Junbesi [Jung-Yul]

Buddhist Monasteries & Festivals

Junbesi"Jung-Yul" is Sherpa language name for the town around Jung Gompa, Mingmar's home town. "Junbesi" is the town's Nepali language name. "Jun" means "moon" and "besi" means "valley." Ask to see the "moonstone" in the north of Jung-yul when you get there!

Notes on Junbesi Treks: Planning to visit Himalayan monasteries? Here are some useful tips on How to be polite and respectful in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.

Junbesi Trek 5 days/4 nights, Thupten ChoLing, PhungMoche, Tse-lo, Jung

Day 1
· Fly KTM-Phaplu airport arrive early morning
· Walk uphill from Phaplu through Beni, Najing villages, arrive Junbesi about 3 pm.
· Stay in a Junbesi Lodge (there are many nice ones to pick from.) Junbesi altitude 9,300 feet {Sherpa name}

Day 2
· Walk uphill some more, to Thupten ChoLing monastery. 2-3 hours walk up. Visit monastery, photograph views from the top of Junbesi Valley.
· On the way back, visit Phungmoche Monastery School, where about 80 monks and nuns are receiving a traditional Sherpa Buddhist education. They love visitors!
· Excellent views of Numbur Himal from the chorten near Phungmoche.

JunbesiDay 3
· Walk from Junbesi to Sehlo Gompa, another teaching monastery run by Lama Pema Tarchin. (They have electricity in the evening, which can operate a telephone and fax.)
· Return to Junbesi for a visit to Jung Gompa, the second oldest gompa in the Sherpa kingdom, home to some important relics, a spectacular Buddha statue, and wall frescoes in excellent condition inside.

Day 4
· Leaving Junbesi in mid-morning, walk back from Junbesi to Phaplu, 5-6 hours.
· Stay in a Phaplu lodge near Phaplu airstrip

Day 5
· Fly out Phaplu to Kathmandu


Junbesi Trek 5 days/4 nights, Thupten ChoLing, Phungmoche,Takshindu

Day 1
· Fly KTM-Phaplu airport arrive early morning
· Walk uphill from Phaplu through Beni, Najing, Solu Sherpa villages
· Afternoon visit to Jung Gompa in Junbesi.
· Stay in a Junbesi Lodge (there are many nice ones to pick from)

Day 2
· Walk uphill some more, to Thupten ChoLing monastery. 2-3 hours walk up.
· Visit monastery, photograph views from the top of Junbesi Valley. [Sherpa name for Junbesi is "Zhung-Gompa" but most Sherpas just call it Junbesi]
· On the way back, visit Phungmoche Monastery School, where about 80 young monks and nuns are receiving a traditional Sherpa Buddhist education. They love visitors!
· Return to Junbesi village late afternoon, rest in lodge.
· At Phungmoche Gompa, near Junbesi, visit a monastery school for children, and watch them learn traditional meditation and ritual in their maroon robes!

Day 3
· Walk from Junbesi to Takshindu Monastery 6-7, take lunch at a lodge mid-way stay in guest house near monastery.
· Takshindu altitude about 10,000 feet
· Beautiful photo opportunity here too!
· TseLung vista point on the Old Trail (puraano baato) from Junbesi to Takshindu, will often reveal a view of Mount Everest

Day 4
· Takshindu pretty flat walk 5-6 hrs down to Phaplu.
· Stay in Phaplu lodge near Phaplu airstrip.

Day 5
· Fly out Phaplu to KTM


We like this trek especially because it gives us a chance to show you Junbesi [Jung Gompa], the Sherpa family hometown!

Day 01: Arrival at Kathmandu Airport and transfer to your hotel.

Day 02: A day sightseeing of Kathmandu valley

Day 03: After break, fly to Phaplu and trek to the Sherpa village of Junbesi (2675m) for 3 hours.

Day 04: Visit Thupten Cho-Ling, Serlo and Junbesi monasteries and get exposure of the way of Sherpa and Tibetan Buddhists' lives. You will have a chance to visit Sherpa home and talk to them.

Day 5: The trail passes through blue pine forest to rhododendron and prickly-leafed oak forest. The wide trail ascends east through juniper woods past some rectangular mani walls to Thakshindu and we stay overnight there at a Sherpa lodge.

Day 6: Walk through the Rai village of Jubing (1676m), to Kharikola (2004m) of Sherpas and Magars.

Day 7: The trail continues to climb through this tributary valley into prickly-leafed oak and rhododendron forest, where Langur monkeys may be seen. After reaching Sallung ridge, you can see Mount Everest on a clear day.

Day 8: Day walk to Monju (2835m). The trail from Chaumrikha (pasture for yak-cow cross breeds) passes through pleasant fields and ascends to a small ridge, where the trail to the north from Lukla joins the main trail

Day 9: Steep climb toward Namche Bazaar, Sherpa village (3441m). It is the headquarters of Sagarmatha National Park, with an excellent museum on the top of the hill

Day 10: All day in Namche Bazaar (altitude adaptation). There are a lot of possibilities for short walks or visit the museum. Visit homes of Sherpa people.

Day 11: You can see marvelous views of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Lhotse-Shar, Taweche, Amadablam, Khang Taiga, and Thamserku mountains. Your camp is famous Tengboche monastery, which was rebuilt a few years ago, after the monastery was destroyed by fire.

Day 12: Day trip to Pheriche (3750m), a small settlement about 6-7 hours walking from the Tengboche.

Day 13: Day walk to Lobuche (4928m). Climb to pass to the right of stone memorials on a ridge crest. These are built for climbers killed on expeditions to nearby summits.

Day 14: Day excursion of Kalapather. From the rocky summit of Kalapather (5549m) you will marvel at the close-up views of Everest and its neighbors. Overnight at either Gorak Shep (5184m) or Lobuche.

Day 15: Walk back to Dingboche (3,972m). We will leave the barren world of the highest mountain in the world.

Day 16: Day trip to Khumjung (3790m). On the way you can see wild goats (thar), musk deer, and pheasant. Party at night for trek members, staff, and porters with traditional Nepalese food.

Day 17 – 18: Lukla (2800m)

Day 19: Fly back to Kathmandu

NOTES on Junbesi Treks:

1. Daily Cost including full service of English-speaking guide, one porter if necessary, and lodge per night, is approximately $75-95. Your guide will make all lodging arrangements for you, and make sure you get everything you desire in the lodge. Most lodges offer boiled/filtered water, hot showers by advance request, and even home-style laundry service if you like!

2. Meals are out-of-pocket to accommodate your personal taste. Junbesi lodges all have varied menus, quality is quite nice, beer and chaang always available! Meals average about $8-10 each. Although locally grown food is cheap, firewood is remarkably expensive -- so cooked-to-order lodge meals in rural Nepal can cost more than you might guess.

3. Our sherpa family guides know Junbesi and all the valley's monasteries very well. Our guides can arrange any kind of special meetings with Sherpa monastery lamas that you may need. We have family connections with the traditional Sherpa Buddhist monastery schools in Junbesi. Please contact us with any questions you may have.

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