“We visited ‘Shree Yubabarsha’ secondary school (recently rebuilt after the earthquake in 2015) and a monastery next to it.”
Trek from Phakding to Monjo is adorned with beautiful uphill streams, waterfalls, suspension bridges, and green terraced landscapes. Most of the day we walked along Dudh Koshi river and encountered load bearing mules and Jyopkas (a cross between a yak and a cow) for company.
These animals are very much an integral part of the Himalayan village life and an essential part of the trekking eco-system in the Himalayas. Without them, we hikers would not be able to enjoy the hospitality of the tea houses that are established at heights of over 16,000ft in elevation. It’s all a big team effort with the villagers, the tea house owners, the cooks, the guides, the porters, the herdsmen and the animals, all playing a small part in the success of every hiker’s goal to reach the summits of wherever they plan to go.
The best part of the trek is passing by several picturesque settlements and villages that serve as a gateway to the Sagarmatha National Park. We were struck by the simplicity of the village people living in these settlements. It was a heart warming experience to mingle with the villagers who were extremely friendly and kind to outsiders like us.
Monjo stands like an old town untouched by modern civilization and technology. We visited ‘Shree Yubabarsha’ secondary school (recently rebuilt after the earthquake in 2015) and a monastery next to it. Like many other projects and schools throughout the Khumbu region, this school project received funding and support from organizations and trust foundations, such as the Himalayan Trust.
The village school is set on a beautiful backdrop of mountains next to a monastery, and has a little library with a cozy reading room and a small computer lab next to the classrooms. It was a joy to see snippets of village life and the school striving to provide more modern education facilities for the children.
We settled into our warm and cozy tea house at Monjo that had opened a brand new coffee house called ‘Himalayan Java’, featuring windows with expansive views of the outside. We indulged in hot chocolate, baked treats and some good old Bollywood singing, playing a competitive game called ‘Antakshari’. One of our guides, Rabin, had a great voice and would readily join us at every opportunity.
Stats: distance and elevation profile
Distance: 3 miles | Elevation gain: 717ft | Elevation loss: 146ft
Wanderlust On Foot 
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