- Length
- 11 days
- Highest point
- 4,880 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Starts
- Shivalaya (drive from Kathmandu)
- Group size
- 2–10 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House / Camp
An off-the-beaten-path circuit beneath Numbur Himal through Sherpa and Jirel villages, high cheese pastures and the Panch Pokhari lakes, crossing the 4,880 m Gyajo La.
- Cross the dramatic Gyajo La pass at 4,880 m, the trek's high point
- Visit the sacred Panch Pokhari five lakes at 4,515 m
- Taste fresh yak-milk cheese at the historic Thodung cheese factory
- Trek a genuinely off-the-beaten-path circuit with almost no other tourists
- Experience authentic Sherpa and Jirel village culture and homestays
- Walk beneath the sacred Numbur Himal (Shorong Yul Lha, 6,958 m)
- Explore the wild, protected Gaurishankar Conservation Area
- Start on the historic old Jiri trail walked by the first Everest expeditions
The climb, day by day
Day 1Drive Kathmandu to Shivalaya (1,790 m)1,790 m
Scenic drive east from Kathmandu along the Sun Koshi and Tama Koshi valleys to Shivalaya, the historic trailhead on the old Jiri route to Everest. Overnight in a simple teahouse.
- Distance
- ~190 km
- Walking
- 7–8 hrs drive
- Meals
- Dinner
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Shivalaya to Khahare (2,175 m)2,175 m
Begin trekking, climbing gradually through farming villages and forest above the river to the small settlement of Khahare. A gentle first day to ease into the rhythm of the trail.
- Distance
- ~9 km
- Walking
- 5 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3Khahare to Panipakha (3,105 m)3,105 m
A steady forested climb through rhododendron and oak woods, gaining nearly 1,000 m to reach Panipakha. Views begin to open toward the high peaks as you enter the conservation area's quieter reaches.
- Distance
- ~11 km
- Walking
- 6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4Panipakha to Maanedanda (3,940 m)3,940 m
Leave the tree line behind for open alpine pasture and grazing meadows. The trail climbs to the high camp at Maanedanda with growing views of Numbur and the surrounding ridges. First tented camp of the trek.
- Distance
- ~9 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Camp
Day 5Maanedanda to Panch Pokhari (4,515 m)4,515 m
A high, scenic day to the sacred Panch Pokhari, the five glacial lakes that give the area its spiritual significance. Time to acclimatise and explore the lakes before the pass crossing.
- Distance
- ~7 km
- Walking
- 5 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Camp
Day 6Panch Pokhari to Tare (4,140 m)4,140 m
Traverse high, remote terrain with superb mountain panoramas, descending slightly to the camp at Tare in preparation for tomorrow's pass. A wild, exposed day with almost no other trekkers.
- Distance
- ~10 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Camp
Day 7Tare to Ngeju via Gyajo La (4,880 m)4,880 m
The big day. Climb to the Gyajo La (also called Thulo Lapcha) at 4,880 m, the highest point of the trek, with sweeping views toward Numbur, Karyolung and the distant Everest range. A long descent leads to the camp at Ngeju.
- Distance
- ~12 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Camp
Day 8Ngeju to Lhachhewar via Thodung (2,665 m)2,665 m
Descend back into forest and Sherpa farming country, passing the famous Thodung cheese factory, one of Nepal's oldest, where you can taste fresh yak-milk cheese. Continue to the village of Lhachhewar.
- Distance
- ~12 km
- Walking
- 6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Lhachhewar to Gumdel (2,255 m)2,255 m
A cultural day through Jirel and Sherpa villages, terraced fields and mixed forest, with warm homestay hospitality in Gumdel and views back to the high country you crossed.
- Distance
- ~11 km
- Walking
- 6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Homestay
Day 10Gumdel to Those (1,755 m)1,755 m
A long descending day down to the old bazaar town of Those on the Jiri road, completing the circuit. Celebrate the end of the trek in this historic trading village.
- Distance
- ~14 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Tea House
Day 11Drive Those to Kathmandu1,295 m
Drive back to Kathmandu along the river valleys, arriving in the afternoon. End of the trek and onward arrangements.
- Distance
- ~190 km
- Walking
- 7–8 hrs drive
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Night
- –
The price includes
- Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit and TIMS card
- Experienced government-licensed English-speaking trekking guide
- Porters to carry your main baggage (one shared per two trekkers)
- All ground transport: Kathmandu–Shivalaya and Those–Kathmandu by private vehicle/jeep
- All accommodation on trek: teahouses, homestays and tented camps
- All meals during the trek (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Camping equipment, kitchen crew and cook for remote high sections
- Guide and porter wages, insurance, food and accommodation
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to and from Kathmandu
- Nepal entry visa fee
- Accommodation and meals in Kathmandu
- Travel and high-altitude rescue insurance (mandatory)
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Drinks, bottled water, hot showers and battery charging on trek
- Tips for guide, porters and crew
- Personal expenses and anything not listed under Included
The Numbur Cheese Circuit Trek is one of Nepal's quietest and most rewarding alpine circuits, looping through the Solu and Ramechhap districts in the lower Everest region beneath the sacred Numbur Himal (Shorong Yul Lha, 6,958 m). Far from the busy Khumbu trails, this route threads together Sherpa and Jirel villages, terraced farmland, rhododendron forest and wide yak pastures dotted with traditional Himalayan cheese factories. It is a trek for travellers who want raw, authentic mountain culture without the crowds.
The circuit climbs steadily to the glittering Panch Pokhari (five lakes) at 4,515 m, a revered pilgrimage site, before crossing the demanding Gyajo La pass at 4,880 m, the trek's high point, with sweeping views toward Numbur, Karyolung and the distant Everest range. The descent passes the famous Thodung cheese factory, one of the oldest in Nepal, where you can taste fresh yak-milk cheese made the way it has been for generations.
A genuine off-the-beaten-path circuit
Because it lies inside the Gaurishankar Conservation Area, the trail remains wild and lightly travelled. Accommodation is a mix of simple teahouses, homestays in settled villages and tented camps in the remote high sections, so you experience real village hospitality alongside true wilderness camping. The route begins with a scenic drive from Kathmandu to Shivalaya, the classic gateway on the old Jiri trail once walked by the first Everest expeditions.
Who is this trek for
This is a challenging trek best suited to fit, adventurous trekkers comfortable with long days, basic facilities and a high pass. In return you get solitude, living Sherpa and Jirel culture, alpine lakes and cheese-pasture landscapes that almost no other trekkers see.