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Voykit pocket guide · Nepal
Deboche
A 30-minute walk from Tengboche on the Everest Base Camp trek; stop for lunch or a night if you want a warmer, quieter alternative to Tengboche. One night is enough.
Deboche is a small settlement between Tengboche and Pangboche on the Everest Base Camp trek. At 3,820 m, it is slightly warmer and less exposed than Tengboche. Most trekkers pass through in under an hour, but a night here breaks the climb and gives access to the old nunnery.
- Country
- Nepal
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold), Jun–Aug (monsoon, poor views)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- NPR
- Money
- NPR in small notes (100s and 500s) for taxis, tea shops and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rs 1,500–2,500 (lodge dorm, basic meals) · Mid Rs 2,500–4,000 (private room, hot meals) · High Rs 4,000+ (Rivendell Lodge, extra blankets) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell sell tourist SIMs at Kathmandu airport and in town with passport and a photo.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Ambulance 102 · Tourist Police 1144
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round-pin sockets; a universal adapter covers them. Treks charge for device charging.
- Tipping
- Trekking guide: About 10–15% of the guide's total fee, at the end.; Porter: US$5–10 a day, at the end, in person.; Restaurant: Round up if 10% service is added; 5–10% if not.; Driver day: Rs 500–1,000.; Hotel staff: Rs 100–200.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Use filtered refill stations (Rs 50–100 a litre) or purification tablets; buying plastic bottles on treks leaves rubbish in the mountains.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug elsewhere. Carry tissue; on treks toilets are outside and freeze in winter.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Dal bhat (meal) | Rs 500–800 |
| Tea / coffee | Rs 100–200 |
| Bottled water (1 L) | Rs 150–250 |
| Extra blanket | Rs 100–200 |
| Hot shower (bucket) | Rs 300–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LUA · Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla
- Trek from Lukla takes 2–3 days to reach Deboche.
Typical fares
- Lukla → Deboche (trek, 2–3 days)
- check
- Deboche → Tengboche (walk)
- 30 min
- Deboche → Pangboche (walk)
- 45 min–1 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking only. The trail through Deboche is part of the main Everest Base Camp route.
See and do
Known for
- Old Nunnery (rebuilt after 2015 earthquake)
- Warmer microclimate than Tengboche
- Quiet alternative to Tengboche
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tengboche | Walk 30 min uphill | 30 min |
| Pangboche | Walk 45 min–1 h downhill | 1 h |
| Namche Bazaar | Walk 4–5 h via Tengboche and Kyangjuma | 5 h |
| Gokyo | Walk 2–3 days via the Cho La pass (5,420 m) | 2–3 days |
Sleep
- Deboche village
- A handful of lodges; all are basic. Rivendell Lodge is the most expensive; Paradise Lodge keeps a warm common room.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavād |
| How much? | कति?kati |
| Yes / No | हो / होइनho / hoina |
| Water | पानीpānī |
| Bill, please | बिल दिनुहोस्bil dinuhos |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste with palms together; a handshake between men in business; avoid: Hugging or kissing in public
- Temples and stupas: Walk clockwise, spin prayer wheels clockwise, shoes off at shrines; avoid: Touching offerings; entering Hindu-only areas
- Food: Right hand, accept refills gracefully; avoid: Sharing food you have bitten; stepping over food
- Feet and heads: Keep feet flat and away from people and altars; avoid: Touching anyone's head
- Photos: Ask first; offer to show the picture; avoid: Photographing cremations or rituals without permission
- On the trail: Pass mani walls and chortens on the left (keeping them on your right); give way to yaks on the mountain side; avoid: Standing on the drop side when animals pass
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude: 3,820 m. Acclimatise properly before ascending further.
- Lodges charge per blanket (e.g. Rs 100 at Rivendell Lodge).
- The old nunnery is under reconstruction; enter at your own risk.
- No ATM or shop; carry enough cash from Namche Bazaar or Lukla.
Altitude sickness is the main risk. Ascend slowly, drink water, and descend if symptoms worsen. The trail is well-trodden but can be icy in winter.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Deboche yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Nunnery (rebuilt after 2015 earthquake)
- Warmer microclimate than Tengboche
- Quiet alternative to Tengboche
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Deboche, revision 3800495 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3800495
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/deboche). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.