TASHINGA TO MONJO KEY STATS

  • Starting Point: Tashinga (3,540m/11,614ft)
  • Finishing Point: Monjo (2,840m/9,318ft)
  • Distance: 12km/7.5mi
  • Trekking Time: 3.5 Hours
  • Accommodation: Yeti Mountain Home Monjo

TASHINGA TO MONJO EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK DIARY

Trekking to Everest Base Camp is an experience I will never forget. While it had its challenges, I seem to always remember smiling from ear to ear – except, of course, as the end of our trek neared. While day fourteen of our trek from Tashinga to Monjo technically wasn’t the end of our adventure, it WAS the second to last day our hike, which meant our time in the Himalayas was sadly coming to a close.

Our goal of the day was to take the trail to where it meets the main Everest Base Camp route, follow it through the bustling mountain town of Namche Bazaar and then retrace our footsteps along the paths to the village of Monjo.

The Tashinga to Monjo stretch isn’t too extreme. It does twist and turn and throw some challenging ascents and descents your way, but for the most part it is pretty straightforward. We made our descent to the town of Kenjoma and followed the trail back to the upper side of Namche.

If you have been following the DomOnTheGo Everest Journey from the start, then you may recall that we created an itinerary that combined the main Everest Base Camp Trail and the Three Pass Trail. These are two of the top Everest treks in the region, which, when combined, offer trekkers a more challenging route and minimal backtracking on the same trails.

The stretch between Tashinga and Namche were new to us, which made trekking through this section still exciting for us. Imagine having the high of being at Everest Base Camp and then dragging your feet for the next four to five days because you have seen everything that you are passing on your way back down. If you have the time and are up for a challenge, customize your route and see more of the region.

The further we moved away from the peaks and into the trails below the tree line, the more the broader mountain panoramas revealed themselves. Each time we would turn around, we got to admire views of Mt. Everest (8,848m), Ama Dablam (6,812m), Nuptse (7,861m), Thamserku (6,623m) and Lhotse (8,516m).

Enroute to Namche we passed the Rolex-sponsored memorial stupa built to honor the 50th anniversary of the first Everest summit. It specifically pays homage to Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest. We had the opportunity to meet so many accomplished Sherpas on our adventure – it’s nice to see a focus on honoring them and acknowledging their importance to Everest expeditions.

After an hour and a half we made it back to the town of Namche Bazaar (3,440m). Our flight delay into Lukla on day one of our trek meant that we needed to get creative with our itinerary to keep it on track. Having shaved off a day in Namche on our ascent, it was nice being back and being able to spend some time there.

We grabbed a coffee and meandered the tiny cobblestone alleys to explore the shops. If you are looking for snacks, souvenirs or outdoor gear, the bustling mountain village of Namche has you covered. We avoided it all like the plague on the way up. Word to the wise – knowing now the lack of a lot of this stuff along the trail, this would be the place to stock up on any comforts you may want on your ascent. Grab a book. Grab some chocolate. Grab something. Even if you see it later on the trail, be prepared to cough up double or triple the price for your favorite little treats.

After picking up a packed lunch, we left Namche and made our way in the direction of Monjo. Be sure to have your trekking permit handy – as soon as you leave you will pass through the Namche Checkpoint. Your pass proves that you paid the park fees and that you made it back safe and sound.

(Side Note: We encountered a very gassy donkey shortly after we left Namche. I feel childish writing about it, so you’ll just have to watch the video to hear it trumpeting along the trail. I don’t think I laughed that hard the whole trip. Enjoy.)

Once we were south of Namche, we were officially on the same trail that we enjoyed the first couple of days. I have fond memories of the blue hues in the glacial rivers rushing under the prayer flag adorned suspension bridges. Even though at this stage we were backtracking, it was worth a second meander through this stretch of trail.

Rob on the other hand was seeing everything for the first time. You may recall that he struggled the first couple of days due to food poisoning, but somehow managed to power through until we visited a doctor in Namche. It was a very tough stretch of trail for him on our ascent, so we were both very pleased he got to experience it again without the urges of mother-nature calling.

The paths continued to be unforgiving. While there were some flat stretches, we knew that every steep trail we happily took down; we knew we would need to take a steep one up. The final upward push of the day was the long flight of stairs and massive Mani wall just before the Sagamartha National Park entrance in the town of Monjo (2,840m).

The area was buzzing. Trekking season was in full swing and the hordes of trekkers along the trails and those checking in at the park entrance reminded us how lucky we were to have the most of the trails to ourselves over the past fourteen days.

Lucky for us, Monjo was our resting spot for the evening. We checked into what was the newest and most comfortable of the Yeti Mountain Home Lodges. The lovely staff greeted us with hot towels, gave us time to trade our hiking boots for Crocs and showed us to our room.

We enjoyed our stays at the other Yeti Mountain Homes along our trek, but this one took the cake. In addition to the awesome meals, comfy bed and bathroom equipped with hot showers, we had massive windows that allowed us to admire the views as we rested in our room. Don’t get me wrong – I love the rustic aspect of a lot of the teas houses we have stayed in along the EBC trek, but sometimes you just want a hot shower, a cold Everest beer and a bed that is guaranteed to keep you warm in the Himalayas.

And that’s exactly what we got on our second to last trekking day from Tashinga to Monjo.

TASHINGA TO MONJO VIDEO

LOOKING FOR NITTY GRITTY DETAILS?

Check out the day as recorded by Stava. See the trails taken, overall elevation gains,  trekking times and how fast (or slow) we made it from Point A to Point B.

TRAVEL PLANNING ESSENTIALS: NEPAL

 

Flights

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Accommodation

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Travel Insurance

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ENJOY TASHINGA TO MONJO? CHECK OUT MORE OF THE EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK AT EVEREST BASE CAMP TREK DIARY.

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