Today, we woke up early in the morning and had a hearty breakfast before starting our trip. We boarded a local jeep for a 7 to 8-hour drive to Dhap. Along the way, we traveled through the Kathmandu Valley, passing through Bhaktapur, Banepa, and Dulikhel. The journey offered stunning views of rice fields, traditional villages, and distant mountains.

Once we reached Dhap, we took in the panoramic view of the Himalayan range. The drive covered approximately 230 kilometers and was long due to the mountainous terrain, so we were prepared for a full day of travel. It took us 9 hours of driving to reach our destination.

Today’s trek takes you along a pleasant trail on the Pokhle Ridge, passing through a serene coniferous forest. Enjoy clearings that provide distant views of snow-capped peaks. You’ll reach the Sherpa village of Jhapre (2,820 meters), safeguarded by its monastery. Spend the night in a cozy lodge within the village of Jhapre. The trek today lasts about 3.5 to 4 hours.

Today we will leave the classic Pikey Peak trail and head toward the Sherpa village of Dimil. The descent takes you through Tapting and Solnassa village, leading you to the Lumsa River valley. From here, ascend to Dimil (2,900 meters), where you’ll stay with a local Sherpa family. Enjoy the warm hospitality of Jambu Sherpa, a guide and carpenter, as you settle into his home. Today’s trek involves about 4.5 to 5 hours of walking.

We started our day with a hearty breakfast and then started with a steep climb through the pastures above the village. Along the way, you might catch sight of the colorful Daphe, Nepal’s national bird, before entering the forest of Himalayan blue pines and giant rhododendrons. These rhododendrons are in bloom from late March to April. We stop at the first chautara at 3,150 meters, where the climb becomes more gradual. Next, we pass a mani wall with stones engraved with mantras. The trail continues through pastures and near Yakherder cabins.
After reaching the Samsing huts we will have lunch and continue our trials through the pastures.

The trek continues past a large mani wall and a stupa, with dwarf rhododendrons and junipers replacing the forests. We soon reach a second pass at 3,650 meters. A short climb takes us to Pikey Base Camp, where two lodges and an old dairy await. Enjoy a magnificent view of the hills and valleys below. You can also visit a nearby artisanal juniper distillery if you wish. The day’s trek lasts about 5.5 hours.

After an early breakfast, we begin our ascent to Pikey Peak. The trail starts easy and takes us through pastures that float above the surrounding valleys. As we climb, the view opens up to reveal the impressive snow-capped Gauri Shanker massif on our left. Continuing along this scenic balcony trail, we start to see the peaks of the Everest region.

After about an hour’s ascent from Base Camp, we reach the summit of Pikey Peak at 4,000 meters. The summit is marked by cairns and fluttering prayer flags. On a clear day, you’ll be treated to a spectacular panorama. From here, you can see Dhaulagiri, the Annapurnas, Manaslu, Langtang, and Gauri Shankar behind us. The pyramid-like peaks of Everest and nearby Lhotse become visible, and in the distance, Makalu and Kanchenjunga can be seen to the northeast. If you look carefully, you might also spot a seventh 8,000-meter peak between Gauri Shankar and Dorjee Lakpa.

After taking in this spectacular view, we begin our descent. We quickly reach the forest trails and cross the Jasmene Banjyang pass at 3,500 meters, where we’ll have lunch in a lodge. The descent involves a steep climb of 150 meters through junipers, followed by a gentler slope. Cairns marking small passes brighten the trail. We pass a final cairn at 3,740 meters before starting a long descent through a forest of rhododendrons and conifers. In spring, the vivid reds of rhododendron flowers and the pink of the tree trunks contrast with the lush green of the fir trees. We’ll also see a small clearing with a herd of yaks.

The trail continues down to the village of Taktor, part of the historic Jiri to Everest route that Sir Edmund Hillary’s expedition used. After a tea break, we follow a new trail that leads to the top of the Junebesi valley. A final set of stairs takes us to the beautiful Sherpa village of Junebesi, where whitewashed stone houses surround a charming monastery. Today’s trek takes about 8 hours.

Today, we enjoyed a leisurely morning exploring Junebesi village. We will be visiting the village school and the Junebesi monastery, which dates back to the 17th century and houses a beautiful Buddha statue and ancient texts. In the afternoon, we plan to explore a local Sherpa farm that includes kiwi and apple orchards in the valley. The unique climate allows for these fruit crops at an altitude of 2,800 meters. We stay overnight in Junebesi. Today’s trek is relatively short, around 1.5 hours.

Today, we start a trek with a walk along a scenic trail beside the Junebesi River. As you journey, you’ll pass through Sherpa villages, characterized by their thick stone walls and vibrant, stained wooden windows. At the end of the valley, you’ll reach the new Pungmuche monastery, which features a school for young monks.

From there, a 30-minute climb leads you to the monastic city of Thupten Choling. This monastery was established by Grand Lama Trulshik Rinpoche, who sought refuge here after fleeing Tibet in the early 1960s due to the Chinese invasion. Since his arrival, hundreds of nuns and monks from Tibet have joined him, and their small homes now dot the mountainside around the monastery.

Once at Thupten Choling, you’ll have the rare opportunity to experience daily monastic life. In the monastery kitchens, nuns and monks prepare meals for three hundred people. Watch as they cook in large cauldrons over open fires and prepare traditional Tibetan dishes like momos and Tibetan bread. You’ll enjoy a delicious and balanced Tibetan meal with high-ranking nuns and monks in the steward’s hall.

In the afternoon, explore the monastery grounds founded by Trulshik Rinpoche. Wander through the tranquil alleys lined with the nuns’ small houses, soaking in the peaceful rhythm of the monastery. When a ceremony is held, join the main hall to witness the Buddhist rituals, where sacred trumpets, cymbals, and conches blend with the melodic chants of the nuns and monks.

You’ll spend the night at the monastery guesthouse. However, if the monastery is hosting special celebrations or if there are too many pilgrims, the guesthouse might be closed to trekkers. In such cases, you’ll return to the lovely village of Junebesi for the night. Today’s trek involves about 2 hours of walking.

After enjoying breakfast with the monks, we bid our farewells and set out on the trail. The path ascends from the monastic city and splits, guiding us through a sparsely forested area. From this vantage point, we can see the monastery and its numerous cells below us. We can even see small houses of nuns on a three-year retreat higher up the mountainside.

Continuing the trial we pass through a yak barn and follow a pleasant trail along the mountainside, through rhododendrons and pastures. We reach the Singrare La Pass at 3,430 meters, where we enjoy a picnic lunch with a stunning view of the Thamserku peak.

The descent begins through pastures dotted with grazing yaks. The trail then follows a steeper ridge before entering a rhododendron forest. We approach the hamlet of Tongnassa, which overlooks the Dudh Kunda valley. In spring, the sloping meadows here are adorned with mauve flowers. Continuing, we reach the Dudh Kunda River at 2,630 meters, which flows from the sacred Dudh Kunda lakes fed by the glaciers of Numbur, a revered mountain for the Sherpas. We cross a suspension bridge over the river and pass rocks engraved with Buddhist inscriptions.

A final uphill effort leads us to the village of Ringmo at 2,720 meters, where we will stay in a lodge for the night. Today’s trek involves approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes of walking.

Today we start our journey early and make our way up to Trakshindo Monastery, the last inhabited place before Phaphlu. The trail takes us through dense forests of conifers and rhododendrons. Along the way, we encounter occasional clearings that offer stunning views of the valleys and the Himalayan ranges.

We’ll stop for a picnic lunch in a large clearing and then continue along a flat trail that runs along a ridge above the trees. You can witness the clear views of Mount Everest and other snow-capped peaks. As we proceed, we come across an ancient stupa and eventually join a wide track leading to Phaphlu. We reached Phaphlu in the late afternoon and settled into a lodge. The trek takes approximately 7 hours.

Today is our final day, and we conclude our trek with a return journey to Kathmandu. You can choose to travel by local jeep or by plane, depending on your preference.