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Voykit pocket guide · Nepal
Tengboche
Half a day on the Everest Base Camp trek: visit the monastery, watch the 05:00 puja, then walk on. Not a destination on its own.
Tengboche (3,870 m) is the spiritual heart of the Khumbu, home to the region's largest Sherpa monastery. Most trekkers stop here for a few hours between Namche Bazaar and Dingboche or Pheriche. The main draw is the monastery and the views of Ama Dablam, Thameserku and, on a clear day, Mount Everest.
- Country
- Nepal
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, snow on passes), Jun–Aug (monsoon, leeches, clouds)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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 bed and meals) · Mid Rs 3,000–5,000 (private room, hot shower, bakery treat) (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 |
|---|---|
| Lodge dorm bed | Rs 500–1,200 |
| Private room (twin/double) | Rs 1,500–4,000 |
| Dal bhat (lodge meal) | Rs 600–900 |
| Pizza and coffee at the bakery | Rs 800–1,200 |
| Hot shower (bucket or solar) | Rs 300–800 |
| Bottled water (1 L) | Rs 150–250 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LUA · Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Lukla
- Trek from Lukla to Tengboche takes 2–3 days via Phakding and Namche Bazaar
Typical fares
- Lukla → Tengboche (trek, 2–3 days)
- About Rs 1,500–2,500 per day for food and lodging
- Namche Bazaar → Tengboche (trek, 6–7 h)
- Free (walking); lunch about Rs 600–900
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 settlement is a cluster of lodges and the monastery; everything is within 5 minutes on foot.
See and do
Known for
- Tengboche Monastery
- Mani Rimdu festival (October/November)
- Views of Ama Dablam and Everest
- Highest bakery in the world
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Namche Bazaar | Walk downhill, about 6–7 hours including lunch | 6–7 h |
| Pheriche | Walk uphill, about 2–3 hours | 2–3 h |
| Gokyo | Walk via the high pass (Cho La, 5,420 m) or via Phortse, 2–3 days | 2–3 days |
Sleep
- In front of the monastery
- Four lodges in the field; similar quality and price.
- Behind the monastery
- One lodge; quieter, slightly further from the main path.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavād |
| How much? | कति?kati |
| Water | पानीpānī |
| Where is the lodge? | लज कहाँ छ?lodge kahā̃ cha |
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: 3,870 m. Acclimatise in Namche (3,440 m) for at least one night before climbing higher.
- Monastery ceremonies start at 05:00; times change with season — check at your lodge the evening before.
- No shops; lodges sell essentials (batteries, snacks) at higher prices than Namche.
- Photography inside the monastery requires special permission.
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; trekking poles help. No crime to speak of.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tengboche yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tengboche Monastery
- Mani Rimdu festival (October/November)
- Views of Ama Dablam and Everest
- Highest bakery in the world
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: Tengboche, revision 5237847 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237847
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/tengboche). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.