Highlights

Dudhkunda—Pikey Cultural trail is a quiet but increasingly popular trekking route in the Solu Khumbu/Lower Everest Region. Dudhkunda means the ‘milky lake,’ which is situated at the foot of Numbur Himal, a peak locally known as Shorong Yul Lha, meaning the protector of the Solu region. Dudhkunda is considered a holy lake, and the locals believe that taking a dip in the waters will grant anyone’s wishes. While trekking to the area, you can also enjoy the panoramic views of snow-capped mountains including Mt. Everest, Numbur and other peaks along the route. You also can explore the rhododendron forests, pine trees, and wild animals such as mountain tars, bear, leopards, jackals, and birds like the Lophophorus or Danphe, a species of pheasant which is the national bird of Nepal.
On the trek, you will also be able to capture scenes of sunrise and sunset from Pikey Peak. At 4065m, Pikey is a small mountain located in the lower Solu Khumbu region. Pikey hosts sweeping views of nearly all of Nepal’s Himalayan range. It is a lesser-traveled but famous trek. Sir Edmond Hillary said that the view of Sagarmatha or Mt. Everest from Pikey was his favorite in all of Nepal. Pikey was only recently opened as a trekking destination. Pikey, pronounced Pee-Kay, has two summits, Goley-Pikey and Chawa-Pikey. These names are from the Sherpa language and refer to deities of different local Sherpa clans.
Pikey Peak provides the opportunity of a lifetime to see Mt. Everest and six other peaks over 8,000m: Mt. Everest South Summit, Mt. Lhotse, Mt. Makalu, in the west Annapurna and Manaslu, and in the east the third highest peak in the world Mt. Kanchanjunga. Also clear are Mt. Thamserku, Numbur Himal, Gauri Shankar, and the Langtang Range. (For more information on Pikey, see the Pikey Peak page)
The trail passes through most beautiful Sherpa and other ethnic communities’ settlements in the region. You can visit ancient Buddhist monasteries such as Thupten Chholing Gompa and enjoy the local culture, lifestyle, and of course the picturesque landscapes. The trek begins at Jhapre after an 8-9 hours drive from Kathmandu and continues through the Solu Khumbu, eventually ending at Phaplu to fly or drive back to Kathmandu.