The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area story

The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area covers 2,035 km² of Taplejung's high country, from the forests of the lower valleys to the glaciers of Kanchenjunga, bordering Tibet and Sikkim. It was declared in 1997, and in September 2006 its management was handed to a council of local people, a step in Nepal's move toward community-run conservation. Your permit fees go to the council for conservation and community work.

During the handover, a chartered helicopter carrying officials, conservationists and WWF staff on a flight between Phungling and Ghunsa crashed. All 24 aboard died, including some of Nepal's best-known figures in conservation. Our guide tells the story as people in the valley remember it, and what has changed since: lodges, trails, local rules on firewood and rubbish, and the way the council works with the villages.

We also talk about wildlife: snow leopards, blue sheep, musk deer and red pandas live in the conservation area, and you may see blue sheep on the slopes above Kambachen. Our guide explains the simple rules trekkers follow to help: carry out plastic, use kerosene or gas rather than wood where possible, keep to trails, and never feed or chase animals. It is a short conversation that gives the next days new meaning.