Nunthala on the Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trail: The Night After the Lamjura La

Last updated 15 October 2026.

Nunthala is the night after the pass. On the old walk to Everest from Jiri, you cross the Lamjura La on day three, sleep in Junbesi, and on day four you walk on to Nunthala at 2,194 m. Hardly anyone writes about it, so here is what the day is and why it sits where it does.

Short answer: Nunthala is the overnight stop on day 4 of our Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek, 18 days. You walk there from Junbesi in about 5 to 6 hours, and you sleep at 2,194 m (7,198 ft), roughly 500 m lower than the night before. The next morning you climb to the Khari La at about 3,080 m and walk on to Puiyan. It is a teahouse night in a farming village on the way, with no sight to tick off. Its job is to give your legs a calm day between the Lamjura La and the long climb to Khari La.

Nunthala at a glance

Where is Nunthala on the Jiri route?

It sits in Solu, the lower and greener half of the Solukhumbu district, between Junbesi and the Dudh Koshi valley that leads up to Namche Bazaar. This is the part of the route that most people skip, because they fly to Lukla and start high. The Jiri route is the walk-in that expeditions used before the airstrip, and I wrote about the whole line in my guide to the Jiri to Everest Base Camp trek. If you are still choosing between this start and the flight, my comparison of Jiri to EBC and Lukla to EBC sets the two side by side.

The first days run like this.

Look at the sleeping heights. You go up, up, then down on day 4, then up again. That up and down is the whole point of the Jiri approach, and Nunthala is the dip in the middle of it.

What is the walk from Junbesi to Nunthala like?

It is the easier day after the hard one. Yesterday you crossed the Lamjura La, the high pass on this route, and came down into Junbesi. Today you leave Junbesi heading east, with the path running through apple orchards and past the Junbesi monastery. If your guide agrees and the morning is clear, the five-minute detour to the monastery courtyard is worth it. From there the whole valley is below you, and our itinerary notes snow peaks beyond the forested ridges, named as Numbur and Karyolung.

Then you walk. Our day plan says about 5 to 6 hours, and by our figures you finish about 500 m lower than you started. That is easier on the lungs and harder on the knees. Poles help on the descent. You will not need the altitude care that comes later, because 2,194 m is low. You should still drink water and eat properly, because day five is a real climb.

I should be clear about one thing. I do not have a long list of things to see in Nunthala itself. It is a working farming village, and the teahouse is simple and family run. If you want a place with a famous view or a landmark, this is not it. If you want to see how Solu people live, with fields, walls and mule traffic, you see that all day, and Nunthala is where you stop and rest.

Why does the trek stop at Nunthala?

Because of what comes next. Day five takes you from Nunthala over the Khari La to Puiyan, about 13 km, and the climb to the pass is long. Our day text calls it a long day, and the time is given as 5 to 6 hours in the day plan and 6 to 7 hours in the day text, so plan for the longer one. You want to start that day rested and fed.

A night at 2,194 m, after a day with only moderate effort, does that. It also puts day five at a sensible starting point. Day six then drops you into the Dudh Koshi valley and joins the classic Everest trail at Phakding. If you want to know what that first night on the way up looks like, my guide to Bhandar covers it, and Phaplu and Salleri, where some people start by road, are in my road start guide.

What does it cost?

The Jiri to Everest Base Camp Trek is 18 days. For 1 to 4 people the price per person is USD 1,599 on Budget, USD 2,699 on Standard and USD 5,199 on Luxury. It falls as the group grows, and every band is on the package page. I read these figures from the live page on 15 October 2026.

Kathmandu hotels are not included in any trek price. Permits are: the page lists four, which are the Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit, Sagarmatha National Park (NPR 3,000), the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality fee (NPR 3,000) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). We buy the TIMS card in Kathmandu, and your guide buys the Khumbu permit on the trail.

When is the best time to sleep in Nunthala?

For 2027 my pick is October to November, then March to April. The trip takes 18 days, so book early enough to fit your flights home.

Questions people ask

Where is Nunthala? It is a village in Solu, between Junbesi and the Dudh Koshi valley, on the Jiri approach to Everest Base Camp.

How high is Nunthala? 2,194 m (7,198 ft) in our itinerary.

How long is the walk from Junbesi to Nunthala? About 5 to 6 hours, with the Junbesi monastery as an optional short stop on the way out.

Is Nunthala a rest day? No. It is a full walking day, but a lighter one than the Lamjura La day before it and the Khari La day after it.

Where do you sleep in Nunthala? In a local teahouse or lodge.

What comes after Nunthala? A climb to the Khari La at about 3,080 m, then Puiyan at 2,796 m, then Phakding on day six.

Do I need altitude care at Nunthala? No, not at 2,194 m. The altitude work starts later, above Namche Bazaar. Buy travel insurance at home that covers trekking and helicopter rescue to 5,500 m, and do not buy a policy in Nepal.

Is the Jiri road open? I cannot tell you the state of it on any given day. We check road conditions 48 hours before departure, and if the drive cannot go ahead I tell you before you travel.

What are the terms for this trek?

Group size is 2 to 20, and you can also trek solo. The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and whether you want the Jiri walk-in or the flight to Lukla. I will tell you which tier and which route I would choose, and send you the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.