently. After around 5-6 hours of trekking, you will just walk a few gentle uphills before entering your overnight camp Apung.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
Today you should come across quite a few uphills. You will trek alongside lush green fields that oversee the surrounding area’s magnificent landscapes. You will also get to see at a distance the snow-capped peaks of Kumbhakarna and Mt. Makalu.
You can travel across various pastures and meadows until you enter a cool forest shade. After 5 to 6 hours of trekking, you can finally reach Dhap. You will stay at this 2600-meter-altitude overnight camp in this location.
Time: 4 to 5 hours
After trekking through a cool, alpine, and dense forest, you will walk uphill to a high ridge of Jaljala. You can see the flourishing forest which has plants of great diversity.
The spicy fragrance of Dendrobium Paparius will charm you. In Nepali, this plant is known as Lokta. You can see a beautiful panoramic view of Mt. Kumbhakarna, Mt. Makalu and Mt. Kanchenjunga towards the east after you reach the top of the mountain.
After a 4-5 hour trek, you can hit the overnight camp at Jalaja. All nature lovers and botanists are enamored by Jaljala’s beauty and tranquility. This region’s stability complements the majestic backdrop of snow-capped mountains seen from Jalaila (3440 meters).
Today is your day off at Jaljala. You can board an optional hike in the unexplored Jaljala area. International trekkers do not completely explore this area. Thus, the place’s rich natural beauty is intact.
You will go to a beautiful viewpoint that provides a perfect panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. The place will also give you a perfect view of Sunset and Sunrise depending on the season you’re going to be trekking into.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
You will be going out to Mike Danda after spending some quality time at Jaljala. The trail takes you through a forest to a hill. Several views of the snow-capped mountains are also to be seen.
Since the trail can often be very complicated, you will have to allow the Sherpa guide to take the lead and show you the way.
Trekkers seldom use this trail. Shepards, woodsmen, and farmers are the only ones who use this path regularly. They use this trail mainly to gather Daphnia plants to make the rice papers.
You will then find yourself on top of another mountain. Eventually, you will arrive at your Milke Danda overnight camp. From Mike Danda, you can get serene views of the surrounding snow-covered mountains.
Milke Danda sits 3662 meters above sea level. It takes about 5-6 hours to get from Jalaja to Milke Danda.
During this journey, today is another of your leisure days in Arun Valley and Milke Danda Trek. This free day at Mike Danda can be used for exploring this area’s unexplored zone.
You will have plenty of chances to see some of this region’s wildlife ranging from a Fox, Wolves, Antelopes, Musk Deer, Civet, Cat, Snow leopard, and Red Panda. You return to your camp for dinner in this tranquil setting after walking and seeing some of those wild animals.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
Your trekking trail will descend mainly after spending some lovely time with Jaljala and Milke Danda. You can walk through a cool forest shade for 2-3 hours and enter with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
You will even get expansive views of some snow-capped mountain range. The walk is mainly downhill from the dense forest.
Until entering the village of Nundhaki (1800 meters), you can pass through several huts, hamlets and farm terraces of Shepard. It takes about 5-6 hours to trek from Mika Danda to Nundhaki.
Nundhaki is a junction that allows easterly access to Kanchenjunga and across the border to Sikkim. You will spend the night in an overnight camp near Nundhaki village town.
Time: 5 to 6 hours
The trail runs gently from Nundhaki to Chainpur. This makes it very easy to trek along a gentle downhill. After trekking through some gently winding paths, you can reach the village of Chainpur(1400 meters).
From Nundhaki you get to Chainpur in around 5-6 hours. Chainpur was once a big area of SankhuwaSabha town, as it was the administrative capital.
But now the administrative offices have been transferred to Khandbari, a nearby city. Chainpur nevertheless has its fair share of beauty. It is renowned for its excellent metal, brass, and copper works.
It is also known for making Gurkha weapons which are also known as “Khukuri.” The village is multi-ethnic as here live Brahmans, Chhetries, Kirats, Tamang, Sherpas, and Newars.
Time: 4 to 5 hours
You can walk along a gentle downhill from Chainpur. As you descend along with the villages, you sense the gently rising temperature. The trek takes you into a semi-tropical climate.
You will find some citrus fruits, including mandarin oranges, as the vegetation changes. Certain fruits such as Guava and Papaya can also be seen planted.
You’re going to go downhill as your trail leads through a forest in Sal. You must walk for an hour through the forest until your final descent to Tumlingtar.
Overall trek duration this day is 4-5 hours. You will have your stay here overnight. The gap from the Tumlingtar camp to the Tumlingtar airstrip isn’t big.
Tumlingtar is situated above two rivers Arun and Sabha on a plateau above. This place houses over 100 homes spread around this large red plateau of earth.
Last day of Arun Valley and Milke Danda Trek, you will return from Tumlingtar to Kathmandu. The flight will reach Kathmandu in less than an hour. During the flight, you can get a panoramic view of the mountains.
When your flight departs early in the morning, you will have the whole day in Kathmandu to do whatever you want. When the weather is poor, or if there are other technical factors, the flight could also be delayed. Our staff will receive you after you arrive in Kathmandu and move you back to your hotel.
