Pikey Peak Trek: Sir Edmund Hillary’s Favourite Everest View

Q: What permits do I need for the Pikey Peak trek?

You need a TIMS card and the local area entry fee. The TIMS card is issued through a registered agency in Kathmandu, and the local fee is paid in cash at a checkpoint on the trail, usually around NPR 2,000 to 3,000. No Sagarmatha National Park or Gaurishankar permit is needed on the standard route from Dhap. MountainKick arranges both as part of your package.

Q: What is the best time to trek Pikey Peak?

October to December and March to May are the best seasons. Autumn gives the clearest mountain views. Spring brings rhododendrons in bloom along the forest sections. Winter is cold but the trail stays open and is almost empty. Monsoon (June to September) is not recommended.

By Thapa Kumar · Mar 16, 2026 · 10 min read

Quick Answer

Pikey Peak (4,065m) is a 10-day trek from Kathmandu with no flight required. From the summit you can see four of the world’s five highest mountains in one panorama: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu. MountainKick’s guided package starts from USD 664 per person.

Sir Edmund Hillary is said to have called it his favourite view of Everest. The trail is still one of the quietest high viewpoint treks in Nepal.

Pikey Peak Trek: Quick Facts

Key Facts

Region: Solukhumbu, Everest region, Nepal
Summit altitude: 4,065m (13,336 ft)
Duration: 10 days from Kathmandu, including arrival and departure days
Package from: USD 664 per person
Difficulty: Moderate, beginner friendly, no technical climbing
Best time: October to December and March to May
Flight required: No, you drive from Kathmandu (8 to 9 hours)
Permits: TIMS card and local area entry fee, both arranged by MountainKick
Crowds: Very low, one of Nepal’s quietest high viewpoints

Pikey Peak sits at 4,065 metres in the lower Solukhumbu region of Nepal. Sir Edmund Hillary, who made the first ascent of Everest with Tenzing Norgay, is said to have called it his favourite place to view the mountain. On a clear morning the summit gives a full 360-degree panorama: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Kanchenjunga to the east and north, Numbur close by, and Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range far to the west.

There is no flight to Lukla. No pre-dawn alarm in Ramechhap. No altitude worries above 5,000 metres. You drive east from Kathmandu, walk for a week through quiet Sherpa villages and rhododendron forest, and stand on a summit with one of the most complete mountain views in Nepal.

It is the best Everest region trek most people have never heard of.

Lukla flight cancelled? MountainKick can often switch your plans to Pikey Peak with 48 hours notice. Contact us via WhatsApp or the enquiry form and we will sort it. Read our Lukla flight and Ramechhap guide to understand your options.

How Long Is the Pikey Peak Trek?

The trek takes 10 days from Kathmandu, including your arrival and departure days. You drive to Dhap, walk up through Jhapre to Pikey Base Camp, reach the summit at sunrise, then come down through Loding, Junbesi and Taksindu to Phaplu for the drive home.

Most walking days are 3 to 6 hours on good trails. The summit morning starts around 4am to catch the sunrise. It is the hardest hour of the trek and also the best. See the full day by day plan on our Pikey Peak Trek page.

Getting from Kathmandu to Dhap: Your Options Honestly Explained

This is the part most guides skip over. The drive from Kathmandu to Dhap is about 230 kilometres and takes 8 to 9 hours. The road follows the BP Highway east along the Sun Kosi River for the first half, which is a reasonable surface. Past Okhaldhunga the road climbs steeply for about three hours on a narrower, rougher track before reaching Dhap at 2,850 metres.

Public bus: Departs from Chabahil in Kathmandu at 5 to 6am. Costs approximately NPR 1,500 (USD 11). Takes about 8 hours. Basic comfort, no reserved seating, bumpy on the upper section. Fine if you are on a tight budget and do not mind arriving tired.

Shared jeep: Costs approximately NPR 2,000 (USD 14) per seat. Leaves around the same time as the bus. Can get very crowded with luggage. Not faster than the bus and less comfortable than people expect.

Private jeep: The right choice for most international travellers. You leave on your own schedule, stop when you want and arrive in reasonable comfort. MountainKick includes private jeep transfers both ways in every Pikey Peak package, with a night in Dhap so you never walk straight after the long drive.

What You See from Pikey Peak Summit

The summit at 4,065 metres gives one of the widest Himalayan panoramas you can reach without technical climbing or extreme altitude. On a clear morning you can pick out Everest (8,849m), Lhotse (8,516m), Makalu (8,485m), Cho Oyu (8,188m) and Kanchenjunga (8,586m). Numbur Himal stands close to the north. Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range stretch far to the west.

The sunrise turns the snow on these peaks gold before the valleys below get any light at all. Many trekkers rate it as the best moment of their whole Nepal trip.

Pikey Peak vs Everest Base Camp: Which Is Right for You?

Pikey Peak vs Everest Base Camp Comparison 2026
Feature	Pikey Peak	Everest Base Camp
Max Altitude	4,065m	5,364m (base camp) / 5,545m (Kala Patthar)
Duration	10 days	14 days
Flight Required	No, drive from Kathmandu	Yes, Lukla or Ramechhap
Crowd Level	Very low	High
Difficulty	Moderate, beginner friendly	Moderate to Challenging
Cost	From USD 664	From USD 1,160
Best For	First-timers, short trips, flight-free option	The classic Himalayan bucket list

Both treks are in Solukhumbu district. Some trekkers do Pikey Peak first as a warm-up and come back for EBC the following year. If EBC is your goal, read our full Everest Base Camp trek cost guide and see the EBC trip page for full details. If you have already done EBC and want something new, read our guide on what to trek after Everest Base Camp.

What Permits Are Required for the Pikey Peak Trek in 2026?

Two things are needed on the standard route from Dhap: a TIMS card and the local area entry fee. The TIMS card is issued through a registered agency before you leave Kathmandu. The local entry fee is collected by the rural municipality at a checkpoint on the trail, in cash. It is usually around NPR 2,000 to 3,000 per foreign trekker, though local fees can change without much notice. MountainKick arranges both, so you do not need to apply for anything yourself.

You do not need a Sagarmatha National Park permit, because the route stays well south of the park. You also do not need the Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit, which only applies if you start from Jiri or Shivalaya instead of driving to Dhap.

Foreign trekkers in Nepal need a licensed guide arranged through a registered agency, and every MountainKick trip includes one. For a full breakdown of trekking permits across Nepal, read our Nepal trekking permits guide.

Best Time to Trek Pikey Peak

Autumn (October to December): Best for mountain views. Post-monsoon skies are the clearest of the year. October is the busiest month. November and December are quieter, with colder nights but excellent visibility.

Spring (March to May): Rhododendrons bloom along the forest between Jhapre and Pikey Base Camp. Mornings are usually clear, though haze can build in the afternoons from April.

Winter (December to February): Cold but possible. Skies are often clear and the trail is almost empty. Nights at base camp drop well below freezing, so bring warm layers and a good sleeping bag.

Monsoon (June to September): Not recommended. Trails get slippery, the road to Dhap can be hit by landslides and cloud usually hides the summit view.

What Our Guests Say

Christie from Northampton, Massachusetts trekked Pikey Peak with MountainKick in November 2025:

“Our Mountain Kick trekking adventure into Pikey Peak with guide Kumar and porter Sita Ram was absolutely fantastic. We loved that we could see so many of the highest peaks and have the trail often to ourselves. Kumar was an amazing guide who tended to our every need without asking. We couldn’t have asked for a better trip and we would highly recommend Mountain Kick.”

This is exactly what Pikey Peak delivers. The trail to yourself. The views without the crowds. A guide who knows the mountain personally.

Trek Pikey Peak with MountainKick

MountainKick runs guided Pikey Peak treks from Kathmandu with private jeep transfers, a licensed local guide, porter service, permits and teahouse accommodation throughout. Our guide Kumar has led this trail personally and knows every teahouse, every viewpoint and the exact timing for the best sunrise on the summit. See dates, group prices and the full itinerary on the Pikey Peak Trek page.

If you are thinking about solo female trekking in Nepal, this route is one of the safest and most rewarding options. Read our solo female trekking Nepal guide for more on how MountainKick handles private trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pikey Peak suitable for first-time trekkers?

Yes. It is one of the most beginner friendly high viewpoint treks in the Everest region. The maximum altitude is 4,065 metres and most walking days are 3 to 6 hours on well-established trails. No technical climbing or previous trekking experience is needed.

Do I need a guide for Pikey Peak in 2026?

Yes. Foreign trekkers need a licensed guide arranged through a registered agency. Permits are only issued to trekkers booked through a registered agency, so MountainKick arranges everything before you leave Kathmandu. Every package includes a licensed guide. See our Nepal trekking permits guide for the full 2026 rules.

How do I get from Kathmandu to Pikey Peak?

You drive to Dhap (2,850m), which takes 8 to 9 hours from Kathmandu. MountainKick includes a private jeep and a night in Dhap, and you start walking the next morning. Public bus and shared jeep options exist for budget travellers, but the road is rough past Okhaldhunga and a private vehicle is much more comfortable.

What permits do I need for the Pikey Peak trek?

You need a TIMS card and the local area entry fee. The TIMS card is issued through a registered agency in Kathmandu, and the local fee is paid in cash at a checkpoint on the trail, usually around NPR 2,000 to 3,000. No Sagarmatha National Park or Gaurishankar permit is needed on the standard route from Dhap. MountainKick arranges both as part of your package.

Can I see Everest from Pikey Peak?

Yes. On a clear morning the summit gives a 360-degree panorama including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Numbur, Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range. Sir Edmund Hillary is said to have called it his favourite view of Everest. Your best chance of clear skies is early morning from October to December.

How much does the Pikey Peak trek cost?

MountainKick’s guided Pikey Peak trek starts from USD 664 per person. This includes private jeep transfers, a licensed guide, a porter, permits and teahouse accommodation. It costs a lot less than the EBC trek at USD 1,160 and needs no domestic flight. See the Pikey Peak Trek page for dates and group prices.

Can I combine Pikey Peak with Everest Base Camp?

Yes. Some trekkers use Pikey Peak as a warm-up before coming back for EBC the following season. You can also combine both in one longer itinerary with no flights at all. The trek ends in Phaplu, right next to Salleri, which is where the road route toward Everest Base Camp begins. Read Everest Base Camp without flying to see how that route works, and contact MountainKick to plan a combined trip.

What is the best time to trek Pikey Peak?

October to December and March to May are the best seasons. Autumn gives the clearest mountain views. Spring brings rhododendrons in bloom along the forest sections. Winter is cold but the trail stays open and is almost empty. Monsoon (June to September) is not recommended.

Pikey Peak does not yet have the fame of EBC. That is exactly why you should go now, while the trail is still quiet and the sunrise is still yours.

See the full 10-day itinerary, departure dates and group prices, or message our Kathmandu team with any questions. We reply within a few hours.

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