Spiritual · Thame
Hike to the Lawudo hermitage above the Thame trail
A steep side trail above Mende, on the way between Namche and Thame, climbs to the Lawudo hermitage, the cave retreat of the Lawudo Lama, whose recognised reincarnation, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, was born in Thame. Quiet, high and rarely visited.
Most trekkers walking from Namche to Thame never look up. Above the hamlets of Mende and Thamo, on a steep slope facing the Bhote Koshi, a cluster of small buildings and prayer flags marks the Lawudo hermitage. Here, local accounts say, the Lawudo Lama, Kunsang Yeshe, meditated in a cave for many years, and here pilgrims still come to pray.
The story goes on. A boy born in Thame in 1946 was recognised as the Lawudo Lama's reincarnation. He became Lama Zopa Rinpoche and spent his life teaching Tibetan Buddhism worldwide, through the network founded by his teacher Lama Yeshe. He died in 2023. The hermitage is cared for by monks and is a place of retreat; it is not a tourist site, and visitors should come quietly.
The climb is steep, gaining several hundred metres from the main trail, and takes about 1.5–2 hours up. Combine it with a night in Thame or Thamo and go in the morning, when the view across to Kongde and up towards Thame is clearest. Ask your guide to check that a visit is welcome that day, and leave a donation at the shrine.
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Questions
Where is Lawudo gompa?
Lawudo is above the trail between Namche Bazaar and Thame, near the hamlets of Mende and Thamo, on a steep slope facing the Bhote Koshi valley. It is reached by a side path from the main trail, about 1.5–2 hours up. Your guide will know the turn-off. It is a retreat place, so visits should be quiet and brief.
Who was the Lawudo Lama?
The Lawudo Lama, Kunsang Yeshe, was a hermit who meditated for many years in a cave at Lawudo. A boy born in Thame in 1946 was recognised as his reincarnation and became Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a renowned teacher of Tibetan Buddhism worldwide. He died in 2023. Lawudo remains a site of pilgrimage for his students.
Is the Lawudo hike suitable for acclimatisation?
Yes, if done after a night or two in Namche. It climbs well above the main trail and returns lower, following the climb-high, sleep-low rule. The path is steep and rough in places, so trekking poles help. Turn back if you feel unwell, and do not attempt it on your first day above 3,000 m.
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