Monjo
Where the Everest trail enters Sagarmatha National Park
Monjo (about 2,835 m) is the village at the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park, where your park permit is checked on the way from Phakding to Namche Bazaar. Green and peaceful, it is a pleasant tea stop and a good alternative first night on the trek.
Why Monjo is known
Sagarmatha National Park entrance gate and checkpoint
Park information centre
Green gardens and apple orchards
Alternative first night on the trek
Start of the Khumbu's protected area
About Monjo
Monjo is a small, friendly village at about 2,835 metres in the Dudh Koshi valley, an hour or two north of Phakding. It is where you officially enter Sagarmatha National Park: just past the village, a stone gateway and checkpoint mark the start of the park, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects Mount Everest and the high Khumbu.
Monjo at a glance
- Altitude: about 2,835 m (9,300 ft)
- Known for: the Sagarmatha National Park entrance gate and checkpoint
- Permit checked here: Sagarmatha National Park entry permit (your local Khumbu municipality permit is checked near Lukla)
- From Phakding: about 2 to 3 hours
- To Namche Bazaar: about 3 to 4 hours, including the big climb
- On our trek: Day 3 (Phakding to Namche) and Day 12 (Namche to Lukla)
The Sagarmatha National Park gate
At the north end of Monjo you pass through the park gateway and a checkpoint where park staff record your name and check your entry permit. The Sagarmatha National Park fee is NPR 3,000 per person for foreign visitors (plus VAT), and it is included in our trek price, so your guide handles the paperwork. Keep your passport handy in your daypack. Beside the gate there is a small information centre with displays on the park’s wildlife and the people of the Khumbu.
Sagarmatha National Park was created in 1976 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It protects 1,148 square kilometres of high mountains, glaciers and forests, including Everest, Lhotse and Cho Oyu, and wildlife such as the Himalayan tahr, musk deer and the national bird, the Himalayan monal (danphe).
The village
Monjo is greener and lower than the villages you will reach later, with vegetable gardens, apple trees and pine forest. It has several comfortable lodges, and some itineraries spend the first night here instead of Phakding to shorten the climb to Namche. A short way before the gate, a trail leads up to the small Monjo Gompa. In spring the forests above the village are bright with rhododendron flowers.
Monjo on the 14-day Everest Base Camp Trek
On Day 3 you leave Phakding after breakfast, follow the Dudh Koshi north across several suspension bridges, and reach Monjo in time for tea. After the park gate the trail drops to Jorsalle, the last village before the long climb past the Hillary Suspension Bridge to Namche Bazaar. You pass Monjo again on Day 12 on your way back to Lukla, when you exit the park.
Highlights
- Enter Sagarmatha National Park through its stone gateway
- Visit the small park information centre
- Walk among apple orchards, gardens and pine forest
- Rhododendron blooms in spring
- Last easy stretch before the big climb to Namche
Gallery
Location
Open in Google MapsFrequently asked questions
Where is Monjo?
Monjo is in the Dudh Koshi valley between Phakding and Namche Bazaar, at the entrance to Sagarmatha National Park.
How high is Monjo?
About 2,835 m (9,300 ft).
Which permit is checked at Monjo?
The Sagarmatha National Park entry permit. The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit is checked near Lukla. Both are included in our trek.
How much is the Sagarmatha National Park fee?
NPR 3,000 per person for foreign visitors, plus VAT. SAARC nationals and Nepalis pay less.
Can I stay overnight in Monjo?
Yes. Monjo has several good lodges and some itineraries stay here instead of Phakding to shorten the climb to Namche.
How long from Monjo to Namche Bazaar?
About 3 to 4 hours, including the steep climb after the Hillary Suspension Bridge.
