Overview
This four-day retreat in the Solukhumbu region combines cultural immersion and gentle hiking. Starting with a flight to Phaplu, you will settle into The Happy House, a cozy Sherpa home. Experience local culture with a lunch at Chiwong Monastery and engage in a prayer session with monks. The next day, visit Thupten Choeling Monastery before walking to Junbesi, the first Sherpa village. Enjoy a relaxed pace with optional yoga and wellness activities. On day three, visit the Phaplu hospital founded by Sir Edmund Hillary, then hike or drive to Ratnange Ridge for a night under the stars at 3,300m. The final day begins with a sunrise breakfast overlooking the Eastern Himalayas, including Everest, before returning to Phaplu airport for your flight back to Kathmandu. This trip balances cultural exploration with comfortable accommodations, making it ideal for those seeking a peaceful mountain experience.
Highlights
- Scenic flight to Phaplu, far from the busy tourist circuit
- Stay at The Happy House with relaxed garden meals and cozy downtime
- Beautiful acclimatisation hikes through villages, wildflowers, and rhododendron forests
- Traditional monastery lunch with monks at Chiwong
- Prayer session, guided meditation, and Buddhist teachings with scholars
- Visit Thupten Choeling, a major Tibetan Buddhist monastery outside Tibet
- Sunrise breakfast on the ridge with panoramic Himalayan views, including Everest
Your Guide for the Trip
The Happy House team leads this four-day retreat in the Solukhumbu region, providing local Sherpa guides and hosts with extensive knowledge of the area. They focus on safety and cultural immersion, ensuring a rich experience through visits to monasteries and local villages. The itinerary includes gentle hikes and activities that highlight Sherpa culture and the natural beauty of Eastern Nepal. Expect support on all guided outings, with a strong emphasis on acclimatization and comfort during your stay.
Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Phaplu (2,500m) | The Happy House | Chiwong Monastery
Phaplu
You fly into Phaplu early and check into The Happy House, a beautifully restored Sherpa home once loved by Everest-era explorers, now warmed with candlelight, hand-painted thangka walls, and fireside comfort.
Later, drive or hike up to Chiwong Monastery on its cliffside perch, share lunch with the monks, and join a prayer session with time to sit quietly and meditate before returning for a candle-lit dinner.
Drive 40 min one way or walk 1.5 hrs one way
Day 2: Thupten Choeling Monastery | Walk to Junbesi | Back to Phaplu
Phaplu : via Thupten Choeling Monastery, Junbesi
Start the morning gently with yoga or singing bowl therapy, with optional sauna and massage to ease you into the day. Then drive to Thupten Choeling, one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside Tibet, where you can enter the main prayer hall and witness daily prayers and meditation. From there, walk down through Sherpa farm gardens into Junbesi, the first Sherpa village in Nepal and a sacred Beyul, also known as the “Moon Valley.” Lunch is hosted at a local family home before you drive or walk back to The Happy House.
Drive about 2 hrs total
Day 3: Phaplu Community Visit | Hike or Drive to Ratnange Camp (3,300m)
Phaplu - Ratnange Camp
After breakfast, visit the Phaplu hospital built by Sir Edmund Hillary, then stop at the local school to meet students and teachers and see village life beyond the trekking trail. Return to The Happy House for a relaxed garden lunch, served Sherpa-style outdoors. In the afternoon, head up to Ratnange Ridge for sunset at 3,300m, then settle into a calm, well-equipped camp with a Mongolian yurt for dining, expedition-style tents for the night, and a fully cooked dinner prepared by The Happy House kitchen.
Walk up about 2.5 hrs or drive about 1 hr
Day 4: Sunrise on Ratnange | Drive to Phaplu Airport | Fly to Kathmandu
Ratnange Camp - Kathmandu : via Phaplu
Wake early for tea or coffee on the ridge as the Eastern Himalayas glow at sunrise, with Everest on clear mornings. After soaking it in, drive down to Phaplu airport and fly back to Kathmandu, carrying that quiet “Beyul feeling” with you.
Drive 45 min to the airport | Flight 40 min
