Just west of Khumjung, in the same wide, green bowl below the sacred mountain Khumbila, lies its twin village, Khunde, at about 3,840 metres. Stone houses with green tin roofs, potato fields enclosed by dry-stone walls and long mani walls make it one of the most traditional villages in the Khumbu. It is best known for Khunde Hospital, founded with Sir Edmund Hillary’s Himalayan Trust in 1966 and still the main hospital for the Everest region.

Khunde at a glance

• Altitude: about 3,840 m (12,600 ft)
• Location: above Namche Bazaar, next to Khumjung, below Khumbila (5,761 m)
• Known for: Khunde Hospital, founded 1966 with the Himalayan Trust
• Nearby: Hotel Everest View, the Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery
• From Namche: about 1.5 to 2 hours uphill
• On our trek: optional visit on Day 4 (acclimatisation day in Namche)

Khunde Hospital

After building the first schools in the Khumbu, Sir Edmund Hillary and the Himalayan Trust turned to health care. Khunde Hospital opened in 1966 and was for many years the only hospital in the region. Its early volunteer doctors, many from New Zealand and Canada, ran vaccination campaigns and treated goitre, tuberculosis and injuries, and the hospital became famous for training local Sherpa health workers. Today it is staffed largely by Nepali doctors and nurses and serves thousands of local people, porters and trekkers every year. If you visit, a donation in the box is much appreciated.

Khunde and Khumjung: the twin villages

Khunde and Khumjung are only about 15 minutes’ walk apart and share the same valley, the same mountain views and many family ties. Khumjung is the larger village, with the Hillary School and the monastery holding the famous yeti scalp. Khunde is smaller and quieter, with the hospital, a small gompa, and a ridge above the village with fine views of Ama Dablam, Thamserku and Kangtega. Both are good examples of how Sherpa families live, farming potatoes and herding yaks alongside running lodges.

How to visit Khunde

The classic route on the acclimatisation day climbs from Namche Bazaar past the Syangboche airstrip to Hotel Everest View for a hot drink with a view of Everest, then drops into Khumjung. From there it is a short, flat walk to Khunde and the hospital before returning to Namche by the direct trail. The full loop takes about 4 to 5 hours with stops and is a perfect “climb high, sleep low” day.

Khunde on the 14-day Everest Base Camp Trek

On Day 4, the acclimatisation day in Namche, your guide can add Khunde and Khumjung to the walk to Hotel Everest View if the group is feeling strong. It is also a natural stop on the Everest Three Passes Trek. Ask us if you would like to include it.