The Pikey Peak Trek is one of the less touristic trekking routes in Nepal. It has been gaining more and more popularity in recent years but the trails are still not as crowded as if you were going to Everest Base Camp or trekking in the Annapurna Region. Trekking to the Pikey Peak is also a relatively easy trail, perfect for beginners and you can even complete it without hiring a guide or buying a permit. Once you reach Pikey Peak, you will get beautiful panoramic views of the Annapurna Range, Everest, Langtang, Makalu and more.

Pikey Peak Trek Map

Pikey Peak Itinerary (Options for 5-8 Days)

5-Day Pikey Peak Trek Itinerary

The Pikey Peak trek can be completed in 5 days if you are really short on time and are fit enough to trek a little bit faster than the average. Also, if you plan to complete it in 5 days, it is best if you hire a private jeep to get you to the starting point of the trek. This is due to that on the first day, you will have to trek to Jhapre village after you get off the jeep in Dhap Bazaar. If you take the public bus or jeep, you will arrive around 2-3 pm in Dhap and you will not have enough time to walk to Jhapre.

The 5-day trek option for Pikey Peak could feel very rushed and to be honest, you may not be able to enjoy it as much as if you added 1-2 days extra to complete it.

Day 1. Private jeep from Kathmandu to Dhap (8 hours on the bus/jeep), trek from Dhap to Jhapre (10.5 km, 3.5-4 hours trek)
Day 2. Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp (13.5 km, 5-6 hours trek)
Day 3. Sunrise at Pikey Peak (1 hour uphill for sunrise view), afterwards breakfast back in the hotel and then trek from Pikey Base Camp to Junbesi (15.7 km, 5-6 hours)
Day 4. Junbesi to Phaplu (11 km, 4 hours trek)
Day 5. Bus from Phaplu to Kathmandu (the bus goes around 6 am in the morning, costs Rs. 1,500).

6-Day Pikey Peak Trek Itinerary (4 days trekking, 2 days travel)

Alright, this is the trek itinerary that I did. Although it was fine to complete it in this timeframe, if I had more time, I probably would have extended it by one more day. Day 4 is pretty rough if you go see the sunrise and then trek all the way to Junbesi. Most of the people break their trek in Jasmane Bhanjyang (between Pikey Base Camp and Junbesi) – making it a 7-day trek and less tiring.

Day 1. Bus/jeep from Kathmandu to Dhap
Day 2. Dhap to Jhapre (10.5 km, 3.5-4 hours trek)
Day 3. Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp (13.5 km, 5-6 hours trek)
Day 4. Sunrise at Pikey Peak (1 hour uphill for sunrise view), afterwards breakfast back in the hotel and then trek from Pikey Base Camp to Junbesi (15.7 km, 5-6 hours)
Day 5. Junbesi to Phaplu (11 km, 4 hours trek)
Day 6. Bus from Phaplu to Kathmandu

Pikey Peak Trek Nepal (Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp)

7-Day Pikey Peak Trek Itinerary (5 days trekking, 2 days travel)

This is the trek itinerary most people I met on the trail were doing. Making it 7 days, lets you have enough rest between villages so that you do not exhaust yourself. If you are very fit and an active trekker, you may not need this extra day. You can just decide on the way, how far you will go each day.

Day 1. Bus/jeep from Kathmandu to Dhap
Day 2. Dhap to Jhapre (10.5 km, 3.5-4 hours trek)
Day 3. Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp (13.5 km, 5-6 hours trek)
Day 4. Sunrise at Pikey Peak (1 hour uphill for sunrise view), afterwards breakfast back in the teahouse and then trek from Pikey Base Camp to Jasmane Bhanjyang (6 km, 2 hours trek)
Day 5. Jasmane Bhanjyang to Junbesi (10 km, 4.5 hours with a lot of downhill trek)
Day 6. Junbesi to Phaplu (11 km, 4 hours trek)
Day 7. Bus from Phaplu to Kathmandu

8-Day Pikey Peak Trek Itinerary (6 days trekking, 2 days travel)

Day 1. Bus/jeep from Kathmandu to Dhap (8 hours travel on bus/jeep)
Day 2. Dhap to Jhapre (10.5 km, 3.5-4 hours trek)
Day 3. Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp (13.5 km, 5-6 hours trek)
Day 4. Sunrise at Pikey Peak (1 hour uphill for sunrise view), afterwards breakfast back in the teahouse and then trek from Pikey Base Camp to Jasmane Bhanjyang (6 km, 2 hours trek)
Day 5. Jasmane Bhanjyang to Junbesi (10 km, 4.5 hours with a lot of downhill trek)
Day 6. Junbesi to Ringmu (10 km, 6.5 hours trek)
Day 7. Rungmu to Phaplu (13 km, 5.5 hours trek- mostly downhill so faster)
Day 8. Bus from Phaplu to Kathmandu (11 hours on the bus)

Pikey Peak Trek Nepal (Jasmane Bhanjyang)

Bus/Jeep to Dhap Bazaar

Dhap Bazaar is a popular starting point to the Pikey Peak Trek and you can easily get your ticket either for a bus or jeep. They go every day early morning and arrive in Dhap by 2-3 pm in the afternoon.

Where to buy the bus/jeep ticket: You can buy the bus/jeep tickets at the Chabahil bus ticket counter (see map below). You can get here by taking a taxi (pathao or indrive) or ask at your hotel if they can arrange it for you. Generally, everyone buys their ticket 1-2 days before starting the trip.

Bus from Kathmandu to Dhap: The ticket costs Rs. 1,500. The bus leaves at 6 am from Chabahil and takes about 8 hours to get to Dhap Bazaar. People usually prefer to take the bus as it is more comfortable (the jeep can get too crowded).
Jeep from Kathmandu to Dhap: The ticket costs Rs. 2,000. The jeep officially leaves from Chabahil at 5 am but then the jeep goes around picking up the passengers close to their home addresses. If you decide to go by jeep, ask at the ticket counter to pick you up from a location near your hotel/home. Just be aware that due to this, it can take up to 1.5 hours to pick up all the passengers and start the trip to Dhap Bazaar.

Should I take the bus or the jeep? The bus is generally more comfortable as the jeeps can get very crammed if there are a lot of passengers. The time it takes to get to Dhap Bazaar is about the same whether you take the bus or the jeep. Unless you hire a private jeep for the journey, that’s the fastest and most comfortable way to go.

Chabahil Bus Ticket Counter, Kathmandu

Taking the Bus Back to Kathmandu from Phaplu or Salleri

Depending on where you finish your trek, you will be able to easily find buses going back to Kathmandu. One of the popular places to finish the Pikey Peak Trek is in Phaplu. In Phaplu, there is even an airport, if you want to go back to Kathmandu quickly.

Salleri is about 2 hours walk from Phaplu. The bus that starts in Phaplu is the same bus that also stop in Salleri for passengers. So it is up to you if on the day of your trek you feel like walking down to Salleri or just staying in Phaplu and then take the bus the next morning.

The bus ride takes about 11-12 hours and costs Rs. 1,500 from Phaplu to Kathmandu.

Wondering what’s it like to travel by bus in Nepal? Check out my other post on Travelling by Bus in Nepal.

Permits

No need for any kind of permit if you are starting the trek from Dhap Bazaar
If you are starting the trek from Shivalaya, you will need to get the Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit (GSCAP). The permit costs Rs. 3,000 and you can get it at the checkpoint in Shivalaya or at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu.

Guide Rules

It is not mandatory or required to have a trekking guide for the Pikey Peak Trek. Although, the Government of Nepal has been trying to enforce a rule of mandatory guides for foreign trekkers, in reality it has not been enforced. On top of that, the Pikey Peak Trekking route falls outside of the areas that the government is trying to enforce the trekking guide rule. So, you can trek here peacefully as a solo trekker without getting a guide or paying for permits.

Trekking Solo

The Pikey Peak Trek has an easy to moderate level difficulty so it is perfect for beginner trekkers and also if you want to trek solo in a less crowded trekking route. The trails are well-marked and if you download the maps.me app on your phone (maps.me on the Apple Store, maps.me on Google Play) you will be able to follow the trail well. Just make sure to download the map beforehand so you can use the app while you are offline).

What to Pack for the Pikey Peak Trek

Clothes

T-shirts x3
Leggings or trekking pants x2
Fleece jumper x1
Wind jacket x1
Thermal base layer (top and bottom) for sleeping x1
Hat, scarf, gloves x 1
Socks and underwear
Sports bra x2 (for women)

Other Items

Sleeping bag liner x1
Headlamp x1 (good to have if you go for the sunrise view at Pikey Peak as you will start off in the dark)
Sunscreen x1
Walking sticks x1
Medicine for diarrhoea and cold (better to go on the trek with having these medicines prepared for any scenario)
Nalgene bottle (You can ask in your tea house at night to fill it with hot water. Then, you can use it as a “heater” and put it inside your sleeping bag liner or blanket to keep you warm at night).
Trekking snacks, dried fruits
Tissues, toilet paper roll (there is no toilet paper in the teahouses in Nepal so you have to bring yours. It is possible to buy toilet paper in the teahouses but they will be more expensive than buying them in Kathmandu).

Weather

It is very windy up at Pikey Peak and also during some sections on the trail. Some parts of the trail is through open fields, and as you are high up in the mountains, you get a lot of wind on the way. It might be sunny during the day but you will need gloves and a wind jacket with hoodies on as the wind will hit you pretty hard.

Teahouses

Dhap Bazaar: Dhap is a really tiny place for a starting point for a trek. When you arrive in Dhap, it really hits you that the Pikey Peak Trek is not as popular yet as other trekking routes in Nepal. Dhap is basically made up of only just about 2-3 guesthouses on the main road and then some villagers’ houses behind. In Nepali language, “bazaar” means “market”, so I was preparing to find Dhap as a market town but there is really not much to it yet. The guesthouses are yet to develop into more comfortable lodges, the only option as of now is bucket shower. When we were there, they were building a new bathroom/shower in our teahouse, so in a few months’ time, it might be better.
Jhapre: Himalayan Lama Hotel and Guesthouse: Rs. 1,000/night for 2 people. Best place in Jhapre with a hot shower for Rs. 300.
Pikey Base Camp: Peekey Shangri La Hotel: Rs. 1,000/night for 2 people. You have an attached toilet in your room (yeah, you can have your own toilet here). Rs. 300 for hot shower. Simply the best teahouse in Pikey Base Camp.
Junbesi: Apple Garden Lodge: Rs. 500/night for 2 people. Bathroom on shared basis. If you pre-book or arrive early, you can choose a room with an attached toilet. Hot shower for Rs. 300.
Phaplu: Sunshine Hotel and Lodge: Basic accommodation but they have hot shower for free. Rs. 500/night for 2 people. Owner is nice to help get your bus ticket back to Kathmandu.

Pikey Peak Trek Budget

Prices of Rooms in Teahouses

The prices of rooms are between Rs. 500-1,000 for 2 people per night in a twin room. Usually, the hotels that have hot water shower are the ones that charge Rs. 1,000 for the room. The hot shower is a shared bathroom and if you ask, they will unlock the door for you for the shower.

In Jhapre and Pikey Base Camp were the only places we paid Rs. 1,000 for the rooms. The rooms are usually twin rooms and if you are travelling with a friend, then the price of the room is shared between the two.

Prices of Food in Teahouses

There is usually an unwritten rule that the teahouse you are staying in is also the place that you will be having your breakfast and dinner too. A meal generally costs around Rs. 500 in each teahouse along the trail. If you want to buy beer, expect to pay around Rs. 500-600 for a can.

Prices of Other Items

Toilet paper: Rs. 200/roll
Wifi: Rs. 100
Charging phone: Rs. 100-200
Hot Shower: Rs. 300

Total Cost for 1 Person

I spent around Rs. 13,000 for a 6 days trek including the bus tickets (to and from Kathmandu). Rs. 9,500 for 6 days, plus Rs. 3,500 total for transport. (This includes also money I spent on wifi, charging, hot shower, extra tissues, toilet paper and snacks).