Pikey Peak Trek

Pikey Peak Trek takes you into Solu, the lower half of Nepal's Everest region, over seven days. You walk through forest and village trails to a 4,065-meter summit, with sweeping views of Everest and the surrounding peaks as the payoff. Compared to routes further up in Khumbu, this trek is shorter, stays lower, and asks less of your schedule. It is one of the short treks in Nepal that you can attempt.

You will find Pikey Peak in the Solukhumbu district, on the southern edge of the greater Everest region. It sits apart from the Khumbu trails that lead to Everest Base Camp, in the quieter Solu area. The summit itself looks out over the eastern Himalayan skyline.

If you trek with Radiant Treks, seven days covers the full trip, door-to-door from Kathmandu. That includes the drive out to Dhap, five days on the trail, and the drive back from Salleri. If you have extra time, adding two or three days lets you fit in a side trip to Dudh Kunda without rushing the rest of the itinerary.

Expect to cover somewhere between 50 and 60 kilometers on foot across the five walking days. Some days are short, around 7 kilometers. The longest stretch, between Junbesi and Salleri, runs closer to 18 kilometers. The drives at either end of the trip don't count toward this distance since you are in a jeep, not walking.

Dhap is your starting point, reached after a long day's drive from Kathmandu. The trek wraps up in Salleri, a small district town in Solukhumbu, before another full-day drive back to the capital. Both drives take roughly eight hours over mid-hill roads.

You will reach as high as 4,065 meters on the summit of Pikey Peak. It is usually an  early-morning climb from Base Camp timed for sunrise. That's a good deal lower than Everest Base Camp's 5,364 meters, which keeps altitude-related risk noticeably smaller on this route.

Yes, and from one of the better vantage points in the region. On a clear morning from the summit of Pikey Peak, Everest appears alongside four other 8,000-meter giants. They include Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Lhotse. Ama Dablam, Thamserku, and several smaller peaks.

Beyond the summit view, it's the pace and the people. Trails through rhododendron, oak, and magnolia forest lead past Sherpa villages, mani walls, and monasteries that still see relatively few outside visitors. The route opened to regular trekking traffic fairly recently, so it hasn't been worn down by heavy foot traffic the way some Everest region trails have.

It's a teahouse trek, meaning you eat and sleep in local lodges each night, no tents involved. A licensed guide isn't optional; Nepal requires one for this region, and two separate permits need arranging beforehand. Moderately difficult, the trek requires no technical skill, but you should arrive reasonably fit.

There is no fixed minimum. You can trek solo, join a small group departure, or book privately with your group. Price depends on group size. A solo trekker pays the highest rate, and that price reduces with an increase in the number of people in the group. 

Head to our website and pick the Pikey Peak package, then fill in your dates and a few basic details on the trip form. Once that's in, someone from our team gets back to you to confirm the trek is available on your dates and talk through what comes next, deposit included. Or you may contact us directly on your WhatsApp number as well and share your plans. Then, we will provide you with needed information and support.

We ask for 30% of the total cost upfront. That's what lets us go ahead and book your jeep and your teahouse stops before you've even landed in Nepal. It's the same across most of our treks, Pikey Peak included.

Once you are in Nepal, you can pay the rest, either before the trek starts or partway through it. Cash, check, credit card, or whatever's easiest for you at the time.

Yes, last-minute bookings are welcome. Even with little notice, we can coordinate permits and logistics very quickly and be ready to go on time. Simply contact us with your dates.

Yes. We will have someone waiting for you at Tribhuvan International Airport when you arrive and when you leave. It is all part of the package, so you do not need to arrange your transport into the city. 

Not with this package. The Pikey Peak Trek runs on a tighter schedule than some of our longer treks, so there is no built-in Kathmandu hotel stay. If you want extra nights in the city before or after the trek, just let us know and we’ll sort it out.

Both are easy to handle in the city before you head out. SIM cards are available at the airport and in Thamel, and money exchange counters are all over Kathmandu. It is worth doing both before you leave, since neither is reliable once you are on the trail.

Yes. Most hotels offer luggage storage, and if you are booking through us, we can hold onto your extra bags as well, at no extra charge. Just pack and lock anything you are leaving behind properly.

 A few routes work here. You can apply through a Nepali embassy before you leave home, use the online visa form on the government site, or just get one when you land in Kathmandu. Most trekkers go with the on-arrival visa option since it is the least hassle.

 Usually, yes, though it depends on where you are traveling from, since not every nationality qualifies. Give yourself a bit of buffer time at the airport too, as processing can take an hour or two. 

You can get a Nepal visa for a period of 15, 30, or 90 days. The price depends on the duration of your stay, and it goes up the longer you stay. Fees do shift now and then, so check Nepal's official immigration site closer to your trip, or just ask us and we will give you the current numbers.

Yes, you can extend, and it's done in blocks of at least 15 days through the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu. The extension fee also changes from time to time. So it's better to confirm the latest rate nearer your travel dates than to go off old numbers. 

Two permits cover this route: the Gaurishankar Conservation Area Project Permit and the Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit. TIMS cards are no longer required for this trek, so these two are all you need to sort out before setting off.

You will need to pay NPR 3,000 for the Gaurishankar permit and NPR 3,000 for the Sagarmatha permit. That is NPR 6,000 altogether, roughly USD 45. Since permit fees can shift over time, it's worth confirming the current rate with us closer to your travel dates.

We take care of it. Just get us a copy of your passport, your flight details, and two passport photos ahead of time, and everything will be ready before you land. No need to chase paperwork yourself. 

No, a guide is a legal requirement, not just something we recommend. Nepal mandates a licensed guide for treks in this region. Beyond ticking that box, your guide also takes care of permits, teahouse coordination, and reading the trail in areas that are not always clearly marked.

A guide is someone whose responsibility is more than just showing you the way. Your guide manages permit paperwork, arranges teahouse stops each night, and watches for any early signs of altitude discomfort. They also translate between you and local teahouse owners and share the kind of village history and culture you would otherwise walk straight past.

Yes, all our guides are English-speaking and licensed by the government. Many are from Sherpa communities in this exact region, so they know the trails, the teahouses, and the local customs firsthand, not just from a training manual.

Yes. Every guide is covered by insurance, along with their meals, accommodation, and wages, all built into your package cost. You do not need to worry about any of that on their behalf.

A porter is not required like a guide is, but most trekkers find that having one makes a real difference. Carrying your bag over 16- to 18-kilometer days gets tiring fast, and a porter frees you up to just enjoy the walk.

A porter typically manages 25 to 30 kilograms. Since one porter is usually shared between two trekkers, that works out to about 15 kilograms of your gear each, on top of theirs.

Porter service adds USD 100 to your trip, and it can be split between two trekkers if you are traveling together. That brings the cost down to around USD 50 each.

Tipping is not required, but it is customary in Nepal. There is no fixed amount you need to offer as a tip. Trekkers usually decide the amount based on the size of the group, the length of the trip, and how the trek went overall. It’s a good idea to have some extra cash stashed away for this purpose.