Kangchenjunga: A Trekker's Guide (Cicerone Guide)
'Kev Reynolds, probably the most authoritative and prolific British author to walking guidebooks outside the UK, has produced yet another excellent addition to his series of trekking guides to Nepal. After a succinctly written introduction covering preparation, necessary bureaucracy, history plus environmental and cultural considerations, he details treks in daily stages to the North Side Base Camp, South Side Base Camp and the 'high level' link between the two. ... Whilst the delights of these treks shine through the prose, it is nice to find no exaggerated sales talk. From the beginning, Reynolds is at pains to point out that trekking in Nepal can be far from a bed of roses and that this particular adventurous journey can bring more hardship and potential danger than most of the country's well-known alternatives. ... However, those who manage to 'survive the ordeal' are sure to have a marvellous experience and find Kangchenjunga - A Trekker's Guide a very worthy companion.' (Lindsay Griffin, High) 'Kangchenjunga is the easiest of the big Himalayan summits to see... The perfect double cone of the topmost ridge is supported on either side by a retinue of snow peaks, each high enough to entice you to come closer. That is exactly what Kev Reynolds does in this guide. He describes three approach treks from the south west, the longest round trip being about twenty days. This is not the Nepal of leapfrogging trek groups, lodges and tourists' stops. It is isolated country with deep valleys, lush at first and arid higher up. The highest point reached is Pangpema at 5140m. Kev Reynolds does his usual thorough job of preparing the trekker. He covers health, equipment, journeys, permits and visas and includes valuable appendices. There is also all the climbing history and cultural guidance you could want.' (Sir John Johnson)