Spiritual · Pangboche
Khumbu's oldest gompa and its juniper grove
Climb to Upper Pangboche to visit the small, ancient gompa attributed to Lama Sangwa Dorje, said to be the oldest in Khumbu, ringed by juniper trees that legend says grew from his hair. Once home to the famous 'yeti hand'.
From the lodges on the main trail a path climbs 20–30 minutes past chortens and mani walls to Upper Pangboche. The gompa is a low, square building of stone and timber, its wooden eaves painted in faded reds and greens, set in a grove of huge, gnarled juniper trees. Inside, the light is dim; butter lamps flicker before statues and walls darkened by centuries of smoke.
Sherpa tradition credits Lama Sangwa Dorje with founding it, making it the oldest monastery in Khumbu, the place from which Sherpa Buddhist practice spread to Tengboche and beyond. Legend says the junipers grew from hairs he scattered on the hillside. They are sacred, never cut, and their needles are burned as offering. Ask the caretaker to show the old texts and murals.
The gompa was long known for its relics, a 'yeti scalp' and a mummified 'yeti hand', which drew expeditions in the 1950s. The hand was stolen in 1991; a finger taken in 1959 was shown by DNA tests in 2011 to be human. A replica has since been given to the gompa. Visit with respect: remove shoes and hat, walk clockwise and leave a donation.
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Questions
Is Pangboche monastery the oldest in Khumbu?
It is widely regarded as the oldest, attributed by Sherpa tradition to Lama Sangwa Dorje, who is said to have brought Buddhist practice to Khumbu roughly 350 years ago. Tengboche, founded in 1916, traces its spiritual lineage back to him. The Pangboche gompa is small and old, with dark, smoke-stained murals.
What happened to the Pangboche yeti hand?
The mummified hand, revered as a yeti relic, was stolen from the gompa in 1991 and never recovered. A finger taken from it in 1959 had been smuggled abroad; in 2011 DNA tests on that finger showed it was human. A replica was later given to the gompa. The story is told in the village with sadness rather than humour.
How do I get to Upper Pangboche?
From the lodges on the main trail in lower Pangboche, follow the path uphill for about 20–30 minutes to the cluster of old houses and junipers around the gompa. It is also possible to follow an upper trail from Tengboche direction. Your guide will find the caretaker if the gompa is locked.
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