From the lodges in Lower Pangboche, a stone path climbs about 15 minutes through barley and potato fields to the upper village. The monastery sits among stone houses and a grove of ancient juniper trees. According to local tradition, Lama Sangwa Dorje of the Nyingma school meditated here and founded the gompa in the 1600s, making it the oldest in the Khumbu. The junipers are said to have sprung from hair he scattered on the ground.
The prayer hall is low and dim, lit by butter lamps. Its walls are covered in faded murals of protector deities and saints, and the altar holds statues and texts wrapped in cloth. For decades the monastery displayed a supposed yeti scalp and skeletal hand; the hand was stolen in the 1990s, and a replica was later returned by a Western donor. The scalp is less often shown today, and the focus is on the monastery as a place of worship.
A caretaker or lama opens the door for visitors. Remove shoes, walk clockwise, sit if invited and leave a donation for upkeep. Photography inside may not be allowed. Afterwards, walk to the edge of the upper village for views across to Ama Dablam and down the valley to Tengboche, and return to the main trail by the same path or a gentler one leading east.
Good for
- Pilgrims
- Seniors
- Couples
- Solo
Questions travellers ask
Is Pangboche Monastery the oldest in the Khumbu?
Local tradition holds that it was founded in the 17th century by Lama Sangwa Dorje, making it the oldest gompa in the Khumbu. Exact dates are hard to verify, but it is certainly older than Tengboche (1916) and is deeply important to Sherpas.
Can I see the yeti hand at Pangboche?
The original hand was stolen in the 1990s. A replica was later returned and the monastery may still show relics on request, but the yeti story is less of a focus today. Visit for the old murals, statues and village setting.
How do I get to Upper Pangboche?
From Lower Pangboche on the main EBC trail, take the stone path uphill for about 15 minutes. Your guide will know the way. It adds about 80–100 m of climbing, which is useful extra acclimatisation.
