For thousands of years, the valley of Kathmandu has been home to ancient mountain tribes, an extraordinary mosaic of cultures steeped in tradition and unique culture.

It’s hardly an unusual remark to say that spirituality beckons a traveller, but it’s no less valid for the repetition. Tengboche monastery, gathered in the shadow of Mt. Everest and Mt. Ama Dablam, among the highest mountains in the world, thrives in a tough environment and exudes spiritual fervour. It’s no wonder that, more than six decades ago, it inspired Tenzin and Hillary on their first ascent. And it’s still inspiring us today. After a riveting landing at the famed Lukla airstrip, a shaky beginning of a marvellous Everest trek, amidst roaring applause from relieved passengers, you come across the most breathtaking sun glistened view in all of the Nepal Himalayas - the Khumbu region. Tengboche can be reached via Namche Bazaar, a quaint town that mostly shelters mountain climbers, trekkers and people of the Sherpa community. From the airstrip at Lukla, it takes about three days of uphill trek. Tengboche lies on a ridge at an altitude of 3,870 meters.